Future-Proofing of Human Resources Management_Developing Competencies and Strategies to Empower HRM Professionals to be Future-fit in the Digital Age

1. FUTURE-PROOFING HRM - DEVELOPING COMPETENCIES AND
STRATEGIES TO EMPOWER HRM PROFESSIONALS TO BE FUTURE-FIT IN
THE DIGITAL AGE
(MODULE 1)
CHARLES COTTER PhD, MBA, B.A (Hons), B.A
www.slideshare.net/CharlesCotter
COMPETITION COMMISSION
ONLINE LEARNING PROGRAMME (LIVE)
5 JULY 2021

3. 1-DAY TRAINING PROGRAMME OVERVIEW
• Introduction
• Exploration and Extrapolation
of the Future of HRM
• Reading articles
• Diagnosis and Gap Analysis of
the HRM State of Readiness
• Case study 1
• Summary and Conclusion

4. ONLINE LEARNING
PROGRAMME SCHEDULE
• DAY 1 (5 JULY 2021):
❑Session 1: 9.00 – 10.30
❑Tea-break: 10.30 – 10.45
❑Session 2: 10.45 – 11.45
❑Q&A Session (reflective
learning): 11.45 – 12.00

5. FUTURE OF WORK
“There are really three themes
that’ll shape the future of talent,
1. Artificial Intelligence and
automation, 2. the skills gap and
the 3. rise of independent work.”
(Jeff Weiner, CEO LinkedIn)
AGREE OR DISAGREE?
WHY?

6. OBJECTIVE #1:
EXPLORATION AND EXTRAPOLATION OF THE
FUTURE OF HRM

7. DELOITTE HUMAN CAPITAL TRENDS 2021
• Designing work for well-being: The end of work/life
balance
• Beyond reskilling: Unleashing worker potential
• Superteams: Where work happens
• Governing workforce strategies: Setting new directions
for work and the workforce
• A memo to HR: Accelerating the shift to re-architecting
work

11. READING ARTICLE 1
• Redefining HR’s priorities in a
Covid-19 world (Mara Swan and
Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic)
❑ Stabilise and heal the workforce
❑ Recalibrate work and the
workforce
❑ Reconnect and enable the
workforce

12. COLLABORATIVE INTELLIGENCE ARCHITECTURE OF
THE FUTURE WORKPLACE MODEL (COTTER, 2019)

16. IBM CEO SURVEY (2021)

17. LEARNING ACTIVITY 1
• Group Discussion:
• Refer to the reading article 1 and extract those
lessons, insights and strategies that can be
applied to the Competition Commission.
• By referring to the best practice models,
describe how HRM can improve on the CEO
perceived influence (16%) and be significantly
more pivotal and instrumental in future-
proofing the Competition Commission operating
model

18. OBJECTIVE #2:
DIAGNOSIS AND GAP ANALYSIS OF THE STATE OF HRM
READINESS

19. AGREE OR DISAGREE?
WHY?

21. (VIRTUAL) STRATEGIC PERFORMANCE ADVISOR MODEL
(COTTER, 2020)
• HRM Governance (e.g. HRM policies and procedures; HRM/people risk management, compliance with
ethics and x17 King IV corporate governance principles; Human Capital reporting; promoting workplace
democracy and HRM Auditing) – Level 1 of strategic maturity - transactional/current.
❑ Transition from level 1 to 2 – CRAFTING OF A HRM GOVERNANCE FRAMEWORK
• Workplace Advocacy (e.g. Employee engagement; employee voice; EVP; employee retention;
succession planning; creating a workplace culture of brand ambassadors; mainstreaming HRM and
creating future-fit employees) – Level 2 of strategic maturity - transactional/future-focused.
❑ Transition from level 2 to 3 – FUTURE-PROOFING OF THE BUSINESS MODEL
• Business Intelligence (e.g. competitive predictive HR metrics and analytics; future-proofing the business
model; applying evidence-based HRM; creating HIPO; knowledge management and collaborative
intelligence i.e. integrating and harmonizing AI, HI and BI and being trouble-shooting solutions
architects) – Level 3 of strategic maturity - strategic/current.
❑ Transition from level 3 to 4 – APPLYING PREDICTIVE ANALYTICS
• HRM Strategy (e.g. embedding HRM strategy into business strategy; the use of strategy maps; adopting
a strategic mindset and applying strategic management principles and processes) – Level 4 of strategic
maturity - strategic/future-focused.

