Human Resource Management in the 21st Century

isaac dixon Says:

If I had to look at competencies for HR professionals now and in the future I would have to list these:
Business Accumen
Financial Savvy
Quality Decision Making
Managing Diversity
Learn on the Fly
Sizing People Up

These competencies are more in demand than ever in our businesses yet I still find people entering the field that have little to no background or experience in any of these areas. If we add to this the significant legal exposure it makes me wonder why many organizations still feel that “anyone” can do HR stuff.

As a profession we must continue to insist on excellence, shun party planning and gift basket preparation (employee committees can do this stuff). Focus on strategy, get our staff’s tactically proficient and push information out to managers, leaders and employees.

May 23rd, 2007 at 12:48 pm

Joy Kouns Says:

I am interested in this topic because my dissertation is the transformation of HR from transactional to strategic business partnership. I was also given permission by Dr. David Ulrich to use his questionnaire on HR competencies for my study. So, standby and see the outcome of my study. Thanks.

June 3rd, 2007 at 7:39 pm

Sandra Gribkoff Says:

One of the competencies that Issac has mentioned is of more interest to me than any other,diversity. Today, regardless of the industry we find ourselves in, diversity and creating an inclusive environment are of utmost importance. How do we create a mindset that many advantages lie in diversifying one’s organization? How do we develop strategic plans that work towards successful implementation of an inclusive workforce? As an educator it is hard to avoid these topics when the classroom has become more diverse both in gender and race. In answering Jeans questions about the progress of the field, there is a lot of growth and education that needs to filter through all industries. But progress has been made and continues to move in a positive direction.

June 5th, 2007 at 1:36 pm

David Says:

I would say that the HR rep. must be a jack of all trades. Not only should they be adept at judging people and assessing their skills, but must be able demonstrate proficiencies in creating databases, spreadsheets, and documents.

January 25th, 2008 at 10:44 am