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 Strategic HR Process Deployment and Adoption

The value of strategic HR is not a result of HR departments identifying processes needed to drive business execution but from getting managers, employees, and senior leaders to adopt these processes to drive stronger business execution. It is not enough to build great pro cesses. These processes must be effectively used to be successful.

This chapter discusses four actions that underlie successful deployment and adoption of strategic HR methods:

1. Establishing HR leadership credibility. Do people in the company trust the HR organization enough to take their advice? Are the HR team members viewed as experts in business execution, or does the company view HR as an administrative support function?

2. Defining the change and change requirements. Have you clearly defined what it is you want people to do differently in the future from what they have been doing in the past? Have you determined what critical barriers and enablers are going to affect this change?

3. Providing tools and training to support the change. Are you giving people the technology, methods, and knowledge they need to make the change? Are they able to do what you want them to do?

4. Enlisting line leadership to drive the change. Do line leaders actively sup port the deployment of HR processes? If not, these processes are likely to be branded as “stuff HR is asking us to do.” Such processes almost always fail.

N I N E c h a p t e r

Hunt, Steven T.. Common Sense Talent Management : Using Strategic Human Resources to Improve Company Performance, Center for Creative Leadership, 2014. ProQuest Ebook Central, http://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/ashford-ebooks/detail.action?docID=827115. Created from ashford-ebooks on 2020-04-11 04:05:19.

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This chapter discusses each of these four deployment actions in more detail. All of these actions assume that the strategic HR process you are deploying is well designed. Chapters 2 through 8 addressed elements of good process design, so we will assume this criterion has been met.

9.1 ESTABLISHING HR LEADERSHIP CREDIBILITY To drive business execution, strategic HR processes must change how senior leaders, managers, and employees think about staffing, job assignments, per formance, and development. People will not follow the advice of HR if they do not perceive HR as credible experts in these areas—and not all HR organizations have this sort of credibility. Rather than being seen as people who can help line ofbusiness managers and employees be more effective, HR is often viewed as a necessary but nonstrategic services function built around matters like payroll processing and legal compliance with employment laws. Changing this percep tion requires HR to do the following things:

• Understand the business problems that leaders and line managers face. Take time to learn about the strategic objectives leaders and managers are being held accountable for and the challenges they are facing in meeting these objectives. Then show how HR processes can support their needs. Revisit the discussion of business execution drivers in chapter 3 for guidance on how to do this. As a gen eral rule, always begin discussions about HR processes by reviewing the business goals these methods will address.

• Start conversations with leaders by talking about the operational challenges that are on their minds. Imagine being in front of a group of business leaders and saying, “We have a solution that will help the company address this business need.” What business needs will get leaders, to lean forward in their seats wondering, “How can you help us with that?” Link HR processes to these business needs, and keep reminding leaders that this is why HR matters.

• Keep in mind that most non-HR people do not care about HR processes. They care only about the things these processes have an impact on. For example, man agers care a lot about whether their employees achieve their business goals. But this does not mean they have an inherent interest in goal management processes. This is why it is critical that managers see a clear connection between strategic HR processes and the objectives that are important to their personal career suc cess. Furthermore, unless managers ask for more detail, do not tell them any

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more about HR processes than is absolutely necessary for them to use them successfully. Most managers do not have time or interest to learn the theories behind HR processes. They just need to be confident that they will improve their success and understand how to use them effectively.

• Show employees how HR can help them achieve their career goals. Employees will not embrace HR methods because they are valuable to the company. They will embrace them if they believe the methods will help them achieve their career objectives. You may be able to get basic compliance by saying HR methods are mandatory conditions of employment. But if you want employees to truly engage in HR processes, they must see a link between these processes and per sonal career advancement. This comes from linking HR processes to pay, pro motions, and development opportunities. This can also be achieved by showing how HR processes make employees better at their job.

• Be simple, clear, and easy to understand. Much of the value of HR processes comes from helping the organization effectively communicate and make decisions about people. This starts with creating a common, wellunderstood vocabulary that people can use to talk about job requirements, employee attributes, goals, per formance, and development. When possible, adapt the language of HR to match the language of the business. Never introduce a new word to the company if an old word will do. Do not introduce new terms unless they describe something that is critical to using certain HR techniques. When you introduce terms, make sure they are clearly defined, and then always adhere to this definition. For example, it may be important to introduce concepts like skills, competencies, and goals to managers so they understand the levers that drive performance. But be sure these terms are used in a consistent fashion across all HR processes. Over time, the lan guage of HR should become embedded in everyday communication and be indis tinguishable from the language of the business.