23. 7-POINT HRM TRANSFORMATION
(COTTER PhD, 11 JANUARY 2019)
• "In order to be feasible, to prosper professionally in 2019 and to be
future-fit, HRM will have to exchange the currency in which they trade
from old notes to noteworthy, Industry 4.0 and business relevant
denominations and value. Specifically, this change translates from:
• 1. feelings to facts;
• from 2. anecdotal to analytical;
• from 3. hindsight to foresight;
• from a 4. business tributary to mainstream;
• from 5. intuition to intelligence;
• from 6. best practice (imitation) to next practice (innovation) and
ultimately,
• from 7. a cost to a profit centre.
• Generally, this 7-point transformation means an upgrade to Evidence-
based HRM."

25. EVIDENCE-BASED HRM
• Evidence-based HR refers to a process in which the
organization evaluates any decision or process
against data, real experience, expert opinions,
and/or other types of information to ensure the
decision is likely to have the desired outcome.
• For this to work best, the “evidence” used should
be purposefully sought out.
• When data is taken from multiple sources, ensure
it’s applicable within your context.

26. DIAGNOSIS: 10 BEST PRACTICE
GUIDELINES FOR SHRM
• https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/CJVWYF8
• #1 Embedding HRM strategy in business strategy and able to translate that
strategy into deliverable actions
• #2 Well-defined, implemented and reported HRM performance and ROI
metrics (creating credibility and accountability)
• #3 Generating business intelligence e.g. predictive and strategic analytics (that
shapes, informs, guides and ultimately, influences strategic business decisions)
• #4 Offering a professional, value-adding business proposition sensitive to and
supportive of business needs, interests and strategic priorities
• #5 Ongoing line management consultation, engagement, coaching and
building trusting, collegial and mutually beneficial business relationships

27. DIAGNOSIS: 10 BEST PRACTICE
GUIDELINES FOR SHRM
• #6 HR Management and practitioners possess business and industry knowledge,
acumen and insight
• #7 HRM collaborates with line management to broker meaningful and impactful
business solutions
• #8 HRM processes, systems and practices are horizontally integrated (bundled),
agile, responsive and stream-lined (that enhance productivity and efficiency)
• #9 HRM is a transformational initiator, driver and implementer of business
change
• #10 HRM is technology-savvy innovator, enabling and leveraging best practices
• https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/CJVWYF8

28. LEARNING ACTIVITY 2
• Individual Diagnostic Activity:
• 2.1 Critically review and evaluate Competition
Commission’s current HR processes and function against
the ten (10) SHRM best practice criteria. Refer to the link:
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/CJVWYF8
• Group discussion:
• 2.2 Identify areas of improvement (gaps) and recommend
improvement strategies i.e. identify how the HR function
can enhance performance (efficiency) and value add
(effectiveness).

29. HRM/L&D Value chain process Number of
respondents (N)
Mean Score Relative
Difficulty
ranking
Standard
deviation
Level of Strategic
Maturity
#1: Strategic Performance Advisor (SPA) 456 62.0% 9 17% Level 2
(Transactional)
#2: Strategic HR Planning 215 60.1% 4 12% Level 2
(Transactional)
#3: HRM Metrics and Analytics 339 55.0% 1 13% Level 2
(Transactional)
#4: Strategic Total Rewards
Management (STORM) – Principles and
Best Practices
218 61.5% 7 16% Level 2
(Transactional)
#5: Skills Auditing 243 57.4% 2 13% Level 2
(Transactional)
#6: Strategic Learning Partner (SLP) 243 64.6% 11 14% Level 2
(Transactional)
#7: Ethics of (outsourced) Africa-based
trainers
100 59.0% 3 11% Level 2
(Transactional)
OVERALL FINDINGS – THE STRATEGIC VALUE OF HRM/L&D

