HR Competencies

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the student’s use of the SHRM Learning System materials.

© SHRM 1
What Is a Competency?

Competencies combine
knowledge, skills, abilities,
and other characteristics
that we need to succeed in
our profession. Skills

SHRM Competency Model

Abilities Knowledge

© SHRM 2
HR’s Constituencies

From senior Across

management to new organizational
hires divisions
The SHRM HR
competency model
reflects multiple
constituencies.

With entire With internal and

workforces and external
individual employees stakeholders

© SHRM 3
Nine Competencies

© SHRM 4
Behavioral Competencies

© SHRM 5
SHRM-CP and SHRM-SCP

All HR Advanced HR
professionals professionals

“Understand “Align HR and

strategic business
relationship strategy, goals,
between HR and objectives”
core functions”

© SHRM 6
Leadership and Navigation

The knowledge, skills and abilities (KSAOs) needed to

navigate the organization and accomplish HR goals, to
create a compelling vision and mission for HR that aligns
with the strategic direction and culture of the
organization, to lead and promote organizational
change, to manage the implementation and execution of
HR initiatives, and to promote the role of HR as a key
business partner.

Requires:
• Navigating the • Managing HR
organization initiatives
• Vision • Influence
© SHRM 7
Managers and Leaders

Managers Organizations Leaders

need both.

• Planning • Modeling values

• Organizing and • Supporting problem-solving,
resourcing innovation, and change
• Directing • Inspiring and influencing
• Coordinating • Maintaining motivation and focus
• Controlling resources • Fostering growth and development

© SHRM 8
Leadership Theories

Trait or “Great Man” • Integrity

Theory • Intelligence
• Creativity
Leaders lead because • Persuasiveness
they possess • Adaptability
recognized, critical • Tolerance of stress
characteristics. • Desire to influence
• Willingness to accept
responsibilities
• Decisiveness
• Energy

© SHRM 9
Leadership Theories

Behavioral School Employee-centered behavior

(known as consideration)
Leaders focus their • Focus is on the social and
actions on the emotional needs of
individuals and group
employee and on members.
the job.
Job-oriented behavior (known
as initiating structure)
• Focus is on task goals;
address employee needs
only to the extent that this
improves task results.

© SHRM 10
Blake-Mouton Theory

• Team leader
• Authoritarian manager
• Country club manager
• Impoverished
manager
• “Middle-of-the-road”
manager

© SHRM 11
Leadership Theories

Situational Theories
• Extend the behavioral concept—the
effectiveness of different leadership styles
depends on the situation.
• Leadership style is most effective when it
flexes to the situation or the employees
involved.

© SHRM 12
Hersey-Blanchard
Situational Leadership

Leadership styles match the maturity of the employee.

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Fiedler’s Contingency Theory

• Favorableness of the leadership environment is

determined by the following factors:
– Leader-member relations—the degree of confidence,
trust, and respect that followers have in their leaders.
– Task structure—the extent to which tasks are well
defined.
– Position power—the degree of power and influence a
leader has over subordinates.
• Leaders should change the factors rather than
their style.

© SHRM 14
Path-Goal Theory

• Leaders help employees stay on track toward a

defined goal.
• Involves managing obstacles and addressing
different types of employee needs:
– Define the goal.
– Clarify the goal.
– Remove obstacles.
– Provide support.

© SHRM 15
Emergent Leadership

• A leader is not formally

appointed but emerges
from a group.
• The group chooses the
leader based on personal
qualities and interactions.

© SHRM 16
Belbin’s Solo Leaders vs. Team Leaders

Solo Leaders Team Leaders

• Get involved (and interfere) in • Delegate team roles to others.
everything.
• Recognize the value of
• Expect team members to diversity in the team.
conform to their standards of
• Encourage constructive
behavior and style.
disagreement; not threatened
• Collect admirers and “yes by team members’ special
men.” abilities.
• Direct team members’ • Develop team members’
activities. growth.
• Set objectives. • Create vision on which
others act.
© SHRM 17
Authentic or Transformational Leadership

Power

Ethical Key
Orientation
grounding Elements

Emotional
intelligence

© SHRM 18
Universal Characteristics
of Leadership

Certain characteristics are defined around the world as

traits of real leaders.
• Trustworthy • Decisive
• Just • Excellence-oriented
• Honest • Dependable
• Foresight • Intelligent
• Plans ahead • Effective bargainer
• Encouraging • Win-win problem solver
• Positive • Administratively skilled
• Dynamic • Communicative
• Motive arouser • Informed
• Confidence builder • Coordinator
• Motivational • Team builder
© SHRM 19
Influencing

Relies on using one’s power to change other’s

perceptions or actions
Legitimate Created formally through a title or position
Reward Created when followers receive something
they value in exchange for commitment
Expert Created when a leader possesses great
intelligence, insight, or experience
Referent Created by the force of the leader’s
personality
Coercive Created when the leader has the power to
punish nonfollowers

© SHRM 20
Building Trust

Common values

Aligned interests

Benevolence

Capability or competence

Predictability and integrity

Communication

© SHRM 21
Branches of Emotional Intelligence

Perceive emotion.
Identifying your own and others’ emotions
Use emotion to facilitate thought.
Decision making, problem solving, etc., within the
context of emotions