• Focus on fundamentals, and avoid trends. The field of HR is often criticized for its tendency to embrace trends. HR departments have a history of rolling out new concepts and models, only to abandon them a year later in favor of something else, frequently before these processes have had any real impact. Employees and man agers ignore new HR initiatives as they are confident they will soon be abandoned for another “flavor of the month.”

• Be alert to HR’s reputation for following fads. In general, approach HR deploy ments as being a threeyear undertaking and avoid making major changes to HR

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processes more often than once every other year. A good mantra for strategic HR might be, “simple, fundamental methods rigorously and consistently applied over time.” Remember that the fundamentals of strategic HR come down to four basic things: getting the right people in the right jobs, focusing them on the right things, ensuring they are doing things the right way, and providing them with the right development. Master these fundamentals, and let competitors waste their time chasing after the current “next big thing in HR.”

• Take leadership risks. Strategic HR adds value by creating change. HR lead ers must be willing to advocate and take accountability for the changes they are seeking to create. This requires engaging business leaders in discussions around the best way to manage people

• HR leaders must be confident in their expertise. Most HR leaders would not presume to tell finance leaders how the company should manage its bank accounts or tell marketing leaders how the company should segment its cus tomer base. Conversely, HR leaders must earn the respect of their peers by giving confident and effective guidance to other areas of the company on how to attract, hire, manage, develop, and retain the talent needed to drive business execution.

Convincing nonHR business leaders of the value of HR methods typically does not come from theoretical explanations of the value of HR techniques— for example, trying to explain to managers why intrinsic motivation is so impor tant to driving employee engagement and why engagement is so important for performance. Nor does it come from pure monetary arguments (see the discus sion: “Problems with Using Return on Investment to Justify HR”). It comes from clearly articulating to business leaders how HR can provide them with a better way to manage their workforce. This involves tying HR methods to the compa ny’s business execution needs, and then clearly and succinctly explaining how these methods can be adopted in a manner that will significantly increase the organization’s business execution capability.

P R O B L E M S W I T H U S I N G R E T U R N O N I N V E S T M E N T T O J U S T I F Y H R

A book on talent management included the following statement about

the return on investment (ROI) of talent management methods:

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Researchers have begun to try to determine the return on invest-

ment of various HR initiatives [and] determined that . . . perfor- mance management is three times more powerful than better

selection interviewing and decision making, and training and

developing current employees is two times more powerful than

just hiring better employees in the first place.a

This quote suggests that scientific research can provide an accurate

empirical estimate of the relative ROI associated with different strategic

HR processes. But what the authors also report is that staffing, perfor-

mance management, and training and development applications “are

extremely difficult things to compare.” The study they reference used

meta-analysis, a statistical technique that relies on a range of assump-

tions that can hide variance in ROI found across different organizations

using the same talent management interventions.b So while the relative

value reported for performance management, training, and staffing

may be accurate in general, the actual value that individual companies

may realize varies substantially.

This research highlights the notoriously ambiguous and ill-defined

nature of ROI estimates applied to strategic HR processes. It is possible

to demonstrate clear empirical relationships between HR methods and

employee behaviors, and employee behaviors and business outcomes at

the level of individual employees. But it is difficult to create mathemati-

cal models that accurately estimate the level of direct impact that HR pro-

cesses have on financial outcomes at the company level. The reasons are

complex, but suffice it to say that most HR ROI studies are based on sta-

tistically complex assumptions about the relationship of process design,

workforce characteristics, and business results. As a result, ROI estimates

tend to be relatively poor tools for convincing non-HR leaders of the

value of HR processes. In fact, ROI models can undermine HR credibility

because financially minded business leaders frequently find them to be

empirically unsound.

