Introduces a new way of measuring and thinking about the contributions of individuals to business success. Makes the case that the role of Human Resources is increasingly important, as company assets become more intangible and reliant on intellectual capital. Provides a framework that focuses on identifying where Human Resources issues are performance drivers--or impediments--to strategy implementation. Develops a measurement system that provides valid, reliable indicators of Human Resources' contribution to the success of strategy implementation, and ultimately to firmperformance. Includes recommendations supported by clear and persuasive examples, as well as the authors' unique survey of 2,800 firms.
This book has great ideas on how to measure the contribution of HR towards business goals. It's not a book that you can breeze through quickly even if you are familiar (like I am) with the Balanced ScoreCard process.
While keeping in mind that the book was published in 2000, I would say that the methodology given in the book is applicable mainly to large organizations who have a dedicated HR team and can allocate a fairly senior resource to champion this initiative. In SMEs or MSMEs where the HR department size is smaller, this would be extremely difficult to do, irrespective of the technology available to capture it.
Why? The metrics to calculate the contribution are required to be captured and provided by both HR and line managers. Both have regular day to day responsibilities and priorities which will supercede the needs of this important data collection. So there's a very important chapter on the competencies required for executing and sustaining this activity.
This is also why the authors give you guidelines to create the scorecard, and ask you to come up with the relevant criteria that is applicable and doable for the organization and business you are in. That's why I give it four stars and not three.
This book is best suited to HR professionals and consultants. It's also better if you read the Balanced Scorecard by Kaplan and Norton first.
For me, this really gave a new perspective on how to go about hiring talent. If you are responsible for bringing in talent to your organization, I highly recommend it.
A thoughtful and well-structured approach to linking HR with business outcomes. What I appreciated most is the push to make talent strategy measurable (something many organizations still struggle with). It’s definitely geared more toward HR leaders and those designing people systems, so not necessarily a general leadership read. But if you're working on aligning talent, strategy, and results, it offers a solid foundation and practical tools.
Far too often HR initiatives are seen as costs rather than investments in human capital, a companies biggest asset in the digital/knowledge age. This book has some great layouts for L&D and HR folks to replicate. A four star rather than five because I felt like there could have been more examples and templates to use.
It's a clearing idea of the HRBP/HRSP. I have seen many companies try to do something adapting from this idea but it looks awkward. This book sharping my idea for HRBP/HRSP.
I found this book very useful as well as insightful. It does talk about people and how they are connected to everything that an organization does day in and day out. It is a good tool book for HR practioners as well. The book provides some contemporary ways of dealing with so called HR issues that organizations of today face. Most relevant in the recession time such as the ones that we are experiencing.
Some useful concepts. focus on competencies is a highlight. Otherwise many many assumptions veiled be a highly mechanistic approach. The authors concentrate mostly on the how, a bit on the what and very little on the why. If fully implemented, tons of HR spreadsheets will abound containing data that still will be highly questionable. And last but not least, the idea of "how many excepcional employees did you hire" sends shudders down my spine....
Although I read this book as part of my assignment, it was very informative. I'm sure that I will have a different perspective of the book once I actually get into the field of HR, but it was still a good read.