IN the hit movie Dead Poets Society, Robin Williams encouraged students to seize the day, to be all they could be, before it was too late. The message was clear and powerful, yet disturbing at times in its impact on the key players.
IN the hit movie Dead Poets Society, Robin Williams encouraged students to seize the day, to be all they could be, before it was too late. The message was clear and powerful, yet disturbing at times in its impact on the key players.
Successful change requires organisational personnel to challenge organisational systems and practices to ensure that the people management environment enables all players to influence/participate in transitional strategies. The role in developing these systems rests with the human resource department (HR).
It is clear from recent consulting projects that current changes being implemented throughout the WA public sector presents the field of human resources with the opportunity to – ‘seize the day’. But what exactly does that mean?
Unfortunately, the field of human resources traditionally has lacked a true market-orientated sophistication, meaning that despite the name change (from personnel to human resources) the field has largely had a minimal influence on strategic practices and orientations of organisations and the people they serve.
It is clear that the findings of the Machinery of Government Taskforce has presented the WA public sector’s HR field with a wonderful opportunity to alter the way users of HR services view it by influencing the management of the associated change processes and the subsequent people management orientations/practices of government agencies.
Criteria for success – Human Resources role in transitional management.
The fundamental shift that needs to be managed by HR professionals throughout the WA public sector is the move to an environment where line managers are ‘truly’ accountable for the management of the day-to-day people management issues. To realise this goal it is essential that the internal people management systems support managers by providing them with the skills, systems and guidance to use timely HR information effectively. People management systems that need to alter at a line management level include daily team planning, leave management, performance management, safety management, recruitment and staff training.
It is essential that an organisation’s management team views the shift in the people management accountability as being business critical to their needs, the needs of their people and stakeholders. The responsibility for building this awareness and leading the change process is that of the HR branch. Unfortunately, the ability of the HR function to perform this role has been undermined by the historical orientation and practice of the function. HR managers need to develop a range of repositioning strategies if they are to be genuine leaders of the change process.
HR lead change processes are essential in the current WA public sector environment. It should be noted, however, that the success of any HR lead change process depends as much on the service provider (line manager, employee or external partner) becoming a full partner in the process of transition and change management process as on its capability to provide ongoing services. Therefore it is essential that the HR branch approaches the implementation of change as focusing more on just ‘cultural change’ services/issues.
Issues such as the orientation and capability of an organisation’s HRMIS to support change are key considerations for managing the transition from a centralised administrative orientated HR environment to a devolved people management environment.
Some of the factors that HR managers need to consider in order to facilitate successful change includes:
p a clear understanding by all key stakeholders of HR strategies and their links to strategic organisational strategies;
p a commitment by all parties (line managers, staff and HR staff) to engage in a partnership model in order to achieve strategic goals and objectives;
p the alignment of HR service delivery models with an organisations overall business objectives;
p clearly defined levels of service (from HR to Stakeholders) combined with the flexibility to adapt to change;
p sensitivity to the concerns and career aspirations of internal HR staff; and
p cooperation between all parties in pursuing performance improvement and best practice.
Having outlined the above concepts, it is apparent that an opportunity exists for a detailed investigation into the changes associated with the transition of the Western Australian public sector and the impact it potentially has on the operational focus of the human resource function.
Fundamental questions that should be explored include:
what is HR’s role at the change management process are they followers, leaders or managers;
how do HR departments balance service delivery activities orientation during and post transitional orientation;
what changes have occurred/will occur in the service delivery models of HR departments, in particular shifts in focus/practice/skill set;
what role is HR playing in coaching/supporting CEOs to build new organisational models/structures and cultures; and
what role has HR played in influencing/selecting/developing change management models in line with the findings of the Machinery of Government Taskforce.
Additional areas of focus that should be explored include the investigation as to the current and proposed organisational development practices and orientation that HR departments are planning on implementing over the next 12 months.
Successful change requires organisational personnel to challenge organisational systems and practices to ensure that the people management environment enables all players to influence/participate in transitional strategies. The role in developing these systems rests with the human resource department (HR).
It is clear from recent consulting projects that current changes being implemented throughout the WA public sector presents the field of human resources with the opportunity to – ‘seize the day’. But what exactly does that mean?
Unfortunately, the field of human resources traditionally has lacked a true market-orientated sophistication, meaning that despite the name change (from personnel to human resources) the field has largely had a minimal influence on strategic practices and orientations of organisations and the people they serve.
It is clear that the findings of the Machinery of Government Taskforce has presented the WA public sector’s HR field with a wonderful opportunity to alter the way users of HR services view it by influencing the management of the associated change processes and the subsequent people management orientations/practices of government agencies.
Criteria for success – Human Resources role in transitional management.
The fundamental shift that needs to be managed by HR professionals throughout the WA public sector is the move to an environment where line managers are ‘truly’ accountable for the management of the day-to-day people management issues. To realise this goal it is essential that the internal people management systems support managers by providing them with the skills, systems and guidance to use timely HR information effectively. People management systems that need to alter at a line management level include daily team planning, leave management, performance management, safety management, recruitment and staff training.
It is essential that an organisation’s management team views the shift in the people management accountability as being business critical to their needs, the needs of their people and stakeholders. The responsibility for building this awareness and leading the change process is that of the HR branch. Unfortunately, the ability of the HR function to perform this role has been undermined by the historical orientation and practice of the function. HR managers need to develop a range of repositioning strategies if they are to be genuine leaders of the change process.
HR lead change processes are essential in the current WA public sector environment. It should be noted, however, that the success of any HR lead change process depends as much on the service provider (line manager, employee or external partner) becoming a full partner in the process of transition and change management process as on its capability to provide ongoing services. Therefore it is essential that the HR branch approaches the implementation of change as focusing more on just ‘cultural change’ services/issues.
Issues such as the orientation and capability of an organisation’s HRMIS to support change are key considerations for managing the transition from a centralised administrative orientated HR environment to a devolved people management environment.
Some of the factors that HR managers need to consider in order to facilitate successful change includes:
p a clear understanding by all key stakeholders of HR strategies and their links to strategic organisational strategies;
p a commitment by all parties (line managers, staff and HR staff) to engage in a partnership model in order to achieve strategic goals and objectives;
p the alignment of HR service delivery models with an organisations overall business objectives;
p clearly defined levels of service (from HR to Stakeholders) combined with the flexibility to adapt to change;
p sensitivity to the concerns and career aspirations of internal HR staff; and
p cooperation between all parties in pursuing performance improvement and best practice.
Having outlined the above concepts, it is apparent that an opportunity exists for a detailed investigation into the changes associated with the transition of the Western Australian public sector and the impact it potentially has on the operational focus of the human resource function.
Fundamental questions that should be explored include:
what is HR’s role at the change management process are they followers, leaders or managers;
how do HR departments balance service delivery activities orientation during and post transitional orientation;
what changes have occurred/will occur in the service delivery models of HR departments, in particular shifts in focus/practice/skill set;
what role is HR playing in coaching/supporting CEOs to build new organisational models/structures and cultures; and
what role has HR played in influencing/selecting/developing change management models in line with the findings of the Machinery of Government Taskforce.
Additional areas of focus that should be explored include the investigation as to the current and proposed organisational development practices and orientation that HR departments are planning on implementing over the next 12 months.
