@Krista- Thank you Krista, you made my day!

@Warren- Thank you for your input and the great resources you link to regarding a global approach. Speaking the language of business has to be the single greatest area that HR professionals need to focus. Once you can do that, you can be taken seriously by the decision makers of the company. Appreciate your comments and your great examples. Thank you.

@ Liam- Great point! Not only should there be good communication, the internal and external should align. Kuddos to you for adding that insight. Appreicate it.

@Michael K- Would love to have you write a guest post on techniques that HR can use to partner successfully with IT. What do you think?

Excellent summary. As an HR pro with over 25 years in the field I am often asked the question about certifications, degrees, etc. I do have two certifications (CEBS and SPHR), but I consider that my OJT was the most important experience and training I’ve had during my career.

As someone who is now focused exclusively on international HR, I often encounter HR folks anxious to learn more about international/global HR, and how to break into that growing area. Global HR requires a different set of technical knowledge, and most importantly, cultural adaptability and flexibility. For an excellent summary of steps to take to prepare for global HR career options, see this blog by Alan Freemen on the International HR Forum.

Also, I want to second (or third or fourth) the comments above regarding the importance of financial acumen and HR technology. HR will never be an effective business partner unless we speak the language of business, and that language, like it or not, is financially oriented. Explain your actions in business terms non-HR people can relate to instead of using “HR speak.”

I recently gave a presentation to a group of HR leaders from the international NGO community. All of them represent prominent organizations devoted to humanitarian causes around the world, and all have limited resources for administrative expenses. We were discussing why a salary survey for $900 would be money well spent. The ROI I calculated was over 600%! Put another way, correcting their compensation scheme by 0.5% of payroll would cost the same as the expense associated with one staff member resigning and being replaced (assuming a “replacement cost” of 25% of annual salary, and a total payroll of just $180,000). When you discuss expenses in your HR department, do you think about it in this fashion? If not, perhaps you should. Are purchasing decisions in other departments made without regard to ROI?

HR technology is the key to breaking away from the administrivia of HR and getting involved in the real business of the profession. So think differently – be flexible and open to changing processes, reducing approval levels, empowering staff and employees and leveraging all of the features of the latest generation of technology that’s available. Don’t assume it won’t work because you’ve never done it that way. And don’t underestimate what employees can handle – they’re grown-ups, too!

Warren

Liam