HR has long been viewed as a service-delivery function, say experts at HR.BLR.com®. HR expertise has been rooted in recruiting employees, administering payroll and benefits, recordkeeping, legal compliance, and handling other employee-related matters.
Unfortunately, as these services are time-intensive, it has been difficult for HR professionals to focus on strategic goals and objectives at the organization-wide level.

However, as outsourcing of the service functions becomes more feasible, HR professionals may now have time and resources to focus on how human capital strategies can be incorporated into the long-term goals and objectives of the company.
For example, as your company faces the predicted labor shortages from the retirement of the baby boomers over the next 10 to 15 years, HR professionals must make sure the company has the talent it needs to meet strategic goals.

This, in turn, means:

• Understanding goals and objectives
• Putting in place the strategies to attract, hire, train, and retain employees with the skills and experience the company needs.

Here's what HR.BLR.com recommends for HR managers who want to add a strategic element to their portfolios:

Step 1. Understand the Business

Making the transition to strategic business partner requires that the human resources professional understand the business.

• Who are the customers?
• What are the products or services offered by the company?
• What is the company's strategy; e.g., high-end or discount; targeting individual customers or corporate customers?
• How does the company measure success?
• What are the key financial measures tracked by the company?
• Who are the company's key competitors and how does the company stack up?

Step 2. Become Fluent in the Business Language

As you find the answers to the questions above, also find out how management talks about them. You must become fluent in the language the C-suite uses.

Step 3. Establish How HR Is Functioning Now

Before moving ahead, it's important to review in detail how HR is functioning now. As you go, identify areas where things could be done better or more efficiently. Maybe you'll find things that don't need to be done at all any more!

In addition to looking at how the department functions, try to get a handle on how the department is viewed by managers, other departments, employees, and even prospective employees. What do they think your role is?

Step 4. Align the HR Department with Company Strategy

You know where the company's going, and you know what your department is doing. Now you can work to align the department's efforts, goals, and objectives with those of the company.

Of course, it's a prerequisite that basic services must continue to be provided competently and efficiently, making use of available technology. Once that's in place, there is an opportunity for HR professionals to focus on helping the company achieve short- and long-term goals related to sales growth, new products and services, new technology—whatever your management sees as its top priorities.

more info: blr.com