Никова Тхе Басиц Иссуес оф Манагемент ин Усе 2016

Text 2. Development of the HR role

There is the increasing recognition in corporate world that the most important asset a company has is not its products, factories or systems, but its people. Companies no longer take the human side of business for granted. And that’s why the human resources function itself has begun to assume so much importance.

For several decades now people responsible for the human resources function have ceased to be viewed merely as «personnel administrators» or strictly «support». The shift in terms from «personnel» to «human resources» reflects this thinking. But today’s HR professionals are assuming an increasingly broad role in their companies, becoming strategic advisors to the senior management team. Top company managers now look to HR for help in formulating long-term staffing strategies, as well as introducing and following through on practices that help ensure that employees get the support and training they need to meet the increasing demands of their jobs. In short, senior management is looking to HR for insights on how to tap into the potential of every individual within the organization.

This expectation creates many new opportunities for you. One key skill you need to develop is the ability to think strategically. No doubt you’ve heard the term strategic thinkers. But what does it really mean?

Certainly, strategic thinkers spend plenty of time setting objectives and getting work done, but they also do much more. At heart, strategic business thinkers try to look ahead, attempting to anticipate which issues and information will be most relevant. They don’t look at their work merely as a series of tasks or simply react to events; they also examine trends, opportunities and long-term needs – and shape what they discover into policies and recommendations. To borrow from the restaurant industry, strategic thinkers to more than cook – they help to shape the menu.

How does the concept of strategic thinkers apply to the HR world? In effect, strategic HR professionals act as consultants to the rest of the business. They help set a path – that is, a vision of how to ensure HR effectively delivers on its mission.

The following list offers some general guidelines on how to be more successful overall in your HR efforts.

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Become business savvy. Make it your personal goal to find out everything you possible can about your company’s business, particularly in terms of revenues and profits. Keep in mind that the more broad-minded you can be in how you approach everything you do in your job, the more credibility you will have as a strategic business professional - and the easier it will be to get senior managers and line managers to endorse the development initiatives you recommend.

Don’t ignore the basics. Regardless of how committed you are to bringing new ideas to the organization you work for, don’t overlook the traditional needs (such as policies regarding benefits, computers and the Internet, dress code and privacy) that are all but universal among employees. At the very least, make sure that every employee in the company is familiar with your company’s basic practices. If there is an employee manual, make sure that it’s up to date. If the company does not have an employee manual, make it a priority to create one.

Make quality hiring a priority. Make a personal commitment – and try to secure similar commitment from other managers in every department – that your company will devote the time and energy needed to ensure that each new employee you recruit and hire is the right person for that particular job.

Keep your ear to the ground. One of the most valuable contributions you can make to the senior managers of your company is to keep them informed of all workplace issues and concerns that may affect your company’s ability to meet the needs of customers. Taking on this role does not mean that you are constantly looking over the shoulders of the line managers in your company. It does mean, however, that you always have your hand on the staffing pulse of your company. You are aware when morale is starting to slip, or when the workload is starting to burn out the people. You smell the smoke before a big fire occurs.

Stay current. Make it your business to be aware of new developments in human resources administration, including technological advances and key trends in pay practices and benefits programs. When you come across new and promising ideas, make sure that you let senior management know. Be particularly diligent about keeping pace with what is going on in the legal and regulatory side of HR, making sure that you are aware of any laws or regulatory changes that apply to your company.

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Vocabulary:

to cease – прекращать, останавливать, приостанавливать; to assume – принимать на себя;

shift – смещение, переход;

to tap into the potential (зд.) – раскрыть потенциал; to attempt – пытаться, стремиться, прилагать усилия; to anticipate – ожидать, предвидеть;

relevant – значимый, существенный;

trend – общее направление, тенденция, курс (на что-либо); to shape – придавать четкую форму, приводить в порядок;

savvy – смышленый, толковый, сообразительный, смекалистый; (зд) – знаток;

to endorse (зд.) – рекомендовать, выступать в поддержку;

up to date – современный, новейший, находящийся в курсе дела; to keep apprised – держать в курсе, извещать, уведомлять;

line manager – руководитель среднего звена; to slip (зд., разговорное) – ухудшаться;

to be diligent – быть прилежным, старательным, пунктуальным; (зд) – внимательным;

strategic thinker – стратегически мыслящий специалист; current – современный, текущий;

stay current – быть в курсе событий, в курсе происходящего.

