adminpreferring to bury their heads in management issues.
A recent study carried out by US-based Zimbabwean national and one of our professional members, Angela Chimbodza, has revealed how project management methodology can be leveraged to add value to the Human Resource Management function.
Today we would like to examine when and how project management methodology should be used to add value to HR, drawing from key findings of Angela’s Pennsylvania University study. Some pointers will also be given on how organisations can utilise project management as a tool for harmonising HR issues.
HR has always been seen as a cost centre, whose primary role is to ensure compliance with laws, rules and regulations, with no perceivable contribution to the bottom line.
The HR function is now more strategic and customer focused, calling for a different way of doing business.
Project management methodology when utilised in the HR function provides a way of planning and achieving desired deliverables and outcomes, on time, within budget and as expected by all stakeholders.
Many projects are conceived to realise output on the strategic decisions made in a company. The core components of a project include a clear beginning and an outcome at the end, with a specific timeline, a budget and a multi- disciplined project team.
Since most innovation, development and competitiveness in companies is now project driven, it is important for the projects to be well managed following the project management phases of Initiation, Planning, and Implementation and Close Out.
Project management can then be defined as the planning, organising, scheduling, leading, communicating and controlling of work activities to achieve an expected outcome, on time and within a set budget, a definition that also lends itself well to HR management functions.
Project Management methodology is a useful tool with numerous applications for Human Resources management.
Methodology usually refers to practices, procedures and rules used by those in a particular discipline.
Project methodology serves purpose of providing a phased approach and guidelines to ensure that projects are completed on time and within budget and are conducted in a disciplined, well-managed and consistent manner.
The objective of project methodology is to ensure that all projects deliver quality products and results.
HR can advance its functions and add value to an organisation through applying the principles of project management in initiatives.
How Project Management Methodology adds value to HR?
There are three main areas of project management that lend themselves well to HR management:
Planning
In project management, planning involves aspect like defining goals of the project, undertaking a feasibility study, conducting a cost benefit analysis, setting expectations, risk assessment and management and the work breakdown structure.
Progress tracking
This is another area of project management methodology that add value to HR.
This process enables the project manager in keeping all stakeholders up to speed on progress of project, status of identified risks and availability and utilisation of resources.
It also helps to stay focused on the tasks that have greatest impact on the project’s timeline.
Progress tracking can be achieved through set weekly team meetings or generated reports for updates, reports to all stakeholders, baseline and variance reports and earned value analyses. A well-trained and seasoned project manager will have tools to track progress and promote the efficient reporting.
Project close out
This is the phase at which feedback is given to all team members. Lessons learned success stories and highlights of the project that can be used in future initiatives are documented and also presented to senior management.
At this phase the team can celebrate the success of the initiative and recognise individual achievements. The close out also promotes cross-functional communication and encourages staff to appreciate and be part of project teams.
Meeting HR Goals by Utilising Project Management Methodology
Project management can be a critical tool for HR function in meeting an organisation’s goals.
By using project management an organisation can reap the benefits of clear and effective communication and a true understanding of the status and priority of project work happening in each unit of the organisation.
Project management methodology has the added advantage of having multi-disciplinary teams come together and employees become more familiar with the expectation of success.
This cross-functional interaction is beneficial to the organisation and to the individuals involved as they gain a better understanding of the organisation’s goals and their role in the attainment of such goals.
With project management methodology, HR can also serves as a leading promoter of the project management concept, offering training through workshops and seminars.
Implementing Project Management Methodology in an HR Department.
This is an easy thing to implement and is a five-step process.
Project Management Training for HR Leadership Team
The HR management team must undergo high-level training in the principles, concepts and terms of project management so that the group is on the same level and understanding of the practice.
This will be invaluable in the interaction and communication of the multi disciplined project teams about their respective initiatives.
One HR leader must be identified as the central project management leader. Necessary training would also be given so that the central leader is well versed in all aspects of project Management and leading the whole HR team in all initiatives.
The process is gradual. When introducing the project management methodology to HR it is important to operate on a learning curve.
It’s therefore best to start with small initiatives and with practice and passage of time increasingly larger initiatives can be handling using the methodology. Eventually one day the HR department will become a Centre of Excellency!
At the close of each project comes the after action review. It follows then that at the end of each initiative is the need to de-brief within the project team.
This is when the team assesses how well they did, any problems, where and how the team went wrong, any lessons learned and of course how the process can be improved on, on the basis of experiences on this initiative for the benefit of future initiatives.
Feedback is very important. The outcomes of the initiatives and results of the review must be reported back to the whole HR team.
The project team is therefore sharing success and lessons learned with the whole HR group.
The rest of the group that was not involved in the initiative may also provide inputs based on their observations as outsiders to the initiative under review.
As more and more organisations continue to downsize operations in Zimbabwe, it is evident that exemptions to the onslaught will equally be leveraged to projects team membership, as long as the particular project has strong alignment to strategy.
The Human Resource Management function has the objective of providing specified deliverables to the rest of the organisation.
Such deliverables have to be as planned, and within budget and set time, or defined scope. Project management methodology and principles can be utilised in planning, controlling, guiding and delivery of quality products and outcomes that add value to the organisation.
- Peter Banda is the Secretary General and CEO of the Project Management Institute of Zimbabwe (PMIZ) Send your views and comments Email: [email protected] or [email protected] website link : www.pmiz.org.zw
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