The Iowa Experience: Human Resources as a Strategic Business Partner

1
The Iowa ExperienceHuman Resources as a
Strategic Business Partner

• Mollie K. Anderson, Director
• Iowa Department of Administrative Services
• For the International Personnel Management
  Association
• October 1, 2004

2
Why Did You Choose HR?

• Why did you get into HR?
• How long have you been in this field?
• Where do you want this profession to take you?

3
What an HR Professional Is

• The systemizing, policing arm of executive
  management
• An advocate for employees
• Strategic business partner for customers
• A champion for change

4
The Primary HR Goal

• Get the right person
• With the right skills
• Into the right job
• With the right supervision to meet performance
  expectations and
• Add value to the organization.

5
The Primary HR Questions

• How do you attract and retain quality employees?
• How can you become a strategic partner with your
  customers?
• How do you improve productivity and ROI?
• What issues affect employers ability to meet
  company goals?

6
HR Challenges Today

• Changing employee demographics and needs
• More competition for a skilled workforce
• Focus shifting from regulation to service
• Demand for customized service
• The need to support desired business outcomes and
  affect the bottom line

7
The Iowa Experience

• Department of Administrative Services combined 3
  ½ agencies in 2003
• Adopted the entrepreneurial management concepts
  of strategist David Osbourne
• Four goals Improve customer service, save money,
  streamline, and use resources in a more flexible
  manner.
• Unique financing approach

8
Entrepreneurial Management

• A customer-focused (NOT program focused)
  approach
• To delivering services (NOT running a program)
• In a competitive marketplace (NOT a monopoly.)

9
How DAS is Set Up in Iowa

• A complement of infrastructure and facilities
  services, including full range of HR functions
• Each fee-based operation covers its costs
• Customer Councils set utility rates
• Rowing and steering functions separated
• Moving toward one-stop shopping model

10
What DAS Started With

• Traditional financial infrastructure
• Old agencies without legislative champions
• Thirty percent budget cuts over three previous
  fiscal years
• Highly tenured, program-focused employees
• Grumpy, uneducated customers

11
What DAS Has Done

• Passed enabling legislation
• Developed fee-based financing models, determined
  service costs, and reduced cross-subsidized drug
  deals
• Adopted an internal shared services model
• Established and empowered customer councils

12
What DAS Is Doing Now

• Refining financing and legislative framework
• Eliminating silos between merged agencies
• Engineering a culture change
• Re-motivating employees with training and
  incentives

13
The Iowa Approach to HR

• Define internal and external customers
• Know your customer(s) and their business(es)
• Know your business goals and what it takes to
  achieve them

14
Setting HR Priorities

• Know your customers (internal and external)
  priorities
• Understand the financial risk
• Evaluate the potential for improvement

15
How to Create a Compelling Picture for Action

• Do your homework and be prepared to tell your
  story
• Identify risks of inaction
• Know the impact on financing and productivity

16
How to Get Your Own Team On Board

• Lay out clear expectations
• Use a customer service representative model and
  service delivery agreements
• Use performance evaluations and reward programs

17
Example Workers Comp

• Start with the viewpoint that people are the face
  of government
• Tell the story simply, using the numbers
• Define the risk (financial, productivity) if no
  action is taken

18
How to Get Invited to the Decision Making Table

• Connect with customer goalssave money,
  streamline processes, etc.
• Know your businessand your customers business
• Articulate a compelling story
• Follow up!

19
What Role Does Communication Play?

• Start with researchknow the facts
• Tell your story in a compelling, understandable
  way
• The visual identity concept works
• Repeat, repeat, repeat

20
Use the Tools

• For the basics, an FAQ
• Annual reports
• Newsletters or bulletins
• Crisp financial results

21
What You Can Measure

• Customer satisfaction
• Financial goals
• Grievances
• Processing time
• Turnover/retention

22
The Bottom Line

• Watch the people who have leveraged their HR
  expertise to move ahead.
• HR is no longer just a knowledge gameyou must be
  able to apply what you know.
• You must be able to listen, evaluate and
  persuade.

23
What You Can Do to Develop Your Skills and Career

• Education
• Write and talk
• Use associations and seminars
• Move around in HR specialties and to career
  opportunities
• Cross-functional teams
• Look for emerging issues

24
Lessons Learneda Recap

• Be proactive, not reactive
• Know your customers and your business
• Do your homework
• Learn from others when you can
• Be concise and clear
• Keep current on emerging issues
• Get involved in HR organizations
• Sometimes you have to move
• You cant go it alone

25
Question and AnswersVisit the DAS
website,http//www.das.iowa.gov