In recent months, I’ve spoken to many HR professionals about all things employee relations or “ER.”
What stood out was the challenging nature of the role of those in the ER.
The role of ER has never been more valuable to Australian employers, whose workplaces have never been more regulated.
Yes, compliance is a must, but meeting business objectives is also a must.
ER is at the pointy end of keeping a business out of trouble and getting things done.
The passion with which some very experienced HR leaders spoke inspired our paper Navigating Employee Relations: The Advisor’s Role (available upon request here). This is based on that feedback.
It’s built on four themes: mastery, judgement, strategy, and influence.
Off the back of our paper, Navigating Employee Relations: The Advisor’s Role, I’m writing a series of five blogs in five weeks.
So here’s blog two in our ‘5 of 5’.
This week’s theme is “mastery”.
The ER Professional is highly skilled, the depth of which is not always well recognised. First and foremost, they are subject matter experts. This expertise draws upon an extensive knowledge bank. Knowing the law and how to apply it has become key. Indeed, the role demands that the ER Professional has the type of knowledge expected of a specialist workplace lawyer without the level of training a lawyer benefits from. To think that the recent changes to the Fair Work Act 2009 (Cth) (also known as “Secure Jobs, Better Pay” and “Closing Loopholes” reforms) comprise 56 areas of amendment and more than 1,000 changes to existing law with 156 references to “reasonable” or “reasonably”. But this is dwarfed by the existing body of law that ER Professionals traverse day in and day out.
Many ER professionals I’ve spoken to of late wish they had a grounding in psychology as well; not surprising given the need to deal with individuals in often challenging circumstances. The ‘how to deal’ has become as important as ‘the what’.
The ER Professional also wears many hats, including coach, counsellor, mediator, negotiator, advocate, and stakeholder manager. For this reason, there is a need to combine a breadth and depth of knowledge, combined with a diverse skill set. It’s not an easy journey. But nothing worthwhile achieving comes easy.
“Make no mistake, this is a hard journey. So passion is a necessary ingredient. You need to have a passion for the subject matter or be intrinsically interested in the content to muster the curiosity and drive needed to thrive. As with any calling, your intrinsic motivation is fundamental. Knowing what you enjoy about what you do is essential.”
– Navigating Employee Relations: The Advisor’s Role
Mastery is achieved through finding ways to learn, consistent practice, and reflection. “Maps” of knowledge are developed which are deepened over time as new experiences create new opportunities to learn and grow. Mentors are also key, as with any field of endeavour. Good mentors provide pathways and shortcuts.
A strong and diverse network of professionals also significantly contributes to success. The more senior you become, the more this becomes obvious.
“If I look back on my career, there are individuals who, for me, made all the difference. Without them, I wouldn’t be where I am today.”
– Director of People, Manufacturing industry
I look forward to sharing part three of this five-part series with you next week.
