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CIPD announces leading think tank partnership with the publication of a provocation uncovering the people challenges, for business leaders, of a changing corporate environment
The Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) yesterday announces its partnership with think tank Tomorrow’s Company, with the publication of the first in a series of agenda-setting provocations on the people-related challenges of a changing business environment.
HR in Tough Times: Adapting to a Changing World, authored by Philip Sadler, CBE, Senior Fellow, Tomorrow’s Company, urges those business leaders focused overwhelmingly on maximising shareholder value, particularly those that sit on the board, to focus on more progressive people policies. The ‘chickenless head’ concept is developed to demonstrate the ill-effects that occur when top management focus their attention primarily on financial transactions and lose touch with the grass roots of the organisation they control.
The provocation is a call to arms for business leaders to establish sustainable competitive advantage through building employee commitment. It demonstrates that without clear leadership from the top, employees will contribute little to the long-term success of the organisation.
How HR leaders can develop a ‘stewardship’ role, by helping top management and those on the board to abstain from short-term, knee-jerk reactions that damage long-term prospects of success – for example large-scale redundancy programmes that result in loss of talent – is also explored. In this ‘stewardship’ role, HR business leaders, including those on the board, are urged to have complete financial knowledge of the company’s accounts, to be fully aware of the environmental issues at stake, as well as the moral and legal aspects of the company’s relationships with its customers and clients.
Stephanie Bird, Director of HR Capability, CIPD, says: “The CIPD has set up this strategic partnership with Tomorrow’s Company to help build on the insights into achieving long-term organisational success that we have already developed from our flagship research programmes, Shaping the Future and Next Generation HR.
“We are operating today in an exceptional business environment, where investors are losing confidence as a result of the near collapse of the global banking system, where the loss of employee morale is widely evident, and where there is growing public concern in a climate of widespread redundancies. This backdrop means that leaders must communicate a purpose that is inspiring and challenging, seen as worthwhile, as serving society in some higher way than the material interests of the stakeholders.
“The first in our series of provocations tackles these issues head-on, helping to steer business leaders on the path to sustainable organisation performance through their people.”
Tony Manwaring, Chief Executive, Tomorrow’s Company, says: “We are delighted to welcome this partnership with the CIPD. Through our work on Tomorrow’s Global Talent we have been exploring how leading global companies create value through people and what this means for the UK. Working with the CIPD we look forward to following through on this agenda, exploring what, in practice, this means for HR leaders, who must play an ever-growing role in delivering future business success.”
For more information about the partnership, the wider series of written provocations and related roundtable discussions and events, please contact Nicola Peachey, n.peachey@cipd.co.uk
