Hey, kids, shake it loose together/ the spotlight’s hitting something/ that’s been known to change the weather.
–Elton John, Benny and the Jets
Kick off your electric boots; shed you mohair suit; throw down your magazine. I’m not talking about fighting our parents out in the street to find who’s right and who’s wrong, but it’s time for something ageless. It’s time for The New HR.
Oh, but they’re weird and they’re wonderful: 10 Tenets for The New HR.
- HR has one job: business success. Anything else is useless and a waste of air. If it doesn’t have to do with business, we’re not doing it.
- HR isn’t the Complaint Department or your Kindergarten teacher. We’re going to teach people to grow up and stop wasting our time like they’re 5-year-olds who can’t share their toys.
- We won’t accept mediocrity in HR. Human resources cannot be where people go when they can’t find meaningful employment. We’re going to cowboy up our talent. We want — we demand — the best and the brightest.
- Nothing is sacred. We’re going to critically think about everything we do. And if we hear people saying “That’s the way we’ve always done it.” Well…don’t make me come over there.
- We’re not in charge of the holiday party anymore. Yeah, that’s right. We aren’t the social secretaries. We have real jobs to do. See #1.
- Business is gonna want a seat at our table. The time of putting HR at the kid’s table is over. You said, “Our business is about our people.” Now, with way fewer of them, it’s going to be true. Like scary true. Take a number.
- Rules are for fools. We’re tossing out the rule book. We’re not hall monitors anymore. We’re going to expect grownups to behave like grownups. Or they’re gone. Any questions?
- We’re going to make pay-for-performance work. It’s easier to ask for forgiveness than for permission. So forgive us if we insist that the best people make the most money. It’s not a rule — it’s a fact.
- No more workarounds to make up for weak managers. Please see #1. Our job is to make our company work most efficiently. We won’t be making up policies to make up for bad managers. It’s either up or out.
- We’re going to put the “human” back in Human Resources. They’re not numbers on a spreadsheet or “human capital” that can be traded like a commodity. They’re people, with fears and hopes and dreams. And for a few hours a day, they come to our place. We’ll make sure that (along with #1) we remind ourselves every day that what we do is about people. Mediocre people = mediocre business. Great people = great business.
For those of you who had Benny and the Jets running through your head, here’s your musical interlude as you think about what should be on the 10 Tenets for The New HR. You might also want to read PunkRockHR’s take on blowing up HR. It’s a new time. It’s our time. It’s HR’s time.
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Love it! If I wasn't already (knee-deep) in HR, I'd ask, “where do I sign up!”
Hi Lisa…thank you! I'm thinking there must be a lot more that I didn't write down…but I thought we should put our foot down. If not now, then when? Cheers, Frank.
Hi Lisa…love the list. I'm looking to transition into HR from a legal career and am on board with what you say here. You are the peoples champion. Keep it up!
Can I start the applaus for point #10 now?
Kate, that was my favorite, too. Maybe we could start a wave?!
Powerful list Frank! As I was reading through it I couldn't help but think how everything comes back to item #1. This is where the foundation of a “new HR” must be built.
Thanks for reminding all of us of this!
I included your post in my weekly Rainmaker 'Fab Five' blog picks of the week – found here: http://www.maximizepossibility.com/employee_ret… – to share your list with as many of my readers as possible.
Be well Frank!
Couldn't agree more. We need to clear out the mild-mannered, no accountability chaplaincy from HR departments.
Frank, as usual, you are right on. I've been harping on this for a long time, but you are able to package it so much better. Now, when do we form the new group:
Society for New HR (SNHR)? – And… I'm not kidding.
you knocked this one out of the park Frank. Awesome post.
Thanks, Meg. Ron left a note about starting the Society for New HR. I registered SNHR.org last night. Maybe we could create a HR-related organization that actually worked for business. Could be fun!
“Chaplaincy.” What a great way to describe it, Dan. Wow. Yep, time to move along and do things.
It strikes me, Frank, that the real key where we in HR have to focus is on business strategy formulation. We need to sell our service to organizational officers just like marketing research or R&D. That's what will put us at the table and keep us at the table. I confess that as an HR consultant to business I rarely attempt to sell my service to HR…hope that doesn't alienate you, but I have to show my business contribution and it's rare for HR to have their finger on that. But HR needs to have its finger on organizational strategy.
Dan, I'm with you on the business front. No alarm from me at all. I know some truly outstanding HR people…tops in their field. And they have one trait in common: they're business people first. What they *do* is HR. Your point about organizational strategy is so true…the great ones do it, and the others worry about a place at the table.
Thanks, Ron. I sent you a note. You had an idea. Let's do it.
Frank- These are excellent. My favorites are 1,2 and 4. I have always believe if you don't support the business and stop being the department that says “no” HR is just a “hall monitor” as you so cleverly put it. As for #2, one of the best things a senior manager ever said to me was, “Don't bring me questions, bring me answers.” I use the same tactic with complaints. You can whine a bit, then tell me what you'll do about it. It's amazing that in our mobile, electronic, rapidly moving age so many people still cling to, “but that's the way we do it around here.” See my blog post, “Is it time to take that bit of folklore out of circulation?” written on April 30th for The HR Answer Blog on http://www.allbusiness.com.
thanks for this, frank.! i think this is an excellent list and it makes me proud to be an HR pro when i read things like this! the new HR is pretty awesome… i particularly love “Rules are for fools.” we're not the policy police. rules exist as CYA's is what i believe. but like you said, expect grownups to behave like grownups. you don't need rules to control behavior – good communication and clear expectations are the key, and then it's about influencing behavior.
