Welcome

Our previous Hub meeting in November 2008 asked the attendees how they planned to get through the imminent recession.

6 months on and similar delegates were challenged to see what plans they have for the end of the recession and "What happens the Day after Tomorrow?" when we look to shape a post recession agenda.

For the first time in the Hub’s history the meeting took place at one of the delegate’s offices (DLA Piper) and although scheduled for a post bank holiday it was a topic that sparked some interesting thoughts and opinions.

As the notes suggest below the conclusions drawn were interesting and again highlighted the anomalous idea that challenging market conditions have thrown up genuine opportunities.

Paul Wright    
MD Wright Solutions

• There is a recession! Something we didn’t actually want to admit 6 months ago.
• Although businesses are finding themselves at different stages of the recessionary cycle there was a general feeling that they might have been through the worst.
• There have been remarkable and unprecedented changes to businesses and attitudes in the last 6 months.

• There are considerable opportunities thrown up by the events of the last 6 months.

A lot of the opportunities discussed were primarily corporate ones with delegates keen to share how their organisations have adapted in order to take advantage of the changing economy. After 6 months of change and development they are now in a position to “do business” again and many of the delegates had a positive story to share that gave the hint that “green shoots” were close if not already there.

As the meeting developed though what began to emerge was the idea that with things “settling down” corporately there are now clear opportunities for HR professionals to redefine what impact HR can have as a commercial business discipline.

When delegates discussed the changes that there organisations have faced over the last 6 months all of them talked about the high profile and commercially effective role that HR has played in the change process.

Talking generally it was agreed that for many operational managers the efforts of HR professionals in dealing with restructures will have been a little bit of an eye opener as they have seen for the first time how HR can have an impact on the “bottom line”. Even the most traditional of managers will have to concede that the HR professional who tackled a nasty redundancy project in an effective manner has been utterly invaluable.

What is important now is that those same HR professionals retain that confidence and retain that credibility now that the “easy bit” is done.

HR has proved itself as an operationally effective business discipline. Can it prove itself as a strategic business partner for the long term and what must it do to do that?

What was agreed was that HR doesn’t need all of the answers at this stage but HR now has a vital role to play in shaping the future of their business (if it wants it).

• Take some risks.

At our last meeting it was discussed that the problem with battening down the hatches is that it discourages the necessary risk taking needed to come through an economic down turn. As a business discipline HR needs to now do the same, put its head above the parapet and encourage business innovation.

•  Take stock of what has happened.

Over the last 6 months a lot has happened and all of the delegates described an incredibly fluid and dynamic workplace. As suggested, businesses are all now at different stages of the recessionary cycle and we may be a little way off a full recovery however it was felt that now would be as good a time as any to start to take stock and instigate a “lessons learnt” project. A project that would help to identify where changes need to be made what needs to be done next.

The discussions went on to debate the general good practice of creating a “knowledge library” for businesses and the role that HR can play in that.

• Reinforce good practice.

12-18 months ago our Hub meetings were focused on issues like Employee Engagement and Generation Y. Some of these issues have been pushed to the back of the agenda given the recent challenges but someone now needs to champion these again. Now is the perfect opportunity for HR to do that, taking advantage of its new found commercial respect to drive change effectively.

All of the delegates expressed a commitment to come out of a recession in a stronger position than it went in and focusing on good practice could help their businesses steal a march on those competitors disinclined to take a risk or simply “riding out the storm”.

Remember the challenges

Unfortunately we live in a complex world and it is not going to be as easy as following the 3 steps above and coming out the other end happy and successful. All of the delegates recognised this and the discussions flagged up a few challenges that should be considered.

• HR’s reputation.

Operational managers should be singing your praises as a highly effective and commercially minded HR professional who has helped them through a sticky redundancy/change management programme.

Many of the staff will be seeing you as the “Hatchet” who just sacked a close colleague.

Bear this in mind when you go back out in to the field to champion issues like Employee Engagement or Talent Management.

• Leadership experience.

Bear in mind that many of your board members and even Managing Directors may not have been through a recession and certainly not one of this intensity and longevity.