Now that the Operating and Financial Review (OFR) has been scrapped and the red tape has loosened (Personnel Today,
6 December), we can have real debate about the role of reporting in HR.
As I see it, measurement should contribute to, not govern, our role in providing leader-ship on people matters to deliver competitive advantage. Get the people strategy right first and use measurement to test, not stifle, the effectiveness of that strategy.
Perhaps the OFR experience has delivered some benefits – by encouraging a more planned and disciplined approach to the way we assess the impact of our activities. But at the same time, we must recognise that our measurements, in common with our interven-tions, need to adapt to business requirements.
David Longbottom
Group director of HR,
DSG International
