3: CREATE VITAL PARTNERSHIPS BETWEEN LINE
MANAGEMENT AND HR PROFESSIONALS

Problems

One of the most difficult day-to-day issues in human resources management is to clarify and keep clear the responsibilities for management of the performance of the people asset. Failure to clearly define responsibility can result in line managers moving key actions that they should be doing themselves to HR professionals (i.e., providing job directions and giving performance feedback to employees).

We believe that the primary responsibility for managing the people asset rests with the line management to whom they report. We believe that the primary responsibility of the human resources department is to support line management with the processes, systems, and services needed to optimally manage the people asset. The overall level of people results in a firm clearly depends on the quality of this key partnership between line managers who know and accept their roles and HR professionals who are committed to properly support them.

Solutions

Holland & Davis has demonstrated the capability to work directly with clients to build and maintain effective partnership between line management and human resources professionals through:

Clarifying HR Partnership Roles and Responsibilities

HDI worked with a 3,000 person, global technology company to define specific line management and HR professional responsibility and authority for managing each step in the firm's performance management system. Clarifying roles and responsibilities allowed the firm to reduce the number of HR professionals in field locations and develop centers of excellence at the headquarters location.

HR Partnership Team Building

HDI assisted an oilfield construction operation with more that 2500 employees to develop teamwork between its line managers and its HR professionals. Using geographically-divided management groups and clarified responsibilities for performance management, HDI helped the client conduct facilitated sessions to develop contracts and teamwork between line managers and HR professionals.

Training in HR Responsibilities for Line Managers and HR Personnel

HDI provided custom-developed training in employee supervision and employee retention for first- and second-line supervisors in a US operation of an energy company. The company had a more than 50% turnover rate among offshore personnel who were critical to the success of the company. Training was conducted over a six weeks period in parallel with a targeted retention program and resulted in a 25% decrease in turnover almost immediately.

HDI provided training in Change Management to the Human Resources personnel of a large electric utility to enable closer partnership with users. The utility was undergoing dramatic change in the way it operated and needed human resources to be of direct support in the change process. The training enabled HR professionals to become effective coaches to line organizations in the change process.