Delivering Results: A New Mandate for Human Resource Professionals

"This is a great time for those interested in human resources." Dave Ulrich (editor) writes, "Human resource issues have become central to business deliberations, surfacing in boardrooms where executives plan and in conference rooms where managers act. Discussions often seek answers to (some) questions...In many ways, these are not new questions. The difference today lies in the approach taken to answer them: Increasingly, the spotlight is falling on human resource issues. To answer these questions, line managers and HR professionals must rethink and redefine human resources...HR professionals have responded to this increased scrutiny with a major shift in thinking from their previous focus on 'doables' to a new, more proactive focus on 'deliverables.' Doables focus on improving HR practices, upgrading HR professionals, and reengineering HR departments. Doables emphasize actions, activities, and what happens. Deliverables refocus attention on outcomes, results, and value created from doing HR work."In this context, Dave Ulrich says that while few disagree that HR practices, professionals, and departments should refocus on deliverables or results, discussions have just begun as to what constitutes HR results. And, according to him, emerging questions for HR include the following:1. What are HR results?* HR results as firm performance* HR results as capabilities2. What capabilities may be defined as HR results?* Creating strategic clarity: be a strategic partner* Making change happen: be a change agent* Creating intellectual capital: be an employee champion3. How does a results focus shift HR responsibility, practices, departments, and professionals?Finally, he says that this antology provides readers with a clear point of view on HR results and offers specific definitions and examples of those results.Highly recommended.

Dave Ulrich, considered by many to be the leading voice of HR strategy and implementation, compiles a selection of various authors' essays into a wonderfully thoughtful and practical collection. This book is organized into 4 main sections... 1. Delivering Core Capabilities 2. Creating Strategic Clarity: Becoming a strategic partner 3. Making Change Happen: Becoming a change agent 4. Creating Intellectual Capital: Becoming an employee championThese four sections summarize Ulrich's views on the ever chaning role of Human Resources in not only today's workplace, but tomorrow's. I recommend this book to any business professional seeking to better understand how employees can better reach their potential, as well as to any HR professional seeking to expand his or her vision of what the profession is capable of accomplishing.