“Our people are our biggest, most important asset.”
How often have you heard this phrase? Even when meant well, there is some underlying evil. The word “asset.” Part of the meaning of this word is the concept of ownership, after all, we use the word “asset” when speaking about bank accounts, buildings or machines just as readily.
The other somewhat cringeworthy term is “Human Resources.” While plenty of companies are using the “People Department” (better) term to get away from the negative connotations HR often has, I think it is a bit unfair. It’s just a word play, after all. My Mom used to run the “personnel department” in a railway company, and the term “cadre department” was also commonly used (rather pejoratively, after a while).
The main question is, do companies and CEOs change what the function in the organization actually is, and what is their Chief People Officer – or equivalent – accountable for? Or are they/we really just renaming the function to sound more appealing and less threatening, while maintaining the same old thinking and processes under the cover?
I’d like to reframe HR from “Humans as a resource” to “Resources for humans.” The function is to ensure, in collaboration with leadership, that the team has everything they need to reach their goals. In this context, what are the key functions of the department, however you want to call it?
Chief Values Advocate
While by definition, the CEO owns (meaning, is ultimately accountable for) the company culture, the people function is the main guardian of the company values. After all, they often do the screening of candidates, and fit for values is the first thing to look for, right?
Team Support
Do they have everything they need to succeed? Is there anything their leaders are perhaps missing (may be a blind spot, wrong assumption, breakdown in communication)? Is the team supported in their growth?
Strategic Partner
How do the company’s talent needs develop over time? Are they prepared for changes in the team which need to happen this quarter or year?
Hiring Process Support
The accountability for a hire lies always with the hiring manager – after all, they will be the ones working with the new hire. Thus, it’s not the job of our people function to deliver hires. What they do though, is to deliver pre-screened candidates and support the hiring manager through the process. Is the scorecard clear? Is there a detailed onboarding plan in place, with resources allocated to support from start to finish?
The Rest of it
There’s no escaping the administration of it all. This includes all the way from recruiting to the actual successful hire – and beyond.
What is equally, if not more important, is what a people function SHOULDN’T do. They should never take over the accountabilities of the leaders. Success of a team, their growth, coaching them, selecting them, promoting or freeing up their future – that is always the leaders’ accountability. The people function’s job is to support the leader, and the team.
How does your people function, or HR department, or however you want to call it, fulfill this integral role?
