What does "normal" look like?

I start this article off by identifying myself as a Human Resources (HR) practitioner, but one that, for some reason, is seen as being unlike other HR practitioners. I take this fact from observations and comments that have been made to me about, me, being unlike a "normal" HR person. 

In response I have been at a loss to understand why people see me as unlike a normal HR person. Therefore I always ask why they think that is so? I have hear various responses to this question; "because you’re awesome” (thanks), or “you’re just not like anybody else”, or “you make things happen”, or “you listen and get things done even if it takes time to check you in”, and the most valuable response to date “you’re real”. 

I do realise that I am not like everyone else. I put this down to the fact that I pride myself on being the most authentic version of me, and I look for what I can do for others and the business. 

My response to one of these positive statements, that occurred recently, was that I am a person, and we are people, and as people we are unique and you cannot expect any of us to be the same. I operate in a manner that may seem different to others but the objective is always the same in HR. So people are curious with how I operate and how it does not always align with their view or experience with HR. 

So my questions for you to ponder are:

What do you think HR is? Who do you think HR is? Who do you think HR should be? 

These are the questions I grappled with many years ago while studying for a Commerce degree (majoring in HR) and then leaping headfirst into HR by establishing HR in a green fields site. Wow what a baptism by fire! This was well over 10 years ago. 

I can say that it was a good decision to study commerce and not management in preparation for a career in HR. I had already been in management for years and I got there through the school of hard knocks, however I knew that I needed to learn how to run a business if I was to realise my goals of placing HR as a strategic partner within business, and not the administrative or compliance function of business.

I have been in, around, and on the fringe of the HR sector constantly during my career. Never straying far away from it, as I knew people, process and practice was "my thing". I think it all started when I was studying to be a primary school teacher. I watched the “ah ha” moments and the confidence, determination and efficiencies it made to my student and to me as their teacher. The reward were two fold, and hard not to ignore. This coupled with managing parent/caregiver expectations, and the school board requirements certainly scaffolded me for adult education, corporate life and HR.

Since launching myself in to HR I have explored, studied, listened, watched, engaged, championed, challenged, stepped back, stood up, failed (I use this word loosely, as everything is recoverable), succeeded and responded in many ways across many situations, such that, I cannot define HR as a single role or functions. 

To me, HR is a human being, the same as the business itself can be seen as a human being. And like human beings it possess personalities, emotions and behaviours.

It has good days and bad days, wins and losses and is constantly learning and evolving. Keeping this at the forefront enable HR to be flexible and adaptive and to respond to the needs of people and the business. 

My experience has taught me many things but those outlined in these following paragraphs are a stand out and essential for HR practitioners today.

Firstly, there are significant impacts and consequences of HR practice and processes that can sometimes be seen as improper or inefficient. However, the strength, scale, competitiveness and resilience of a business can be enhanced when HR get them right. 

Secondly, people provide us with phenomenal potential when we engage and value who they are and what they have to offer, and give them room to get their work done.

Our people are the source of truth to business and leadership success, through their behaviours, interactions and feedback.

HR therefore, must always be watching, listening and be responsive to our peoples needs in real time.

From experience I see people when valued and engaged are more likely to demonstrate enhanced performance, provide great customer service, increase client satisfaction, operate more efficiently and effectively to enable cost containment, and most importantly to any business, they are the voice and ideas creators who innovate, enhance and sell our product and services.

By focusing on people, HR helps the people to navigate the changes in their world of work, environments, structures and artificial intelligence of the business. These, along with more yet to be realised events, are constantly changing and evolving, and the process is not likely to slow down any time soon. HR needs to acknowledge that where their business is challenged with a changing landscape then so too are their people, however their people have less information than the business and are nervous even if excited by it. 

Thirdly, growth and changes in market pressure on talent, and the old adage “the war for talent” and the pressure to attract, retain and engage talent has seen the HR budget grow and become the largest expenditure for a business that needs to be carefully managed. 

HR must be accountable for its investment in HR and must deliver on the ROI through a more product and efficient business. A Commerce degree has been most valuable to me in understanding and managing P&Ls. HR cannot work and champion change and improvements for our people, process, practice and space if we don’t know where and how the funds are moved and managed throughout the business. 

HR never stops. It celebrates its successes, and when things go "pear-shaped" it owns up to its mistakes.

Accountability and responsibility are key factors in building trust in HR. 

Finally, HR has moved from the sideline of business and more into the operations of business. Notwithstanding technical competencies, I do not know any other function, positioned in the business, that knows all facets, layers and complexities of the business as much as HR.  

The challenge HR faces globally revolves around the difference of opinion in HR activity and the recognition of HR's contributions to achieving strategic targets. 

Reflecting on my last 14 years, shows me that HR has come a long way. Personally, it has been about high profile positioning with a mission to scale and optimise business performance through people and engagement. I live and breathe the business and I am able to respond in real time to challenges.

Today's HR must be agile. Previously models were developed for 1, 3 and 5 year plans. Now the norm is a 6 - 9 - 12 months with 18 months considered to be long term planning. Even then, the plan needs to be fluid and needs for practice and process to be evolving to be more efficient. Ideas and leadership comes from all layers of the business with opportunities to engage a broader and deeper skills and knowledge base than was possible through traditional hierarchies.

I have been blessed to work with a progressive leadership team who recognise the diverse skill set and value that people bring to the business. Business' utilising HR strengths coupled with agile practice are reaping the rewards by HR activities being truly aligned to strategic objectives.  HR brings a depth of people and understanding to the leaders responsible for revenue and productivity. As such,

HR applies diverse leadership capability throughout the business to sustain long-term success.

Coming back to the questions posed above on what is HR, for me the answers is simple, it means to be agile, adaptive, strategic and responsive, in real time, and as a real person is "normal"HR practice.

Unfortunately not all business realise the potential of HR strategically. A quick read of the forums, peak body magazine, white papers and salary guides, shows we have a way to go in achieving consistency in remuneration, diversity, practice, position and opinion.