HR THEMES:
Complexity is killing HR
It’s an overwhelming scene. Unrelenting business competition, increasing globalization, transformational change, technology and more technology – it all calls for exceptionally talented people to inspire others and to be inspired to answer the call.
For HR, that means an overhaul of long standing HR processes and the technologies supporting them, together with advanced skills in data analysis and strategic advice.
Despite being up for the challenge, many HR professionals complain about the increasing complexity of their environment, poorly integrated HR technologies and excessive data that swamps them with un-interpreted outputs and bamboozles leaders and managers. A strong focus on simplifying processes and producing information that really matters are top of mind.
Strategic workforce planning just isn’t very strategic
Sierra-Cedar research suggests that only 12% of organisations are seriously embarking on strategic workforce planning, and of these, only 25% have technology tools to assist them. Surely that is an indictment on both HR’s strategic planning capabilities as well as its focus.
In 2016 there is no excuse for organizations to be on the back foot with workforce forecasting, attraction and retention strategies, mobility and succession planning. The need is there and so are the tools.
The reward for getting this right is a win-win for HR and the business: strategic workforce planning remains the biggest opportunity for HR to make a valued business impact.
The FUD Factor remains high for HR technology adoption
Fear, Uncertainty, Doubt. This continues to be the visceral response from too many HR practitioners when it comes to the advanced HR technologies they could and should be using to do their jobs.
We don’t need any more ‘people persons’ in HR; we need ‘business persons’ who understand that they oversee the greatest asset every organization has and failing to be equipped and skilled in the use...