In the 25th anniversary year of the first Human Resource Competency Study, the research has identified six competence domains: strategic positioner, credible activist, capability builder, change champion, HR innovator and integrator and technology proponent. These domains arise from assessment by HR professionals and their line associates (more than 20,000 global respondents) of 139 specific behavioural competencies.
“Being an effective HR professional is not just knowing the body of knowledge that defines the profession, but being able to apply that knowledge to business challenges,” researchers Dave Ulrich, Jon Younger, Wayne Brockbank and Mike Ulrich tell HR magazine for its January 2012 issue.
HR as innovator and integrator is a new domain and refers to the need to know the latest insights on key HR practice areas related to human capital (talent sourcing, talent development), performance accountability (appraisal, rewards), organisation design (teamwork, organisation development) and communication. An effective HR professional needs to be able to turn these areas into integrated solutions, generally around an organisation’s leadership brand.
Technology proponent is also new and reflects how technology has changed the ways in which HR professionals think and do their work.
“HR professionals need to use technology to help people stay connected with each other. This means technology plays an increasingly important role in improving communications, organising administrative work more efficiently and connecting inside employees to outside customers,” the research team says.
“An emerging technology trend is using technology as a relationship-building tool through social media. Leveraging social media enables the business to position itself for future growth. HR professionals who understand technology will create improved organisational identity outside the company and improve social relationships inside the company. As technology exponents, HR professionals have to access, advocate, analyse and align technology for information, efficiency and relationships.”
A full report on the 2012 HR Competency Study will appear exclusively in the January 2012 issue of HR magazine.