Transforming HR: Creating Value through People

Citation

Reddington, M. (2006), "Transforming HR: Creating Value through People", Development and Learning in Organizations, Vol. 20 No. 4. https://doi.org/10.1108/dlo.2006.08120dae.002

Transforming HR: Creating Value through People

Transforming HR: Creating Value through PeopleMartin Reddington, Mark Williamson, Mark WithersElsevier Butterworth-HeinemannOxford2005ISBN 0 7506 6447 9272 pp.£24.99 (paperback)Review DOI 10.1108/00197850610665754

This book is part of the Elsevier HR Series which concentrates on contemporary issues facing HR. The authors all have senior level strategic experience as practitioners and consultants in business change and HR transformation, which is shared with the reader in a very practical sense. Interviews and contributions from 13 international HR consultants also add a pragmatic “what works” approach to the text.

The content is primarily aimed at assisting both HR (HRM and HRD) professionals andmanagers in thinking through their roles and the challenges and issues facing them and their functions, now and in the future.

As such the stated aim of the book is to “educate and inform HR practitioners, consultants and line managers about the opportunities presented by HR transformation, and to stimulate debate and discussion about the possible evolutionary next steps for the profession”. The authors’ views are that such transformation needs to consider integrating technology (particularly eHR), process, organisational structure and people/cultural change aspects. This requires HR professionals to develop and deliver on the capabilities required to do so.

To assist in this process, the text presents a building block approach of nine chapters which are:

1. 1.

   Getting started.

2. 2.

   Envisioning the new world of HR.

3. 3.

   Service delivery approaches.

4. 4.

   Making the business case for transformation.

5. 5.

   Stakeholder engagement and programme management.

6. 6.

   Implementation: structure, culture and capability.

7. 7.

   Implementation: process, technology and benefits realisation.

8. 8.

   Taking stock and moving forward.

9. 9.

   Summary of key points and actions.

Each chapter identifies and explore issues and challenges while also presenting frameworks, models and potential approaches. The book is particularly valuable in providing a number of appropriate and current case studies from a variety of business environments.

The reader is left with the distinct impression that HR needs to consider new delivery options as regards harnessing technology and in establishing and facilitating stakeholder and business partnerships internally and externally (including outsourcing). The pros and cons of each approach in the context of transformation are weighed up in a balanced manner. Overall, the strategic integration of HR with the wider business and business performance, and the need to demonstrate ongoing value contribution are consistently identified as key elements of transformation throughout the book.

The text not only poses questions and raises difficult issues, it also delivers robust solutions/answers which can be practically applied. Much of the content and ideas therein can therefore be utilised as useful additions to the practitioner’s toolkit, particularly as regards organizational development/change interventions. Perhaps the greatest strength of the book is that it combines the authors and other contributor’s experience of what works with a good balance of theoretical underpinning. For those wanting to critically reflect on their current and future roles the book gives plenty of food for thought.

This review, by Alan Cattell, was published in Industrial and Commercial Training, Volume 38 Number 2, 2006.