Ex. 1. Find in the text English equivalents to the following words and phrases.

Принимать что-либо как должное, как само собой разумеющееся; становиться все более важной, значимой; работники отдела кадров; вспомогательный персонал; долгосрочные направления по набору кадров; раскрыть потенциал; развить ключевые навыки; изучить тенденции, вопросы, возможности и долгосрочные потребности; политика организации и рекомендации по ее осуществлению; стать знатоком своей отрасли (своего предприятия); иметь в виду; человек широких взглядов; предложения по развитию; руководство для сотрудников; качественный набор персонала (комплектация кадров); объем работы становится невыполнимым; почувствовать надвигающуюся угрозу; не отставать, идти в ногу; натолкнуться на, встретиться с; законодательная и нормативная сфе-

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ра, в показателях дохода и прибыли, быть начеку, много времени, стратегически мыслящий специалист.

Ex. 2. Write down Russian equivalents for the following words and phrases:

to take something for granted; assume importance; personnel administrators; support staff; long-term staffing strategies; tap into potential; develop a key skill; examine trends, opportunities and long-term needs, policies and recommendations; to become business savvy; to keep in mind; to be broad-minded; development initiatives; employee manual; quality hiring; workload is starting to burn out the people; to smell the smoke before the big fire occurs, to keep pace; to come across; legal and regulatory side; in terms of revenues and profits, keep your ear to the ground, plenty of time, strategic thinker.

Ex. 3. Answer the questions, based on the text.

1.What is the most important asset a modern company has?

2.What does the term «strategic thinkers» mean?

3.How does the concept of strategic thinkers apply to HR world?

4.What can HR professional do to be more successful?

5.What are the traditional needs of the employees? Can they be ignored?

6.What does the advice «keep your ear to the ground» mean?

7.What does it mean – «stay current»?

8.In what sphere should the HR professional be particularly dili-

gent?

Ex. 4. What do you think the main idea of the text is?

1.Today’s HR professionals are assuming an increasingly broad role in their companies, becoming strategic advisors to the senior management team.

2.It is very important for HR professional to become business sav-

vy.

3.HR person has to be particularly diligent about keeping pace with what is going on in the legal and regulatory side of HR.

Ex. 5. Prepare to present a summary of the text.

1. Make a plan of the text.

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2.Write down phrases and expressions you will be using when talking about each part.

3.Present a summary.

Ex. 6. Translate into English using words and expressions from the text.

1.Компании больше не относятся к своим сотрудникам как к данности.

2.К специалистам, ответственным за человеческие ресурсы, перестали относиться как к вспомогательному персоналу.

3.Один из ключевых навыков, которые вам необходимо развить, – это умение стратегически мыслить.

4.Стратегически мыслящие специалисты изучают направления развития, возможности и долгосрочные потребности своей компании.

5.Сделайте своей личной задачей разузнать по возможности все о деятельности вашей компании, особенно с точки зрения показателей доходов и прибыли.

6.Специалист по работе с персоналом должен быть в курсе новых разработок в сфере управления персоналом, включая основные направления развития принципов формирования заработной платы и программ льгот и привилегий.

7.Вы должны быть начеку.

8.Необходимо понять, когда объем работы становится невыполнимым, и почувствовать надвигающуюся угрозу.

9.Будьте особенно внимательны к проблемам законодательной и нормативной сферы, регулирующей вопросы управления персоналом.

10.Вы должны быть уверены в том, что вы в курсе всех изменений законодательной и нормативной базы, которые относятся к вашей компании.

Ex. 7. Complete the sentences with an appropriate word.

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Ex. 9. Essay writing.

How was the name of this department transformed? How were the functions transformed? What can help you to be more successful in performing as HR specialist? What knowledge do you have to acquire?

