Anyone who has been on a trip with a child has heard the endless question “Are we there yet?” At first, the question captures the excitement of the child anticipating a new place. After a while, the questioning becomes exasperating and only adds to the length of the journey.
Many in HR seem to be asking the same question, “Are we there yet?” Too often, many in HR seek but never seem to arrive at their destination. Professional conferences continue to lament HR more as an administrative service or compliance function than a business partner. Sometimes these lamentations only lengthen the journey to HR credibility. Maybe HR’s aspiration for the future is less a specific destination that pinpoints when we have arrived and more a direction for aspiring HR professionals to help their organizations succeed. Most HR professionals have made enormous progress in the last few decades in their professional stature and contribution to business success. But, the journey ahead stays the course of continuing to deliver value more than having a single point-in-time destination of when that value has been accomplished. In the spirit of simplicity, let me suggest steps in the journey ahead and discuss them accordingly:
