1. Transforming HR into a Business Partner
ITU Regional Workshop on “Strategic HR Management” Cairo April 2008
Lecture 1

2. Presentation Outline Market analysis and its impact on HR
Business plan – Structure-HR considerations
Case study
Transformation Statistics
The Transformation Wave
The Changing Role of HR
The Business Partner Role
Key Roles of HR as a Business Partner
Conclusion

3. National Advantage in HR
Firm Strategy
Structure and
Rivalry
Chance
Domestic
Demand
Conditions
Factor
Conditions
Related and
Supporting
Industries
Government

4. HR issues Competition in the labour market Rivalry between competitors
Demographics (customers)
Age structure, lifelong employment?
Rokkies, who will be accepted?
Staff from related industries
Domestic-versus regional –global demand

5. Industry Competition; The Five Forces Pressure determine prices, cost, investments ,Hr capital etc.
Threat of new
Entrants
Rivalry among
Existing
Competititors
Bargaining
Power of
Suppliers
Bargaining
Power of
Buyers
Threat of
Substitute
Products

6. New Entrants-Incumbent
Offer better salary-promotion- trend
New technology-support (capacity building)
High responsibility – deliver-promotion
Competence gap
Outsourcing of training-to whom
The role of education systems

7. Generic Strategies and impact on HR strategies
Competitive Advantage
Lower Cost Differentiation
Broad
Target
Narrow
Cost
Leadership
Differentiation
Competitive
Scope
Focused
Differentiation
Cost Focus

8. Statistics of HR Transformation
50% of organisations are in the middle of transforming their HR functions;
12% completed their HR transformations in the past year;
Another 10% intend to begin the process in the next year.
(Global HR Transformation Study, 2006, Mercer Human Resource Consulting)

9. HR Transformation
Process of Recreating the HR function so as to enhance HR contribution to the business
It involves a shift from the internal operations (transactional, inward) activities to a more market perspective related performance.
Over the years role has been evolving, but within its HR (Personnel) box. Current transformation is breaking outside the box
Now HR transformation deals with issues of Organisational Renewal, Change Management, Business Success, Business intellegence, Culture, Behavioral Change.

10. Transformation Wave
5-10 years ago: focused on improving technology and service delivery, technology shift gives new aspects
Competition, Time to market, Intranet, Restructuring/Rightsizing, Outsourcing
This was the role of HR as a Consultant. Role did not transform the HR function into a business partner
Now HR is being called up to deliver

11. Transformation Wave
HR Business Partnering model often started off as a Cost Saving initiative, responding to a Business Directive. This was the Driving force of the model in the 90’s.
Led to the introduction of IT Driven HR Services, Self- service forms processes etc.
What started as a Cost Reduction/Competition Program ended up as a Revitalisation of the whole HR Activity
Now HR is the driving the vision-strategy targets
Closer follow up related to market changes

12. Changing Role of HR HR ROLE/CONTRIBUTION LOW VALUE HIGH VALUE
BUSINESS PARTNER
CONSULTANT
TRANSACTIONAL
LOW VALUE
HIGH VALUE

13. Changing Role of HR TRANSACTIONAL Inform Police Control Reactive
CONSULTANT
Advise
Solutions
Inward
Reactive
BUSINESS PARTNER
Integrate
Strategy
Outward
Proactive

14. Transactional example of HR
Delivering a Service to a client or end user.
Recruit an Engineer
Investigate a discipline Case
Book Training for the participants to the Cairo Workshop
Provide Consulting
Plus all the other Record keeping Functions

15. CONSULTANT
Provide HR to a Business Unit in order to solve a specific problem.
Define competence requirements
Giving advice in dealing with specific issues eg.: How to stop a Competitor from poaching your staff; How to create a Customer Care Culture.

16. PARTNER Working with the top Management Team as a partner in:
Participating in defining Business Strategy.
Actively live up to Vision and mission statement
Influencing change in Strategy in view of the organizations Talent Base, or ability to build one in the short Term.
Develop capacity building
Implementing the HR component of the Business Strategy.

17. Strategist and Steward
Deloitte Report (2007) on the Evolving Role of the Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO).
Today’s CHRO is a leader who not only manages the HR function, but also collaborates with the CEO and Board of Directors on a range of Strategic issues.
They play a role in building and shaping –not just staffing- enterprise Strategy.

