HR Trends for 2015

The HR function is as integral to delivering business value and profit as IT, accounting, purchasing and sales. The most valued HR practitioners are tactical practitioners with strong operational roots whose ability to deliver consistent value through the organisation's employees have earned their place at the core of the leadership team. Without ensuring you have great people with great skills (acquired or trained in on the job) working at their optimum, organisations die or are taken over.


HR will be facing many challenges in the UK in 2015. These are only some of the business challenges we may have to get to grips with:

• The political landscape could change dramatically with a change in government.
• Reports indicate that many more employees will be looking to change jobs, causing a talent battle.
• According to the CIPD, the quality of UK management still lags behind that of the USA and Germany.
• Innovation and openness in rewarding people could be the competitive edge organisations need to recruit and retain the best employees.
• The global marketplace continues to impact UK domestic strategy and practice.
• Will European and possibly Asian deflation knock the UK recovery off course, demonstrating the interlinking of economies across the world?
• The aftermath of terrorist atrocities can lead to a significant impact on business. While the publishers of the satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo have made their largest sales, in the aftermath of September 2001, all sorts of businesses found their sales stagnated for months. Travel (predictable) but far less obvious things like recruitment and promotional goods were also severely affected.

HR will encounter an increased pace of change in the new ‘VUCA environment' (volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous, as predicted by Unilever), so the function will have to play many parts in this landscape. HR can shape future trends, be a solid secure place, on occasions ‘keeping the faith' and fundamentals in place and ensuring that learning and development is a core capability for employees. The ability to think ahead, creatively and tactically through risks and options will never be more prized.
One area potentially facing significant restructuring is the supermarket business. The growth of Aldi and Lidl at one end and Waitrose at the other has caught the ‘Big Four' out as shopping patterns change. Allegations of questionable financial practices in Tesco (under Serious Fraud Office investigation) demonstrates how easy it is to be complacent. A strong HR function with a profound ethical base will be needed to restore credibility in management.
Technology will continue to drive ahead more remote working at home, in airport lounges, business centres and new patterns of working. Shared Parental Leave will probably take a while to get off the ground as employees and employers try to work out how it actually works, but it may mean that flexible and part time working is no longer a female-only practice. Traditional HR work may decline as employees update their own records and shared service centres (internal or outsourced) handle the more complex reward, reporting and benefit administration.

The UK has great global benefits. For those who value their salaries, taxes are fairly low in comparison with parts of Europe (particularly France). The UK still attracts entrepreneurs and highly skilled immigrants with a tolerant, business-friendly approach (at least until the General Election!).
Hiring strong managers should encourage the UK to up its game and develop empowering approaches to employees. Flexible organisations blending teams of people in collaborative formats to tackle competitive challenges will be the winners. Compare this to the old style layers of ‘management' in public sector organisations like Network Rail – no wonder there was chaos at Kings Cross when no-one would take responsibility.
HR must be closely aligned to the business objectives and has to stop ‘navel gazing' (of which there is far too much) trying to justify why it is there at all. The advice given and processes adopted must be credible, practical and robust.
HR practitioners need to embrace change and lead it, providing creative strategic leadership. One interview candidate for a senior position once said ‘I don't claim to have all the right answers, but I think I do know the right questions to ask'. That, ultimately, is the foundation of 'doing strategy', and then working out the answer for that particular situation. It is important to be ‘business, organisation and context savvy' utilising new techniques including ‘swarming' large numbers of agile employees into a project. (CIPD L&D report).
Having said all this we must not lose sight of the business fundamentals. Theo Paphitis of Dragons Den said in a recent interview that business success was all about ‘passion, drive and work ethic' coupled with a profound understanding of the business and what ‘you're aiming to achieve.' Just like HR really!
Russell HR Consulting provides expert knowledge in HR solutions, employment law training and HR tools and resources to businesses across the UK.