The purpose here is not to criticize research focused on calculating

the ROI of talent management interventions. Such research is valu-

able for understanding the utility of different strategic HR interven-

tions and calling attention to business gains associated with investing

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9.2 DEFINING THE CHANGE AND CHANGE REQUIREMENTS That “people fear change” is a common misconception. To the contrary, most people actively seek change: they travel to new countries, take up new hobbies, and pursue new career opportunities. It is the human ability to adapt to chang ing environments that allowed us to genetically outcompete larger and stron ger animals. In fact, people do not fear change—but many fear the uncertainty

in programs to increase workforce productivity. But caution needs to

be taken when interpreting ROI estimates that require estimating the

financial value of human performance. Strategic HR is ultimately about

predicting or changing the behavior of people, and people are com-

plex creatures. Interventions that greatly increase the productivity of

one person might hurt the productivity of someone else. Programs that

work in one company culture can fail in another. In addition, companies

are notoriously bad at measuring the productivity of individual employ-

ees, and any study that attempts to report changes in employee perfor-

mance is inherently at risk of reporting statistics based on faulty data.c

There is value in empirically examining the ROI of different stra-

tegic HR methods, but care needs to be taken when interpreting the

results of these studies. Just because a program had a significant impact

in another company does not necessarily mean it will have the same

impact in your organization. But if empirical research suggests that cer-

tain interventions have had little or no positive impact in previous com-

panies, then you should probably seriously question their value before

trying them in your company. ROI studies are useful for showing the

general financial benefits associated with the use of strategic HR meth-

ods, but they tend to be questionable for showing exactly how much

money you will gain or save as a result of their implementation.

aEichinger, R. W., Lombardo, M. M., & Ulrich, D. (2006). 100 things you need to know: Best people practices for managers and HR. Minneapolis: Lominger, pp. 208–209. bSpencer, L. (2001). The economic value of emotional intelligence competencies and EICbased HR programs. In C. Cherniss & D. Goleman (Eds.), The emotionally intelligent workplace: How to select for, measure, and improve emotional intelligence in individuals, groups, and organizations (pp. 45–82). San Francisco: JosseyBass.

cAustin, J. T., & Villanova, P. (1992). The criterion problem: 1917–1992. Journal of Applied Psychology, 77(6), 836–874.

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caused by changes they do not understand. And all people dislike putting effort into changes that they do not see as beneficial.

The best approach to change management is to be extremely clear about what you are changing, why you are changing it, how it will benefit the people affected by the change, and what support you are providing that will help people make the change. Figure 9.1 provides questions that help clarify the nature of changes created by implementing new HR processes. Prior to implementing a new HR process, think about how the change will affect the following groups of people:

• Employees. What impact will this process have on frontline employees and individual contributors? How will it affect their perceptions toward their jobs, careers, managers, and the organization in general? Is this change something they will find easy to accept or hard to do?

• Managers. How will this process help managers achieve their career goals and business needs? What knowledge and skills will they need to carry out the changes required of them? Do they view this change as something that will make their lives easier or harder?

Figure 9.1 HR Process Stakeholders

Stakeholders

Employees

Managers

Senior Leaders

Human Resource Professionals

Information Technology

Professionals

Changes: What must they do in the future that they might not be doing now?

Benefits: How will this change help them acheive their goals?

Challenges: Why will they resist this change?

Enablers: What resources and incentives do they need to accept this change?

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• Senior leaders. Senior leaders may not be directly affected by many HR processes, but they must support these processes by encouraging and holding managers and employees accountable for using them. In cases where senior leaders are expected to actively use an HR process, they must act as visible role models on process adoption and use (e.g., setting clear goals, making staffing decisions based on clearly defined criteria). Senior leaders may also be expected to use data from HR processes to guide business decisions. This requires providing data to them in a usable format, making sure they know how to effectively interpret these data, and giving them some means to act on insights they gain from their analysis.

• HR professionals. HR professionals are typically expected to be the first line of support for employees and managers using HR processes. The job experi ence of many HR professionals is based more on carrying out administrative HR tasks than supporting strategic HR processes. The skills needed to answer questions about benefits programs are much different from those needed to facilitate a talent review session. Are HR professionals able to make the tran sition to support strategic HR processes? Do they want to? Do they have the skills to consult and advise managers, employees, and senior leaders on how to conduct strategic HR activities and interpret strategic HR data?

• Information technology (IT) professionals. Deploying, scaling and maintain ing most strategic HR processes requires the use of technology. What role will IT professionals play in deploying and supporting this technology? Do they understand how the technology works? Do they have the time and resources needed to support it?

