HR Professional - February/March 2008 - (Page 12)

LEADERSHIP M AT T E R S LOOKING FORWARD he day-to-day work of the human resources professional has changed dramatically in the past five years. In some ways, our jobs are a meter of what’s going on in society—when the world changes, so do our job descriptions. Shortages occurring in specific industries require HR professionals to be more resourceful to attract the talent our organizations need, and work hard to keep those employees happy. In the coming years, HR will need to know where our organizations want to go, and how they plan to get there. We must be clear on all the details of the corporate strategy because we’re the ones who have to implement it. We develop the skills within the existing workforce and search out new talent. We also build the organization’s credibility, so we can attract the people we need to get where executives want the organization to go. Developing the proper processes, incentives, and creating the culture to carry out the plan also falls within our purview. In short, while we may not develop the overall business strategy, BY BILL GREENHALGH AND DEBBIE BENNE T T T The researchers say “developing future leaders is simply a way of operating that must be intertwined with running the business.” A recent rating of the top global companies found that the best firms make leadership a priority and incorporate it into their culture. we’re instrumental in implementing it. A recent rating of the top global companies (produced by Hewitt Associates with the RBL Group and Fortune magazine) found that the best firms make leadership a priority and incorporate it into their culture. ‘‘ ’’ The year ahead The Human Resources Professionals Association of Ontario recognizes the need for leadership roles in HR, and the challenges our members will face as your roles change. The strategy we’ve developed will create senior-level opportunities for HR people. To improve the credibility of the profession, we’ll work with executives in organizations to educate them about the effectiveness of HR. We’ll also encourage organizations to put HR professionals on their boards of directors. We will also work to elevate the standing of HRPAO itself, including lobbying governments on new legislation that affects our profession and developing public policy positions to generate positive public attention. Finally, we’ll upgrade and enhance the programs we offer, including sessions on diversity and sustainability, and specialized training on topics such as executive compensation. Discussions are underway to aggressively upgrade and market the Certified Human Resources Professional designation. As part of this strategy, we’ve expanded and elevated the role of HRPAO’s Professional Standards Committee and hired a director of HR excellence. These steps will move us toward our primary goal: Improving the careers of our members. Bill Greenhalgh is CEO of the Human Resources Professionals Association (HRPAO) and Debbie Bennett is chair of HRPAO’s board of directors. HR P R OF E S S I ON A L 12 F e b r u a r y / M a r c h 2 0 0 8

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of HR Professional - February/March 2008

HR Professional - February/March 2008 Contents Editor's Letter Contributors Leadership Matters Boards By the Numbers Did You Know Sustainability Education News: E-Recycling Communications News: HR Study FYI Ethics World Watch News: Legislation Legal Compensation Focus Strategy The Colour of Money Sustainable Skills From Brown to Green HR Trends: From Winners to Also-Rans Branding Human Capital HR 101 Interview with David Suzuki Off the Shelf The Last Word

HR Professional - February/March 2008

For optimal viewing of this digital publication, please enable JavaScript and then refresh the page. If you would like to try to load the digital publication without using Flash Player detection, please click here.