There are two sides to HR – core and strategic. Successful organisations have proven that you can’t have one system for both.
Technology has done a lot to improve the efficiency of core HR processes. Most HR leaders have been only too pleased to automate those repetitive and time-consuming functions such as payroll, benefits, and absence tracking. But not everything in HR can be swept into the same system.
Strategic HR is more reactive. It aligns human interactions with business objectives and looks ahead to future growth.
The Society for Human Resource Management describes strategic HR as covering “the concepts and practices that guide and align Human Resource Management philosophy, tactical planning and practice with the strategic and long term goals of an organisation … It deals with concerns regarding structure, quality, culture, values, commitment, and matching resources to future needs and other longer-term people issues”.
One size does not fit all
Both automated and strategic HR are important. But bundling both functions together in one system can have a negative impact on the success of your business.
A growing number of organisations recognise that strategic HR needs a dedicated solution. Done right, this is the more valuable side of HR that focuses on conversational interactions to meet the changing needs of businesses and employees.
And conversation is the key, which is why huapii puts it at the heart of its talent platform. With a threefold approach of skills growth; feedback; and growth-based objectives, the huapii system facilitates conversations that can unlock the full potential of your workforce.
How? Well, let’s take each element in turn.
Skills development
To pull ahead of their rivals, businesses need to equip their employees with the right skills for the future. This starts with managers. They need to know which skills they have in their team and start talking with their employees about how to develop those for the future. It’s also essential to find out how employees see that future – what are their career aspirations?
Once you’ve gathered this information, it’s time to make it visible and accessible. The skills profile in the huapii platform allows each employee to become an ambassador for their skills and onward career ambitions. By flagging up the skills they currently possess and the path they’d like to take, they can position themselves within an organisation-wide talent pool. This creates an internal marketplace, accessible to all employees, where people can ‘see and be seen’. It’s the perfect environment to facilitate collaboration.
Feedback
Constructive feedback can increase motivation in your organisation – if it’s done well. Many businesses make the mistake of limiting feedback to those awkward manager-employee yearly appraisals; they are still holding on to their old system, mostly because they don’t know how else to manage their employees’ performance and drive development. And to be fair, this is a complex issue. It requires a truly holistic 360° solution.
The huapii platform makes feedback valuable for both parties by turning it into a natural part of everyday work life. By creating a safe space for continuous feedback, huapii helps your managers and team members build honest and trusting relationships.
Growth objectives
The final piece of the puzzle is to create an effective framework of growth objectives. To do this, organisations must align employees’ objectives to the business’s goals – and then let employees take ownership of these objectives.
Huapii helps you to set clear goals and map out the step-by-step actions needed to achieve them. Our platform also facilitates insight from internal and external stakeholders so that employees can gain a 360° perspective on their objectives. All of which encourage workers to develop their skills towards new roles and responsibilities.
Paving the way to better HR
Knowing how to handle strategic HR is key to a successful future. If it is not managed correctly, if it’s just swallowed up in an uninspiring IT system, it might harm your team’s performance, become a waste of time and demotivate all involved. But with a bit of effort and the right platform, every business can optimise workforce strategy. Are you ready to start?
What are your thoughts on the two sides of HR? We would love to hear from you. Comment on our LinkedIn or Facebook page. Would you like to find out how we help managers to prepare their team with the right skills for the future? Check our ebook The huapii project canva.
