Caterpillars, Football and Human Resources:
How to Start Over
HR departments require transformation, which involves starting over with a new mindset, process and service.
By Vilma Colón and Lynda Poll

What do caterpillars, the Washington Redskins, and HR departments have in common? At first glance nothing, but on closer examination it becomes apparent that all three are about transformation. Whether you are talking about butterflies, winning seasons or new ways of doing business, transformation is about taking what was and evolving into a new being or entity.

How does transformation differ from the half dozen efforts to change that most HR departments have already undergone? Why is this any different? Most change efforts that have "gone before" involved doing something different or starting over with perhaps more sweat but essentially the same approach.

However, transformation is about starting over from an entirely new perspective and with an entirely new approach. It requires first and foremost a change in mindset, followed by a change in processes, and finally a change in services.

HR is being challenged to transform in order to:

• Visibly demonstrate the value added to the accomplishment of the organization mission
• Provide flexible alternatives to previously restrictive HR processes
• Become more strategic and efficient in delivering HR services
• Be aligned with the organizational missionr
• Develop performance consultants to improve individual and organizational productivity
• Provide change management strategies for moving the organization forward
• Partner with operational units to achieve goals and measurable success

So, how do you meet these challenges? How can you live up to the expectations of doing business differently? What is the secret formula? In working with various organizations, we have found four critical areas that must be addressed in the transformation process:

These are:

1. Changing the role of HR professionals
2. HR Transformation Model
3. Market, Market, Market
4. Managing the Change and Transition

The good news is that there are many "HR Transformation Models" available. The bad news is that you must sort through these and select the one that best serves your organization and then tailor it to fit the specific requirements of your culture, operations and reality.

The selection and use of a model should be an integral and critical part of a larger HR Strategic Planning Process that is looking at HR's transformation in relationship to the entire organization.

Strategic issues HR must address are:

• Alignment with the larger organization and working to move HR from an afterthought in the organization's planning process to a "strategic contributor to the process
• Identifying opportunities to forge partnerships
  Incorporating organizational mission, vision, value statements, goals, performance indicators and evaluation structures into HR's daily activities
• Defining, predicting and planning for resource requirements now and in the future
• Assessing the return on investment status for HR programs relative to overall mission and goals of the organization.

These issues must translate for the organization in a flexible and responsive hiring system; improved performance management; measurable return on investment (ROI) in training and development; a family-friendly workplace that keeps up with the times and the issues; elimination of red tape and cumbersome processes; and creation of an inclusive and diverse workforce.

Just as a blueprint is the defining factor in the building of a new home or building, the use of a model for the transformation process is a key ingredient that ensures all parties are talking about the same ideas, issues and goals.

Changing the role of HR professionals
HR professionals must assume new roles and develop new competencies in order to help organizations meet their mission and strategic goals. The messages have gone out loud and clear that HR must shift from being the "system police" to being an integral part of the management team. The ideal HR professional has been described as one who can be proactive in providing service and concentrates on the big picture instead of pushing paper-one who is oriented toward adding value in the accomplishment of the mission and providing flexible and expert service.

So, how do you transform yourself and your HR department to meet these changing roles and changing requirements? Once again the answer may very well lie in the use of a model. In the last five years several excellent models have been developed to help guide professional development and retooling.

HR competency models
Although a number of competency models exist, there is a consistent theme that runs through each of them. This theme is that HR professionals must think of themselves as:

• Business Partners
• Change Agents
• Leaders
• Performance Consultants
• Advocates
• HR Experts

Whether separate or combined, the overriding theme is that HR must get out of its offices, out from behind the desk, and into the operational areas of the organization, which offer solutions and strategies for meeting challenges. Shift the perspective from dealing with people issues to people-related business issues.

HR consulting competency model
The competency model should also provide:

• Guidance for the transition
• Definition of new competencies
• Tools and methodologies
• Stimulus to do strategic thinking, partnering and collaborations
• Detailed description of what needs to be done differently

Market, market, market
Madison Avenue marketing strategies are promoted in full and living color each year with new commercials presented during the National Football League's Super Bowl.

