Does Your People Department’s Structure Need Changing?

Your Corporate Strategy:  It Just Doesn’t Matter?       Part 21

For those who have helped build an organization from the ground up, or having come aboard during a growth or downsizing cycle, the greatest challenge is recognizing and meeting the demands they place on the company and the People Department’s resources.  Most newer and/or smaller organizations seldom have the luxury of forecasting and planning how to do this…. As a lifelong HR/People/Talent practitioner I have an exceptional amount of experience in reaction versus planned management.  J

I recognize the regular LinkedIn discussion pleas for assistance, agonizing over the newest problems and solutions from current HR workers and leaders….the endless questions regarding or recommendations on how to do this or that.  It is daunting to those doing this for the first time.   I have asked many of the same questions of myself, many times.   Having overseen major change both ways, forecasted and planned is the clear winner!  However, I have to admit, setting growth in motion and scrambling like hell to keep up is a thrilling experience not easily matched in one’s entire career.

I also think we need to reassess what the PHR or SPHR certifications teach HR/People Department practitioners.  These certifications are basically history lessons instead of practical Human Resources/People Services Department guidelines and training.  If these certifications were providing practical and reality based training maybe HR wouldn’t be failing to protect their people and employers from an employment law violation rate of 70-90%!!!  However, this is a discussion for another time.

During growth the difference between a one person HR/Personnel/People/Talent department and a two person department is an easy transition.  Growing from 1 or 2 people to 6, 8, 10 or many dozens is enormous.  The older simple processes no longer work, or at least without major modifications.  This growth means many more people and management now have to learn and be trained on more consistently interpreted company culture, policies, procedures, interactions, hiring, discipline, onboarding, systems, management hierarchy, dispute and people problem resolutions and on and on.  In fact every phase of company growth has unique demands and requirements for HR/People Departments as they mature

Next:  Use the HR Matrix  - to Balance and Align Your People Department.