This document discusses the evolution of the human resources profession from a record-keeping and processing role to a strategic business partner role. It emphasizes developing a systems-thinking perspective to address the root causes of employee relations issues, rather than just reacting to events. This will allow an HR strategist to anticipate needs, develop workforce strategies, and improve business performance by resolving issues and eliminating unnecessary costs. Taking a systems perspective involves analyzing patterns and modifying systemic structures to prevent issues from reoccurring.

1. 1 MASTERING EMPLOYEE RELATIONS RESULTS IN A SUPERIOR ORGANIZATION Gene McIntyre, JDHRStrategic Consultant & Business Partner August 2011

2. Mastering Employee Relations = Superior Organizations STRATEGIC BUSINESS PARTNER HR CONSULTANT PERSONNEL MANAGERS REGULATORY/POLICING The Evolution of the HR Profession RECORD KEEPER/PROCESSING CENTER PAYROLL PROCESSORS

4. Strong emphasis on partnership rather than policing

5. Record keeping, auditing & processes become tools rather than goals of departments

6. Emphasis in Policy Development/Implementation & Training

7. Emphasis on Family and Employee Friendly policies

8. Required:

9. Development of teams of HR generalists/technicians

11. Ability to “seat at the table”/speak the business lingo”Gene McIntyre, JD August 2011 Copyrighted

13. Strong emphasis on business understanding - P&L

14. All HR Services still indispensable, but a given

15. HR expected to have impact on business performance (add value)

16. Relied upon to reduce cost

17. HR serves as advisor/trainers to leadership

18. Required:

19. Technicians/generalists do day-to-day

20. Interpersonal/communication skills & political savvy are a must for the consultant

21. Ability to understand the business & foresee needs

22. Seats at the table with operational leaders & participates in strategic planning & budgeting

23. Understands profit & loss business factorsGene McIntyre, JD August 2011 Copyrighted

25. Develop business political savvy

26. Establish a long-term commitment to learn your employer's business

27. Understand profit & loss & budgeting processes

28. Invest in your training and professional development

29. Stay familiar with current and upcoming trends & legislation

30. Actively participate withprofessional associations & network

31. Leave behind the old HR paradigm

32. Read and stay abreast on human capital matters; e.g.:

33. Emotional intelligence

34. Human Psychology and Behavioral Patterns

35. Benchmarking

36. HR-related case lawGene McIntyre, JD August 2011 Copyrighted

38. Planning and executing workforce strategies

39. Monitoring & upgrading the quality of the workforce

40. Revamping organizational structures per business needs

41. Avoiding litigation

42. Resolving conflict

43. Eliminating unnecessary cost

44. Approaching your responsibilities from a programmatic rather than a reactionary perspective (systems thinking)Gene McIntyre, JD August 2011 Copyrighted

45. 7 Mastering Employee Relations = Superior Organizations How would you answer the following questions: What percentage of your time do you spend resolving issues? What percentage of your time to you spend developing and executing strategy to prevent issues from happening? Are your employee relations managing you or are you managing your employee relations? How do you go from managing to mastering? Gene McIntyre, JD August 2011 Copyrighted

47. You lost another administrative assistant to the same manager.

48. You received an EEOC complaint for harassment in the workplace.

49. Loss Prevention notifies you that a team member got caught stealing. You need to terminate employment.Gene McIntyre, JD August2011 Copyrighted

51. Manager C has been in the organization for years and his temper outbursts are legendary. It takes a trooper to last in his department.

52. Your managers are super stars when it comes to their technical and sales abilities, but most are fairly new to leadership and do not command Title VII, harassment, discrimination or other critical HR topics.

53. Due to the nature of the business, employees in this retail environment spend hours unsupervised. Theft is rampant.Gene McIntyre, JD August2011 Copyrighted

55. You make an appointment to meet with the manager whose department has a high turnover of administrative assistants to assess whether he understands the reasons. You follow up with suggestions.

56. You research sources of diversity and/or harassment training and establish a calendar to deliver such training throughout the organization to managers and non-supervisory employees alike.

57. You initiate a conversation between loss prevention, operation leaders and HR to assess strategies to stop theft.Gene McIntyre, JD August2011 Copyrighted

59. Patterns perspective – Adaptive action- you are not trying to fix a problem necessarily. You assume that this pattern is unavoidable or one that the business is willing to deal with, so you adapt your practice and business to it.

60. Systemic structure perspective – Creative Action – you modify the system – the structures, circumstances and agents that have a direct impact on events.A great start to transform your organization or business - Start with the modification of your own perspective! Gene McIntyre, JD August 2011 Copyrighted

63. 13 Mastering Employee Relations = Superior Organizations Are you adding value to your current business? To your employer? Adding Value – Mastering rather than being Mastered by Employee Relations is the Name of the game for any serious HR Strategist. Gene McIntyre, JD August 2011 Copyrighted