P&P June 2016

sustainability of the workforce. Once they are onboard, HR can support the ongoing development of staff by pro- viding relevant learning opportunities and training. A quick survey of staff on what training or experiential learning opportunities would be helpful to them in their work, comparing that to what is provided, and then making needed changes can let staff know the leader- ship is invested in them and their future with the organization. Perhaps one of the most important steps H/HS leaders can take is to ensure that there is adequate data on the workforce to inform executive decision-making. These data can be found in a robust Human Resources Information System (HRIS) that provides not only information that employees can access about them- selves, but information on the overall performance of staff, employee analytics related to recruitment and retention, training ROI, as well as information that can assist in fore- casting for the future. And finally, H/HS leaders must recog- nize the importance of the partnership

they have at their fingertips in their HR department—a ready and willing partner! This, in many cases, is an untapped resource that has the potential to play a significant role in the transfor- mation of the organization. Recognizing this and acting on it by getting HR to the table allows a rich knowledge of the workforce and its need to become a major element in the discussion on capacity building, capacity planning, resource allocation, and development of organizational culture. HR can be a conduit from the work- force to the leadership team, and vice versa, and can provide huge opportu- nities to close gaps between current performance and a desired future state that serves children, adults, and com- munities in positive ways. For more information, contact Anita Light at alight@aphsa.org.

A Call to Action for H/HS Leaders

H/HS leaders face the challenge of building a strong organizational foun- dation through their workforce for the delivery of benefits and services to the communities in which they operate. Immediate steps can be taken to establish a strategic partnership with HR for some quick wins. To be the best at serving communi- ties, H/HS leaders need to position their organizations to be an employer of choice within that community. The best way to do that is to elevate the role HR plays in identifying, recruiting, and onboarding new staff. Empowering HR with information about organizational direction, goals, values, and needed competencies; requiring that this infor- mation be embedded and maintained in all recruitment and onboarding policies and procedures; and moni- toring the success of these processes ensures a solid foundation. H/HS leaders are always concerned about sustainability of the success of their organization and that includes the

Reference Note 1. AntonioM. Oftelie. The Pursuit of

Outcomes: Leadership Lessons and Insights on Transforming Human Services: A Report from the 2011 Human Services Summit on the Campus of Harvard University. Leadership for a NetworkedWorld. 2011. p. 5–7.

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