30. #8: HRM Auditing 198 61.9% 8 17% Level 2
(Transactional)
#9: Future fitness of HRM/L&D
professionals
299 66.4% 12 13% Level 3
(Transformational)
#10: Succession Planning 211 67.7% 13 18% Level 3
(Transformational)
#11: Job Analysis and -Profiling 193 61.3% 6 15% Level 2
(Transactional)
#12: Performance Management 422 63.7% 10 14% Level 2
(Transactional)
#13: Employee Engagement 182 60.7% 5 11% Level 2
(Transactional)
OVERALL 3 319
61.6%
Level 2
(Transactional)
OVERALL FINDINGS – THE STRATEGIC VALUE OF HRM/L&D
HRM/L&D Value chain process Number of
respondents
(N)
Mean Score Relative
Difficulty
ranking
Standard
deviation
Level of Strategic
Maturity

33. STRATEGIC PERFORMANCE ADVISOR (SPA)
– WIDEST COMPLIANCE GAPS
Range Median Mean Standard Deviation
11-100% 61%
62.0%
17%
BEST PRACTICE CRITERIA RELATIVE DIFFICULTY
RANKING
MEAN SCORE
Q2: Your organization's HRM function has well-defined,
implemented and reported HRM performance scorecards and ROI
metrics (creating credibility and accountability)
1 50%
Q3: Your organization's HRM function generates business
intelligence e.g. predictive and strategic analytics (that shapes,
informs, guides and ultimately, influences strategic business
decisions)
2 50%
Q10: Your organization's HRM function is technology-savvy
innovator, enabling and leveraging best practices (e.g. CoE; Shared
Services and e-HRM)
3 53%

34. STRATEGIC PERFORMANCE ADVISOR (SPA)
– MOST COMPLIANT CRITERIA
BEST PRACTICE CRITERIA RELATIVE
DIFFICULTY
RANKING
MEAN SCORE
Q4: Your organization's HRM function offers a
professional, value-adding business proposition
sensitive to and supportive of business needs,
interests and strategic priorities
10 65%

35. HRBP CRITICAL SUCCESS FACTORS
• Strategic focus and thrust (on issues that contribute to business growth and
competitiveness)
• Adopting a “big picture” perspective (regarding the organization’s priorities
and goals)
• Having personal impact and credibility (to influence key decision-makers)
• Adopting a Key Account Management, (internal) client-centric approach
• Possessing a set of value-adding skills and knowledge (customers and
business)
• Being a diplomat and negotiator (in harmonizing the HRM agenda with
business needs)

37. 70% 20%
10%
HR BUSINESS PARTNERING ROLES

38. TIME ALLOCATION SPEND – LAGGING AND
LEADING (DELOITTE, 2014)

39. RESPONSIBILITIES OF HRBP
• Analyzing metrics and trends with HRM;
• Resolving complicated issues of employee relations as
well as addressing grievances;
• Providing guidance to HRM on a daily basis and
communicating with line management;
• Watching and reporting plans on workforce and
succession;
• Providing guidance on HRM policy;

40. RESPONSIBILITIES OF HRBP
• Being able to identify training needs for individuals
and teams;
• Working closely with employees and management in
order to build morale, improve working relationships,
and increase retention rates as well as productivity;
• Evaluating training programs and
• Making suggestions for new HRM strategies

41. EXPECTATIONS AND PRIORITIES OF
BUSINESS EXECUTIVES
• CEO’s expect the Human Resources function to play a
much more active and participatory role in enabling
business strategies.
• Senior business leaders consider talent to be perhaps
the critical factor in the push for sustainable growth
and the need to manage new opportunities and risks
in a more complex and interdependent world.
• According to The Conference Board CEO Challenge
(2013), Human Capital is rated 10% higher than
operational excellence as a major challenge for
businesses.

