Business benefits from HR in the boardroom

The days of human resources departments as little more than ëpeople and payrollí have long been consigned to the history books ñ and global management consultants Hay Group claim it is now time for the next step in the evolution of HR.

Kim Walker, a consultant at Hay Group, says that if HR specialists in Northern Ireland got more involved at boardroom level in formulating strategies for the business then the entire company can enjoy increased performance levels.

HR directors have the capability to offer more, and nowadays there are greater opportunities for those with the commercial understanding to ensure that HR activities are rooted in real business needs.

People are the differentiator in business, says Kim, and she claims that companies which spend the time determining how people policies can support the overall business strategy could put themselves one step ahead of the competition.

Kim says: ìHR departments shouldnít be seen as a separate support function of a company, rather as an integral part of the business which can make a real difference to performance.

ìBusinesses who want to fulfil and maintain the potential of their people should work closely alongside their HR people to formulate a strategy which is symbiotic with the companyís overall approach, ensuring maximisation of talent across the whole organisation.

ìWhen HR directors wake up in the middle of the night, they should be thinking about the same issues facing the business as everyone else in the company ñ not simply about the guy who wants a pay rise.î

Hay Group research has shown that todayís employees no longer respond to impersonal management techniques. To get the best out of their staff ñ and consequently ramp up business performance ñ the evidence says firms need to engage and lead employees so their potential is developed and sustained over time.

Although a competitive salary always goes down well, the people who make up a successful company donít just have pound signs in their eyes.

The less tangible aspects of a job come high on the priority list for many employees. Ensuring there is a positive workplace environment and culture, as well as flexible
working, opportunities for progress and non-financial recognition can make all the difference.

The most successful directors are those who combine the day-to-day running of their

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business with the essential HR checklist of advocacy, influence and bringing about change.

HR professionals are aware of this, and during Hay Groupís research, they asked HR directors to identify the key issues they would be tackling in the next five years. The majority named work-life balance and talent management alongside a need to align HR with the business.

Kim Walker adds: ìHay Group have long been of the view that getting the HR issues right is as central to business success as customer service or marketing. In many so called ëtalent-drivení organisations, preoccupation with the highly talented few has undermined the very talented many.

ìIn order to get the most from their staff, itís essential that the people who run companies realise that getting these issues wrong has the potential to hold a business back from achieving all it can.

ìPlanning an insightful HR strategy around the boardroom table, and integrating it with all of the other components which make up a thriving business is really the best way to get the maximum value from employees who, when all is said and done, determine whether a business succeeds or fails.î