Invest in HR — Ulrich

most important motivational factor even for Zimbabwean organisations.
Prof Ulrich said human resources practitioners should develop a holistic strategy to improve employees’ commitment to their work.
“Money can be a motivator, but there is often not enough and even when it is adequate it cannot achieve the right outcomes because is not sustainable in the long-term in giving work meaning.
“It can actually become a de-motivator if it is always not enough. The best kind of motivation comes when the individual finds meaning in his/her work. Essentially the intrinsic value of work is service to others.
“Hence an organisation can give value to work by capturing broader purpose or meaning in their mission,” said Prof Ulrich.
He was speaking during a presentation at the Regional HR Indaba 2010 that was held in the capital on Wednesday.
Prof Ulrich urged the country’s human resources practitioners to establish a balance in terms of workplace motivational factors.
The advice comes as Zimbabwean workers have been clamouring for an upward review of wages despite the sluggish performance of the economy.
According to a research done by Industrial Psychology Consultants (Pvt) Ltd last year, remuneration issues (at 33 percent) were rated by the majority of human resources executives as the most significant challenge that prevailed in the human resources environment during the period.
These were followed by low capacity utilisation (11 percent), industrial relations issues (12 percent), low employee engagement (9 percent), failure to articulate company vision and programmes by management (8 percent) and skills flight/shortages (5 percent).
Prof Ulrich encouraged local organisations to give their employees challenging work as it engages them and help them develop skills.
He also noted that most organisations’ human resources departments were suffering from weak synergies between their firms’ HR strategies and company purpose.
“Human resources management starts with having knowledge of the particular business in question.
“In this respect, it is important to link the values of employees to the overall strategy of the business, as well as linking customers’ expectations with HR practice,” he said.
Prof Ulrich also called upon HR practitioners in the country to be constantly aware of developments in the broader environment in which they operate, as this tends to have a bearing on organisational effectiveness.
Speaking to the Herald Business on the sidelines of the event Prof Ulrich said it was critical for the country to continually invest in its human capital.
“I am not privy to all the challenges that Zimbabwe faces in respect of its human resources, however, when a country invests in the next generation in terms of human capital it will ultimately be more successful,” he said.
Prof Ulrich said he would be returning to Zimbabwe whenever an opportunity arises.
l Dave Ulrich is a Professor at the Ross School of Business, University of Michigan and a partner at the RBL Group, a consulting firm focused on helping organisations and leaders deliver value.