Think about it, and write a one-page essay about the change of the HR role during the last twenty years.

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Text 3. Staffing Strategy

One of the key purposes of the HR function is to help a company build strong teams by locating and attracting the right people to help it grow and prosper. People generally assume that when hiring decisions go wrong, the fault lies with bad judgement during the interview process. But companies with successful hiring practices recognize that this explanation is far too simple. Hiring is a multistep process and any missteps that occur early on in the process will invariably catch up with you.

The traditional hiring notion of «finding the best people to fill job openings» has been replaced by a much more dynamic concept. It’s generally referred to as strategic staffing, which means putting together a combination of human resources – both internal and external – that are strategically keyed to the needs of the business and the realities of the labor market.

This hiring approach is based on the immediate and long-term needs of the business, as opposed to the specs of a particular job.

The following table shows the difference between the traditional approach to hiring and the strategic staffing model.

True, setting the strategic direction of your company is primarily the responsibility of senior management and not normally an HR function, but you need to look at your company's overall priorities and determine their staffing implications. Equally important, you need to make sure that any staffing decision clearly supports these business priorities. You're not simply «filling jobs.» You're constantly seeking to bring to your company the skills and attributes that it needs to meet whatever challenges it may face. To do so, you must look beyond the purely functional requirements of the various positions in your company and focus instead on what skills and attributes employees need to perform those functions exceptionally well.

Chief among the staffing functions are the following:

♦working with senior management and line managers to identify staffing needs;

♦developing staffing strategies that are keyed to your company's short term operational requirements and long-term strategic needs;

♦overseeing the recruiting process and its many components, including working with recruiters, placing classified ads and conducting on-campus recruiting;

♦coordinating applicant evaluation and interviewing activities with managers – and in many cases handling these functions yourself;

♦providing the necessary guidance to help managers make the best possible hiring decisions;

♦coordinating the new hire on-boarding process, which includes an orientation to your company; opportunities for peer and senior manager mentoring, a review of job; expectations and other resources, that help employees to be successful.

Vocabulary:

staffing strategy – стратегия набора персонала; misstep – ошибка, оплошность;

multistep process – многоступенчатый процесс; to catch up – настигать, догонять, наверстывать; notion – взгляд, мнение;

enhance – увеличивать, повышать;

specs (жарг.) – инструкции, технические условия; mileage – пробег автомобиля на единицу горючего;

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get the most mileage out of (зд.) – наиболее выгодно использо-

вать, получить наибольшую отдачу от...; tool – инструмент;

to carry forward – продвигать;

blend – смешанный состав (зд. – комбинация сотрудников); implications – значение, влияние;

attributes – отличительные качества;

mission and values – основополагающая цель и ценности; overall priorities – первостепенные задачи, относящиеся ко всем

сферам деятельности;

skills and attributes – навыки и отличительные качества; keyed to – подходящий;

peer – человек, занимающий аналогичный пост; равный по уровню;

line managers – руководители среднего звена; senior management – высшее руководство;

to key smth. to – приводить что-л. в соответствии с чем-либо; on-campus recruiting – ярмарка вакансий в университете/вузе; job expectations – ожидаемые результаты от работы.

Ex. 1. Find in the text English equivalents to the following words and phrases.

Сформировать сильный коллектив; расти и процветать; причина промаха – неправильные выводы; ошибка; настигать; реалии рынка труда; стратегическая модель набора персонала; умения и навыки; один из множества инструментов; основополагающая цель и ценности; первостепенные задачи, относящиеся ко всем сферам деятельности; влияние на процесс набора персонала; навыки и отличительные качества; ярмарка вакансий в университете/высшем учебном заведении; вводный инструктаж; наставничество, «шефство» со стороны сослуживцев и высшего руководства; ожидаемые результаты от работы, долгосрочные стратегические требования.

Ex. 2. Write down Russian equivalents for the following words and phrases:

to build strong teams; grow and prosper; the fault lies with bad judgement; missteps, to catch up, realities of the labor market; strategic staffing model; competencies and skills; one of the series of tools; mis-

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