For each of these groups, systematically walk through the following questions:

• How will the change affect them? What will they be asked to do differently in the future that they were not doing in the past?

• How will the change benefit this stakeholder group?

• What things might they resist or find confusing or challenging?

• What will be key to getting them to accept these changes?

Also think about what other groups play a role in the success of the deploy ment. For example, will the new processes affect customers, suppliers, or con tractors? If so, what actions will be needed to ensure the support of these groups?

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Systematically working through these questions will provide a comprehen sive picture of what you are changing, what factors will enable this change, and what challenges you need to address or overcome for the change to be success ful. Once you have answered these questions, it is likely to be fairly obvious what types of communication, change management, and training will be needed to make the change successful.

Finally, remember that change management does not end when the process is deployed. It takes several years for people to fully master many HR processes. There will also be a constant stream of new employees, managers, senior leaders, and HR professionals who must be trained on how to use the process. Change management starts with process deployment, but it does not end there. As one HR leader told me, “We shouldn’t talk about ‘going live’ with a new HR process; we should talk about ‘going to live’ with the process.”

9.3 PROVIDING TOOLS AND TRAINING TO SUPPORT THE CHANGE Chapters 4, 5, 6, and 7 discussed what is involved in getting members of the orga nization to adopt and effectively use processes associated with getting the right people in the right jobs, ensuring they are focusing on the right things, doing things the right way, and getting the right development. In addition to the infor mation discussed in these previous chapters, it is important to consider two addi tional topics related to supporting HR process change. First, does the technology used to support the process effectively facilitate the changes you want to cre ate? Second, have you positioned and branded the change in a manner so that it comes across as compelling and valuable, or does it feel like just another adminis trative exercise?

9.3.1 How Technology Enables Change Throughout this book, I have mentioned that many strategic HR processes cannot be effectively deployed and maintained without the use of technology. Technology does not create change, but it does make change possible that would be impossible or unsustainable without it. But this will happen only if the tech nology meets certain criteria. It is important to consider four things when eval uating HR technology from a change management perspective: functionality, usability, accessibility, and transparency.

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Functionality Does the technology support the process steps you are seeking to create? When examining functionality, do not just focus on whether a sys tem supports different types of process steps, forms, and database requirements. Think about how it affects conversations and decisions. Will it influence how employees and managers think about jobs and careers? Does it support conver sations between employees and managers around performance, development, and job assignments? Can it be used to guide and facilitate meetings to discuss talent strengths and needs across the organization? Does the system provide reports and dashboards that will help managers and leaders incorporate HR data into how they make decisions about the company?

Figure 9.2 Technology for Competency-Based Performance Assessment

and Coaching Feedback

Source: SuccessFactors, an SAP Company. Used with permission.

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Figures 9.2 and 9.3 contain examples of HR technology designed to influ ence how managers and leaders think about their workforce. The first example is a tool that helps managers assess employee performance and provide coaching feedback. It gives managers observable behavioral examples that define effective and ineffective performance. This influences how managers evaluate employees by giving them specific criteria to differentiate between effective and ineffec tive performance. It also provides managers with suggestions on how to provide developmental feedback to employees. The availability of these coaching sugges tions increases the likelihood that managers will actively engage employees in conversations around how to improve their performance.

The second example displays data on workforce trends in a manner designed to capture the attention of business leaders. Presenting the data as observations rather than simple numbers encourages leaders to reflect on what these data mean and whether they warrant further action. The interface is specifically designed to grab the attention of leaders and pull them in to explore workforce data in more detail.

Figure 9.3 Example of a Technology Design for Strategic HR

Source: SuccessFactors, an SAP Company. Used with permission.

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When you consider technology, remember that the goal of strategic HR is not about completing forms and carrying out process steps. It is about changing how employees, managers, and leaders think about, talk about, and act on work force issues that are important to business execution. The value of strategic HR technology is less about the functions people are able to perform within the sys tem and more about conversations, decisions, and actions these functions cre ate outside the system. Strategic HR technology should not just enable actions; it should shape thinking.