42. WHAT BUSINESS EXECUTIVES
ARE LOOKING FOR IN SHRBP?
• #1: Catalytic Driver of organizational Change
• #2: Proactive Business-minded Thinker
• #3: Collaborative business management Consultant
• #4: Purpose-directed Coach (of line managers)
• #5: Delivery (value-adding and results-oriented HRM
practices)
• #6: (Credible and Accountable) Performance Advisor
• #7: Strategic Facilitator and Enabler
• #8: Innovative Solutions Architect (and trouble-shooter)
• #9: Digital Futurist and -Analyst
• #10: (Future-focused) Organizational Behavioural
Economist
• https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/JKRPHWB

44. HRBP TRENDS
• Optimization of systems, processes and structures (architecture)
• Re-organizing HR service delivery and operating models e.g. Shared
Services
• Sourcing “Stars” from outside HRM
• Implementation of HR Academies and Business Partner training
programmes
• There is a particular focus on developing consulting, project and change
management skills as well as general business and commercial acumen
• Establishing HR Centres of Excellence/Expertise (CoE’s)

45. ULRICH’S 9 HR COMPETENCIES (2016)
• Core competencies:
❑ Strategic positioner
❑ Credible activist
❑ Paradox navigator
• Organization enablers:
❑ Culture and change champion
❑ Human capital curator
❑ Total reward steward
• Delivery enablers:
❑ Technology and media integrator
❑ Analytics designer and interpreter
❑ Compliance manager

46. ULRICH’S HR
COMPETENCIES
(2016)

47. LEARNING ACTIVITY 3
• Individual diagnostic activity:
• 3.1 Review the 10 business executive expectations, roles and
responsibilities of SHRBP. Refer to the diagnostic survey link:
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/JKRPHWB
• 3.2 Using Ulrich’s HR Competencies model (2016), measure your
current degree of competency in each of the 9 competencies.
Refer to the diagnostic survey link:
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/JNSPTQ6
• Group discussion:
• 3.3 Identify gaps and recommend improvement and development
strategies for the above two diagnostic questions.

48. THE FUTURE-FIT CODE: 10 STRATEGIES TO
FUTURE-PROOF YOUR HRM CAREER
• Future-fit, career-minded HRM consultants will
apply the following strategies:
❑#1: Relevance
❑#2: Differentiation
❑#3: Unique Value Proposition (UVP)
❑#4: Specialization
❑#5: Agility

49. THE FUTURE-FIT CODE: 10 STRATEGIES TO
FUTURE-PROOF YOUR HRM CAREER
• Future-fit, career-minded HRM consultants will
apply the following strategies:
❑#6: Re-invention
❑#7: Value Amplification
❑#8: Next Dimension Thinking
❑#9: Digital Literacy and -Citizenship
❑#10: Hyperconnected Collaborator

50. (POST-TRAINING) READING ARTICLE 2
• Future Fit HRM
Consultants
• Refer to link:
https://www.linkedin.com/
pulse/future-fit-code-10-
strategies-future-proof-
your-career-charles-cotter/

51. LEARNING ACTIVITY 4
• In light of the above Future-fit
Code, do you believe that you are
ready for the future workplace?
• 4.1 Rate your current degree of
compliance on a 10-point scale
(with range of 1 = absolutely non-
compliant and 10 = 100%
compliant) Refer to the link:
https://www.surveymonkey.co
m/r/JGKXHTZ
• Group Discussion:
• 4.2 Identify gaps and recommend
improvement strategies.

52. FUTURE FITNESS OF HRM/L&D PROF’s –
WIDEST COMPLIANCE GAPS
Range Median Mean Standard Deviation
42-100 66%
66.4%
13%
BEST PRACTICE CRITERIA RELATIVE DIFFICULTY
RANKING
MEAN SCORE
Q2: My professional HRM/L&D status and -brand equity is typified by
a high degree of differentiation, therefore I'm compensated at a
premium rate (top dollar).
1 56%
Q9: I'm a responsible and responsive digital citizen, who has
mastered the ability to navigate, curate, analyze and communicate
HRM/L&D messages via digital media sources across an array of
sophisticated technological platforms.
2 61%
Q10: I'm a hyperconnected collaborator, with the analytical ability to
penetrate, mine and harvest the business relationship potential and
exploit mutually-beneficial collaboration opportunities within the
scope of my business network and HRM/L&D community.
3 63%

