Leadership and HR – an area of conflict?

Plannings for 2020 are on their way. This time often is a stressful time for HR and Leadership. On many occasions, conflicts arise which need quick and sustainable solutions.

I am happy about the trust of my clients. Speeches, training, coaching, online and offline - the bookings for 2020 went well. Still, especially this year, I saw a problem in practice arising which seems to become stronger and stronger year by year.

The area of conflict between Leadership and HR becomes more relevant and more challenging to solve.

Often, especially in the English-speaking world, HR has a bad reputation. Line managers and other leadership staff see them as an obstacle, an administrative burden or even neither fit for use not fit for purpose to help them with their daily challenges.

Improving the relationship between the business and HR is crucial. The old-fashioned "admin only" approach of HR is not sustainable.

Three steps to get your HR on the right track:

1) Insight, direction, workload. Often, HR has little or no information about the tactical or strategical direction of the company. In many cases, HR told me, that they only get this information on informal ways under sometimes very unusual conditions (e.g. in the smoking area or during a lunch break). HR is a critical factor to make your staff ready for any change, and as we all know today: change is constant. Give HR the direction they need. They will give back the best help to communicate, coordinate and develop your staff on the highest level. Please be aware of the fact that "doing all this besides your other business stuff" is not an approach which will work. This additional workload will only lead to frustration, higher employee turnover and lower employee motivation which then results in lower productivity. HR needs to be appropriately staffed to work well.

2) Funding & budget. There is a straightforward principle: you get what you pay for, which goes without saying. That is what your sales team tells your clients. Be sustainable, walk the talk, practice what you preach. HR needs proper funding.

3) The end of HR as a checklist function. Do you remember when you heard phrases like "Due to our diversity issues and the accidents we had in our production facilities, we need a female speaker about work security during this year's conference, but we don't have a budget for one. Get someone to speak for free. It's exposure, isn't it?"? Just ticking boxes has nothing to do with proper HR work. Real value needs real investments.

I wish you all the best when implementing these principles in your organisation.

Niels Brabandt

NB Networks

Contact: [email protected]

More information about Niels Brabandt: https://nielsbrabandt-nbnetworks.brandyourself.com/

Niels Brabandt on Social Media/profiles: https://about.me/NielsBrabandt/

Niels Brabandt's / NB Networks' website: https://www.NB-Networks.com

Niels Brabandt's scientific publishings: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Niels_Brabandt