Is what HR does the same as what HR should do?
Information about the HR Opinion Survey
Help shape the future of HR practices and standards worldwide
ISO/ TC 260 Human Resource Management Technical Committee (TC260) has set up a Task Group in 2022 to explore the role of HR in organizing work and workers. The answer to this question varies widely across countries, sectors, organizations and workforce types. Furthermore, it is evolving. That is why this Task Group is now inviting you to complete a 5-7 minutes survey: click here to gain a better understanding of your perspectives.
What is organising work and workers?
It includes activities such as organizational and job design, workforce planning, workforce allocation, policies for work location, and much more. See activity descriptions below.
When workers and work are not well organized it can result in poor quality products or services being delivered late by stressed workers, or alternatively create low utilisation that erodes financial margins. These negative results effect the performance goals of the organisation, and its various functional units. So, it is important that organizing work and workers is done well, and TC260 wants to better understand HR’s role.
Organisational functional units, such as HR, operations and finance undertake and contribute to organizing work and workers in a variety of ways. These might include being responsible for specific activities, undertaking activities, undertaking them for others, contributing, monitoring compliance, setting policies rules and procedures, being consulted only, or not being involved at all.
Furthermore, today’s management practices will be different in the future as technology and work change, and as workers’ welfare becomes more important. Accordingly, TC260 wants to understand how HRs role is evolving. For example, what is HR’s role in organizations that use gig workers? Will HR develop position descriptions for AI bots and humans to organize work and workers?
Potential related activities
Potential activities associated with organizing work and workers include, but are not limited to, those described below.
- Organisational design. Determine how the organisation should be structured, including how jobs should be grouped into departments or teams.
- Job design. Define the tasks and responsibilities associated with each role, including tasks that need to be performed, how they should be grouped into jobs.
- Strategic Workforce Planning. Plan the changes needed to the number and types of workers the organization needs to achieve its objectives. This includes forecasting the difference between demand and supply, and developing strategies for change. (e.g. workforce transition by re-skilling)
- Operational Workforce Planning. Planning the changes needed to the number and types of workers the organization needs to achieve its immediate goals. This includes forecasting the difference between demand and supply and identifying necessary interventions. (e.g. immediate recruiting)
- Workforce Allocation. Match and assign workers to work. This includes either shift rostering, assigning project tasks, allocating gig jobs, or position appointments.
- Workplace location. Create policies and procedures for location of work, including deciding which roles can be performed remotely, how to manage and support remote workers, and how to ensure effective communication and collaboration among distributed teams.
- Change management. When changes are made to work arrangements, such as reorganizations, mergers, or shifts to remote work. This includes communicating with employees, providing training and support, and helping to manage any resistance to change.
- Talent acquisition. The process of identifying, attracting, and hiring individuals with the necessary skills and qualifications to fulfill organizational needs and align with strategic goals.
- Workforce/HR analytics. Systematic analysis of data related to the workforce or human resources functions within an organization answering critical organizational questions, and enabling informed, data-driven decision making. It includes metrics, human capital reporting and workforce data quality.
- AI-driven HR practices. Optimizing HR processes using artificial intelligence for organising work and workers, including data-driven workforce planning.
What is the purpose of this survey?
This survey aims to gather a broad variety of perspectives on HR's role in organizing work and workers across different sectors, countries, and workforce types. In organizing work and workers, this includes understanding if respondents feel that what HR does is the same as what HR should do. Your answers will help shape the future of HR practices and standards worldwide, as well as guide decisions and developing new international standards. Your responses are anonymous, and will help inform TC260 HR Management decisions, to better serve the HR profession and the HR field.
Who is the survey for?
We, ISO/TC 260 HRM members and ISO Registered Experts, need to gather the opinions of HR professionals at all levels and specializations*, workforce professionals, managers and other relevant stakeholders, which can include entrepreneurs, business managers, nonprofit organization representatives, academics, consultants, governments, professional association, employer organizations and trade unions. For more information, please review the ISO/TC 260 Business Plan.
*Expectation: minimum of 2 years’ experience
What will I be asked to do?
You are invited to complete a 4-7 minutes HR opinion survey: (English click here) or (French click here). This is an anonymous response survey; we will not collect any personally identifiable information. Your response to the survey questions is entirely voluntary.
What if I wish to receive more information?
Please contact either of the following ISO/TC260 Task Group 5 Members:
Alex James
[email protected]
Sabrina Pit
[email protected]
Thank you for your participation!
English Survey
French Survey