Human resources challenges - An NGO perspective
By Sam Januarie
Sam Januarie is a seasoned Industrial Relations expert with approximately 10 years experience in Industrial Relations and general Human Resources Management. He is also a qualified mediator and arbitrator.

Many Non-profit organisations do not establish a formal Human Resources (HR) function due to having a small number of staff and /or trying to achieve efficiencies. Rather, organisational staff, whose responsibilities lie within other areas are responsible for performing HR activities – such as recruitment, training, performance reviews, design and delivery of benefit programs and termination. Most typically, the finance staff, office manager or other administration staff perform HR duties.

While this may be the best option for small organisations, at a certain point the size of the organisation necessitates a separate, dedicated HR function. In sum, when an organisation reaches a critical mass – a point that varies depending on the specifics of the organisation – it is more efficient to have a dedicated HR function. As each department grows and develops, the potential is high for the staff to identify only with the single department where they are employed instead of with a larger organisational entity. Providing strong, flexible and competent central HR services is key to creating a sense of cohesion and identity.

Across departments or sites, the organisational cultures are very different. This is common in organisations with branch offices in multiple locations. The work of HR is people, processes and problem resolution. HR can effectively develop a vision to not only solve the problems of working with people, but also to anticipate and prevent them from happening. The finance or administration department may effectively handle the paperwork functions, but it cannot address the complex needs presented by the organisational configuration. Neither can the finance staff provide the higher end functions of strategic human resources such as training and development, employee relations, strategic planning and organisational development. To be effective, the HR function has to be seen as a strategic partner in the work of the institutes. HR in a complex organisation requires a very special skills set. It has to be firm in areas of policy, safety, quality and with the organisations core cultural values in order to bring some sense of cohesion and unity. The HR function has to find balance between the negotiable and the non-negotiable.

Since HR has the core responsibility of risk management, it also has to know the departmental realities and employee relation issues, as well as the labour laws and insurance requirements in all sites of the organisation. HR needs to balance the management of employee risk with the development of tools, resources, training and policies that would increase organisational effectiveness. These are not mutually exclusive but one can err on either extreme. In an organisation where HR is new, the objective would be to create an HR function that would:
Balance systems needs and staff concerns;

Protect the institution from liability without treating each employee as a potential litigant;
Engage and influence staff without exerting overt control;
Be perceived as a resource, mentor and educator rather than a rule maker and obstacle; and,
Be an ally in the work of management and staff, supporting the attainment of the organisation’s mission.
It is very important to create a positive experience of the HR function from the start. To achieve this, focus should be on demonstrating the three essential values that an effective HR function must embody; credibility, competence and compassion;
Credibility is created when promises are kept and trust is built. It is grounded in honesty, openness and follow-through. HR becomes credible when its communications and actions are in harmony - in other words by “walking the talk”. Through this HR builds relationships and its reputation. This takes time.

Competence is doing something well and exhibiting knowledge and skill. To be effective, HR must demonstrate competence in everything it does. Compassion is showing care and concern for the organisation, its employees and stakeholders. HR must exhibit unwavering compassion and care in all situations. These three essentials are a high standard to meet but by carrying them out one step at a time, HR’s ability to influence management and staff in more difficult and challenging situations is greatly enhanced. When the HR function adopts these values and objectives, the staff will come to view HR as a resource and problem solver.

In most cases, the decision to create an HR function is based on the desire to bring professionalism and competence to the “people issues”. Once this premise is attained, HR can become a true strategic partner in the organisation. My view is that it is HR’s job, though not HR’s job alone, to champion and shepherd effective human resources management practices at both the strategic and day-to-day levels. To be effective, HR’s practices need to be grounded in two ways. First, HR must reflect company wide commitments as to how it will manage and relate to its employees. Second, HR must follow through on such commitments in the moment so that the words of the enterprise and deeds of its agents are congruent.