HR Meeting the Measure?
Human Resource leaders still do not meet the measures of talent management and business acumen, according to new research from the Human Capital Institute (HCI) and Vurv Technology, which surveyed 662 HR and 117 non-HR professionals from North American, Europe and Asia/Pacific. Only 22% of HR leaders are considered experts across talent management issues such as globalization, outsourcing, workforce integration and financial proficiency, according to all participants in the survey; according to non-HR participants with this perception, the number drops to 15%.
The findings seem to indirectly support research reported here last month, which reveals that HR leaders are clamoring for more of a voice among their employers’ business decision-makers. Even so, HR leaders are occasionally or frequently consulted on corporate strategy, say 66% of C-level leaders surveyed for the HCI-Vurv joint study titled The Role of HR in the Age of Talent.
HR leaders are seen as important, respected or consulted with on corporate strategy by two-thirds of C-level executives surveyed for the HCI-Vurv study. Furthermore, non-HR types are hesitant to characterize HR leaders’ business acumen, across a broad range of disciplines, as expert, with the majority saying the level of proficiency is intermediate. For example, only 26% of HR leaders are judged expert in measurement/reporting and data analysis, and just 24% expert in demonstrating the value of HR and talent management to the organization.
Talent attraction and sourcing is HR’s greatest current challenge, the report reveals, with employment engagement and commitment close behind, and with succession planning and retention nearly tying for third place, according to those surveyed. But for a number of talent management-related areas, HR leaders are seen as less than expert in their proficiency. Only 27% of HR leaders are seen as expert in change management, for instance–an area of knowledge critical to workforce realignment initiatives.
The findings from this HCI-Vurv study pose a fundamental question for HR leaders, who must determine whether they indeed need to become better at their jobs–or simply better at projecting their existing expertise to internal constituencies in the C-suite. The work cut out for them is significant, and its nature depends on their best assessment of the circumstances.
Article courtesy of Kennedy Information Recruiting Trends providing leading edge insights and strategies for the recruiting professional
