Trends in Human Resources

The role of the Human Resources Department has changed dramatically over the last 30 years and will become more strategic in nature, in the future, said a luminary of the HR community in the recent 2006 Annual Conference and Exposition of HR practitioners in Washington, DC.

Rita Craig, president of the Craig Group and a long-time professional HR consultant, said that the role of HR has changed from a primarily administrative position to one that is more strategic. Times certainly change from the days when the HR department has been called the "smile and file" department since that time, the primary qualifications for HR were simply a friendly attitude and the ability to file.

He said that the emerging trends in HR call for HR professionals to take the initiative in planning for the future and become strategic partners in their organizations. He identified a number of other industry trends, as follows: (1) a pool of talent contraction, (2) An increase in outsourcing, (3) The most intense focus on work / life balance, (4) Change the demographics workplace, (5) increased need for talent management, (6) ethical requirements, and (6) Globalization.

But the key seems to be the strategic planning. With the changing landscape of human resource management in the years to come, strategic planning will be key for HR to meet those needs and to be successful. The key for HR planning for the future begins with a simple question that HR professionals must ask themselves, says Craig: "If we are successful in the years to come, what will our customers and competitors say both of us?" With the answers to this question, HR practitioners can formulate a clear and shared vision and a sense of direction for the organization.

As a possible starting point in answering the key question, Craig suggested the following: resources focus on their objectives and strategic measures, create and maintain long-term performance, and create a living document that can change when necessary.

In closing, Craig warned against "the powerful and pervasive barriers" that prevent HR professionals to be effective in their roles. He identified these as resistance to change, non-implementation of the plans, the wounds of past strategic planning failures, and failure to anticipate the impact on people, processes and organizational structure .......