HR is no different, and with its compliance obligations,
evaluation is even more critical. An assessment generally involves an audit,
writes Kleiman, but its purpose is to provide measurement rather than just to
express an opinion. The terms “assessment” and “audit” are often used
interchangeably in HR, and HR projects include a full scope of both.
Kleiman’s definition of an “audit” is a planned and
documented activity performed by qualified personnel to determine the adequacy
of the HR function and its compliance with established procedures, or
applicable documents, and the effectiveness of implementation—this audit is
done by investigation, examination, or evaluation of objective evidence. That’s
quite a mouthful, but Kleiman provides seven simple steps to performing this
assessment effectively.
The 7 Steps to
Assessment
Kleiman writes that your HR audit should proceed in an
objective and linear fashion. Here are her seven steps to completing an
effective assessment of your HR function.
1. Purpose.
Define the reason you are undertaking this project. Do you want to understand
compliance, best practices, strategy, or another issue that may be facing your
organization? Once you have clearly defined the goal of the initiative, you can
move onto the next steps.
2. Scope.
A full-scale assessment can be a daunting task. Consider if your focus should
be one functional area of HR or the full lifecycle of employment. If compliance
is the main concern, consider a recordkeeping audit as a first step. If your
organization has a budget for the assessment, you might be able to conduct a
full-scale assessment utilizing external resources.
3. Process.
Be very deliberate in outlining the procedure for the assessment. You will want
to alert members of the leadership team that you will be evaluating processes
and speaking to members of their team during the assessment. Consider a project
kick-off meeting to invite team members to buy into the initiative.
4. Data
collection. Collecting the data can be the most time-consuming part of the
assessment. Work with your internal teams and provide specific guidelines and
deadlines based on your requirements. Where the budget allows, consider
external sources for benchmarking of critical data.
5. Analysis.
Being able to objectively review your findings is a critical piece of the assessment.
Consider involving additional resources, such as peers in the HR community or
such trusted advisors as an attorney or accountant.
6. Action
plans. Your action plans should be appropriate for your audience. The plans
presented to the executive team should be at a very high level and provide
confidence that compliance is in order—or how you are handling the issues you
found. Your own action plans should be more detailed and identify the resources
you need and timeline of expected completion.
7. Evaluate.
As with any new initiative, review the successes and failures of the assessment
project. A 3-month timeline is generally appropriate to take a step back and
consider what went well and what might be improved.
Assessments Can
Demonstrate Leadership
An audit can be an exhausting task and may seem
overwhelming. But Kleiman points out that while you will find that it takes
time and energy away from other projects, it will provide a depth of knowledge
into your HR function that you may have even forgotten existed.
At the same time, Kleiman notes that an
assessment should be used to ensure that HR is strategically aligned with your
organization’s goals and providing the services required to move the
organization forward. She encourages HR pros to think of the assessment
as a way for them to gain visibility as a leader in their organization focused
on organizational triggers.
Source: HR
Daily Advisor
No comments:
Post a Comment