HC Global

There has been recent furore over the raised question regarding the future of HR following the article on PwC's report in PT. In the ensuing melee of comment it would seem that we’ve overlooked the real question which is ‘Are we talking about the HR function or the HR profession?’ Because the two are not necessarily the same.

If we are referring to the HR function, then its future is reasonably safe – the only question then being as to what type of HR function is it, i.e. one that is operationally compliant focused and mainly outsourced or one that adds strategic value optimising people and management contribution? (And, of course, the hybrid versions in between).

If we are referring to the HR profession then I would say that the future is far from certain and here are three reasons why:

Continue reading "The future of HR: Which HR are we talking about?" »

Yes - Today I am announcing that The International School will later this year launch the ISHCM Collaboration - a practitioner library to assist the decision-making and application of human capital management practice through an evidence-based management approach.

This will parallel existing structures in medicine (Cochrane Collaboration) and social policy (Campbell Collaboration). Visiting these websites will give you an idea of what I'm talking about and the potential awesome capability that could be built with defined communities of practice.

The International School of HCM and VaLUENTiS are both advocates of evidence based management and evaluation based management, the appropriate use of science, interpretation and application to assist in the proper implementation of human capital management practice.

For those of you who are not familiar with the concept of evidence based management and evaluation based management then a quick google/wiki reference may help (click on links).

Truly an exciting development but as ever in the HCM space I'm sure it will be met with general indifference and abjectivity, particularly by some organisations who, shall we say, should have done something in this space some time ago.

I'm also sure that there will be a few 'practitioners' who will positively abhor it since it brings accountability into the equation. (For more on this see April 24 blog - HR Profession: Are you an 'Idealist', 'Committed Professional' or 'Rentseeker'?)

We're still working on its exact form but we will keep you posted of developments. This is a big step.

BUT YOU HEARD IT HERE FIRST..........

Is it just me or has it become extremely banal out there?

I've just picked up a series of headline comments which frankly stagger me with their insight.

Here's a few for starters.......

'Employers wanting to crack down on absence need to integrate benefits and services and assess the role line managers play in tackling the problem' (you don't say - line managers, whatever next?!)

'Work and pensions secretary James Purnell has warned chief executives that good people management is vital to avoid disasters such as the Buncefield oil explosion'. (Really - crikey I thought it was the opposite!)

'Employers have been reminded to consider the culture of their company in order to properly engage their staff.' (No sh*t!)

Continue reading "The inanity of it all (or how people management is reduced to Jack & Jill status....) " »

JoAHCM Volume 2 Number 1 2008 will be out next week entitled the 'CEO issue'. It's a 'pared down' version featuring six primers on human capital management for senior management and of course for all HR professionals.

So a sneak preview of the running order of titles are as follows:

Continue reading "Details of the new volume of the AHCM Journal " »

PwC's new report entitled 'Managing people in a changing world' - now subtitled Key Trends in human capital' - has instigated the usual debate with the usual responses -see 'Senior HR figures reject claims......'.

Given the scope of the report, a global perspective in 48 pages is pretty impressive if you like your information at 50,000 feet whilst viewing an area at 50 feet above ground.

Before I review the comments from either side, can we just clarify that PwC is primarily an accounting firm that does some 'benchmarking' (what remains of Saratoga) of the HR function and gets involved with systems integration projects which include HR shared services, which is not quite the same as those specialists in human capital management.

With that rider I'll move on.......

Continue reading "PwC's report and the usual controversy......" »

You may have caught the news this morning that well-known Hollywood actor Wesley Snipes (Blade) has been given a three-year jail sentence for wilfully evading tax returns (and thus tax) back in 1999-2001.

Given the sentencing nowadays one could be forgiven for thinking that there is something amiss in terms of this sentence? And you would be right - after all he didn't accidentally kill somebody, or all the other 'bad' things you could do to earn three years or more...

You could ask 'why isn't he given ten years penal community work on top of financial penalties or other such useful contributions to society?'

Well - the real issue is that Governments don't want to encourage behaviour of tax evasion of any sort as there is the real worry that no tax means that society breaks down in 24 hours.

That's why. Because we are a society that relies upon taxation. And we apparently can't survive without it. Which makes you wonder why we are not a little more careful in the way in which we distribute it (see previous blog entries for example)?

The last few days nationally also provide us with a glimpse of how deep-seated this affects us all. Source and distribution are two sides of the same (tax) coin so to speak....

If only we were as diligently penal with those who squander it...........(see plethora of tax misuse on google).............

Yes - came across a very fascinating paper by Ashish Nanda, Associate Professor at Harvard on the subject of professional associations/professions 'Evolution of public reputation of a profession'.

The reason it's fascinating is how Nanda describes the evolution and reputation of a profession. In it he proposes that practitioners are one of three types: 'Idealists' - who are true belivers attracted by the profession's calling (the internal 'good' that the practice offers) and will stay faithful to the profession no matter the reputation.

The 'Committed professionals'. They are attracted by the status and satisfaction offered by the profession. Social mobility, personal career growth thyrough membership is a big driver. Committed professionals practice in accordance with the profession's norms and value its reputation. Idealists and Committed professionals increase the profession's goodwill.

Then there's the 'Rent seekers' who seek primarily personal gain even at the expense of destroying public goodwill of the profession........Nanda uses the term 'infected' when it comes to rent seekers and the pillaging over time of professional goodwill........As you may have guessed Rent-seekers are more 'fly by night' in nature.

Continue reading "HR Profession: Are you an 'Idealist', 'Committed professional' or 'Rent seeker'?" »

Just squeezing a late entry in between client locations!

Referring to a story that is continuing to attract attention regarding the Carter & Carter debacle and Newcastle-on-Tyne College's acquisition of the rump of the business. (see my previous blog entries (i) 'Train to Gain comes off the rails' and (ii)'Carter & Carter - a sad demise' , if you wish to refresh).

Today a further article entitled 'Newcastle College's purchase of Carter & Carter means it now has a nationwide empire'. Interesting title I thought...

Continue reading "Newcastle College, Carter & Carter and the issue that won't go away....." »

A rather disturbing news item in yesterday's 'observer' entitled 'One million pupils failed.......' regarding the fact that in the last ten years a million pupils have failed to register even the lowest grade in 5 GCSEs. Coming on the back of announcements that people are unlikely to find jobs unless they have the basic 5 GCSEs this is very worrying economic cost.

Despite the spending of vast sums to educate and away from the headlines of the rising passes there is a growing underclass of human capital despite the fact that we are one of the supposed advanced nations on earth and that its the 21st Century..........

Continue reading "A million on the scrapheap before 18......" »

I wasn't quite prepared for an article I came across in The Times Higher Education Supplement (10-16 April) recently - see online 'When HR gets hold of academe, quackery and gobbledegook run riot' which is gross misunderstanding of what HR/HCM and the function is about (you should by now see my response there).

As I got over choking on my toasted HRD week brochure I though this needs a response.........

Continue reading "Another story kicking HR.......which I am defending against...." »