53. FUTURE FITNESS OF HRM/L&D PROF’s –
MOST COMPLIANT CRITERIA
BEST PRACTICE CRITERIA RELATIVE
DIFFICULTY
RANKING
MEAN SCORE
Q5: I constantly demonstrate a high degree of
resilience, flexibility and stealth-like agility, especially
during turbulent times of change in the workplace.
10 73%

54. 10 CHARACTERISTICS OF HIGH
PERFORMING HRM TEAMS
(COTTER, 2020)
• https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/JHSSW5Y
• 1. Creating a cohesive, mature and high performing
(HIPO) team culture;
• 2. Establishing team norms, values and constructive
role allocation;
• 3. Applying effective and innovative problem-
solving processes and practices;
• 4. Demonstrating effective decision-making
practices and processes and actively promoting
group consensus when engaging with key team
decisions;
• 5. Practicing collaborative communication,
principles of constructive dialogue and critical
conversations;

55. 10 CHARACTERISTICS OF HIGH
PERFORMING HRM TEAMS
(COTTER, 2020)
• 6. Promoting diversity and inclusivity of all team
members as team assets;
• 7. Practicing functional. Constructive and amicable
conflict resolution and -management processes;
• 8. Enhancing team relationships, based on a
foundation of trust, rapport and mutual respect;
• 9. Promoting team competence, high degree of
personal effectiveness and motivation and
• 10. Promoting a high impact learning (HILO) team
culture, generous knowledge sharing and skills
transfer.
• https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/JHSSW5Y

56. STAGES OF TEAM
DEVELOPMENT

57. PERFORMANCE EQUATION

58. LEARNING ACTIVITY 5
• Group Discussion:
5.1 Identify the stage of the Competition Commission HRM
team’s maturity. Refer to the diagnostic link:
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/JHSSW5Y
5.2 Describe the strategies to actualize to and/or sustain
the most sophisticated stage, performing.
5.3 By referring to the performance equation, compute the
Competition Commission HRM team’s PPS. Develop
strategies to improve any of the deficient team
performance variables.

60. LEARNING ACTIVITY 6
• Group discussion:
By referring to case study 1, respond to
the following questions:
• 6.1 Client challenge
• 6.2 Consultant’s solution
• 6.3 Impact on client’s business
• 6.4 General lessons, insights and
strategies that can be applied to the
Competition Commission.

61. CASE STUDY 1: REFOCUSING HR’S RESOURCES TO
MAKE IT A POWERFUL BUSINESS PARTNER
• Client challenge: To rebuild HR and deploy its resources wisely by:
• Cutting down on routine transactional work that was distracting staffers and executives.
• Focusing on consistency across HR departments in several global locations.
• Seeking ways to turn HR into a more impactful strategic advisor to company leaders.
• Consultant’s solution: Reconfigure the HR department by:
• Setting up a low-cost Shared Services Center to handle the bulk of the transactional work.
• Creating Centers of Excellence to perform strategic planning and introduce consistent leading
practices.
• Building a Business Partner Organization to deliver strategic and aligned services globally.

62. CASE STUDY 1: REFOCUSING HR’S RESOURCES TO
MAKE IT A POWERFUL BUSINESS PARTNER
• Impact on client’s business:
• The client found ways to consolidate up to 75 percent of HR’s transactional
work.
• Client achieved $1.4 million in savings by cutting the cost of the
transactional work, and has potential for an additional 20% savings through
additional consolidations globally.
• HR leaders now have the bandwidth to become strategic business partners.

63. CONCLUSION
• Key points
• Summary
• Questions

65. DR CHARLES COTTER’S CONTACT DETAILS AND SOCIAL MEDIA PRESENCE
• Mobile number: +2784 562 9446
• Email address: charlescotterhrdconsultant@gmail.com
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMtDro7N29l3KTat-rtRuGQ
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/charlescotter/ and
https://www.linkedin.com/company/dr-charles-cotter-and-associates
• Twitter: @Charles_Cotter
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CharlesACotter/
• SlideShare: www.slideshare.net/CharlesCotter