Why does this matter to Human Resources? Surely no one is suggesting that HR should be expected to think and act like Madison Avenue marketing moguls. In fact, that is exactly what is expected. The question is not whether HR should become marketing gurus-the question is have you started your marketing campaign yet?

Positioning HR by marketing
Deciding how to best market the new HR is dependent to some degree on your current and past positioning in the organization. Is your HR department one that has always been seen as progressive, promoting organizational success and engaged in mission accomplishment strategy and planning? If so, you may need only to promote the benefits of new initiatives and demonstrate the value these initiatives will add to the organization.

If, on the other hand, your position in the organization is one of police, afterthought or "clean-up kid," you have a greater challenge in front of you. You need to demonstrate a new position of value and leadership. It is critical that you show operational entities how you can be the critical factor in their ultimate success. You must show how resource planning and flexibility can enhance the organization's ability to meet future challenges.

General HR marketing strategies
Start your marketing campaign by:

• Determining what HR wants it position to be in the organization
• Creating an image of that position-something that can be translated into a tangible and understandable role
• Analyzing the gap between where you currently are and where you have stated you want to be
• Establishing a plan directed at all customers, stakeholders and approach may be necessary to garner understanding from mainline employees. Another play may be necessary to engage mid-level managers and yet a third to ensure upper level management support-consider each aspect of your organization in your plan
• Create time-lines to roll-out marketing strategies
• Use every organizational opportunity to promote the new HR
• Measure effectiveness of campaign, adjust, correct or expand as needed

Managing the change and transition
For most organizations the transformation to a consultation/partnering model is a significant shift. It will require changes in mindset, processes, methodologies, approach, and services. Managing the transition and change inherent in that shift is critical to ultimate success. It is not sufficient to simply rearrange the HR Department boxes, give everyone new titles and announce a "new way of doing business." Each aspect must be handled in keeping with sound transitional and change management approaches.

Some starting points to remember in managing the changes are:

• We are all at different levels of readiness for change.
• We will believe we do not have enough resources.
• We will revert to old behaviors and methods if the pressure is off.
• We feel awkward, ill at ease, and self-conscious during change.
• We tend to focus on what we have to give up.
• We often feel alone, even if everyone else is going through the same change.

William Bridges, author of Managing Transition, says in his book, "It isn't the changes that do you in, it's the transitions. Change is not the same as transition. Change is situational: the new site, boss, team roles and policy.

Transition is the psychological process people go through to come to terms with the new situation. Change is external, transition is internal." Throughout the massive changes organizations have experienced in the last decade, one absolute has surface, personal change must precede organizational change. In order to accomplish this companies or organizations must find the connection between the organization, the employee and the change initiatives being introduced.

To do this, develop consensus around the need for change, then select and refine your transformation model involving as many people as possible. Paint a picture of what the future is likely to look like and give individuals a safe environment and the opportunity and resources to develop the competencies needed to meet the new challenges. Publish a plan; ensure that all have part to play in achieving transformation success, and measure progress throughout the process.

HR and transformation
Is there any guarantee that if you incorporate these strategies your department will be safe from outsourcing or worse? No. One guarantee is that without strategies, which represent HR's desire, intention, and willingness to transform, HR will remain in an extremely high-risk position. Addressing each of the critical areas detailed herein will provide a solid foundation for beginning your transformation.

Lastly, do not view your transformation efforts in a vacuum. Experience has shown authors that there are many successful HR transformation efforts underway. The HR departments that the authors have assisted are finding the selection of a model and upgrading the competencies to be attainable.

However, they have become mired in the change and transitional aspects and find it difficult to move the organization forward. Marketing is also on the bottom of their priority list as they struggle to transition to a new way of doing business.

Use these models to create strategies for transformation; to create competency requirements and awareness for retooling and upgrading the skills of HR professionals; and, to stimulate your own strategic thinking about your HR department.

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