Creating a culture of HR excellence

I recently discussed how to ensure your effectiveness of your HR strategy. But of course, it isn’t enough to just be ‘effective’. We should all be striving for excellence – particularly when it comes to our HR culture.

But what makes the difference between simply being effective and being excellent when it comes to HR?

–       Lead from the top
Most of us think of HR as something we ‘have to do’. A tick box exercise. In order to perpetuate a culture of HR excellence, start thinking about the benefits that HR can bring. It’s a vital enabler when it comes to growing your business – providing key information on strategic areas such as recruitment, performance and skills.

–       Know your business
It sounds obvious, but it’s important to be aware of the stage your business is at, as HR requirements will change. In a business’ early days, it might be appropriate to have an informal approach to people management (although it’s still important to have the right policies in place). As a business grows it may be necessary to adopt a more formal, strategic approach, particularly when it comes to things like recruitment.

–       Make sure it’s appropriate
Policies and processes are, in my view, essential – for both the sake of efficiency and legal compliance. However, take care to ensure that the systems you introduce are fit for purpose, and still allow your people, to flourish and use the creativity and initiative that were so integral in the early days.

–       Engage, engage, engage
In order to make sure that your team joins you on your journey, you have to tell them where you are going (and how you plan to get there). Keep them informed and involved – you never know, they may even have some great ideas!

–       Look after No.1
Your No.1 asset that is…your people. A combination of development opportunities, and reward and recognition packages can help to ensure that your people feel as passionate about making your business a success as you do. It can also drastically improve recruitment (more people want to work for ‘good’ employers) and retention (people generally want to stay with ‘good’ employers) rates – driving down costs and retaining vital skills.

For support with all aspects HR strategy development and support, including policy and process review and creation, contact us on 01229 615 280 or email info@turnstonehr.com for a FREE consultation.