HR executives share their experience in human resources

Citation

Edwards, J. (2013), "HR executives share their experience in human resources", Strategic HR Review, Vol. 12 No. 1. https://doi.org/10.1108/shr.2013.37212aaa.005

HR executives share their experience in human resources

Article Type: Practitioner profile From: Strategic HR Review, Volume 12, Issue 1

Jeannie Edwards, director of HR

Jeannie EdwardsJeannie Edwards is based at MWH Europe-Africa.

HR was recently recognized for its role in excellence in engineering, a rare recognition for a support function, and one that has come after a long time of delivering strategic and transactional HR in the consulting engineering arena. The recipient of the award is Jeannie Edwards, director of HR for MWH Europe-Africa, and board member of ACE, the trade body for consulting engineering.

The award was for the strategic role that HR plays, though Jeannie Edwards has learned that to come to the table to help define the strategy of a company or a trade body can only be done when credibility is earned through the transactionals being in place.

Gaining credibility

On entering the industry Edwards was told by a director highly cynical of HR that introducing theories, and creating sub-optimized processes that placed a burden on managers, was never going to work. The director advised: “Forget the theory, go and talk to the managers and understand from them what their real issues are. Only then can you understand what value you can bring to this organization.”

She remembers feeling somewhat affronted, but she nevertheless did just that. She came across many managers that resented support functions that earned no fees and lived off the benefits of fee earners. She was met with either nonchalance or cynicism.

Taking time with managers instead of diving head long into policies, procedures and processes, gave Edwards a real appreciation of the difficulties faced by managers and directors. She understood that people find managing people very difficult, and that they needed sound processes in place that would minimize the risk of recruiting the wrong people, tactics around improving people’s performance, and valid, relevant and reliable information on pay and benefits. They wanted a clear and easy system of appraisal, clear guidance on rewards and benefits, and help in managing difficult people. That is what Edwards set about delivering.

A slow yet steady pace

She developed no-nonsense, short clear guidance notes without HR speak. One particular initiative that she wanted to develop was being resisted. She knew that it would bring value, but she also knew that there were too many steps. It was too complicated. She took it to one of the most challenging managers, and asked for his help. What was developed has stood the test of time and is widely used; the benefits are clearly seen, being used to help with strategic and resource planning.

As she worked to put such initiatives in place, she found the credibility gained entered her into conversations around the future, the make-up of the workforce, and the match between the workforce and the direction the company wanted to go in. She had started to interact strategically.

This did not happen overnight. The hardest part was taking what she knew to be right, and implementing “just enough.” She knew that there was more to give, but without gaining this level of credibility, nothing else would follow. The level of control needed to deliver just enough and gaining slowly everyone’s buy-in was frustrating.

Belief in her initiatives and the determination to deliver and to improve the company was strong. Gaining relationships with strategic partners in the company, and delivering what she promised to deliver, were vital to success.

Delivering strategically

Jeannie Edward’s invitation to the trade body board came on the heels of her attending a large firms’ dinner on behalf of the absent CEO. Issues were discussed at the table that was seen as impacting positively or negatively on the industry. Edwards could not compete with their engineering knowledge, so spoke about the impact of the economy, legislation, government decisions on choices people made at school, college and/or university, rewards and benefits, the hidden cost of employee turnover and the strategic mistake of abandoning development schemes. This contribution resulted in an invitation to the board.

This was an important step for HR. This was the first time that a support function had been recognized. Advising on trends, identifying issues that member companies were likely to face, and talking with government bodies about practices, legislation and factors impacting on the engineering consulting industry made up the developing remit.

Since then Edwards has brought people related trends to the trade body’s board, consulted on legislation related to health and safety and employment, and been involved in many government initiatives through the trade body. Based on her success, her overarching advice to HR practitioners is to know the HR theories, but implement using no nonsense systems and no nonsense language, and always deliver what you promise. That will get you a seat at the strategic table.

About the author

Jeannie Edwards is director of Human Resources for Europe-Africa at MWH. She has a BA in Human Resources, Masters in Employment Law and a Certificate of Occupational Safety and Health. She is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Personnel Management and the Institute of Occupational Safety and Health. She was the first woman and first non-engineer to be appointed to the Ruling Council of the Association of Consulting Engineers. She also sat on the Construction Industry Council’s Health and Safety Task Force, the British Standard Institute’s Committee Health and Safety Task Force and the Construction Industry Training Board’s development and learning program. She chaired the Risk Management Committee for the European Federation of Consulting Engineers (EFCA). In 2012 Edwards was presented with the Excellence in Business Award for her contribution to the engineering and consultancy industry. Jeannie Edwards can be contacted at: jeannie.edwards@uk.mwhglobal.com