Why This Is An Important Moment For HR

Congratulations.

For those who have spent years lamenting the absence of "a seat at the table," you no longer have to wait.

The table has come to you.

It may not be surrounded by the trappings of elegance for which you had hoped, but it's here.

Unenviable But Unbelievably Visible

I'm not an HR person; many of my clients are. I'm watching as more of the responsibilities with which they had hoped to be entrusted during the good times are now being thrust upon them wholesale during the tough times.

This is an opportunity, and here are five activities that I believe make it so:

1. HR people at all levels (at least the ones that I work with) are being included--out of necessity--in decisions impacting the financial well-being of businesses. Their presence and participation will be noted and remembered by the executives in attendance. At the same time, HR folks are increasing their business acumen and value as a result.

2. Participation in difficult staffing decisions.

I've never met anyone who actually enjoys reducing headcount. The ability to evenhandedly participate in those decisions--consistent with business strategy vs. personal baggage--reveals much about character, discernment, and the ability to focus on long-term issues of importance. My observation: Everyone knows that losing a job isn't just "losing a job." We're talking families, education, home ownership. . .

This is the single area (in my experience) that reflects one's depth of intellectual and emotional maturity. And those involved in your process will remember the considerations you voiced during the process.

3. Guess who is being asked to explain many of those decisions?

There was a time when explanations of tough things were the purview of managers. Then again, so was hiring and firing. The ease, confidence, and clarity conveyed during small and large group meetings will go a long way toward understanding (you can't guarantee acceptance) the corporate position. The results of these meetings translate into perceptions of leadership and communication expertise. (Check those executive competencies on whatever your favorite assessment tool happens to be).

4. Mediator of conflict.

For those of you who wanted to get into HR because you are a "people person," welcome to the world of totally ticked-off people. The ability to fairly negotiate the inevitable disputes that come from excess tension is no small task. But it's hugely valued.

5. Counselor to the fearful.

If your reputation is one of trust, the line has already formed outside your door. Quite frankly, this can be the most emotionally draining part of the job at any time. It may also be the most un-acknowledged by upper management. But for the people seeking to make sense out of confusion, you are likely to be the single source of truthful information, a non-judgmental ear, and the willingness to use both. So use them well.

My bet: There are many more scenarios with which I'm not familiar.  Expand the list and weigh in with a comment.

And use that visibility well.

 

Comments

[Jo]

Raising the ante Steve?

Indeed, I have never been able to adequately explain to students the reality of leadership is the hard times : hold Calais until the last man. Sounds good when uttered by a General in London. Quite a different matter when said by the Major commanding the troops at Calais looking into the eyes of a man who is being asked to die.

My lecture theatres go cold (some good architecture there - emotions reverberate) and I have never managed the bounceback as they collect their thoughts and imagine themselves as leaders in tough times. In small groups yes, but then largely with students whose families own businesses and they relate employees to families. The sense of responsibility in the sons of family businesses is awe inspiring. I have seen them go chalk-white as they think of the responsibility of making good decisions for 100 or more so other families, and also seen the stiffening of the backbone and a little more attn to their finance & accounting or whatever so that they will lead the business competently in the future.

As a positive psychologist I would say this. Loss of employment is disappointing and humiliating. Not to be sexist but to play out the worst case scenario: a man has to go home and say to his wife, son and daughter - I am redundant - not needed. That is what we need to attend to. We don't want that to happen. The objective reality of loss of job and income is one thing. The social equivalent of a traffic pile up is another. If we begin early enough we can help people reorganize and keep their dignity. Whatever the objective realities, they will do better with their dignity intact. And who knows, it could be us tomorrow. Solidarity is a good word.

[Steve Roesler]

Good morning, Jo,

You bring up a population that I wasn't even considering when I wrote the article: smaller, family-owned businesses. (70%of my work is in larger corporations). It is easy to see how employment decisions may actually be more difficult as a result of being even more personal.

Forget the notion of sexism in the comment; it doesn't ring true. As a man I have had a life-long, built-in sense of responsibility to provide for my family. And yes, my self-worth is, in fact, partially predicated on fulfilling that. Forget that I understand my inability to control events in the world. That isn't the point. The point is: my family depends on me and I gain deep satisfaction from making them as secure as humanly possible.