Hi Jessica,
You're the kind of HR pro who already knows the list. We have a hopeful business…jst thought getting 10 tenets written down was cathartic. Those who know this already know it and do it.
Cheers…and thanks for the comment.
Rebecca, I read your article. Excellent…that idea of folklore is so true…it's why we do what we've always done.
Thanks for your comment. I'm not a big fan of whiners…no problem without a solution is how I handle things. It's worked for a long time when you expect people to be grownups!
Love it, shared it with my folks. Best comment ever in return: “What if you read this and think this is already becoming the old HR?” What could I say except “you're a freaking rock star”? I love my team…
Thanks also for the Punk Rock HR link – very thought provoking.
Great post – thanks!
Give us all a group like that and big things can happen. What a great continuous improvement thought. Very, very cool.
Frank, it seems to me that this posting of yours generated a lot of enthusiasm. I am really hoping we can do something with SNHR.org! Ron
Right on Frank! Your blog hit a button with me, so I pontificated on this topic a little myself at http://www.pivotalsolutions.com/hrblog/. Thanks for not holding back.
Dude, your 10 point plan rocks, even beyond the 70's
Thanks, Michael. That means a lot and I appreciate it. I'm expanding the ideas a little bit…have been writing for a few days now. It's been fun.
Thank you! Good read on your site as well. I think this idea is pretty solid…and cool to see it discussed.
This is the best set of Tenets I have read…I love it!
Thank you, Marryam. We're building them out..it was a fun list!
Very few comments from Pakistan!. Thanks Maryam for joining me in commenting on this excellent piece of HR literature. HR is a budding management science in Pakistan and I think these ten guidleines, not “rules”!, are great for developing good HR managers in my country.
I find it funny that the new HR’s theme song is a 30-year-old rock song by a dinosaur of pop. Still rockin’to the oldies.
Hey John, maybe it just says something about me…a dinosaur of an HR writer…lol…
Hey Frank, I think the list is inspiring. A couple of thoughts..
…I think ’3′ is the great enabler of change
…I think we have to stop saying ‘yes’ and start saying ‘no’. We keep agreeing to do stuff, to make people happy
…We can bring this to life simply…what is the one thing we are going to do differently today against one of these Tenets
@Tim Isn’t the truth? It’s start anywhere, but start. I look forward to talking lots more with you about this.
What does a bad new hire cost?
After years in HR, I’ve always heard – ‘What does a bad hire cost?’ If you make a lapse in judgment, what does it mean to the bottom line? Commonly I’ve been told – two years’ salary. For instance hiring someone at 50K means you lose the 100K in pay, benefits, time and training. These are things easily measured. I’ve found the true risk is much deeper.
We all forget that this person represents our company. It is their face on our message, our values and our mission. We, like most, have worked for decades to build a brand that is well respected and admired within our community. Salesmen at our company typically hold on to their positions for years, so the public face of our company is very stable.
We hired someone who looked very promising on paper. They had all the experience, credentials and interviewed very well. After 10 months of employment we found that this one decision cost us millions in sales and the loss of a handful of our core clients. Looking back all of the signs were all there. We decided to bend the rules and forgo some of our standard testing since this candidate ‘looked so good on paper.’ A simple Myers-Briggs report would have revealed just how strict the guy was. His personality was very extreme and it offended more than it helped.
The public saw us as the company was easy to get along with. We saw a candidate that would offer structure. This snap decision created conflict with our public persona and allowed a competitor to steal our best customers. Take it from me, don’t hold back with anyone and understand each new hire represents your company to the world.
Frank, is there any chance of this ever being put into a PDF file? I know a few people that would REALLY benefit from this being anonymously shoved under their office door…
Ben, as a matter of fact, we’re putting this into a pamphlet. I’ll get it to you first because you asked, buddy!
Right on!! I am completely on the same path as you. I do a seminar on the “human” in human resources…and only a handful of HR people truly get it. This issue in HR is a GIGANTIC problem. When I have to hire for my firm….I receive hundreds of resumes….especially now….and often it will take me months to find a seasoned HR person with business sense mixed with a little human empathy.
I will follow your blog. Thanks man!! Love the tunes!!!
@Tina…sounds like we’re on the same path is right…you’re doing the cool thing. Nothing wrong with people — real people — doing real work. I like HR people who believe in their fellow employees. Without empathy, it’s just HR as a babysitter, and that just doesn’t work.
…I think we have to stop saying ‘yes’ and start saying ‘no’.
thanks
My goodness I am a believer of these tenets- now if only I can get management to see it like that…
All good stuff and very laudable. Point 10 is a nail squarely struck. But don’t points 1 and 6 beg a point 11 – “We’re going to work with line managers so they know how to manage and develop and inspire people rather than thinking that’s entirely up to us”. Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day and all that … ?
When you look at learning transfer – and actual business performance improvment – line managers are one of the key factors: the ones that don’t engage are a big obstacle. And they can tend to use HR as their ‘excuse’ for not actively encouraging their reports in learning, development and application.
I’m not one for firework displays, but there are some line managers in this world who would benefit from a judiciously positioned rocket
These are great simple tenets to follow. So basic but looked over many times.
shannon
Hi Frank,
First time I’m reading your blog. Got it through a link that came through Fistful of Talent. Love the list! Full of strength and power.
My field is LD and I do a lot of work with Hi-Pos in Asia. I’d love to hear people’s thoughts on how they think this kind of HR focus would work in HR in other countries – Japan, China?
Thanks again! I’ll be back for more.
Suzanne
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