So, given that Human Resources eeems to be getting a lot of media attentioon recently — some posive, some not — I figured I’d offer a few things to really think about in 2006 (and beyond)…
My top 5 for 2006 (and somewhat beyond):
1. Management talent acquisition, development, and planning. This includes accurate hiring, and effective skills development, succession, etc. This is the #1 HR impact area, by a positively stupid margin.
*** BIG GAP BETWEEN #1 & #2 ***
2. Continued employee productivity gains.
3. Driving value-added initiatives while reducing the cost and impact of administrivia.
4. Effectively managing benefits design, delivery, and costs.
5. Planning for the changing demographics of employees.
My farrago list, in no particular order:
a. Better utilization & development of women in management.
b. Strategy for developing entry-level/low-skilled workforces from mediocre secondary education.
c. Strategy for utilization of post-retirement workers.
d. A serious focus on the discipline of HR planning, budgeting, and forecasting.
e. More emphasis on organizational effectiveness, less on ‘human resources.’
f. Developing and managing workforce ‘metrics that matter.’
Just a few off the top of my head…
KB