This brings up a point: What about women in the workforce?

My career has spanned enough years that I can recall being in meetings, workshops, and conferences where there were no women to be seen. As that dynamic finally changed, I sensed (and still do) that high-performing, committed women do not attach the same sense of self-worth to their jobs as men. Of course there are exceptions but my experience has been that they actually are exceptions.

Let me emphasize: This isn't about performance or dedication; it is about self-worth related to ability-to-provide (intuition says that single mothers may bring another dynamic to the mix).

I would think that managers, HR folks, and men and women in general would benefit from understanding more about each other's take on this one.

Maybe this should be a separate post. What do you think?

[Wally Bock]

HR should be helping with all of that, including costs cutting, and, as a subset of that, headcount reductions if necessary. The downturn does provide an opportunity to shape the larger tactical and strategic actions of the company. Those that are ready will snap it up.

I suspect, though, that most HR folks will be like a dog we had once. There was a clothesline that his lead was hooked to so he could run and run but not get away. One day the lead broke. The dog kept running back and forth on the same worn track, unheeding the vistas that beckoned.

It would be nice to think that the reason many HR folks haven't got that good old "seat at the table" is that they've been blocked by manipulative management and competing execs. But the reality is that a whole lot of folks simply don't bring anything but high-level clerk skills.

For those who can help formulate the tactics necessary to get through the downturn and power out of it, this is, as you suggest, a marvelous opportunity. But you have to be ready and willing to seize opportunity when it comes.

[Dan McCarthy]

Steve –

How about HR as Consigliere? Think Robert Duval’s character from the Godfather.

[Chris - Manager's Sandbox]

Steve,

Interesting article. I do agree that HR has an opportunity to be more visible when it might not have been before. But a lot of what you describe as "seat at the table" work is, in my opinion anyways, just strategic administrative work. It's strategic - no doubt about it - but strikes me as more of the administrative and/or softer stuff that HR has always had its fingers in.

HR's true value to an organization comes from being able to analyze what behaviors are needed from employees to achieve and exceed the business strategies. For example, if your company prides itself on service, what sorts of behaviors do you need from employees to fulfill that strategy? Calm demeanor in stressful situations? A willingness to make sure the customer is always satisfied? How do you motivate employees to demonstrate those behaviors? What are your incentive programs? Do you offer any training? And how do you demonstrate that those things translate to a higher bottom line (it CAN be done)?

The problem, I think, isn't that HR hasn't been given an opportunity to sit at the table. It's that too often we fail to bring anything with us to put there. You wouldn't go to a dinner party and not bring wine - why is this any different?

I would suggest that HR professional should take advantage of the new visibility you highlighted in your article to show off their other, more long-term value added abilities.

- Chris

[Chris Young]

Great post Steve! You are absolutely correct in your post - HR is being forced to make tough economic/business decisions and if they do it well they might be able to keep that much coveted seat at the table.

I shared your post with my readers in my weekly Rainmaker 'Fab Five' blog picks of the week which can be found here: http://www.maximizepossibility.com/employee_retention/2008/10/the-rainmaker-3.html

Be well Steve!

[Steve Roesler]

Wally,

Carpe Personnelum.

[Steve Roesler]

Dan,

Clearly, you have an advanced copy of the as-yet-unreleased The HR Father:

[Tessio brings in Lucy Brazi's bulletproof Kate Spade messenger bag, delivered with a fish inside]

Sonny: "What the heck is this?"

Clemenza: "It's a Sicilian message. It means Lucy Brazi sleeps with the facilitators."

Coming soon to a meeting room near you.

[Steve Roesler]

Chris Ferdinandi,

I'm with you on your distinction because it points out where the real contribution lies. So, no argument here.

The glitch that I see all too often is the banging of heads between HR folks who really know how to bring something meaningful to the equation but, in fact, do get blocked by more senior people who simply want them to do admin stuff and shut up. In these cases it's not a matter of competence or willingness; and, they've tried making the case without success.

In these instances a change of scenery is probably in order.

Thanks, Chris.

[Steve Roesler]

Chris Young,

Much appreciated as always...keep up the good work out there.

[Chris - Manager's Sandbox]

@Steve - I agree 100%. And unfortunately, those senior people are, in many instances, HR folks themselves.