The Role of the Senior HR Manager Training Course

Module 1: Operating at a strategic level as a senior HR manager

Thinking strategically requires a long-term view and the foresight to identify external and internal forces that affect or determine the commercial success or failure of a business. Looking at the global business marketplace, this section of the programme will focus on:

• Understanding what strategy is and the different types
• Relating strategy to corporate mission and vision
• Forecasting the business needs to be addressed by human resources in the future
• Researching trends and patterns that affect your business
• Identifying alternative approaches; redesigning and planning strategic approaches
• Relating these to your business needs and market demands

Module 2: Raising your commercial and financial awareness

Understanding the commercial aspects of your business is a vital element of the senior HR professional's role. This module focuses on the skills of the senior HR manager as 'business consultant' in the human resources arena, using the case study company to explore the numbers.

• Building commercially astute behaviour and skills
• Understanding the financial structure of the business
• Holding your own in the finance arena – reading and understanding company accounts and financial reports
• Managing the HR budget

Module 3: Promoting the value of the human resource to corporate vision and mission, strategic objectives and goals

Even senior and well-educated managers and executives with a corporate-wide view of the commercial position of their business may hold on to perceptions formed early in their careers regarding the role of the HR function in business. Changing a mindset and perception takes persistence and tenacity in educating stakeholders as to the value human resources can add. This module delves into the commercial benefits derived when businesses utilise the human resource to its full potential – invariably their greatest expense.

• Proactively championing the human resource cause by demonstrating the long-term competitive cost benefit activities of HR
• Building the HR business case – linking HR activity to your company’s strategy
• Using data and statistics to change perceptions of 'personnel and welfare' personas for the benefit of the business

Module 4: Influencing stakeholders and key decision-makers: raising the profile of your HR function

This module focuses on the behavioural skills required to create impact and raise the profile of the HR profession in business. You will examine the prerequisite approaches required when working on the relationships at the top, identifying the influential stakeholders and measuring the existing relationships. Using the case study organisation, you will explore the opportunities and methods available to:

• Build credibility
• Adopt business language for maximum results
• Quantify results in terms of ROI
• Gauge potential risks

Module 5: Bringing the outside in: research and external networking and its value – becoming a trusted adviser

Reaching the status of ‘trusted adviser’ within your business opens doors for the influential senior HR manager. Raising the awareness of industry norms, trends and best practices in a proactive and inspiring way increases appeal to the value-add of HR. With the wealth of data available across the internet, HR professionals can fulfil the role of business consultant by highlighting successful strategies utilised in companies, adding value by educating the senior management teams as to progress being made elsewhere in industry.

• How to identify trends and best practices to raise awareness of industry norms
• Using the internet and available information to your advantage
• Discussion about the real implications of Brexit on workforce mobility and globalisation

Module 6: Driving cultural change programmes from the top down

The success of change in your business depends on two factors – the mechanisms of change processes and the human acceptance. Advising business leaders regarding the most engaging way of effecting change and demonstrating smooth transitions through challenging times can have a bottom-line impact on the profitability of your business. This module covers:

• Devising change communications that work
• Coaching senior stakeholders about engagement and role-model actions
• Helping businesses to move away from the 'management and workers' mentality when rolling out change
• Using a consultant-based approach as the trusted adviser
• Successfully communicating change

Module 7: Implementing your strategies through change management

Implementing your strategies into the processes of the business will reap commercial rewards.

• Identifying strategies to immerse human resource teams into the business
• The HR entrepreneur
• Reviewing functional structures, roles, responsibilities and skills required to be successful
• Role-modelling performance management and behavioural management

Module 8: Moving your HR team from reactive to proactive

Having a strategic approach at the highest level in the HR structure can be undermined by a traditional mindset in the team. This module explores the leadership skills needed by the senior HR manager to bring the junior members of the profession from a reactive transactional focus to a proactive partnering approach.

• Focusing on shifting towards self-service
• Engaging with line managers as business partners
• Driving change to achieve the commercial objectives
• Taking calculated risks and breaking the status quo
• Reviewing the skills matrix of HR teams and identifying development plans

Workshop: Personal action plans

You will leave this workshop-style programme with an individual action plan to achieve your desired status within the business.