Quote of the week
“ Define key metrics to report on effectiveness of HR.”
— CedarCrestone HR Systems Survey
Editor’s Corner
A recent report on best practices in human resources management reiterates what most governments know about the changing workforce and has some interesting advice they might want to consider.
It reminds us that in the global marketplace a key challenge is not only acquiring talent but in making sure it sticks around. This is a huge issue for governments that seem to be able to bring in young talent but have trouble keeping it.
Younger generation employees have certain expectations about their roles in an organization (some of it unrealistic), and so one challenge for managers is to make sure they understand the limitations of the government hierarchies and why they are designed the way they are.
Another, of course, is to keep the good ones.
Thus, one recommendation relates to talent management. Talent management is clearly about retention and has benefits for both employees and the organization.
Employees, using a good talent management system, can plot their learning plans and progress through the organization. Managers’ goals should not be just employee wellbeing, but also the long-term survival of the organization. They can use a talent management system to track progress and hold performance records.
Another recommendation of specific interest to HR practitioners is that they need to change the way they deliver services. Employees, the report reminds us, are “internal consumers” who need the tools to manage simple transactions. It also suggests a shared services model for HR that is managed at the centre but administered locally (i.e. in departments) to save money and increase efficiency.
