Charting the strategic trajectory of the Australian HR professional

Abstract

Over the past five decades, the nature and role of the Australian HR function has changed dramatically, mirroring developments in the United States and in Britain.The most significant change for the HR profession has been the shift from a reactive to a strategic focus. While the strategic importance of HR has increasingly been recognised, challenges remain. Within the discussion of the strategic trajectory of the HR function we analyse changes to the HR role over the last five decades. We also provide an update on perceptions of the HR function using comments from interviews with both senior HR practitioners and top management team executives about how the HR function currently gains influence to perform its strategic role within Australian organisations. We conclude with a discussion of directions for the Australian HR professional. Keywords: HR professionals, influence, strategic partner roleIn recognition of the 50th anniversary of the journal the aim of this paper is to provide an overview of key influences on the human resource (HR) profession over the last five decades and an update and commentary on the current status of the Australian HR function. Perhaps the most significant change for the HR profession over that period has been the substantial shift from a reactive to a strategic focus, captured in the nomenclature change from personnel to human resource management (HRM). The focus shift was acknowledged by the key professional body when it changed its title from the Institute of Personnel Correspondence: Associate Professor Cathy Sheehan, Department of Management, Monash University, Caulfield Campus, PO Box 197, Caulfield East, Victoria, 3145, Australia; Accepted for publication 1 December 2011.Key points 1 A supportive CEO, an experienced board of directors and a high level of information exchange within the top management team can positively impact on HR influence. 2 New opportunities exist for HR influence via the functional expert role and as a relationship manager.

HR outsourcing: the impact on HR role, competency development and relationships

“…IT suggests that SMT may exert coercive pressures on HR in accordance with the historic perceptions of ‘HR people’ and the role they are expected to play in organisations. Sheehan and De Cieri () suggest that a lack of business focus is the result of the belief among new entrants that HR should be a ‘caring’ (read ‘internally focused’) profession, initiating a cycle that restricts any progress towards change, which reinforces a ‘soft’ reputation and feeds back into HR professional behaviour (Kulik and Perry, ). SMT expectations are shaped by this behaviour, and they fail to understand the need for a strategic HR department (Beer, ), often resulting in efficiency‐seeking behaviour that remains disconnected from strategic HR activity (Lawler and Boudreau, ).…”

Migrant workers on temporary 457 visas working in Australia: implications for human resource management

“…The long-term benefits to the firm of supporting workers on 457 visas in terms of productivity and return on initial resettlement investment are high and warrant extended support by HRM professionals drawing on their soft skills (Briscoe and Schuler 2004). It is here, as Sheehan and De Cieri (2012) argue, that there is an opportunity to add value through the HRM role.…”

Challenges in addressing professional competence expectations in human resource management courses

“…Despite improvements in educational qualifications of Australian HR professionals (Sheehan and De Cieri ), findings of several studies suggest that the HR function is not meeting the challenge to deliver strategically (Bartram and Rimmer ; Dainty ; Sheehan and De Cieri ). Allied to this, there have been several calls for universities to develop more contemporary and relevant HR course curricula that give students competencies needed to match employer expectations.…”

“…For example, Lo, Macky and Pio () have argued that research on HRM competences should adopt a situationalist perspective which assumes that there are context‐specific HR competences and that the salience of some competencies will vary in different job roles and situations. Similarly, Sheehan and De Cieri () have argued that careful consideration should be given to the match between the HR professional and their industry choice due to variations in HR across industry. Finally, Caldwell (, 290) contends that ‘individual competencies are seldom appropriate in the emergent contexts of teamwork and shared learning’ and researchers need to ‘face up to the broader challenges of developing more process‐oriented and team‐based capabilities’ (Caldwell , 291).…”