HR Service, Inc : Making the Human Resources Function

Over time, a function of the company's human resources (HR) so that the company is currently recruiting, recruiting new members, payroll, benefits, performance evaluation, in the case of training (orientation tends to be built in around discrete tasks, functions), a disciplined approach, removal and management exit interviews. In today's rapidly changing world, the organization conducts business and to act as a challenge, and help you meet the challenges of the HR function in the company.
Today the company is hr support services and therefore the market-led and outward orientation. Investors and other interested parties, such as suppliers of the company, while more important relationships with respect to the primary end user, the consumer or the client is. Initial management of the relationship with the customer, the company will wither and die.
The main objective of the management of the organization's employees do not control, the employee is to maintain the relationship with the customer. Members of the administration, there is a significant relation to the handling of customer needs B (internal customers) do not meet the media. The members of its customer expectations in the market to see if a product or service the product, not the directors, the management of a significant relationship.

Organization that meets or exceeds customer expectations. No matter if you think about the quality of the output manager or worker. No matter as high as the client side and hence, the work is carried out to produce structural customer satisfaction and is suitable for the product quality.

The Cedar Talent Group: HR Consultants and Executive Search firm Singapore

For HR consultants Singapore, you have to search for the right human resource consultant for your needs. For this requirement, you have to keep your eyes open for the reliable source for the HR consultant within your community. Moreover, before selecting the consultant, you have to look for his or her qualification, experience and reputation in the human resource community. For talent consulting, the role of the human resource personnel has a great impact on the organization's workforce. Since, first you have to make sure the HR consultant has a senior level certification in human resource management.

Actually, it is the first step to pick a right consultant for your human resource requirement in your company. Since the experience of human resource job is vital for any organization, so you have to verify the consultant's experience. Moreover, you can get the required information from the human resource community as well. It is a good move to pick the widely published HR consultant from your locality. Because it will give you an overall picture about the consultant whom you are looking for. Moreover, you can find your preferred consultant in the local newspaper, internet blog and local media. You can also check out the information about the HR consultant meet which is happening in your locality.

If you are looking for executive search in your company, then the HR consultant can help you in this matter. Practically, HR in Singapore is well known to all business community all over the world. So you will always get the right one when you will need. If you are a lucky, then you can expect the best out of the best for the HR consultant community. Moreover, you should know that the human resource consultant will make a smooth transition for the talent management in any organization. So the importance of it is immense for any business.
When you will select the HR consultant, you should identify the consultant with a specific expertise in a particular segment of the human resource management. When you are looking for an HR consultant in the HR consultancy world, then you should check the client references. Because you will able to get the accurate information about the human resource consultant. Moreover, the client preferences are very much vital because they have a direct contact with the consultants as well. So you can expect the accurate information about them and also you can make yourself sure to pick the right one.

What a CEO Expects from HR

What a CEO Expects from HR
We being in the field of HR have always been involved in the functions of recruitment, selection, induction, training and development, grievance handling, employee counseling, industrial relations and have felt that by fulfilling the duties and responsibilities as assigned our position in the organization is perceived to be  quite stable. If one views it from the global perspective, the HR functions has undergone perceptible change and if these changes are not taken cognizance of the department simply ceases to exist.  
With a bigger salary structure, perks, compensation benefits, the CEO expects / wants the HR leaders to redefine their roles and their contribution to an enterprise. How often do you find the Vice President of Human Resources involved in discussions of new markets, acquisitions, and shareholder value? Not often. With HR "transactional" areas like benefits, compensation, recruitment and training are increasingly outsourced; the role of senior HR officials is evolving change in a new dimension. Today, CEOs want HR professionals with enthusiasm for the business, a strong presence among their peers, professional compatibility with top executives, and down to earth savvy. In other words, the CEO expects the department of HR to be a revenue center apart from taking adequate care of people who are skilled, educated, talented & knowledgeable.  
However, some employees still believe that HR is the place to get free therapy, happiness, corporate welfare. CEOs, on the other hand, expect HR professionals to build organizations systems, processes, methods to the company extremely competitive. They want a balanced report card on how the organization attends to employee satisfaction and retention.  
CEOs expect the HR professionals to sit in their offices not to discharge routine / monotonous functions but come out with exemplary ideas to make the enterprise more productive and innovative. They do not want a trendy fad or catchy training session. The CEO also wants to know who the upcoming stars are and how they are being developed and retained. Business units expect HR people to staff their areas adroitly with a combination of full time, part time and help from outside. Finding, keeping, rewarding and measuring results people produce is a singular criterion of success for some HR of business units.
Often HR pros are perceived as only able to deal with the softer side of business because they are diplomatic, typically positive in outlook and gracious. Others are mocked as the "people police" who demand proper paper processes.