Understand emotion.
Interpreting complex emotions and understanding
their causes
Regulate emotion.
Detaching from emotions when they get in the way

© SHRM 22
Emotional Intelligence Quotient (EIQ)

Self-awareness
Becoming aware of your emotions and needs and their effect on
work relationships

Self-regulation
Learning to control (and accommodate) one’s emotions

Motivation
Possessing a passion for the job or current objective

Empathy
Being aware and accepting of the importance and legitimacy of
others’ emotions

Social skills (social intelligence)

Being able to create connections or rapport with others

© SHRM 23
Motivation

Understanding why Underlying principles of

human behavior:
people behave the • People have a reason
way they do helps for doing whatever they
leaders influence do.
• All behavior is directed
behavior by toward achieving a
appealing to the goal.
right needs in the • Each person is unique
because of different
right way. heredity and
environment.
© SHRM 24
Maslow’s
Hierarchy of Needs

© SHRM 25
Herzberg’s Motivation-Hygiene Theory

Working Personal
Pay conditions growth

+ =
Extrinsic Intrinsic
Job Motivation
hygiene motivation
security
factors factors

Supervision Coworkers Recognition Achievement

© SHRM 26
McClelland’s Three Needs Theory

A leader motivates employees by structuring work

assignments and interactions to meet these needs:
Achievement Drives people to tackle work that will produce meaningful
results
Example: A leader gives an achievement-oriented employee an assignment
that will require and call attention to the employee’s abilities.

Affiliation Drives people to make social connections and to be part

of a group
Example: A leader supports the relationship needs of an affiliation-oriented
employee through a supportive team atmosphere.

Power Drives people to control or exert influence over others

Example: A leader delegates high-visibility tasks that an employee can

control and direct.
© SHRM 27
Self-Determination Theory

People have an inherent desire to grow; they are

self-motivated (intrinsic motivation).
Competence The desire to master a task
Relatedness The experience to interact and be part of a
group
Autonomy The need to control one’s life in order to
fulfill one’s desires
Purpose The need to do something that has a larger
social purpose

Extrinsic motivators (rewards) have some effect,

but the effect declines over time.
© SHRM 28
Other Motivation Theories

• Level of effort depends on:

Expectancy ─ Expectancy.
(Vroom) ─ Instrumentality.
─ Valence.

• How a person interprets causes for past success

Attribution or failure impacts motivation.
(Heider, Weiner,
• A leader can help employees accurately attribute
others) causes and create opportunities for success.

• Motivation can be increased if employees can

assess their achievement against goals.
Goal Setting • Optimally, employees should be involved in
designing goals and supported in achieving them.

© SHRM 29
Competency Connection:
Leadership and Navigation

Let’s recap:
• HR VP points out to senior leadership a gap
between a proposed strategy and current
structure and culture.
• HR VP assembles team to interface with
organization.
• HR VP works directly with sales leaders.
• HR team takes on different tasks to prepare for
implementing a change strategy for sales.

© SHRM 30
Competency Connection:
Leadership and Navigation

Let’s discuss:
• What actions show the Leadership and
Navigation competency in action in this
scenario?
• What type of leader is the HR VP?
What actions tell you that?

© SHRM 31
Ethical Practice

The knowledge, skills and abilities (KSAOs)

needed to maintain high levels of personal and
professional integrity, and to act as an ethical
agent who promotes core values, integrity and
accountability throughout the organization.

Requires:
• Personal integrity
• Professional integrity
• Ethical agent

© SHRM 32
Ethics in the Workplace

Transparency Honesty

Ethical
principles

Confidentiality Protecting the

rights of others

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Ethical Workplaces

Transparency
• Supports trust in relationships with stakeholders
• Discloses details about dealings, transactions, or processes

Honesty
• Reflects a commitment to truthfulness and fairness
• Avoids conflicts of interest and the use of bribery

Confidentiality
• Agrees not to share or make public personal information
• Respects proprietary information consistent with legal
requirements and best practices

Protecting the rights of others

• Aims for conduct that respects others’ safety and well-being,
dignity, privacy
© SHRM 34
Codes of Conduct *

…help an organization promote ethical

behavior…communicate organizational
commitment internally…define behavioral
expectations for all employees…serve as a
guide by which employees and managers can
judge their actions…

* See Corporate Social Responsibility in Workplace module.

© SHRM 35
Ethical Behavior

Recognize ethical situations

as they arise.
Establish the facts.

Evaluate ethics of
alternatives. Apply relevant
codes of ethics.

Consult with others.

Make a decision, own it,

and learn from it.

© SHRM 36
Ethical Universalism vs.
Cultural Relativism

Ethical Universalism
Fundamental principles
apply across all cultures,
without regard to local
ethical norms.
Cultural Relativism
Ethical behavior is
determined by local
culture, laws, and
business practices.

