HR's New Frontier: Agility

HR is on the frontier of something big, and the name of this phenomenon is Agile HR. In the dynamic landscape of modern businesses, Human Resources (HR) plays a pivotal role in driving organizational success. To remain competitive and responsive, HR must embrace the principles of the agile methodology in both Agile for HR and HR for agile approaches. This shift operates on multiple levels, encompassing philosophy, culture, mindset, processes, methodologies, and individual behaviors. At the core of this transformation lies the capacity for HR to sense opportunities, solve problems, and adapt to ever-changing environments.

There are two strategic pathways to enable this agility. The first option involves upskilling HR business partners to become agile practitioners themselves. This can be achieved through specialized training programs that equip them with the necessary tools to embrace agile practices within HR. Alternatively, organizations can assemble cross-functional teams across HR, spanning traditional roles and functions, to foster a collaborative approach towards agile implementation. Importantly, those already experienced in disciplines such as lean six sigma, change management, or project management can leverage their existing knowledge to smoothly transition into agile practices. The third option is to recruit and hire an agile HR practitioner.

Agility, spanning from philosophy and culture to processes and behaviors, presents us with a transformative opportunity. It operates at various levels, influencing the mindset of leaders, teams, and individual employees alike. It's crucial for us to acknowledge that agility is not limited to just one direction. It requires HR to adopt both the Agile for HR and HR for agile perspectives. The conceptual underpinning of agility lies in the capacity to sense opportunities, tackle challenges, and adapt our resource base effectively.

The principles of agile HR are underpinned by seven core principles. This transformative journey aligns with seven key principles of agile HR: isolation, customer needs analysis, focus on mission, upfront planning, trusted project management, cross-functional teams, and leveraging overlaps. By embracing these principles, HR can harness the power of agility to make informed decisions, drive innovation, and elevate HR's role as a strategic driver of our organization's success.

These principles include the physical isolation of teams, critical analysis of customer needs, focused attention on mission objectives, upfront planning efforts, the appointment of trusted project managers, the formation of cross-functional teams, and the strategic utilization of overlaps to maximize efficiency. By adopting these principles, HR can not only drive its own transformation but also contribute significantly to the organization's overall agility, ensuring that HR remains a key driver of strategic success in the ever-evolving business landscape.

Book:

To access the tool to use to manage an agile HR, purchase the book: HR's New Frontier: Agility by Dr. Mario D. Wallace.