Consulting is probably the most talent dependent industry in the world today. And there's bad news... Talent is in short supply!For any consultancy, regardless of whether it is focused on services, technology or product delivery - the key to sustainable long term success will be the companies ability to find, develop and keep - talented individuals. This is a change to the HR departments of most consultancies that we would be familiar with.
Generally staffed by people who would be more at home in the Third Reich than the early twenty-first century, they often become the companies enforcers of employee policies, and the keepers of timesheet / expenses and billing data. (Though not the final users of it)
This means they are the people you hear from when:
- your timesheets or expense reports are late
- if (heaven forbid) you have done something wrong
I once (and only once) raised a grievance in a company I worked for a long time ago. By the end of the process my issues had been forgotten, I had been accused of a range of things that most dictators don't get accused of, AND I had my character maligned to boot!
At the end of the conversation I left with my issue in the distance and wondering if I was going to keep my job!!!! What a wonderful way to find, develop and keep talent!!!
So if the modern consulting HR department is going to evolve into this Utopian view of talent scouts - what sort of steps will be needed?
1. HR isn't payroll. Payroll is a mechanical function suited more to the accounting department than HR. Sounds obvious, but it is a gigantic change for many companies.
2. Tight control over recruiting standards, guidelines and policy.
Don't outsource the whole thing, make sure HR is the guiding light, and make sure the guidelines are realistic - e.g. Not designed to make finding the ideal candidate impossible.
HR are not Enforcers - they are the keepers of the rules, the ones who set policy in line with strategy, and the auditors or policy effectiveness.
But they are not enforcers.
Line managers are enforcers.
Part of their role, part of their relationships, and part of how they maintain standards on their teams.
4. The Keepers of the Talent Development policies.
A) how to develop "sub-prime" hires, giving flexibility to the organization (especially in lean resource times)
B) managers of sucession planning. Through guidelines, coaching / training structures and performance monitoring.
C) capability improvers. Personalized training in line with corporate trajectories, highlighting under-nourished talent - or discovering hidden talent pools, building flexible training plans for Talent awakening.
D) keepers and auditors of the employee performance management system. In particular - the employee evaluation systems! Ensuring fairness, candor, alignment with corporate development / vision and values.
5) HR LISTEN! HR need to be the adjudicators of disciplining procedures. They are NOT the companies representatives - they are the guardians of the policies and procedures.
AND THEY NEED TO EXECUTE THIS ROLE JUSTLY FOR THE GOOD OF THE COMPANY!!!
6) They are constant networkers!
Think of what recruitment consultancies do. They network, continually. They are aiming to have a pool of medium to high talent available to them at a moments notice.
Why shouldn't we expect this of the HR departments?
7) Focus on Benefits. HR are the keepers of policies of renumeration and (more importantly) reward / recognition and retention.
They know that good talent is hard to find, so they make sure that the company can keep the good ones they have.
A) as a corollary to this, they also help to highlight the continually under-performing talent that are dragging down the talent pool. Through unbiased reflection on performance, contribution and improvement - they become the talent compass for the organizations leaders.
8) HR innovate... They are always looking for new and improved methods and technologies to find, develop and keep.
For some HR departments, this is not news. It is a statement of how they do business today. For others, it is a gigantic leap from the nasty HR guy in the corner who's job seems to be "pay them" and "keep them in line".
