HR professionals must grow their roles if the UK’s poor productivity levels
are to be improved, claimed the chief executive of Investors in People in an
exclusive interview.
Ruth Spellman believes HR holds the key to solving the productivity gap, but
must make itself more central to decision-making within their organisations.
"The HR function needs to get real and understand the pressures of
business," she said.
Spellman does not believe that US strategy guru Michael Porter, who is being
employed by the Department of Trade and Industry to tackle the problem, will
provide an answer.
"It’s a bit of a vote of no confidence in our managers," she said.
"We have to learn from other countries, but we can’t go running overseas
every time we have a problem."
She also accused HR of becoming too insular as a function and urged it to
widen its aspirations.
"I’d like to see many more HR managers not just getting on the board,
but becoming major directors or CEOs. Why not?" she said, "I really
want to get away from that legalistic ‘do not do’ attitude."
IIP is set to launch two new areas of accreditation – work-life balance and
management and leadership – following a £30m investment.
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