Don’t Be Afraid of the News!
You just received an evaluation from your customers and they gave HR a B-rating. Way too many HR professionals run for the hills before wanting to get such feedback. Why? They seem afraid that the news will be bad. So, don’t ask?
And yet, some of the top leaders, not only in HR, but in other internal functions, are embracing such criticism. A CHRO at a Fortune 50 aerospace and manufacturing firm, for example, says “Without feedback from our internal customers, how can we improve our services and allocate resources more strategically?” He surveys all of the stakeholders of HR and its sub-functions annually to understand the good, bad and ugly. Sadly, such feedback has often been associated with punishment or a fear that HR might be criticized. In contrast, this CHRO believes that not asking the question is more risky than getting negative feedback, and his improved results year over year show it.
For example, if a leader finds out that talent acquisition is scoring an A in Canada, but getting a C in Germany, it is a perfect opportunity to do two things: first, find out what Canada is doing to get an A—processes, relationships, or communications perhaps. Secondly, determine what things are influencing the C grade Germany is getting. Failing to address the problems facing Germany in this situation will only lead to disgruntled customers who will eventually undermine HR. By quickly acknowledging and addressing these issues, you can react before negative attitudes settle in for the long haul.
Beyond the what—specific core products or services that HR delivers—customers judge the value of a function by how that service is being delivered. Does HR deliver on time? Are the people in HR knowledgeable? Do they respond to problems? One group that we surveyed recently got an A for communication and a D for business acumen. The great news about this type of feedback is that it allows leaders to invest limited resources in the service dimensions most in need of improvement. “Business acumen is imminently fixable,” says Mark Blankenship, the Chief Administrative Officer of Jack in the Box restaurants, to whom the group reports. In another group reporting to Mr. Blankenship, support tools for stakeholders was rated highly, but it was of low importance to stakeholders. The key, Mr. Blankenship says, is “having the data to make decisions about where we want to put resources. We may be getting performance scores that are too high in areas that are perhaps valued less by customers, and we should shift resources accordingly.”
For leaders of shared services organizations, it is imperative to ask if these functions provide more value over time. Can we provide some additional benefits with the same resources perhaps? Nora Swimm, Vice President of HR & Corporate Client Services at PJM Interconnection, says “Today you can’t rest on yesterday’s laurels, but you must understand how your function creates value for the organization overall, ensure you have the right strategic measures, and obtain feedback that allows you to continuously improve.”
If you were a sales executive, a production manager, or the CEO, you would depend on key measures of how well you are doing. It’s time for HR to think like a business rather than a ‘support’ organization.
William A. Schiemann is CEO and founder of Metrus Institute, the learning and research division of Metrus Group. Dr. Schiemann and his firm are known for their pioneering work in the creation of the People Equity (ACE) talent optimization framework, strategic performance metrics and scorecards, and for strategic employee surveys that drive high performance. In addition, he is the co-author of Hidden Drivers of Success: Leveraging Employee Insights for Strategic Advantage ( SHRM 2013) and the author of The ACE Advantage, (SHRM 2012), Reinventing Talent Management (Wiley, SHRM 2009) and Bullseye! Hitting Your Strategic Targets Through High-Impact Measurement (Free Press 1999). He has written dozens of articles for business publications and is a frequent global speaker for both public and private forums.