The CEO, by contrast, requires an advisor who tells him or her what the key people issues are, and who rigorously influences him or her with solutions. Sometimes this uncommon role means unfamiliar accountability and risk. The CEO, however, needs HR to add value to every function in the company, rather than merely define by reducing head count.    
In response to the customer expectations, the pace of change, employee demographics, the need to hold on to intellectual capital and support global human resources needs, HR professionals have a definitive strategic role, have gained more attention, been asked to do more, and are partnering with management to frame competitive strategies. 
K. Wayne a Vice President of HR offers this advice: * Know not just what the company does, but how it does it. * Observe how colleagues in other departments report their performance. * Strive to quantify all facets of HR to determine what works and what doesn't.
Outcomes CEOs expect are a well-executed HR strategy, an efficient corporate infrastructure, an increase in employee commitment and capability, and organizational renewal. To successfully deliver on these goods, HR is advised to know the CEO well and tide over the obstacles to get the resources they need to solve their company problems.  
To have full credibility HR initiatives are collaboration with senior executives putting their influence behind the initiatives. CEOs and other executives need credible HR partners who know the dynamic intersection of business results, customer expectations and people performance.   
To borrow from an unattributed source, the "real" HR professional has this profile:-

• The brains of Einstein.
• The Charisma of Kennedy.
• The negotiating skills of Kissinger.
• The marketing skills of Iacocca.
• The soul of Mother Teresa.
• The stamina of Jackie Joyner-Kersee.

To conclude, the HR in the new millennium has gone in for a big change and the HR professionals who are people managers need to adapt to change quickly, correctly before they could consider changing the mind set of their employees.  
The said write up has been written by Iyer Subramanian. Presently, working with Bombay Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Ballard Pier, Mumbai. E Mail: iyerpdkgnm@yahoo.com

Working in Different Roles in HR

Around the globe there is vast employment scope for HR jobs. HR jobs have many diversified roles which people can explore; those wanting to have a career in HR should be ready to work in competitive scenario as well as various roles as a HR. Roles in HR are of many types, here are some of them which might help you develop your own expertise. 

Now here are some of the Roles in HR listed below to help you, Strategic Business Partner, Employee advocate, change champion are some of the roles amongst many that you may come to terms with while working as an HR. Roles in HR also include recruitment which is again a very important aspect of an HR.

Strategic Partner

In organizations today, Strategic partner is considered to be one of the important HR jobs, includes developing and accomplishing the organization name world wide as well as its ways of business policies and objectives.

Employee Advocate

Among the various other HR roles Employee Advocate is another very important aspect of HR jobs in this role a person is meant to justify how to create a better working scenario for its employees of the organization and also coming up with various ideas of keeping the employees motivated to get the best out of them.

Change Champion

As an HR it is always advisable that they should always keep evaluating the organization's effectiveness and make changes according to the need of the hour .But for doing so a HR need to have the correct blend of knowledge with ability which would enable him or her to execute the change strategies, making them an esceptionally valued asset to the company.

Recruitment

Talking about various jobs in HR the first thing that comes to mind is recruitment; it is the most popular term in the whole HR profile. Recruitment enables the HR to come in contact with the perspective job seekers personally and letting them understand the company profile in brief and also can be a very easy way of socializing and meeting different person at the same time.

Lastly, Employment in HR the most important aspect is to bring the best from the market for the organization they are associated with, but also making sure to give the best possible treatment to the perspective job seekers they are recruiting for the organization at the same time to get the best for themselves too.

So, keeping all these things in mind an HR should be aware and conscious while changing strategies for the betterment of the organization. Also should be aware of the well-being, comfort and job satisfaction for the employees, so to become a good and highly valued HR.

Recruiters: HR Recruiters

Once you have decided that you want to stick to HR jobs, it is a great option to consider HR recruiter jobs. If you want to be a recruiter for HR jobs, then there are certain skills that you need to possess. These jobs are easy to find and are sure to provide you with an attractive remuneration. 
 In fact many people choose to work as an HR recruiter because such a job does not demand you to work in adverse conditions unlike many other jobs and at the same time brings along with it great opportunities for career growth.

