Human resources

What is HR?
Human resources (HR) is a huge field that covers everything and anything to do with people as a business resource. It includes such diverse areas as recruitment and selection, training and development, remuneration and benefits, conditions and opportunities, retirement and redundancy, outplacement and counselling. It is an area of constant change, with legal, cultural, ethnic and other diversity issues presenting new challenges daily. Past legal changes have dealt with areas such as:

sexual discrimination
disability
maternity, paternity, adoption and parental rights
religious rights
working hours and patterns
ageism.

There is no universal model of best personnel practice because organisations operate in different areas, in different places and at different stages of development. The whole business of people management is very complex because there is no universal solution. People answer back and interact with management decisions; other resources do not do that. There has been a shift of power, backed up in many instances by legislation, from the employer to the employee, with the latter expecting more from both work and life than was previously the case.

The Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) is the principal UK body that represents the human resources function. With over 135,000 members and 48 branches, it is Europe’s largest HR development professional body. Other organisations cover specific personnel areas like recruitment, outplacement, counselling and personal development, but the CIPD takes the lead in people management as a whole. It was formed by an amalgamation of the institutes of personnel management and training and development, and now offers a range of academic and vocational standards and qualifications for the aspiring professional in this field.

The areas dealt with on a day-to-day basis by the HR professional can vary enormously, largely depending on the size of the company they work for. Bigger organisations may employ several people to cover specific HR-related issues, while smaller companies may employ just one person to deal with the entire HR function. HR-type roles within a company may include:

human resources management

– compensation and benefits manager

– employee benefit consultant
– employee relations officer
– equal opportunities officer
– human resources officer

recruitment

– recruitment consultant
– recruitment manager

training

– IT trainer
– training and development officer.

So you can see that this is a pretty wide-ranging employment sector!

Human resources skills gained in the Services
Many people in the Armed Forces see themselves as trained and experienced in personnel issues and the development of the skills of their workforce. There is no doubt that this is true to a large extent, and that the recruitment, selection, career management and appraisal processes demonstrate a genuine commitment to people and responsiveness to change. However, many people find that the gap between Service and civilian practice is greater than they imagine, and it can also be difficult to manage 21st-century expectations in a Service environment.

In areas like leadership, recruitment, training and personal development, the Services’ record is a strong one and they could fairly claim to be among the market leaders. However, the unique demands of Service life leave many people unfamiliar with such topics as disabilities, trades unions, job-sharing and some of the finer points of employment law.

Some military courses in all three Services are accredited by the CIPD (for further details, contact the CIPD direct – see ‘Key contacts’, below). Additional modules may be required in order to achieve CIPD membership at the appropriate level; this may well call for some extra work and effort on the part of the individuals involved. Not every youngster at the start of their career will see this as a desirable thing to do, but those who make the effort will acquire a transferable qualification – and one that will increasingly be useful within a military career as well. Note, too, that the CIPD is not ‘officer only’. There cannot be a senior NCO who could not easily complete an appropriate N/SVQ at the right level, simply by using the paperwork and experience available in everyday Service life.

There is nothing new in much of this. The mixed workforces and more civilian-style working environments that the more technical parts of the Services have managed for years clearly call for a different approach than that adopted by units firmly focused on operations. Manning branches and posting authorities, despite the occasional internal bad press, also largely follow today’s best practice. Expectations are managed as far as possible to keep them realistic, there is consultation about postings where possible and within the constraints of operations, and individuals can consult with a career manager if they wish – although, as in civilian life, they may not necessarily like what they hear.

Skills, qualifications and training
It’s essential to have the right skills to work in HR, but it’s a competitive area, so qualifications are more or less essential, too (see below). Useful skills for a career in HR include:

strong interpersonal skills (e.g. empathy, tact, discretion)
ability to get on with a range of different people
capacity for teamwork
excellent organisational and administrative skills
good time management
proficiency in IT/using computers.

As for qualifications, there are bachelor degrees, higher national diplomas (HNDs) and higher national certificates (HNCs) in human resources available at UK universities and colleges, many of them linked with other subjects like business studies, technology or a language. There are also many shorter courses on the subject in general, or in specific aspects of it, at local colleges. There are training centres close to most major military concentrations, and qualifications can also be obtained through open and flexible learning programmes, which are well suited to a Service lifestyle.

Professional HR standards aim to encourage the following ten competencies:

Personal drive and effectiveness
People management and leadership
Business understanding
Professional and ethical competence
Continuing learning
Adding value through people
Analytical and intuitive/creative thinking
Customer focus
Strategic capability
Communication resourcing and interpersonal skills.

The key grade is that of Graduate membership, and there are several routes to this (note, however, that the CIPD’s Graduate membership level is due to be removed in June 2014).

A CIPD qualification is the most popular way and is available for a range of people – from those with little or no experience to others in more senior positions. All qualifications are nationally recognised and lead to a professional grade of membership.
A professional assessment of competence is appropriate for people with five years’ managerial-level experience who can have their competence professionally assessed.
Affiliate membership (non-studying) is an individual grade that is open to all, and allows access to member services without having to demonstrate professional knowledge and competence.
The award of a CIPD qualification or a relevant NVQ/SVQ within the last ten years qualifies the holder to direct admission and could lead to a professional grade of membership.
A relevant postgraduate-level qualification could qualify the holder for accreditation of prior certificated learning, as well as exemptions from approved postgraduate-level qualifications that lead to Graduate membership.

The CIPD’s new Associate level of professional membership
In February 2010, the CIPD announced the creation of a new Associate level of professional membership. This sits below the existing professional grades of Chartered Member and Chartered Fellow, enabling the CIPD to fully recognise professionalism at all levels. Anyone demonstrating the knowledge, experience and behavioural impact in the workplace to secure the new membership level will be able to use the designatory letters ‘Assoc CIPD’ after their name, indicating to current and potential future employers the level at which they operate, and the skills and experience they have.
The new level forms part of the CIPD’s wider update of membership and professional standards. Other changes, already announced, strengthen the criteria against which the knowledge, experience and behavioural impact of members seeking to move into the Chartered Member and Chartered Fellow grades of membership can be measured, while also opening up access to people who have followed different career paths.

The CIPD provides library and information services, training courses leading to qualifications, CPD, and the chance to network with others at national and regional events. Members also receive its fortnightly magazine, People Management, which not only contains a large number of job advertisements, but also gives up-to-date information on industry developments, career opportunities, courses and so on.

The CIPD and the Services
Many Service leavers have found that gaining a CIPD qualification means that they can be confident in their knowledge of modern personnel and development management. It is also an invaluable tool in translating Service skills and experience into terms that a civilian employer will understand and value. Indeed, a look at employment pages and national advertisements confirms that many organisations regard CIPD qualifications as essential for work in this field.

KEY CONTACTS
Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) 151 The Broadway, London SW19 1JQ Tel: 020 8612 6200 Website: www.cipd.co.uk

People Management magazine, Personnel Publications, 17–18 Britton Street, London EC1M 5TP Tel: 020 7324 2729 Website: www.peoplemanagement.co.uk