Human resources

Human resources is a huge field that covers everything and anything to do with people as a business resource. It includes such diverse areas as recruitment and selection, training and development, remuneration and benefits, conditions and opportunities, retirement and redundancy, outplacement and counselling. It is an area of constant change with legal, cultural, ethnic and other diversity issues presenting new challenges daily. Recent legal changes have included sexual discrimination; disability; maternity, paternity and adoption rights; religious rights; working hours and patterns; and ageism.

There is no universal model of best personnel practice because organisations operate in different areas, in different places and at different stages of development. The whole business of people management is very complex because there is no universal solution. People answer back and interact with management decisions; other resources do not do that.

Management used to consist of hierarchical, top-down structures in which the belief was that, if the top was clever enough and communications downwards worked efficiently, the organisation would operate effectively. Although this approach is still needed to minimise risk and ensure compliance with standards, and to enable organisations like the Services to undertake operations, it may not be enough. Increasingly, society’s norms and expectations are different. There has been a shift of power, backed up in many instances by legislation, from the employer to the employee, with the latter expecting more from both work and life than was previously the case.

The Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) is the principal UK body that represents the human resources function. There are other organisations that cover specific personnel areas, like recruitment, outplacement, counselling and personal development, but the CIPD takes the lead in people management as a whole. It was formed through an amalgamation of the Institute of Personnel Management and the Institute of Training and Development, and now has a range of academic and vocational standards and qualifications for the aspiring professional in this field.

Human resources in the Services

Many people in the Armed Forces see themselves as trained and experienced in personnel issues and the development of the skills of their workforce. There is no doubt that this is true to a large extent, and that the recruitment, selection, career management and appraisal processes demonstrate a genuine commitment to people and responsiveness to change. However, many people find that the gap between Service and civilian practice is greater than they imagine, and it can also be difficult to manage 21st-century expectations in a Service environment.

In areas like leadership, recruitment, training and personal development, the Services’ record is a strong one and they could fairly claim to be among the market leaders. However, the unique demands of Service life leave many people unfamiliar with such topics as disabilities, trades unions, job-sharing and some of the finer points of employment law.

Some military courses in all three Services are accredited by the CIPD. Passing them entitles the individual to become a Licentiate member with Graduate membership following once the necessary other module(s) have been obtained. Of course, this takes some extra work and effort by the individuals involved, and not every youngster at the start of a career sees this as a desirable thing to do. But those who make the effort acquire a transferable qualification, and one that will increasingly be useful within a military career as well.

The CIPD is not ‘officer only’. There cannot be a senior NCO who could not easily complete an appropriate N/SVQ at the right level, simply by using the paperwork and experience available in everyday Service life. As this provides Associate or Licentiate membership of the Institute, this is a convenient entry route for non-commissioned Service people.

There is nothing new in much of this. The mixed workforces and more civilian-style working environments that the more technical parts of the Services have managed for years clearly call for a different approach than that adopted by units firmly focused on operations. Manning branches and posting authorities, despite the occasional internal bad press, also largely follow today’s best practice. Expectations are managed as far as possible to keep them realistic, there is consultation about postings where possible and within the constraints of operations, and individuals can consult with a career manager if they wish – although, as in civilian life, they may not necessarily like what they hear.

Qualifications and training

There are over 50 bachelor degree, Higher National Diploma and Higher National Certificate qualifications available at UK universities and colleges in human resources, many of them linked with other subjects like business studies, technology or a language. There are also many shorter courses on the subject in general, or in specific aspects of it, at local colleges.

With 130,000 members in the UK and Ireland, 48 branches (varying in size from 500 to 5,000 members) and an income of more than £35 million, the CIPD is the largest professional body in the world for managers who are responsible for people. Some 48,000 Fellows and Members have achieved Chartered status, while around 12,000 people benefit annually from CIPD training courses and programmes, in-house and at 300 educational establishments and course providers. There are training centres close to most major military concentrations and the qualifications can be obtained through open and flexible learning programmes, which are well suited to a Service lifestyle.

CIPD standards have been developed at three levels.

There are support level Certificates in:

• Employment Relations, Law and Practice
• Personnel Practice
• Recruitment and Selection
• Training Practice
• Coaching and Mentoring.

There is then a Certificate in Business Awareness and Advanced Professional Study Standards to develop the skills required for entry to the following.

· Practitioner-level standards to qualify for graduate membership:

– Leadership and Management

Managing for Results

Managing in a Strategic Business Context

Managing Information for Competitive Advantage

Managing and Leading People

– People Management and Development

– Specialist and Generalist Personnel and Development

People Resourcing

Learning and Development

Employee Reward

Employee Relations

– Applied Personnel and Development

Management Research Report

Continuing Professional Development.

Advanced Practitioner Standards build on this knowledge as a CIPD graduate or member:

• Strategic Personnel and Development
• International Personnel and Development
• Organisation Change and Transition
• Personnel and Development Consulting.

The key grade is that of Graduate Membership, which may be achieved through a competence-based route or the Practitioner Scheme.

There are five different membership routes for people who want to obtain a professional grade of membership.

1. Educational – the most popular route, using a network of education centres that offer full-time, part-time and/or flexible learning courses. Qualifications are designed to suit everyone, from those with little or no experience to those in more senior positions.

2. Professional assessment of competence – for people operating at a senior level in personnel and development with five years’ managerial-level experience can have their competence professionally assessed.

3. Accreditation of prior certificated learning – assesses postgraduate-level qualifications against the CIPD’s Professional Standards, and will award exemptions from the Professional Development Scheme.

4. National and Scottish Vocational Qualifications (NVQs/SVQs) – these are an alternative to college study and are ideal for people already working in personnel and development. NVQs/SVQs are nationally recognised and widely used competence-based qualifications.

5. Direct admission for approved qualifications – the best way to become a member for people who have been awarded a CIPD-approved or accredited qualification within the last ten years. This route is also suitable for those who already hold an NVQ/SVQ in a relevant occupational area.

The CIPD provides library and information services, training courses leading to qualifications, CPD and the chance to network with others at national and regional events. They also get its fortnightly magazine – People Management – which not only contains a large number of job advertisements, but also gives up-to-date information on industry developments, career opportunities, courses and the like.

People can earn the qualifications and develop their personnel and training knowledge while serving, using the various grants on offer. They can also take part in CIPD activities to share experiences with other professionals in the same line of business.

Many Service leavers have found that gaining a CIPD qualification means that they can be confident in their knowledge of modern personnel and development management. It is also an invaluable tool in translating Service skills and experience into terms that a civilian employer will understand and value. Indeed, employment pages and national advertisements show that many organisations regard CIPD qualifications as essential for work in this field.

The Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development is at 151 The Broadway, London SW19 1JQ Tel: 020 8612 6200 Website: www.cipd.co.uk