With all what is going on and with everything said for 2018 and 2019 about the importance of HR and the HR agenda, let’s pause for a minute and reflect: What is important, what needs to be done – and what is HR’s job?
Don’t get me wrong, I am in full alignment with what e.g. Josh is saying about 2019. I believe that he is right and we do have some serious issues to tackle around productivity as well as around wage stagnation and income inequality. And who would disagree with the changing nature of skills requirements (which is actually always true – as the economy is changing constantly, constantly new skills are required. The only thing that changes is “which” skills are in need). I would not disagree. Where I though believe we need to be careful is to say that this is HR’s work to do.
Who is accountable for leadership and people management?
I am a proud HR practitioner, but I am also a strong believer about HR being a true back-office function. And I am not talking about HR Admin – I am talking about the core topics of Talent Management more wider People Management. Yes, HR needs to set the agenda, tone and strategy when it comes to these topics, but HR is not the one to own or execute this. It is each and every People Manager, starting with the CEO and not stopping before the last People Manager in the organization. HR is there to support, educate, coach – but not to own and execute the People Agenda. This is often mis-understood – and I know that we as HR professionals feel more important and proud if we actually are at the fore-front of these topics. But we are a small function and cannot and should not own these topics. It is for us to be the invisible master-minds and conductors of the People Agenda, with the emphasise on “invisible”. Let’s not be in the way, let’s not be too visible, but lead from behind.
Be invisible
Leading from behind also means to me to not be in the way, but to enable the People Agenda. Let’s not come up with new policies or police our People Managers how to be People Managers – coach and enable them to do the right things the right way because they understand and believe, not because they “have to”. No one likes HR policies – not even HR, and so let’s do away with them as much as possible. And also, let’s stop being the People police and hand this over to our People Managers. Only if they own the People Agenda, HR can be successful. This is what we need to do, this is what will make us successful and will make the organization successful. And so, as much as I agree with our core topics for 2019, let’s be clear: It is on us to enable and coach, but not to own these topics. We and with us the organization will only be successful if each and every People Managers owns these topics and holds them true every day.
Chief HR Officer 