The High-Impact HR Organization

The Necessity of “High-Impact” HR

Too often, a human resources department functions only administratively and never earns a compelling, influential voice in the corporate boardroom. To obtain that powerful voice, HR must become “strategic” and “high impact.” Human resources’ core responsibilities begin with managing the “people side of the business” and running a menu of “service models,” from basic to very sophisticated. Its planning and strategy must fit its firm’s overall goals, and serve both internal and external audiences. The HR unit’s scope includes its own management, its metrics, and its “people culture and performance” – how it works and what goals it fulfills. HR’s main objective is to be a “business-driven” operation that makes a vital contribution to the overall firm and has a maximum impact. Three pivotal factors provide the basis for meeting that goal:

1. The number of employees – Firms with fewer than 5,000 workers tend to have more individualized HR approaches, while HR units at firms of 15,000-plus employees generally have more in common with each other and may use similar approaches.
2. The service you provide...