Usability Many HR processes are used on an annual, quarterly, or monthly basis. This is particularly true for processes related to matters like compensation, staffing, and succession management. Employees and managers might access the systems used for these processes relatively infrequently, so the user interface for these systems needs to be intuitive. People will become frustrated if they have to go up a learning curve each time they log in. Ease of use is even more important for technologysupporting processes that are accessed more often, such as goal management and coaching. Think how easy it is for people to use commercial software applications such as search engines, shopping sites, and other online tools. HR technology should ideally be on par with those systems when it comes to intuitive, efficient user interfaces.

Usability does not mean building the easiest or simplest strategic HR pro cesses possible. The user experience must guide the user to perform process steps appropriately. The goal is not to complete the process quickly but to com plete it as quickly as possible without sacrificing accuracy and quality. To illus trate this concept, look at the user interface in figure 9.4, which shows a tool for collecting performance management ratings. This interface is likely to appeal to managers because it allows them to efficiently evaluate everyone on their team at one time. It also allows them to easily access information on team members and performance criteria by clicking on the names of the employees and the names of the competencies. At the same time, the visual layout of this system addresses one of the most common performance rating mistakes that managers make: giv ing all employees the same or similar ratings. If managers start to rate everyone the same, they receive immediate visual feedback that makes them aware that they may be making this error. This is a great example of blending efficient and effective HR technology user interface design.

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Accessibility One reason HR processes often fail to have the impact they should is they are often supported with technology that is difficult to access. For example, many companies’ performance management processes are supported using systems that can be accessed only if employees are working on a company computer, have provided security passwords to get past the company’s firewall, and have logged in and entered another password to get into the HR system itself. Compare this to the steps required to access company email.

If you want people to access HR systems on a regular basis, strive to make it as easy to access as it is to access email. This means using technology that works on smart phones and tablets and does not require lengthy login procedures. (For additional thoughts on the use of mobile strategic HR technology, see the discussion: “Virtual Workforces + Mobile HR Technology = Better Workforce Management.”)

Figure 9.4 Example of a Technology Design for Strategic HR: Performance

Evaluation Competencies

Source: SuccessFactors, an SAP Company. Used with permission.

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V I R T U A L W O R K F O R C E S + M O B I L E H R T E C H N O L O G Y = B E T T E R W O R K F O R C E M A N A G E M E N T

Over the past twenty years, workforces have become increasingly global,

virtual, and mobile. The era of expecting that a company’s employees

will all work from the same physical location is over. In many companies,

employees are required to report in to work at a specific location only

if their job literally requires them to be physically present (e.g., to use

certain types of machinery or provide personal service to customers or

patients). Technology has played a central role in making the shift to

virtual workforces possible. Thanks to communications technology avail-

able through the Internet and smart phones, employees can now effec-

tively work together without actually being together.

The shift to virtual workplaces was made possible by technology but

was largely driven by two other things. First, employees did not want

to have to move to a new city or lose time commuting to an office if

they did not have to. Many people value the autonomy and flexibility

that comes from working in a virtual office.a Second, companies did

not want to spend money on expensive office real estate or pay fees to

relocate employees and their families from one area to another. But a

third somewhat unexpected benefit has also emerged from the move

to virtual workforces: it is creating better workforce management.

Managing virtual employees requires companies and managers to

invest in the use of more effective management methods. Managing

virtual employees forces managers to be purposeful about setting clear

goals, checking in with employees to ensure they are making progress

on objectives, and scheduling times to talk to employees about longer-

term career development. You cannot simply show up in the office and

look over at an employee to see if that person is doing his or her job. In

a physical office, managers often just left these things to chance, assum-

ing that they’d cover these topics in the course of naturally occurring

conversations. But in a virtual organization, you cannot wait to run into

someone in the hallway. You have to be much more proactive when it

comes to setting up conversations and communicating expectations. In

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my experience, virtual managers often tend to become better managers

overall. These managers also challenge their HR organizations to provide

more effective strategic HR systems to manage goals, provide feedback,

and support the career growth of virtual employees.

Companies have had to invest in better HR technology to support virtual

employees. As one client told me, “When it comes to our virtual employ-

ees, what the company looks like is mainly about the experiences they have

with our company web pages and online tools. It is not about what the

office looks like.” Virtual companies need to use strategic HR processes

and technology that engage employees and make them feel appreciated.

