Shaping the Future

Shaping the Future

Research and Engagement ProgrammeLinda Holbeche

1© Scottish Branch Presentation 08/09 Oct 08

Overview

• History

• Programme

• How can you be involved?

• Questions


Not just conventional research…

• Future-focused, geared to fast-changing context• Closing the implementation gap –using research to drive

performance into practice and vice versa• Not only HRM theory but also a variety of other disciplines,

including strategy, leadership and organisational development

• No perfect ‘one-size-fits-all’ formula for high performance• Test conditions where real experimentation can take place• Practical/learning support to organisations taking part -

leadership and organisational development• Progress will be measurable – use of good analytics to

establish causality and impact3

© Scottish Branch Presentation 08/09 Oct 08

“This could be the biggest break-through in establishing the value of HR in the twenty-first century”

Tim Miller, Standard Chartered Bank


Creating a movement …

• We want to encourage and enable experimentation, shared learning and the vigorous translation of effort and energy into projects that count, that drive forward competitive advantage, sustainable business success and employee wellbeing.

• i.e. HR professionals and managers at all levels energetically embarked on the quest for sustainable high performance in their organisations, using research to inform practice and vice versa.


Engagement


Questions we are seeking to answer

• What do we mean by sustainable high performance and its components, given the context of ongoing change?

• How does driving forward key aspects of people/organisational practice contribute to sustainable high performance?

• What can we learn about, and from, the forms of HRM/OD practice which make most difference in specific contexts?

• What does this tell us about what HR leadership consists of in practice?


Work strands


High performance theories

1980s -Competitive advantage, business strategies

‘Excellence’ theories, followed by culture failure theories

1990s -Long-lived and enduringly successful organisations

Improving operational and cost efficiencies

Learning as source of sustainable advantage

Flexibility and responsiveness – The ‘agile’ company


The agile company is…

• Obsessed with providing customer value – prepared to put in significant effort to establish exactly what it is that their customers want, and then putting those things first

• Dynamically networked – the organisation needs to be at the centre of a number of interacting networks to enable it to gather knowledge and use expertise quickly and as well as possible

• Rigorously focused on creating value through knowledge – the organisation will be learning and focused on new learning at all times

• Continuously adaptive, able to change its way of working in order to deliver optimum value to customers and to do so at a moment’s notice

• Ruthlessly decisive – must be prepared to dispose of parts of itself that do not contribute to the goal of providing optimum value


High performance theories – the 00s

People as the source of competitive advantage

‘The importance, and nature of effective leadership

Focus on transformational leadership theories in UK

Reputation and risk

Growing importance attached to sustainability

Increasing questioning of role/value of change in raising performance

Increasing focus on meaning and purpose


HPO literature themes


A high performance organisation has:

• The ‘right’ strategies

• The ‘right’ purpose and philosophies

• The ‘right’ products and services

• The ‘right’ relationship with customers

• The ‘right’ leadership and followership

• The ‘right’ level of engaged performance from a skilled, motivated, energised and committed workforce


Characteristics of a sustainably high performing organisation

• Adaptable and change – ready

• Enables innovation and is knowledge – rich

• Boundary less

• Stimulates individuals to higher levels of performance

• A great place to work

• Values-based

Linda Holbeche14

© Scottish Branch Presentation 08/09 Oct 08

A high performance culture needs

• Appropriate management and leadership

• Flexibility built in

• Employee value proposition

• Empowerment and accountability


Working Model


Programme progression

Phase 1 Phase 2 Phase 3

In addition to the collection of core data, organisation-specific research will be conducted. The exact scope of this research (or guidance) will depend largely on the organisations’ wants and needs.

We will establish cross-organisational learning sets comprising HR and other leaders from the case study sites.

Involvement of our Branches and CIPD College Centres – both academics and students.

Learning sets and networks enable ongoing sharing of learning and practice between organisations in ways which can benefit all concerned.Sets will provide support and challenge to each other in progressing their various initiatives.

Interim reports and toolkitsMetrics – analytical tool which can be used for predictive purposesRange of events during the project, as part of the consultation project, national launch event and discussions to disseminate the findingsSpeaking at conferences to further disseminate findings.Final Report and executive summary


Not only a final report …

• We want to build a rich framework of tools, elements and insights which practitioners from every sector can contribute to, and draw from.

• Outputs and engagements will be continuous – articles, discussion groups, seminars, large-scale events as well as the learning sets for participants in the core programme itself.

• Tools and insights will be made available as we develop and test them.


Outputs - examples

• Development process for participants, HR Leaders and for wider HR community

• Input to professional standards and public policy• Metrics – analytical tools which can be used for

predictive purposes • Detailed case studies of participating organisations• Significant articles, book, reports, conferences, media

coverage• New tools for practitioners • Enhanced HR practice, impact and reputation


Engaging with STF

Join the practice movement – • Large-scale meetings• Sector and theme networks• Web community

Try things out and let us know

Spread the word!


The STF Team

• Programme Director – Linda Holbeche• Research Lead – Christina Evans• Engagement lead – Steve Crabb• Metrics project – Angela Baron• Web content and international – Frances Wilson• Programme Manager – Gaylin Jee• Research Assistant –Jill Miller• Programme administrator –Nicola Peachey


[email protected]

Further thoughts


mailto:[email protected]

Shaping the Future

Documents

scottish branch presentation

sustainable high performance

high performance theories

value of hr

hr leadership

sustainable business

customer value

optimum value