The Functions of HR

Within the typical civil society organization, the functions of HRD are usually under the primary purview of the Human Resources (HR) department.  Understanding the functions of this department can provide insight into how they can contribute to turning potential into performance.  I developed this summary overview to provide orientation to new HR staff during my work with FH Cambodia.  In this model, the HR function holds responsibility for workforce planning, compensation, policy and compliance, growth and development of staff, "pastoral care" for staff, and work quality.

 

3 HP

Evaluating performance is certainly part of the process of human resource development (as the transformation of potential into performance), so this simple tool was one I developed to help FH Cambodia leadership staff categorize the performance levels of their staff.

 

FH Cambodia Staff Development Framework

The attached document, building on the work of my predecessor at FH Cambodia, summarizes a proposal for a staff development framework for FH Cambodia staff.

 

NGO Staff Onboarding

This application paper briefly explores how to "onboard" staff in a non-governmental organization.  The paper presents an organizational learning model rooted in reflective practice and situated cognition.  The model includes reflective work application within an authentic learning situation.  This work is supported by two development practices - training and mentoring/coaching - within the context of a staff-based community of practice.  This is all set within an organizational knowledge management infrastructure.

 

Learning in a Time of Change

This literature review explores the idea of organizational learning during seasons of transition.  The purpose of the study was 

 to identify key factors influencing staff learning during major organizational transition through reviewing recent journal articles addressing key conceptual aspects of this issue.

 

The results of the study include a set of factors impacting staff learning during seasons of organizational change: the nature of specific organizational change, the learning capacity of the organization and other organizational variables, organizational systems of communication, goal orientations of staff, the emotional impact of change, and cultural variables.  The paper concludes that we may best conceptualize effective learning in a time of change as being embedded in healthy relationships.

 

(Note:  this paper is retained in APA-style academic format, as an example of my formal scholarly work.)

 

Inadequate Commitment to Organizational Purposes

This was an integrative assignment applying the HRD praxis model to a training and development problem, specifically insufficient personal commitment on the part of organizational staff to the vision, mission, and values of the organization.  The paper explores a theoretical model of workplace commitment, research on  the relationship between organizational training and organizational commitment, and management practice on employee engagement.

 

Performance Assessment in Collectivist Contexts

This was an integrative assignment applying the HRD praxis model to an organizational development problem, specifically the challenge of applying Western models of performance assessment in non-Westeren, collectivist cultural environments.  The paper explores a research study on the relationship between human resource management practice and improved performance as moderated by degree of collectivism, a practice model of performance appraisal specifically designed for such face-saving contexts, and a culturally sensitive theory of performance assessment.

 

Empowering Leadership Model summary

This is a generic model of empowering leadership which can function as a general framework for developing leaders within an organization.