The role of the Human Resources team in any organisation is to provide support, service and strategic advice which facilitates sustainable high performance and results.

To achieve this outcome HR typically needs to influence the organisation’s leaders to implement and utilise good people management practices and processes. This is a challenge for many HR teams as managers may not intuitively see the value in HR practices or may feel that they are too busy to fit in the “extra” people work, which as we HR types know, is actually inherent in a manager’s role.

However, there is one area in which anecdotal feedback suggests that HR often contributes to the problem of influencing the adoption of good HR practices. It is not uncommon to hear line managers ask “why do I have to follow these HR processes when HR doesn’t even do so themselves?”

Human Resources teams should be exemplars of best practice in HR because they are the experts in people management and HR practices and therefore should be the best equipped of any part of the organisation to show other leaders the way. Also, HR can’t reasonably expect other leaders in the business to focus their efforts on people management work if HR aren’t seen to be doing it.  A manager's perspective may be that if HR aren't investing their own time in following HR policies, processes and practices then there can't be much value in it.

So, is your own organisation’s HR house in order? Here are a few questions to consider. Does your Human Resources team:

• Each have an up to date position description that helps provide role clarity?
• Each have performance objectives linked to the organisation’s strategy and a development plan in place?
• Each receive regular feedback and coaching?
• Comprise real diversity?
• Utilise an open and transparent recruitment and selection process when filling HR vacancies?
• Know and proactively manage its critical roles and high potential HR people?
• Onboard new team members in a structured way which enables them perform to expectations in the shortest possible time?
• Maintain complete confidentiality and professionalism in all interactions?

Employees expect HR to live up to the highest standards of professionalism and they will be quick to spot and share with their colleagues any behaviours they observe which fall short. They also expect to see HR leading from the front in role modelling effective HR practices and adherence to HR processes.

If your HR team is struggling to convince some managers about the value of HR, it might be time to check if your HR house is in order.  We could all probably benefit from a little spring clean.

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