Tips for tackling new responsibilities
April 8, 2010: Tips for tackling new responsibilities
Responsibilities that don't correspond to any one department are often assigned to HR managers - and it's not necessarily unreasonable, says HR Centre strategist Katherine Graham.
Particularly in small-to-medium businesses, where middle management has to "just get in and get it done", Graham's response to involving HR in corporate governance, occupational health and safety, and even quality management is, "why not?"
However, employers should first consider "how intense the HR function is already", and what value might be lost if the manager or department becomes "entrenched" in other work, she says.
Corporate governance
Involving HR in corporate governance makes strategic sense and should generally be encouraged, says Graham. Some HR managers narrow their focus to tasks such as administration, recruitment, and induction but, "certainly, from an HR manager, we expect a little bit more in terms of the strategic influence of the organisation", she says.
"Generally, how well the governance is set up does affect the culture. So it does affect how much conflict is in an organisation, how much clarity the employees have in their positions, where volunteers are placed, what are volunteer roles - all those sorts of things." HR shouldn't necessarily be involved in discussions about a corporation's vision or strategic objectives, but if an HR manager isn't "at the discussion table" when the structures and frameworks of governance are discussed, "I think it's a real misdemeanour on behalf of the organisation", she says.
Occupational health and safety
"Regardless of the size, I would say that occupational health and safety is a specialist area," says Graham. Because the legislation changes frequently, "it's quite important that [safety strategies] be tailored to specific industries and specific organisations, and there is a lot of risk in getting it wrong".
Consequently, HR workers who are not confident with OHS functions that might fall to them should make use of consultants, she says. "It's not unusual for HR managers to bring someone in to conduct risk assessments and audits, those sorts of things, and then the HR manager themselves will conduct all of the functions in between."
Risk management
If an HR practitioner is asked to comment on or be involved in the risk management of their company, "I think that, within reason - and especially where it affects the organisation or the structure or the people - they should be involved", says Graham. "A lot of the times I see HR people involved is where the organisation is looking to complete large restructures, or looking at the feasibility of closing down a particular area or a plant and looking at redundancies. It's only sensible that the HR people are involved when the actual employees of the organisation are affected," she says.
More often than not, HR is charged with "a bit of the execution rather than the strategic or operational planning", Graham says. However, when the HR manager has the ability to operate with a strategic mindset and add value to those conversations, "then absolutely they should be involved".
"The HR function in risk management discussions needs to be bringing to the table what the tangible risks are, what the costs of those risks are, what the costs of managing those risks are, [and] alternatives to actually moving down a pathway," she says.
Payroll
Payroll is traditionally either an HR or a finance function, Graham says - depending on how complex the industrial instruments are.
"If people are paid according to common law contracts, it's fairly typical for it to end up a finance function; if they've got multiple and complex awards it's fairly typical they end up an HR function, because there's so much administrative work and interpretation. That's fairly clear-cut."
Quality management
HR is seen as "a compliance function" in many organisations - "a function that just ticks the boxes", Graham says. "Often quality will be put in with those functions because they have strict frameworks, they have tight controls over policy variations, they have tight controls over times of audits and those sorts of things."
If HR is treated as a "tick-the-box legal function", then quality management is "certainly complementary", she says. HR managers who are new to the field should consider undergoing an induction program with an accredited body, and joining a mailing list for updates on relevant procedures and standards, Graham says.
In most cases, external consultants should be called in to assist with a proper analysis of workflows, and the writing and development of new procedures, but HR can manage maintenance. However, if quality is "part of the culture" in a regimented environment such as manufacturing then typically a company will have a separate, dedicated department.
Security
Security is "one we've seen a couple of times recently", says Graham. Organisations have cut costs and "just thrown that into the HR bag".
"It's a little bit like the quality compliance functions, really. It more or less becomes people ordering uniforms and badges and swipe passes and making sure registers are ticked on and off when people enter and exit the building. Again, for a small-to-medium organisation, I think that's probably fair."
Employment law
"My expectation of HR people is that they are across the basics of employment law, but even my very, very senior Masters-qualified consultants need to get help at times," says Graham. When HR encounters a complex legal issue or a situation where there is no case law to offer guidance, "then absolutely, err on the side of caution and get some help", she says.
Media contact and interviews: Managing director of The Human Resources Centre, Katherine Graham, is available for media interviews and background information. Graham has more than 15 years’ experience in human resources and payroll management.
To arrange an interview or for further information, including case studies, please contact Daryl Phillips on dphillips@humanresourcescentre.com.au
About The Human Resources Centre: The Human Resources Centre is an Australian owned and operated human resources consultancy, offering a wide range of services in all areas of HR management, including strategic, operational, legal, training and payroll functions.
With offices in each capital city, The Human Resources Centre assists organisations in areas such as: review of their HR structures and practices, compliance with workplace laws; recruitment and workplace policies and procedures; remuneration and performance management; staff training and development; workplace relations and mediation; occupational health and safety; payroll management and organisational culture.
The Human Resources Centre also operates The Resolution Centre, a specialist division advising on workplace conflict, mediation and employment law, and The Managed Payroll Centre, which offers outsourced payroll services.
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