HRs bidrag til utvikling av organisatorisk resiliens i krisehåndtering

Abstract

Organizations are increasingly likely to face crises in our time. When crises occur, organizations are expected to be prepared. This preparedness is in addition to crisis management itself and requires continuous development of various forms of plans, training, preparation, facilitation, management, organizational structures, resources and processes. This conceptual study looks at this broader picture by analyzing how human resource (HR) management can contribute to the ongoing development in these areas. The question we ask in this chapter is: ‘What organizational resilience capabilities for crisis management can HR develop?’ To answer this, we start with a literature study within organizational resilience. We continue with a literature study within human resource management relevant for crisis management and organizational resilience. Finally, we discuss how the HR function can contribute to developing resilience capabilities. Our answer is that HR can contribute to ‘observation and identification’, ‘preparation’, ‘developing and implementing solutions’, ‘reflection and learning’ and ‘change’ capabilities. Furthermore, we found that HR research and literature have had insufficient focus on crisis management and organizational resilience. To develop organizational resilience HR should be focused on: activities that promote resource and coordination flexibility, real option theory and HR option analyses, aligning capability, creating workforce agility, social learning arenas and communities of practice. An organization’s knowledge base, which consists of both the starting point and end results of the development of capabilities, can also be developed through HR activities.