Hacking HR to Build an Adaptability Advantage

Short-term: move measure of value that each human brings to a role or function, to significantly more objective and individualized levels. From the point of hire on:

1. Placement: Objective talent selection through scientific assessments, self-assessments and consistent development reviews to ensure talent to role and talent to potential dashboard for every human, 

2. Performance: Individual value contribution (performance management is the old definition) through the following: 

a) include 70% objective criteria the individual selects and defines with manager/supervisor or team event; customer scores (external where possible - can be team level; internal customer scores), quality scores based on standard metrics, did or did not do something,  ideas generated if in creative role, need innovation here for metrics that define individual value contributed; Team level: talent retention, talent performance, talent quality and engagement. 

b) 30% or less can then be subjective criteria that are more standardized processes (or not - could also be selected but would be good to have some thread across teams/orgs); 360 feedback systems, manager reviews and peer reviews/feedback against standard guides. 

HR will need to be redefined around a more individualized focus, empowering and supporting managers and individuals to learn, apply and systemize this more objective but individual approach and to ensure system support for tracking and reporting. These human support systems and structures will allow individual value to grow and thrive fostering an engaged, connected, productive, loyal, innovative work environment that continuously adds value to the org and help it operate more efficiently. 

Long term objective: truly value humans at individual level as asset to organization. True value includes link to balance sheet potentially and certainly to financials (revenue creation, return on talent to organization performance, as ideas) but also to organizational social responsibility for future employment brand, commitment to greater global good, and total well-being. 

We cannot achieve this long term if we do not truly value them as individuals today - today employees are a commodity, a resource that can be replaced, reduced, and managed. Frequently HR, the function of this resource, rolls into the CFO because humans are the greatest cost to the organization. Because of this singular focus on the expense side, this resource, these humans can easily be cut, replaced, or managed to do more for same value which equals cost. When employees also become an asset to the organization (vs. just one that is said to be an asset) they will be valued differently and more than just on the cost side. 

Further to the why: the overall value of the organization is undervalued in todays knowledge economy: cost of firing, reducing, loosing great talent, organizational adaptability/agility, etc. 

As with a state of the art MRI machine on the hospital asset sheet, we cannot simply put a price tag on each person but we can collaborate to help ensure that the work that is done, the innovation created, the quality that is delivered a measurable return to the organizations assets or top or bottom lines or all three. 

Individuals can then move to self managed, peer managed and manager supported individuals. HR's reason for being is either removed or revised and redefined to support this system and continue to empower the objectivity, the access to information, the consistency and the adaptability of human value as an asset.