If you think 'Lean' is for the factory floor, and certainly not for HR service delivery, think again. This interesting article by Jim Scully argues that lean is about eliminating waste, and the typical service delivery function expends more than half of its resources on waste – that is, performing activities that do not directly deliver value to its customers. 

The concepts of Lean and Six Sigma are very applicable to HR shared services. After all, a shared services center is really more like a factory than any other office environment. In the shared services 'plant', raw information is transformed into valued outcomes – a payment, enrollment, change in status, etc. When you think about it that way, the only real difference is that the floor of your shared services center is most likely carpeted.  What are your toughts?  Is this reflected in your business?

Four Lean Strategies for HR Delivery Service

Human Resources: Strategic Business Partner

Dear Colleagues,

This article shows that organizations that consider their employees to be the most valuable asset cannot afford to not have human resources functioning in a true strategic business partner role. Read the article and share your thoughts.  http://www.managerwise.com/

Employees Question the Value of HR

Employees have a much lower perception of HR - in terms of its ability to identify and address their needs - than that of leaders and managers, new research shows.

The LEAD study shows where progress has been made over the past decade - and where it hasn't - in key areas of HR responsibility. http://www.hrdaily.com.au/nl06_news_selected.php?act=2&nav=1&selkey=1538

Strategy: Time for HR to revitalise its approach, again !

HR must evolve as business evolves. Dave Millner in HC Magazine provides excellent strategies for HR to continue towards becoming true strategic business partners

Read more at
http://www.linkedin.com/news?viewArticle=&articleID=118984413&gid=2009811&articleURL=http%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Ehcamag%2Ecom%2Fnews%2Fstrategy-time-for-hr-to-revitalise-its-approach-again%2F41207&urlhash=QOW2&trk=news_discuss

HR Business Partners

There have been a number of names for HR practitioners over the years. One of more recent ones is 'HR Business Partner' which was first championed by HR guru Dave Ulrich in 1997 as the way to forward the HR profession.

The term HR business partner implies that HR practitioners work proactively with line managers at all levels of the business they work in. The Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) say that "Business partnering makes HR accountable to the business, and expects HR to add real value. This is a shift away from traditional HR functions where purpose, priorities and successes were defined form within HR."

While there have been a number of HR practitioners who have taken this leap and are taken seriously by business, those practitioners those who have not taken this step risk becoming irrelevant and possibly redundant in years to come.

Good luck on your journey in becoming a HR business partner and making that difference!!!

Tony

HumanResources Magazine, 2008