Loshni Govender says it's time for a multi-disciplinary approach to the teaching and development of future HR practitioners.
HR is no longer just about administering processes. Problem-solving abilities are required to provide appropriate support and advice at all levels of the business where HR solutions impact on individuals and collectives such as communities of practice and society at large. Because South Africa is legislatively heavy, a lot of what we do is given effect to by the Constitution, which is then devolved into the statuary prescripts. The ability to bridge the gap between HR capability in terms of the interpretation and implementation of the laws and drawing up practical people solutions based on those prescriptions is of the utmost importance.
Foreign practices
There is still a lot of room for growth in the HR field locally because the profession has been and is still significantly reliant on practices located abroad. Europe and North America have very different contexts and local HR practitioners have been adopting practices that are not really tailor-made for the South African context.
Let’s consider employee engagement as an example. As an HR concept, it’s extremely important in the United States and rightly so, because you always want to engage your employees. We also place a high value on it here at home. But, if you just had to look at the dichotomy between HR practices in the US and in South Africa, the latter is highly unionised whereas the former has a high-profit orientation. Adherence to the Labor Relations Act, the Employment Equity Act, the Basic Conditions of Employment Act and the Immigration Act are typical examples that require compliance in South Africa.
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How can the implementation of HR from an adherence perspective be upheld if HR practices are simply borrowed from other countries? If HR professionals are not aligning their practices to the local context in terms of the legal framework or being cognisant and responsive to socio-economic circumstances, there will be a disjuncture from the onset.
The profession needs to think critically about the future of HR in South Africa and the need to develop its own context-based practices.
Current and responsive
While conducting my research I’ve found that HR, as a field, is grossly undervalued in South Africa. There are many contributory factors, including a lack of understanding of the function, role and scope of HR, and of the related competencies required to manage and deliver a relevant and efficient HR service.
HR curricula should be preparing students for the changing world of work by enabling them with knowledge, tools and research capabilities to thrive in a career that will place increasing demands on them. In order to truly add value, they need to be agile problem solvers, with an understanding of financial and operational matters within the businesses were they work. Another aspect that requires attention is the development of curricula that are more current and responsive.
HR is still considered peripheral to other professions within business, when in fact it is the people within an organisation that are central to driving business success. Along with finance, these are the most important functions in business. Therefore, the positioning of HR is understated and is not fully addressed.
That said, improving HR is not only the responsibility of academia but of all HR practitioners’ and CEOs. Senior HR practitioners must find ways of giving back to the profession to ensure that it grows both intellectually and in stature. Whether this occurs through the mentorship of others or doing research within the field or becoming a thought leader, every HR leader must acknowledge that they have a responsibility to elevate the profession so that younger colleagues coming into the field can be proud of having a career in HR.