Sending a virtual employee to a cumbersome, nonintuitive HR technology

system is like sending an on-premise employee into a dirty office closet to

fill out forms. As more and more companies come to this realization, we

are starting to see the creation of more effective HR technology systems.

The shift to increasingly global, virtual, and mobile organizations

was largely a result of innovations in communications technology com-

bined with employees’ desire for autonomy and companies’ desire to

save on real estate costs. But this shift is resulting in better manage-

ment, better HR technology, and more productive workforces overall.

aGajendran, R. S., & Harrison, D. A. (2007). The good, the bad, and the unknown about telecom muting: Metaanalysis of psychological mediators and individual consequences. Journal of Applied Psychology, 92, 1524–1541.

Transparency Technology allows managers and employees to easily perform strategic HR activities like setting and updating goals, providing performance recognition and coaching, and using data to make informed decisions about people and their careers. Technology also allows companies to track whether managers and employees are taking these actions. For example, are managers working with employees to establish goals, and are they regularly reviewing and updating these goals throughout the year? Are managers meeting with employ ees on a regular basis to discuss career development, and are employees making progress on their career objectives? These can all be tracked using HR technol ogy provided the systems are designed to gather and present this data in an easy touse fashion. Providing process transparency creates visibility, and visibility drives process adoption.

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Companies have a tendency to overemphasize cost and ease of deployment when they evaluate HR technology. This is particularly true when the evaluation process is driven by IT professionals instead of strategic HR leaders. IT profes sionals are not trained to recognize the difference between effective and inef fective strategic processes. They often underestimate how much of an impact functionality and user interface design have on the value of a strategic HR tech nology system. The purpose of strategic HR processes is to create conversations, provide information, and support decisions that lead to more effective use of the workforce in driving business execution. For this to happen, the technology used to support strategic HR processes must be highly engaging and accessible to end users. Compatibility with existing IT platforms and ease of deployment are important factors for assessing system cost, but functionality, usability, acces sibility, and transparency have a far greater impact on actual system value. This is why it is so important for HR organizations to clearly define the functionality they need from HR technology systems. Just because an application says it has “performance management” or “staffing” functions does not mean it can support effective performance and staffing processes.

9.3.2 Branding HR Processes HR processes tend to be viewed by managers and employees as relatively unin teresting administrative activities. One way to shift this mindset is to market how HR processes will support the goals of managers and employees. This is referred to as “branding the HR process.” For example, employees tend to view the term performance management from a negative mindset, dwelling on the aspects that focus on identifying and addressing underperformance. They may not give enough credit to the role that performance management plays in sup porting recognition and career development of highperforming employees. Rather than referring to a process as being “about performance management,” a company might refer to it as a “recognition and career development program” to encourage employees to see the process in a more positive light.

The best brands call attention to how HR processes help employees and man agers achieve their career objectives and create a tie between the HR process and the mission, culture, or external brand of the company. For example, a mobile telephone company promoted its performance and development processes using the tagline, “It’s about the conversation.” This emphasized that the process was focused on getting managers and employees to talk about performance and

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development. But it also resonated with the company’s identity as an organiza tion that built and sold tools that help people communicate.

When building a brand, start by examining how the process will address the goals of employees and managers. Why should they be excited about this process? What’s in it for them? Next, develop a short phrase that captures these benefits and highlights the brand promise. Ideally this phrase will resonate with other aspects of the company culture or market reputation. For example, a large health care orga nization called its strategic HR program “Compass” because it helped employees navigate the organization and identify appropriate career paths. A global hotel orga nization called its succession and development program “Profile” because employ ees had complained that no one in the company outside of their local hotel knew them or their career potential and goals. The Profile brand emphasized that the pro cess is a way for the company to get to know all of its employees at a detailed level.

After you develop a brand, review it by asking and answering these questions:

• Is it truthful? Can you back it up with real examples and practices? Can you show how the strategic HR process is fulfilling the promise made by the brand?

• Is it compelling and appropriate? How will it be perceived by different stake holder groups, divisions, and cultures? Is it interpreted by people in a positive and appropriate manner? Does it speak to things employees care about?

• Is it unique? It is distinct from how other companies portray themselves? Does it “feel” like the company?

• Is it comprehensive? Can it be used to support a range of strategic HR pro grams? It is ideal if all strategic HR processes can fit under the same brand. Trying to maintain multiple brands for different processes is timeconsuming and confusing for employees, managers, and senior leaders.