© SHRM 37
Competency Connection:
Ethical Practice

Let’s recap:
• A manager may be showing favoritism in the way
he or she assigns overtime opportunities.
• An HR payroll specialist is the first to notice the
pattern and tells his or her manager.
• The HR manager investigates and takes action to
stop the practice and reeducate managers about
ethical practices in the workplace.

© SHRM 38
Competency Connection:
Ethical Practice

Let’s discuss:
• What aspects of the Ethical Practice competency
is the payroll specialist demonstrating?
• What should the HR manager do if the manager
in question protests that he/she is doing nothing
wrong?
• In a situation like this, what is the role of the
leader of the HR function?
• What other competencies may be needed to
address this situation?

© SHRM 39
Relationship Management

The knowledge, skills and abilities (KSAOs) needed

to create and maintain a network of professional
contacts within and outside of the organization, to
build and maintain relationships, to work as an
effective member of a team, and to manage conflict
while supporting the organization

Requires:
• Networking • Conflict management
• Relationship building • Negotiation
• Teamwork

© SHRM 40
Networking

A process of developing mutually beneficial contacts

through the exchange of information…may consist
of internal or external contacts

Effective networking requires:

• Finding people who have something you would like to
share.
• Having something yourself that other people would like
to share.
• Taking the time to make and maintain connection.

© SHRM 41
Managing Conflict

Mode Description
Accommodate Emphasize agreement and downplay
(or smooth) disagreement.
Assert Impose a solution.
(or force)
Avoid Withdraw and allow conflict to be resolved (or
not) by others.
Collaborate Search for a “third way” that both sides can
(or confront) own.
Compromise Ask both sides to concede some issues to
reach agreement.

© SHRM 42
Approaches to Negotiation

• Soft: The relationship is worth more than

the issue at hand.
• Hard: Winning is more important than the
relationship.
• Principled (interest-based or integrative
bargaining): Focus is on issues, finding
common interests, and achieving mutual
gain.

© SHRM 43
Negotiating Process

Prepare.
• Know your needs and their likely demands
(e.g., BATNA analysis).

Build relationship.
• Create trust; encourage comfort and openness.

Exchange information.
• Understand positions and perspectives.

Persuade.
• Find mutual benefits.

Concede and agree.

• Find best alternative.
• Confirm and document if appropriate.
© SHRM 44
Competency Connection:
Relationship Management

Let’s recap:
• An HR team is preparing for contract negotiation
with a major software vendor.
• One team member works directly with the
vendor to build a relationship and establish
needs.
• Another team member must develop an
approach for working with IT, who wants a
different vendor.
• The HR director proves to be a key player.
© SHRM 45
Competency Connection:
Relationship Management

Let’s discuss:
• Where do you see the Relationship
Management competency being used?
• What is the rationale for laying the groundwork
with the vendor?
• What type of conflict resolution strategy is used
here? Why is it appropriate?
• What important role does the HR director play?
• What other Behavioral Competencies do you
see being used?
© SHRM 46
Communication

The knowledge, skills and abilities (KSAOs)

needed to effectively craft and deliver concise
and informative communications, to listen to and
address the concerns of others, and to transfer
and translate information from one level or unit of
the organization to another.

Requires:
• Delivering messages
• Exchanging organizational information
• Listening

© SHRM 47
Communication Model

© SHRM 48
Impactful Communication

Impactful communication integrates:

• An understanding of the
audience’s needs and
perspectives.
• A clear message.
• Effective delivery.

At the center is the communicator

and the perception communicators
create of themselves.

© SHRM 49
Understanding the Audience

Key audience analysis questions:

• Who should receive information?

• What do they know, and what do
they need to know?
• How will the audience react?
• How can I best persuade them?

© SHRM 50
Constructing the Message

Key “framing” questions:

• What is my objective? What do I want the
audience to feel? To do?
• What benefits can be created as a
result of this communication?
• What are the key points, and what
order makes logical sense?
• What evidence will convince the
audience?
© SHRM 51
Mastering Delivery

Key planning questions:

• How will the communication occur?
• When will the communication occur?
• Where will the communication occur?
• Who will communicate?
• What support will be required?
• What media will be used?
• How will audience feedback be managed?
• What organizational rules will shape the
communication?
© SHRM 52
Being an Impactful Communicator

Key questions to create impact:

• How can I employ active listening?
• How can I create credibility?
– Reputation for expertise
– Reliability
– Integrity

• How do I create presence?

– Posture and movement
– Gesture
– Eye contact
– Vocal qualities

© SHRM 53
Impactful Communication in
Special Situations

• Be precise and help the employee hear

Giving and apply the feedback.
feedback
• Confirm understanding.

Facilitating • Encourage full discussion of topics and

focus participation by the entire group.
groups • Apply active listening.

Leading • Incorporate practices such as agendas

with defined objectives, good time
staff management, conflict resolution,
meetings summary of decisions and assignments.

© SHRM 54
Evaluating Communication

• Was the audience analysis complete and on

target?
• Did the audience react as anticipated?
• What points did they seem most or least
interested in?
• Where did they get confused?
• Where were they most engaged? What
engagement tactics worked and which didn’t?
• How could feedback mechanisms be improved?

