Few HR Pros Finding Seat at Strategy Table

It’s the old HR-seat-at-the-table problem again. Once considered tactics for uncertain economic times, initiatives for saving costs and improving efficiency have become primary focal areas for companies when seeking to increase performance and spur growth, according to a new Hay Group Survey. Polling over 1,400 Human Resource professionals and senior executives, the survey found that just 34 percent felt that HR is a significant contributor to organizational strategy while 60 percent felt that there is substantial room for improvement.

“Cost cutting and efficiency priorities introduced to weather the economic storm of recent years have now evolved to a focus on driving performance and growth,” global HR services firm Hay Group said in response to the report.

The survey also revealed that some of the up and coming HR concerns expected to arise over the next several years involve the development of the workforce and guaranteeing that the best talent is being placed in the most relevant roles.

“As market demands continue to change, organizational success will hinge on HR’s ability to connect human capital decisions with business strategy,” said Phil Johnson, global head of work measurement at Hay Group.

He went on to note that HR must eventually abandon traditional and inefficient processes in order to embrace a more integrated approach that generates results through better linking people and work. Stressing this point is the fact that only 40 percent of survey respondents said that work and talent management processes are well aligned. Indeed, the survey suggests considerable misalignment across a variety of HR disciplines.

“Even fewer (36 percent) say talent management and organizational effectiveness are closely aligned,” Hay Group said.