Evolution of HR, Essay Example

How has HR’s role as a strategic partner in organizations evolved?

While the HR department is primarily known for its hiring and payroll functions, HR has evolved to perform organizational functions that will help ensure the success of the company. These new duties are broad in range and include the decision whether to staff employees in-house or to outsource their job functions, acting as a strategic partner, and collecting organizational data (Becker et al., 2001). Although the role of the particular HR team is different according to the company, these new roles have encouraged many businesses to hire a greater number of HR professionals in order to ensure that their business remains organized and successful

How have metrics contributed to HR’s role as a strategic partner, if at all?

HR metrics have contributed to HR’s role as a strategic partner because it allows HR to determine the value and effectiveness of HR strategies (Leibs, 2007). Since HR is responsible for keeping track of employee progress and efficacy as a part of its role as a strategic partner, metrics can be used to optimize this process which will in turn optimize the work value of employees.

Discuss whether you think HR as a strategic partner is where it should be today. Why or why not? If the latter, discuss how you think HR can become more of a strategic partner.

I don’t think that HR as a strategic partner is where it should be today because many managers still retain the roles that the HR department should possess. For example, the HR department should be responsible for developing and implementing training programs. It is essential to prove to these companies that businesses with HR departments as strategic partners are more effective than those without, and the managers will be instead allowed to focus on their primary job responsibilities.

What do you anticipate HR’s future role will be in organizational strategic planning?

Since successful businesses have a high level of HR involvement with organizational strategic planning, it is likely that this trend will continue and evolve in the future (Lockwood, 2006).

Resources

Becker, B., Huselid, M. A., & Ulrich, D. (2001). The HR scorecard: Linking people, strategy, and performance. Boston, MA: Harvard Business School Press.

Lawler, E. E., III, & Boudreau, J. W. (2009). What makes HR a strategic partner? People & Strategy, 32(1) 14-22. Retrieved from the Walden Library using the Business Source Complete database: http://web.ebscohost.com.ezp.waldenulibrary.org/ehost/detail?sid=d769ecfc-d361-4949-b608-5d04fa945744%40sessionmgr114&vid=1&hid=110&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZSZzY29wZT1zaXRl#db=bth&AN=38508831

Leibs, S. (2007). Measuring up. CFO, 23(6), 62–66. Retrieved from the Walden Library using the Business Source Complete database: http://web.ebscohost.com.ezp.waldenulibrary.org/ehost/detail?sid=70c8c5a8-63c6-42d5-a01d-92cfcbf42536%40sessionmgr114&vid=1&hid=110&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZSZzY29wZT1zaXRl#db=bth&AN=25470066

Lockwood, N. R. (2006). Maximizing human capital: Demonstrating HR value with key performance indicators. HRMagazine, 51(9), 1–10. Retrieved from the Walden Library using the Business Source Complete database: http://web.ebscohost.com.ezp.waldenulibrary.org/ehost/detail?vid=11&hid=110&sid=16134628-7e3a-41bd-891c-d27076957278%40sessionmgr115&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZSZzY29wZT1zaXRl#db=bth&AN=22275685

Zeidner, R. (2009). Getting HR right. HRMagazine, 54(8), 21. Retrieved from the Walden Library using the Business Source Complete database.