© SHRM 55
Competency Connection:
Communication

Let’s recap:
• HR must communicate a new policy on education
reimbursement to a dispersed workforce.
• The HR leader forms a team that performs audience
and message analysis.
• The team decides to stage delivery of the
information, starting with managers, and to use
technology to deliver the information.
• The team carefully evaluates the success of the
communication.

© SHRM 56
Competency Connection:
Communication

Let’s discuss:
• What is the advantage of:
- Using a team to tackle this communication?
- Breaking the communication into multiple segments?
• What are the advantages of the communication
technologies used in this case?
• How is this communication improved through
feedback?
• What would be appropriate metrics for this
activity?
© SHRM 57
Global and Cultural Effectiveness

The knowledge, skills and abilities (KSAOs)

needed to value and consider the perspectives
and backgrounds of all parties, to interact with
others in a global context, and to promote a
diverse and inclusive workplace.

Requires:
• Operating in a diverse workplace
• Operating in a global environment
• Advocating for a diverse and inclusive workplace

© SHRM 58
The Global Mindset

A global mindset is
the ability to take an
international,
multidimensional
perspective that is
inclusive of other
cultures, perspectives,
and views.

© SHRM 59
Features of a Global Mindset

• Seeking a broader picture

• Accepting contradictions
• Trusting systems, procedures, and norms rather
than structure
• Valuing multicultural teamwork
• Viewing change as an opportunity
• Welcoming new ideas and opportunities to learn
• Behaving inclusively rather than exclusively

© SHRM 60
Benefits of a Global Mindset

• Allows organization to identify global opportunities.

• Brings key operational benefits, including:
– Early mover advantage.
– More critical analysis regarding local adaptation/global standardization.
– Smoother coordination of complementary functional activities.
– Faster rollout of new product concepts and technologies.
– More rapid and efficient sharing of best practices.
– Lower failure rate of international assignments.

• Makes organization:
– More proactive with respect to benchmarking and learning from product
and process innovations that take place outside domestic borders.
– More alert to the entry of nontraditional competitors into local market.
– More open to diversity.

© SHRM 61
Developing and Promoting a Global Mindset

Study and
Promote a
understand
global
your culture
mindset
and how it
within your
relates to
organization.
others.
Study and
understand
global
business
trends and
forces.

© SHRM 62
Culture

Set of beliefs, attitudes, values, and behaviors

shared by members of a large group and passed
down from one generation to the next

• Nations
• Geographic regions
• Organizations
• Industries
• Professions or job groups

© SHRM 63
Layers of Culture

© SHRM 64
Organizational Culture

The same concepts

about culture are
applied to
organizations…but
carefully. The
influences of national
cultures may be
mistaken for
organizational
culture. Trompenaars’s
Four Corporate Cultures

© SHRM 65
High- and Low-Context Cultures

High-Context Cultures
• Complex, long-standing networks of relationships.
• Rich history of common experience and implicit rules.
• What you say may not be what you mean.
• Examples: China, Japan, France, many Latin American countries.

Low-Context Cultures
• Relationships have less history.
• Background information is packaged with explicit communication.
• What you say is what you mean.
• Examples: United States, United Kingdom, Canada.

Impacts:
Negotiations, 360-degree performance reviews, training meetings
© SHRM 66
Hofstede’s Dimensions of Culture

Dimension Definition
Power distance Extent to which unequal distribution of power is accepted.
Individualism/ Degree of group integration: Individualism values self-reliance,
collectivism collectivism values group loyalty.
Uncertainty Tolerance for uncertainty, ambiguity; comfort with new,
avoidance unexpected situations.
Masculine/ • Masculine: ambitious; concerned with work and achievement.
feminine • Feminine: nurturing; concerned with quality of life and
consensus.
Long-term/ • Long-term: values perseverance, thrift; orders relationships by
short-term status.
• Short-term: values social traditions, respect, trading favors,
greetings.
Indulgence/ • Indulgence: Enjoyment of life and freedom in gratifying desires.
restraint • Restraint: Suppression of desires in order to meet social norms.

© SHRM 67
Trompenaars’s and
Hampden-Turner’s Dilemmas

Universal vs. particular

Individual vs. communitarian
Neutral vs. affective
Specific vs. diffuse
Achieved vs. ascribed
Sequential vs. synchronic
Internal vs. external
© SHRM 68
Challenge of Culture

Ethnocentrism and Cultural stereotypes

parochialism (judgmental
(limited world views) characterizations)

Cultural determinism Cultural relativism

(“The culture made me (Everything varies with
do it.”) the situation.)

Cultural disconnects can lead to “malicious compliance”

(agreeing to programs from headquarters and then
sabotaging their success).

© SHRM 69
Dilemma Reconciliation

Create awareness of cultural

Recognize diversity.

Respect Appreciate the value of diversity.

Resolve differences and find a

Reconcile common path.

Realize and Implement and reward actions to

root reconcile differences.