18. The Deloitte Framework for The Roles of the CHRO
1. Workforce Strategist
2. Organisational and Performance Conductor
3. HR Service Delivery Owner
4. Compliance and Governance Regulator

19. Discuss priorities What priorities in you county ?
Depending on situation
Process –job design
Define future workforce size-competence
Capacity building
Define redundancy

20. 1. WORKFORCE STRATEGIST
Crafting workforce Strategies with an eye on global trends
Conscious of the Challenge of Attraction and Nurturing Capacity building
Next Generation Perspective including technology shift
Understanding of the Needs of Today’s Workforce

21. 2. Organisational and Performance Conductor
Making choices among options of maximizing performance of workforce
CHRO must be a Rewards Program Structuring the job design, a change Master

22. 3. HR Service Delivery Owner
Still Delivering HR Admin and operations in a Cost Effective way.
A mix of Self Service operations, use of Vendors (outsource) and integrating these into one whole.

23. 4. Compliance and Governance Regulator
Work directly with the Board on HR Issues relating to Risk Mgt, Business intelligence, Ethics, Integrity
Assist Board with Member Selection, Executive Compensation, Succession Planning, etc.
Interpretation of regulatory issues

24. Strategist and Coach
Help CEO leverage global talent trends as viable opportunities (fast changes).
They lead the change towards new working methods with more individual responsibility.
They identify the kind of culture the company should have, then define that culture, and supports the environment that emerges.

25. What is HR as a business partner??
Must manage people (Talent Management)
Identify skills required within people in the organisation (Competency Profiling)
Develop and supply quality executives (Leadership Development)

26. What is HR as a business partner??
Motivate and retain key players (Human Capital) so that they perform at their best
Maintaining and improving company’s image and being an attractive employer Exemplify
Be involved at the sharp end of the business, (time to market etc)

27. Understanding the business
Being concerned with the bottom line and impact of any decision on profitability.
The business environment (SWOT, competitor moves, market share, etc.)
Understanding customers, customer profiles (segments) and their needs. Why ?

28. Four Key Roles of HR as a Business Partner
HR as Capacity building force
HR as Change Manager (Opportunities-Steering)
HR as Relationship Builder
HR maintaining Human Capital

29. HR as Capacity builder
Participate in formulation of list of organisational and individual competencies linked to the corporate goals or strategies and support systems
Develop access to information and has key role in information dissemination (analyze shifts in market and draw conclusions on HR need
Identifying, nurturing, developing and untapping human talent.

30. HR as Knowledge Facilitator
This assumes HR is involved in the formulation of the Organisation’s Vision, Mission and Business Strategy;
Must be part of the Management to advise on what is possible given the stock of talent and capacities available in the oganisation;
Propose Strategies that best attracts and retains the talent that will deliver on the Business Objectives.

31. HR as Relationship builder
Both internal and external customers (follow market demand
Supply Chain Management (in telecoms this is important for maintenance of brand image and brand integrity…
Branding ? is a powerful tool for promoting Culture. A growing school of thought is that Branding is as much an HR responsibility as it is a PR function because of its power to attract and retain employees.
Managing diversity

32. HR as Relationship Builder: Managing Diversity
Many organisations now operating in different cultural environments and markets and different owners requirements;
MTN is in Africa, the Middle East. Vodafone is in UK, Europe, South Africa, Kenya. France Telecom has just won the bid for Telkom Kenya, and will bring their own management styles and culture.

33. HR as Human Capacity builder
Career Management
Facilitate progression of staff based on their competencies, desires and contribution to organisational goals
Capcity Building (job design) in anticipation of future needs

34. So What is Strategic Human Resources Mnagement??
It is about getting the Human Resources FUNCTION INTEGRATED within the Business.
It is about INVOLVEMENT in the Business Strategy Formulation Process.
It is about being listened to and heard, because Human Capital is the only Sustainable source of Competitive Advantage at the Disposal of the Organisation.

35. So What is Strategic Human Resources managing??
But it is up to the HR Function to rise to this Challenge.
In fact, it is up to the HR professionals to rise to the new challenge of the HR function.
After all, this is what we have been asking for.

36. CONCLUSION
As Human Capital Related Issues Continue to Challenge on Organisations overall Strategy, The Human Resources manager must become a familiar face in the Management Team and a potent force in the boardroom.

37. CONCLUSION
Findings however reveal a troubling gulf between the needs of the business and the ability of HR to respond.
This is forcing companies to rethink their approach to the recruitment, training and development of HR