Evolving Role Of HR Professionals Poses Opportunities, Challenges

With the hoped for improvement in the economic outlook offering more opportunities to change workforce composition in 2010, HR professionals will face greater challenges in 2010. The functional role will continue to evolve with more nimble professionals assuming more of a role in shaping overall corporate policy.

A recent focus group conducted by Information Strategies, Inc. of CEOs and COO representing more than 5 million workers suggest the HR department will be critical to the reshaping of staffs to better reflect the changing business environment.

Three critical areas spotlighted by these executives were benefits; intergration of generationally separated workforces and quality control.

One CEO of a large group of manufacturing divisions said he was concerned that younger employees were not benefiting from the experience offered by older workers. "I want more interaction and support from my older workers and a greater commitment from younger staff to listen.  I've put this task on the HR departmet and expect them to perform."

Another area cited in the focus group was the need to find a balance between worker expectations and the ability of the company to deliver healthcare benefits

In this vein, one participant pointed out that his company was looking at Health Savings Accounts as a possible way of reducing costs and at the same time offering retirement benefits to workers.

The latest surveys indicate that HSAs were becoming the preferred vehicle when companies moved to Consumer Directed Healthcare offerings, over HRSs and FSAs.  Experts, including ISI, this newsletter's parent, predict they will be a majority of all non-traditional offerings by 2012.

The other major finding of the focus group was the need for better quality control in the delivery of products and services.  Again, the senior executives said they were looking at the HR function to take a lead role in this area.