© SHRM 70
Creating Cultural Synergy

Dominate Parochialism

Avoid Ignore conflict

Accommodate Cede to local cultures

Compromise Both cultures give up something

Create an alternative Through cultural synergy

© SHRM 71
Types of Legal Systems

Civil Law Common Law Religious Law

• Based on written • Based on judicial • Based on

codes approved decisions. religious beliefs
by legislative and conventions
• Evolves over
bodies. (a mix of written
time.
codes and
• Most prevalent
• Forms the basis interpretations).
form of law in the
of legal systems
world. • Can influence
in United King-
HR policies and
dom and former
practices.
colonies.

© SHRM 72
Rule of Law

No individual is beyond the reach of

the law.

Authority is exercised only in accordance

with written and publicly disclosed laws.

Laws are enforced through due process

procedures.

Government is thereby restrained from

abusing power.

© SHRM 73
Jurisdiction

The right of a legal body to exert authority over a

territory, subject matter, or persons or institutions.

Implications for organizations:

• Host- rather than home-country laws may apply to
corporate activities.
• For global organizations, jurisdictional disputes may arise.
• Two important concepts:
— Conflict of laws
— Forum or jurisdiction shopping

© SHRM 74
Levels of Law

Within a nation
• National laws
• Subnational laws

Between/among nations
• Extraterritorial*
• Regional/supranational
• International

* Extraterritorial laws extend the

power of a country’s laws over its
citizens outside that country’s
sovereign national
boundaries.
© SHRM 75
Competency Connection:
Global and Cultural Effectiveness

Let’s recap:
• The global HR function must communicate the
organization’s mission, vision, and values to its
globally dispersed workforce.
• Specialists must be culturally fluent so that they can
anticipate and plan for logistical differences among
the sites.
• Training managers must take cultural differences
into account when designing the communication.
• The global HR head must monitor strategic, ethical,
and legal issues.
© SHRM 76
Competency Connection:
Global and Cultural Effectiveness

Let’s discuss:
• Give an example of the kind of mistake
that might result when staff does not have
a global mindset?
• How might a global function like this one
reduce the risk posed by diverse legal
systems in its workplaces?

© SHRM 77
Business Acumen

The knowledge, skills and abilities (KSAOs) needed

to understand the organization’s operations, functions
and external environment, and to apply business
tools and analyses that inform HR initiatives and
operations consistent with the overall strategic
direction of the organization.

Requires:
• Business and competitive awareness
• Business analysis
• Strategic alignment

© SHRM 78
Value

• Value generally refers to

organizations’ success in
meeting their strategic goals.
• Both for-profit and not-for-
profit organizations must
produce value.
• Value therefore can vary by
organization.
• It can be influenced by the
organization’s mission.
© SHRM 79
Value Chain

• The organizational process used to create its product or

services is the value chain.
• Value chains may vary in structure.
• Some include external supply chain and/or delivery
partners.

HR is part of the
value chain.

© SHRM 80
What Is Strategy?

Strategic
planning
Benefits of having a
Goals, strategy:
competitive
position • Consistent, long-term
Strategy goals
Plan of
action for • Consistent decision
accomplishing making
long-term goals to
create value
Strategic • Better competitive and
management external vision
Movement toward
goals, create • Better internal vision
value

© SHRM 81
Mistakes to Avoid

• Taking shortcuts
• Not following through
• Relying on the comfortable and familiar
• Not enough management support
• Little involvement beyond high-level
management in creating strategy
• Poor communication of what strategy means to
the organization and employees

© SHRM 82
Levels of Strategy

Organization

• Strategic planning is
Business Unit repeated at each level with
increasing focus and
specificity.
Operational • Business unit and
operational strategies are
closely aligned with the
organizational strategy to
better support its
implementation.
© SHRM 83
Measuring Performance

Measuring results is an essential part of strategic

management.

Measure all aspects of

activities:
• Effectiveness
• Efficiency
• Impact

© SHRM 84
Key Performance Indicators

KPIs:
Quantifiable measures of performance used to
gauge progress toward strategic objectives or
agreed standards of performance

Tips
• Focus. Measure what’s important. Don’t
measure everything.
• Consider the past, present, and future.
• Remember your stakeholders’ “values.”
• Revise KPIs to meet changing strategy and
environment.
© SHRM 85
Stakeholder Concept

The various bodies, groups, or individuals affected

by and affecting an organization’s operations

© SHRM 86
To Understand Stakeholders

• How does a stakeholder

define value?
• How are competing
stakeholder interests
prioritized?
• How do we open
communication with all
stakeholders to under-
stand their needs?
• How do we manage their
expectations?
© SHRM 87
Life Cycle

Know where you are in the life cycle:

Needs change as industries, businesses, and
products pass through predictable cycles.

© SHRM 88
Porter’s “Five Forces”

Know how your

industry operates:
Industry-specific
characteristics
influence the critical
success factors for
organizations.

© SHRM 89
Budgeting

Budget Type Characteristics

Zero-based Each unit or goal is ranked, and available
funds are allocated, with budgets starting at
zero.
Incremental Traditional approach; prior budget is basis for
next budget.
Formula Different units receive varying percentages of
budget.
Activity-based Based on how much it costs to perform
activities; funding based on strategic
significance of activities.

© SHRM 90
Budgeting Considerations

The budgeting process requires understanding the

organization’s practices, strategy, and environment.

• How does the organization allocate costs?

• Which costs are variable and which are
fixed for the budget year?
• When do costs occur?
• What organizational and functional
strategic plans will affect HR?
• What risk factors affect the budget?

© SHRM 91
Business Case

Description of a problem and a proposal for

investment in the recommended solution
Statement of Condition or change
need impelling action

Recommended Objectives for an

solution ideal solution

Risks and Should be monitored

opportunities throughout project

Estimated costs All foreseeable costs

and time frame plus a reserve
© SHRM 92
Performance and Business Health

Financial analysis
• Uses a variety of tools and metrics—both financial and
nonfinancial.
• Evaluates an organization’s viability, stability, and
profitability and the effectiveness of organizational
strategies.

Business intelligence (BI) applications and portals

• Allow analysts to retrieve timely, accurate, and complete
data and transform that data into “actionable intelligence”
that can be used to make organizational decisions.

© SHRM 93
Sample Balance Sheet

© SHRM 94
Balance Sheet Concepts

Assets = Liabilities + Equity or Equity = Assets ‒ Liabilities

Assets What an organization owns
Can be tangible or intangible
Can include investments
Can include what is owed to the organization (accounts receivable)
Liabilities What an organization owes
Can include items such as rent, loans, tax debts, etc.
Can include what vendors/suppliers are owed (accounts payable)
Equity Represents what a company owes to either its owner(s) or its
shareholders
Represents what is left of a company’s assets after its liabilities have
been discharged

© SHRM 95
Income Statement Concepts

Basic form is:

Revenues – Expenses = Net income

• Provides the “bottom line” look at how the

organization is performing.
• Also known as the profit and loss
statement (P&L).

© SHRM 96
Sample Income Statement

Gross profit ÷ Net sales

Net income ÷ Net sales

© SHRM 97
Sample Cash Flow Statement

Combined cash flow

is subtracted from
the ending cash
balance of the
previous period,
which is the
beginning cash
balance of the
current period.

© SHRM 98
Cash Flow Statement Concepts

• Shows incoming and outgoing cash in the

areas of operations, investing, financing.
• The balance, trends, and relationships in
areas of the statement are examined for
signs of sound or weak management.
- Negative cash flow in operations could indicate
that sales are too low and/or the cost of
production is too high.
- Negative cash flow in financing could show an
organization is relying too heavily on borrowing.
© SHRM 99
Financial Ratios

Variety of tools that can be used

to analyze an organization’s
performance.

Excessive use of financial

measures can overemphasize
the importance of short-term
results.
They are often industry-specific,
so HR professionals should
understand industry metrics and
how the organization compares
with similar enterprises.
© SHRM 100
Sample Financial Ratios

• Current • Profit margin

• Debt to asset • Return on investment
(ROI)
• Debt to equity
• Earnings per share (EPS)
• Accounts receivable
turnover • Price to earnings (P/E)
• Gross margin
• Earnings before interest,
taxes, depreciation,
amortization (EBITDA)
margin

© SHRM 101
Sample Nonfinancial Metrics

• Market share • Quality, customer

relations, innovation
• Reputation among
stakeholders • Efficiency
• Brand awareness • Activity ratios
• Employer brand • Employee retention
and job satisfaction
• Social responsibility
• Employee engagement

© SHRM 102
Competency Connection:
Business Acumen

Let’s recap:
• An organization experiences a persistently high
turnover rate.
• The HR team researches internal and external
factors that might be causes for the problem.
• Based on research, the team proposes solutions
to the HR director.
• The HR director seeks senior management
support for the strongest solution: rebranding the
employer message and improving onboarding.
© SHRM 103
Competency Connection:
Business Acumen

Let’s discuss:
• How specifically will Business Acumen help the
HR team?
• What difference would it make if this enterprise
was in its growth stage?
• What would be the strongest argument for
investment the HR leader could make?
• What other competencies assist the HR team in
this task?

© SHRM 104
Consultation

The knowledge, skills and abilities (KSAOs) needed to work

with organizational stakeholders in evaluating business
challenges and identifying opportunities for the design,
implementation and evaluation of change initiatives, and to
build ongoing support for HR solutions that meet the
changing needs of customers and the business.

Requires:
• Evaluating business challenges
• Designing HR solutions
• Implementing and supporting HR solutions
• Change management
• Customer interaction

© SHRM 105
McKinsey 7-S Framework

Seven elements must be aligned:

 Structure, the way work is divided

 Strategy, the plan to improve its competitive position

 Systems, the procedures the organization uses to operate

 Style, the orientation of leaders and managers

 Staff, the way talent is managed and developed

 Skills, current competencies

 Superordinate goals, the organization’s values or

guiding concepts
© SHR 106
HR’s Role in Managing Change

• Identify impact of change.

• Assess ripple effect across the organization.
• Consult with leadership about ways to support the
acceptance and institutionalization of the change.
• Involve stakeholders in solutions.
• Communicate quickly and often.
• Measure effectiveness in implementing the change.
• Track issues and follow up to deliver superior
service to HR’s internal customers.

© SHRM 107
Nature of Change

The J curve shows the

challenge of introducing
change into an
organization.

