Alvaro Felipe Alejandro Espinosa

By Alvaro Felipe Alejandro Espinosa

The topic of HR and Leadership Integration focuses on where HR and Leadership strategies intersect. In recent times, HR has achieved the proverbial seat at the table; however, HR in many organizations remains related to administrative and employee support roles. While those are important, an emerging need is for organizations to recognize that employees are critical strategic components of the organization. To a greater extent than in the past, the workforce can be a competitive advantage. Rather than relegating employee issues to HR, leaders are advised to view employee issues as leadership issues. Leadership must address operations, resources, and the workforce. This chapter explores the opportunities organizations have when they embrace employees as integral members of their service or production proposition. New partnership opportunities are available for organizational leaders to own the employee experience. The HR and the leadership lens must change to take advantage of where HR and organizational leadership intersect, creating the New HR.

Part of the book: Human Resource Management - An Update

By Alvaro Felipe Alejandro Espinosa

This article argues that, to meet the demands of modern organizations, human resources (HR) must finally and fully shift from an administrative function to a business-centered architect of organizational people practices. Starting with an exploration of how the workforce is defined, modern thinking posits that employees should be viewed as valued partners, rather than resources or assets. Drawing on the author’s professional experience, research based on the literature, and data from two sources, an argument is made that now is the time for HR to transform. The literature suggests that HR can transform itself by eliminating low-value work and partnering with leadership to own organizational people practices. Practical insights are shared that HR leaders can use to redesign HR’s role in positioning people practices to deliver desired business outcomes. HR leaders must take the initiative to transform the HR function and focus on strategic priorities. Failing to do so places the HR profession at the risk of becoming irrelevant by allowing others to complete this essential transformation in their stead.

Part of the book: A Review of People Oriented Leadership