Brands can help get employees and managers to view HR processes as tools for creating positive change. But if the brand does not reflect process reality, it can create cynicism about the sincerity of the company and HR initiatives in general. In sum, use brands, but use them wisely.

9.4 ENLISTING LINE LEADERSHIP TO DRIVE THE CHANGE All change management programs emphasize the importance of having execu tive support. When it comes to strategic HR processes, it is important to be

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particularly clear about what you mean by “executive support.” Specifically, what do executives actually have to do to demonstrate that they are supportive of an HR process?

Figure 9.5 illustrates three types of executive support that can be used to sup port deployment of strategic HR processes, listed in order of least effective to most effective.

• Endorsing. Executives promote the process through presentations, written messages, and other means of communication. This is the easiest and least effective form of support.

• Enforcing. Executives hold people accountable for following the process. HR can provide leaders with data indicating compliance levels, but direc tion to drive compliance must come from line leadership to be effective. It is extremely important that process enforcement come from line leadership, not HR. Efforts by HR to drive compliance tend to have little impact, can lead managers to resent HR as the “process police,” and often result in employ ees complying with the minimum requirements without putting in the effort needed to actually benefit from the process.

• Exhibiting. Executives act as role models by personally completing process steps in a visible manner. Technology can be particularly valuable for role modeling as it often makes it possible for employees and managers to literally see what their leaders have done (e.g., looking at their leaders’ goal plans or

Figure 9.5 Types of Leadership Support for Change

Endorsing

• Visibly promoting

• Maintaining accountability

• Role modeling and training

Enforcing Exhibiting

Most Effective

Least Effective

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checking to see how many of their leaders have completed coaching sessions with their direct reports). Exhibiting can also involve having line leaders take an active role in training managers and employees on how to use the process. Exhibiting is by far and away the most effective type of leadership support.

To illustrate the differences among endorsing, enforcing, and exhibiting, con sider the following examples associated with deploying a goal management process:

• Endorsing: The CEO’s office sends an email to all employees asking them to complete their goal plans in the system.

• Enforcing: The HR office reports which employees have not entered their goals, and the CEO’s office sends them a message reminding them to enter their goals into the system or they will be held accountable.

• Exhibiting: The CEO creates and shares her goal plan with all employees and asks them to work with their managers to create similar goals for their jobs.

Think how you would react to these three examples as an employee. In the first example, your CEO asks you and all the other employees to create a goal plan even though it’s not clear if she has completed one. In second example, your CEO tells you to create your goal plan or face some sort of negative consequence although she has not necessarily created a goal plan herself. In the third example, your CEO publishes her goal plan to the company and asks you and all of the other employees to create a similar goal plan. It is fairly obvious which of these is the most positively motivating.

Truly enlisting line leader support requires agreeing on specific things that leaders will do to demonstrate their support for the process. If possible, find ways they can personally rolemodel using the process. It is amazing how much easier it is to get employees to comply with process actions if they know that their leaders have already completed these actions themselves. And if you dis cover that leaders are not willing to do what is necessary to demonstrate true commitment and support for the process, then it may be time to reconsider whether you should deploy the process at all.

9.5 CONCLUSION The history of HR is littered with welldesigned processes that failed during deployment. This chapter reviewed major issues that affect whether organizations

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adopt strategic HR processes to drive business execution or resist the use of these methods by treating them as relatively unimportant administrative activities. Successful deployments start by establishing HR leadership credibility. The next step is to understand how the changes that HR is proposing will affect different stakeholders senior leaders, managers, employees, HR, and IT. This needs to be followed through by supporting strategic HR processes with effective change management communication and welldesigned, easytouse technology. Finally, and most important, leaders within the organization must actively support the change through personally endorsing, enforcing, and exhibiting effective use of strategic HR processes.

Remember that the single biggest boost to HR process deployment and adop tion is the process itself. If the process is well designed, easy to use, and clearly tied to business execution needs, then senior leaders, managers, and employees are likely to push for its adoption. You won’t have to ask them to adopt it because they will already be asking you when they can start using it. While most HR pro cess requires some level of branding and change management it is remarkable how quickly people embrace processes once they realize that they will help them achieve their personal career objectives.

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