Can we return to or
exceed previous levels
of productivity?

Will we be mired in
resistance?

© SHRM 108
Managing Reactions to Change

© SHRM 109
What Makes Change Possible?

• Shared purpose
• Reinforcement systems
• Skills required for
change
• Consistent role models

© SHRM 110
Lewin Change Model

© SHRM 111
An Integrated View of Change *

* “Managing Across Borders in Latin America,” Cesar Aguirre

© SHRM 112
Competency Connection:
Consultation

Let’s recap:
• The HR leader has secured an engagement
from the CEO to develop solutions to the
problematic performance of a division.
• An HR manager creates a team to identify
possible causes.
• Employee turnover is identified as a possible
cause.
• The team presents management with several
possible solutions, described on the next slide.
© SHRM 113
Competency Connection:
Consultation

The proposed solutions include:

• Create a new onboarding system to better
prepare new employees.
• Provide coaching to all management on
developing and mentoring employees.
• Find alternative recruiting sources.
• Focus on fixing one problematic leader in the
division.

© SHRM 114
Competency Connection:
Consultation

Let’s discuss:
• How does the HR leader demonstrate the
Consultation competency?
• Why is a systems approach to solving this
problem a good idea?
• Of the four proposed solutions, which would
present the greatest challenge for the
organization in terms of managing change?
• What other competencies would be essential
here?
© SHRM 115
Critical Evaluation

The knowledge, skills and abilities (KSAOs) needed

to collect and analyze qualitative and quantitative
data, and to interpret and promote findings that
evaluate HR initiatives and inform business decisions
and recommendations.

Requires:
• Data advocate
• Data gathering
• Data analysis
• Evidence-based decision-making
© SHRM 116
Evaluating Data Sources

Authority

Evidence of bias
Consider the
quality of the Sources cited
data sources Facts relevant to use
you use.
Current data

Sound logic

© SHRM 117
Common HR Data Sources

Interviews

Focus groups

Surveys/questionnaires

Observation

Existing data
© SHRM 118
Interviews

Individual interviews:
• Offer the opportunity for follow-up questions that
may not be possible in a survey or focus group.
• Are rarely the sole form of gathering data.
• Are more effective if areas of discussion and
specific questions are planned (e.g., with an
interview guide).
• Should establish a positive and trusting
relationship with the interviewees.

© SHRM 119
Interview Advantages and Challenges

Advantages Challenges
• Safer, confidential • Can be time-intensive.
environment may • Requires strong
generate significant relationship-building skills.
information. • Requires vigilance to avoid
• Comments can bias from influencing
suggest direction for questions and
further group research interpretation of answers.
(focus groups and
surveys).

© SHRM 120
Focus Groups

• A small group (normally six to twelve) invited to

participate in a structured discussion (one to three
hours) with a facilitator.
• Important considerations:
― Planning ― Designated note taker
― Context ― Facilitation techniques used
― Choice of facilitator (examples: mind mapping/
affinity diagramming, nominal
― Selection of participants
group technique, Delphi
― Voluntary technique)
participation

© SHRM 121
Focus Group Advantages and Challenges

Advantages Challenges
• Provides a flexible format • Tends to foster “group think”
that is relatively comfortable • May be difficult to control if
for discussion participants go off on tangents
• Supports group • Generally don’t allow for deep
brainstorming, decision discussions
making, prioritization, and
group consensus • Can provide skewed or biased
results if participants are not
• Enables HR to learn about representative
employee needs, attitudes,
and opinions
• Gives employees direct
input
© SHRM 122
Surveys and Questionnaires

• Relatively inexpensive ways to gather a large

amount of data from a large and dispersed
group of subjects
• Important considerations:
– Obtaining a valid (representative) sample
– Designing the survey with analysis in mind
– Asking the right questions (examples: questions that
reflect appropriate internal and external environ-
mental factors and are mindful of language and
cultural differences)

© SHRM 123
Survey/Questionnaire
Advantages and Challenges

Advantages Challenges
• Efficient way to gather a • Can be difficult to obtain an
lot of data from a large acceptable response rate
and dispersed group
• Difficult to follow up on data
• Easier to quantify data from anonymous sources
for analysis and reporting
• Relies on self-reporting,
which can be biased
• Requires time and statistical
expertise to assess sample
and compile and analyze data

© SHRM 124
Observation

Observing the workplace and work processes:

• Mitigates any self-reporting filters present in
interviews, surveys, and focus groups.
• Can strengthen the HR professional’s
understanding of the work at hand and the
culture of the workplace.
• Allows observers to note factors that
participants are unaware of, consider routine,
or are reluctant to share.
© SHRM 125
Observation Advantages and Challenges

Advantages Challenges
• Provides firsthand and • Requires skill to be “unseen.”
immediate data rather
• Requires vigilance to remove
than self-reported data,
personal bias from
which can be affected by
observations.
memory and selectivity.
• Requires experience to note
• Is time-efficient for
significant behaviors.
subjects.
• Observations may not be
representative of the entire
body of data.

