HC Global

What seems way back in December (2007) in my final blog entry of the year I forecast ahead for 2008. So how are the various predictions holding up?

Well I started with saying that it was going to be tough and I guess that's unfortunately been proven right (remember a number of 'experts' were still forecasting a nice sunny scenario, which meant they were either (a) in denial, (b) not much of an expert or (c) both - a point I made regarding the excessive talking up that had gone on since September 2007.

I said that HR restructuring was a big feature (though this has hardly been off the agenda for a decade) and that employee engagement and productivity were going to be central focus.
I believe this to be correct though it's a shame that all of a sudden a number of suppliers have recently joined the 'circus' including some big names without shall we say the necessary expertise. .....

So what else?

Continue reading "2008 Forecast.....half term report" »

Nowadays there's so much ephemeral market research but one caught my eye last week - HR forced to neglect business areas as ecomomic slowdown continues.

Why did this catch my eye?

Well a survey of 102 HR heads found something deeply disturbing as 80% admitted that they had neither the time nor the resource to concentrate on 'strategic activities' - namely, leadership development, retention, attraction, productivity and growth. Instead their time was focused on recruitment (or of course outplacement) and training citing a lack of senior management commitment/funds

Now admittedly the research was carried out by another recruitment firm trying to differentiate itself, however, these results are sufficiently objective (allowing for some discrepancy in the definitions).......

So why did I find it disturbing?

Continue reading "The HR role - Puppet on a string?" »

Ahead of the HCMI course module this week on workforce intelligence (part 1 of 2 of the HCM module) I thought that I'd repeat a coversation recently regarding the state of play.

The conversation had been focused around education and learning being the fulcrum of the human capital argument. The focus of attention switched to that of measurement. All nodded when the statement was made that measuring something helped to understand what you were measuring without exception. This was particularly key around social science subjects....

Continue reading "Human Capital Measurement - the story so far" »

Interesting to see comments last week about opportunities in great times of change - By a strange coincidence in last month's HCMI class, a question on organisations and people management in terms of what had fundamentally changed led to a 'non-discussion' because in the analysis little had actually changed.

There was no denying that there was much activity but little had really actually changed. More critically the view was taken that the HR function was in many instances not doing anything different to Personnel before it.........

Continue reading "HCM versus HR.........and the winner is......" »

Some of you may have come across the current daily reports on Sky News from Geoff Meade, Sky Reporter aboard the Navy's HMS Trenchant (aka 'The Perisher') - the real live 'You're fired' for aspiring Captains of UK's nuclear submarines. Geoff Meade is the first journalist to be let aboard a nuclear submarine.

Though Geoff's main focus is on conditions aboard HMS Trenchant the real drama is the real live simulation happening as a cadre of 'would-be captains' are put through the 'mill' to see if they have what it takes - for some it will be the end of the career...........

Continue reading "All aboard 'The Perisher' - The real life 'You're fired'" »

I was glad to see at least one HR Director writing in to suggest that the new fangled joint studies linking HR with.....snake-charming, Maypole-dancing, cake-making, sewing, cocktail bar serving etc (where will it end) might be somewhat questionable?

Quite right...

May I suggest that if people want to study something of use that linking HR with maybe economics? behavioural economics? financial economics? accounting? marketing? measurement? decision-making science? Organisation dynamics? would be a good place to start. Oh I've just realised there's always our HCMI in the first place.........

But of course, much better to be led by universities trying to maximise revenue on new 'frothy' courses - of course, targeted at some gullible HR practitioners........not HCM professionals

More survey analysis reported today 'Generation Y assumptions flawed' that shows the silliness of labelling everybody in a particular age range the same. Though there are no doubt commonalities across age ranges they are nothing like the generalisations that we get to see.

But, hey - its catchy and it sells books and of course its a great conversation piece - in pubs that is but not in professional ones. I'm amazed that people still go on about X/Y in HR circles.

Another nail in another fallacy. At least it might stop a few more 'case studies' on how we.........zzzzzzzzzzzzzz. PERIOD.

Let's start with the definition of HCM (ISHCM 2006):

"Human Capital Management is the term which is used to describe an organisation's multi-disciplined and integrated approach to optimising the capabilities and performance of its management and employees."

Dependent upon the organisation this definition therefore defines the overall context for thew HR function's value proposition.

HCM can be seen as a natural evolution of yesterday's HR practice. It can be viewed as a philisophy toward people as much as to the hands-on understanding of people supported with the appropriate (social) sciences.

Continue reading "Human Capital Management and why 'HR' is no longer de rigeur" »

Finally, Volume 2 Number 1 Journal of Applied Human Capital Management is here.

A little later than scheduled but just in time for the holidays (if in the UK)!

Leading articles include:

Continue reading "The Journal (of AHCM) Volume 2 Number 1 is now here......" »

There's been a lot on offer regarding HR transformation over the past few years. Magazine articles, conferences, network events, publications, case studies etc.

But there is very little evidence that real HR transformation has gone on at all. For those who want to know what I am talking about and compare then reading Real HR Transformation may help.

As I have stated a number of times, HR transformation isn't just employing a bit of automation or outsourcing or shared services or any other part of the 'three-legged stool' or Ulrich's 2x2 conceptual model for that matter. And it certainly isn't only about cost reduction.....
 

Continue reading "HR Transformation: Have we lost the plot?" »