HR recruiters are expected to take a number of responsibilities which they must shoulder with grace and ease. So for those who think they can handle the pressure with a smile on their faces, working as recruiters in the HR sector of companies is a great option.

There is never any dearth of demand for recruiters for the HR sector because all companies whatever they may be dealing in definitely do have a HR department which surely needs recruiters. All companies need HRs who will take care of relations within their own employees as well relations with other companies.

Moreover, there are also a number of companies that are exclusively HR companies and thus they require a large number of HR recruiters for themselves. All companies offer their HR recruiters a handsome salary along with lucrative offers that are sure to bowl you over. Apart from that the HR sector is developing fast and thus will also give your career a great option to grow, which is something you are surely looking for in your job!

As a recruiter for HR you will have to understand how the HR sector of the company works as a whole. In order to recruit for various posts it is mandatory that you know what are the requirements and responsibilities attached to the particular posts. For this purpose you must have a working knowledge of the different positions that you are recruiting for.

You must also have great people skills. This is because you must be able to come across as someone with gravity and yet be friendly with those who interact with you. It is handy if you are basically an extrovert because such a job will require you to communicate and interact with many people. You must also be very responsible as you will have to shoulder great responsibilities and must represent your company externally.

Apart from performing your regular recruitment tasks you will also be expected to shoulder a number of important duties. You must be able to maintain regular reports about the work of the various HR employees within your company and maintain a healthy relationship with them all. At the same time you will also be required to communicate with HRs of other companies so that you can keep a track of your clients and your competitors. Thus you will need a fair amount of professionalism in your working style. Having a smiling face and being extremely polite while conveying your message across to people are two things that HR recruiters must surely possess.

With these qualities if you have a little experience in the Hr sector and have a degree to support your abilities becoming a recruiter in HR is a cake walk for you. All you need to do is to hunt down the job profiles that match your qualifications and your expectations and go right ahead with your application!

Corporate HR Jobs

The HR sector is perhaps an attraction to most people these days. Even the recession could not do anything much to harm the security of such jobs especially in the corporate world. There are always certain advantages of working in corporate HR jobs. Corporate employment in the HR sector can never run out. There are always openings for candidates seeking HR jobs in the biggest companies. 

Doing HR work in a corporate will allow you to enjoy benefits that your non corporate HR job can never provide you with. HR corporate jobs are thus very much in demand and if you have the required qualifications you may well bag a job that gives you satisfaction and great remuneration!

All corporate companies have HR requirements because of their huge structures and the size of the projects that they handle. Thus, once you bag a corporate HR job you know that you have all the job security that you are looking for. You can easily move from one job to the other within the corporate world and can easily climb your career ladder to reach great heights.

Corporate HR jobs are more secured than others because whatever be the situation theses companies always need HR employees to keep their projects going smoothly.

Many corporate companies even provide you with special training or further degrees at their own cost if you are able to show some promise. Moreover, thanks to their organized company hierarchy, if you perform well your promotions follow a fixed route which helps you understand and trace the kind of growth that you are making.

Also, these companies allow both horizontal and vertical shifts in your career while you work with them and so you can be assured that you can never get too bored with your work! Apart from that the glamour that such an HR job will bring with it is sure to impress you manifold!

There are a number of HR job profiles in the corporate world and you can be recruited to either of these according to your qualifications and experience. However, the best part is however young you may be and whatever may be the position at which you start off your career, if you show promise and talent you can expect to be promoted to high positions very soon.

Moreover, even while you work you can work towards getting yourself the required degrees and can easily move higher up in the hierarchy! These are certain benefits that only corporate HR jobs can guarantee you.

As a HR employee in a corporate company, you will have the best offices at your disposal but at the same time, you must also be extremely dynamic and organized. You need to be careful with your papers and must handle your projects with care and tact.

The one thing that you need to remember is that you are sure to face much competition even within your organization and from your colleagues and you need to have the nerves to handle that. Once you have mastered the tricks of the trade your progress in such an HR job is confirmed.

So if you want to make quick progress in your HR career the best option for you is to apply for the various openings for corporate HR jobs that will not only give you lots of job satisfaction but will also provide you with great remuneration while adding to the glamour of your HR job!