IBM vient de mettre en ligne une autre de ses excellentes études, The Global Human Capital Study 2008 [2] (gratuit sur inscription). On y apprend comment les TI deviennent un outil stratégique au sein des entreprises et comment la fonction Ressource humaine sera au cœur de l’action des prochaines années. Pour être efficaces cependant, les entreprises devront développer une synergie entre chacune de leurs fonctions d’affaires, incluant les ressources humaines. J’ajouterais que de plus en plus, cette synergie entre les fonctions traditionnelles de l’entreprise sera déterminante à tous les niveaux et pas seulement pour la rétention du capital humain. Si je prends un domaine que je connais bien comme le web, j’observe que les entreprises qui sont réellement efficaces sur le web, sont celles qui ont su réellement faire de celui-ci, une priorité et un objectif alliant toutes les fonctions traditionnelles de l’entreprise…
Creating an adaptable workforce requires more than a series of HR programs. It starts with leadership – having the right people who have the skills and capabilities to develop and communicate a vision, provide structure and guidance and ultimately deliver business results. It requires the ability to identify experts and foster an environment where knowledge and experience travel beyond traditional organizational boundaries. It calls for a talent model that can help companies recruit, develop and retain valued segments of the employee population. It depends on an underlying backbone of data and information about the current and projected state of workforce performance, and the ability to apply that information to develop strategic insights and recommendations. The human resources organization, by itself, cannot be expected to shoulder this entire effort. True, the HR function needs to take a lead role in providing strategic guidance on workforce issues and designing human capital programs that can enhance workforce effectiveness.
However, the entire executive suite needs to play a role in improving workforce performance. This may involve providing functional expertise, taking joint responsibility for executing human capital programs or simply setting a positive example for employees within their organizations. Without this unified commitment, all bets are off.
The adaptable workforce is a precursor for future organizational success. The key to building that kind of workforce lies with the leadership of the organization, facilitated in large part by HR. If there was ever a time for the HR function to prove its strategic value and contribute to organizational performance and growth, it has arrived.