© SHRM 126
Existing Data

Many sources of existing data:

• Official documents about the business and culture
• Performance data from financial records,
organizational databases, and HRIS
• Correspondence and reports
• Industry data and benchmarks
• Physical workplace items
• Virtual environments

© SHRM 127
Existing Data Advantages and Challenges

Advantages Challenges
• Eliminates the effects • Can be time-intensive
of observation and • Requires experience to
involvement and extract key data
possible biases • May require ingenuity to
• Rich, multi-perspective find data
source of data

© SHRM 128
Reliability and Validity

Reliability Validity
Ability of an instrument Ability of an instrument
to provide consistent to measure the
results intended attributes

Example: Example:
A checklist used to rate A checklist used to rate
suppliers’ proposals suppliers’ proposals
produces the same results in selection of
results when used by suppliers who meet
multiple scorers. expectations.

© SHRM 129
Sampling

• Samples must
represent the
population being
measured.
• Samples must be
sufficiently large to
include possible
variations.

© SHRM 130
Measurement Bias

• Stereotyping
• Inconsistency
• First-impression error
• Negative emphasis
• Halo/horn effect
Analysts evaluate
• Nonverbal bias
data in an irrational
manner. • Contrast effect
• Similar-to-me error
• Cultural noise
© SHRM 131
Frequency Analysis Tools

Used to sort numerical data to reveal patterns

• Frequency distribution
Mean Number of
− Lists the grouped data Salary Incumbents
from lowest to highest
$55,000 2
• Frequency table
$60,000 1
− Shows the size of
$65,000 2
individual data groups
$70,000 5
$75,000 1

© SHRM 132
Measures of Central Tendency

Unweighted average
(raw average): Number of Annual Total
Organization
Incumbents Salary Salary
Gives equal weight to
A 2 $55,000 $110,000
all data values.
B 1 $60,000 $60,000
Weighted average C 2 $65,000 $130,000
D 5 $70,000 $350,000
(weighted mean):
E 1 $75,000 $75,000
Adds factors to reflect
5 11 $325,000 $725,000
the importance of
different values.
Unweighted average = $65,000
($325,000 ÷ 5 organization salaries)
Weighted average = $65,909
($725,000 ÷ 11 organization salaries)

© SHRM 133
Median and Mode

$55,000
Median is the middle number
$55,000
in a range. Half are above
$60,000
and half are below. (Where
$60,000
there are an even number of
$65,000
data points, median is deter- Median = $67,500
$65,000
mined by averaging the two
$70,000
middle numbers.) Mode = $70,000
$70,000
$70,000
Mode is the most frequently $70,000
occurring value. $70,000
$75,000

© SHRM 134
Quartiles and Percentiles

Show how groups of data relate to each

other (dispersion)

© SHRM 135
Value of Data Analysis

Metrics Analytics

• Measure single data points in • Consider the past and present

relative comparisons and and forecast the future.
provide tabular outputs of • Connect multiple data items.
counts and rates. • Provide computational analysis
• Guide tactics and operations of data or statistics.
though quantitative analysis. • Provide visual outputs of
• Do not provide insights patterns and trends.
regarding the “why” behind the • Provide insights that can drive
data. strategy.

Graduating from metrics to analytics can expose important

connections and patterns in data to improve strategic decisions.

© SHRM 136
Data Analysis Methods

Budget Actual Variance % Variance analysis

$50,000 $48,000 $2,000 4% Identify difference between planned
and actual performance.

Ratio analysis Root-cause analysis

Examine relationships between Identify possible causes
data in financial statements; for an event/condition.
compare similar variables.

Trend analysis Scenario or what-if

Identify change in a variable analysis
over time. Identify the impacts on
X of different scenarios.
Regression analysis
Identify relationships between
variables and their strength.

© SHRM 137
Graphic Analysis Tools

Pie chart
• Depicts as slices of a
circle the constituents
that comprise 100%
of a data group.
• Communicates high-
level information
about data
distribution.

© SHRM 138
Graphic Analysis Tools

Histogram
• Sorts data into groups and
shows relative sizes as
columns of varying heights
or lengths.
• Supports rapid comparison.

Trend diagram
• Plots data points of a
defined variable over time.
• Shows cycles or
developing trends.

© SHRM 139
Graphic Analysis Tools

Pareto chart
• Ranks categories of data.
• Applies Pareto principle. (80% of problems
are caused by 20% of causes.)

Scatter diagram
• Plots data points against variables.
• Tightness of clustering indicates
strength of relationship.
• Direction of the line indicates a positive
or negative relationship of the variables.

© SHRM 140
Competency Connection:
Critical Evaluation

Let’s recap:
• We’re building onto the Consultation example of
the company in which one division is struggling
with performance.
• The goal is to collect data from exit interviews
that can be compared with similar data from
better-performing divisions.
• An HR specialist assumes the task of analyzing
the data so possible causes can be proposed to
senior management.
© SHRM 141
Competency Connection:
Critical Evaluation

Let’s discuss:
• Which graphic analysis tools would be most
useful in explaining the causes to management?
• If the company uses a standard exit interview
template, will it be more likely to receive reliable
results?
• What other competencies will be useful in this
scenario?

© SHRM 142