“Resources are things you use. I don’t want to use people. I want to develop them.”
These words were spoken to me 20 years ago by the owner of the company I was working for; before the baby-boomer exit changed “succession planning” into a major issue, before “engaged employees” was the current topic, before the “cost of turnover” was calculated, before “retaining talent” was talked about.
I have never been in Human Resources. My career includes background in Supply Chain Management, Plant Management and Quality System Management. At the time that thought provoking statement was made, we had just been certified to the ISO Standard and realized that training systems had little value if you didn’t have the right employees with the right attitudes in the right positions (“Good to Great” right people on the bus in the right seats).
My title was changed to People Development Director. The record keeping, payroll, insurance, etc. which is usually part of the traditional Human Resources Department was added to the Accounting Department. They are the “numbers” people. We had a company with four locations in three states and two countries without a Human Resources Department. Caring for people is every manager’s job. With someone focused on employee development and supporting the front line managers’ efforts, we created a dynamic work force.
I have witnessed many small to mid-size organizations with one or two person HR Departments attempt to add the burden of today’s employment climate (succession planning, engaged employees, controlling turnover, and retaining talent) to this already over worked group. From my vantage point I am not seeing much success.
To me the answer to today’s employment crisis is a separate People Development group of one or more, depending on the organization’s size, reporting directly to top management. If the top management doesn’t have a direct hand in the process, it will fail. The strengths needed in this group are more like Supply Chain Management than traditional HR. The strengths I see needed are-
Respected by employees and leadership
Professional enough to represent the company to the outside world
Casual enough for all employees to be comfortable with
Able to recognize a person’s passion
Understand talent is a “flowing river”; ever changing, ever growing
Able to understand how to fulfill the “5 year” Org Chart
Structured but not inflexible
Loves to coach and help people find their “right spot”
Other focused, wants to see people succeed
Aware of learning styles
Easy to talk to
Doesn’t just hear but listens to people
Bottom-line focus
Organizations have staff focused on other resources; a maintenance team for equipment and facilities, a supply chain team focused on inventory and a manufacturing team focused on product. Why don’t we recognize the need to manage the focus and growth of our greatest resource; our people?
Christian Life Coach 