Diagnostic findings of the measurement of the strategic impact, value and maturity of the current HRM and L&D practices in Africa by means of mini surveys and improvement strategies to actualize to strategic performance advisor and strategic learning partner roles

1. REALITY CHECK FOR CHIEF HUMAN RESOURCES OFFICERS IN
AFRICA: HRM PRACTICES STILL LANGUISHING AT A
TRANSACTIONAL LEVEL OF STRATEGIC MATURITY
CHARLES COTTER PhD, MBA, B.A (Hons), B.A
PRETORIA, SOUTH AFRICA
31 MAY 2018
www.slideshare.net/CharlesCotter

2. INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND
• Despite the strategic business imperative and mounting pressure on
Human Resources Management (HRM) to transform its operating
model to actualize to a Strategic Performance Advisor (SPA), the
tangible results and impact, as reflected on the HRM performance
scorecard, have been unimpressive and unconvincing.
• This assertion is supported through authoritative and empirical
research conducted in South Africa and globally (CIPD, 2014; Cotter,
2017; Deloitte, 2018; KPMG, 2015; LinkedIn Learning Solutions, 2017;
McKinsey, 2014; Overton & Dixon, 2016; PWC, 2017).

3. STRATEGIC PERFORMANCE ADVISOR (SPA) MODEL
(COTTER, 2017)

4. HRM/L&D STRATEGIC MATURITY MODEL
Level 4: Strategic
HRM/L&D
(80%+)
Level 3: Transformational
HRM/L&D
(65-79%)
Level 2: Transactional
HRM/L&D
(41-64%)
Level 1: Traditional
HRM/L&D
(0-40%)

5. MEASURING THE STRATEGIC IMPACT AND VALUE
OF HRM/L&D
• Over the past 12 months, I’ve developed Survey Monkey quizzes, based on compliance of current HRM/L&D
practices, measured against 10 best practice criteria, that I’ve used on various training and conference speaking
assignments in South Africa, Ghana, Zambia, Mozambique and Kenya.
• The respondents from these five (5) countries were HR/L&D managers and -professionals, representative of both
public and private sector institutions.
• The seven (7) focal points of these mini surveys include the following HRM/L&D value chain processes:
Strategic Performance Advisor (SPA)
Strategic HR Planning
HRM Metrics and Analytics
Strategic Total Rewards Management (STORM)
Skills Auditing
Strategic Learning Partner (SLP)
Ethics of S.A trainers

6. OVERALL FINDINGS
HRM/L&D Value chain process Number of
respondents (N)
Mean Score Relative Difficulty
ranking
Standard
deviation
Level of Strategic Maturity
Strategic Performance
Advisor (SPA)
38 60% 6 15% Level 2 (Transactional)
Strategic HR Planning 33 57% 4 14% Level 2 (Transactional)
HRM Metrics and Analytics 61 53% 2 11% Level 2 (Transactional)
Strategic Total Rewards
Management (STORM) –
Principles and Best Practices
13 48% 1 8-9% Level 2 (Transactional)
Skills Auditing 29 56% 3 17% Level 2 (Transactional)
Strategic Learning
Partner (SLP)
23 60% 6 13% Level 2 (Transactional)
Ethics of S.A trainers 54 58% 5 12% Level 2 (Transactional)
OVERALL 251 56% Level 2 (Transactional)

7. 0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
OVERALL FINDINGS
Strategic Performance Advisor HR Planning HR Metrics
STORM Skills Auditing Strategic Learning Partner

8. ENABLERS OF TRANSFORMATION/RE-
POSITIONING TO SPA – “RIGHTING THE
SHIP”
“HR needs to follow the right process, applying
the right skills, in the right manner/method,
fulfilling the right roles, for the right reasons,
to achieve the right results.”
(Cotter, 2014)

9. 0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
STRATEGIC PERFORMANCE ADVISOR
31-40 41-50 51-60 61-70 71-80 81-90 90-100

10. STRATEGIC PERFORMANCE ADVISOR (SPA) –
WIDEST COMPLIANCE GAPS
Range Median Mean Standard Deviation
38-93% 57% 60% 15%
BEST PRACTICE CRITERIA RELATIVE DIFFICULTY
RANKING
MEAN SCORE
Your organization's HRM function generates business intelligence e.g.
predictive and strategic analytics (that shapes, informs, guides and ultimately,
influences strategic business decisions)
1 49%
Your organization's HRM function has well-defined, implemented and
reported HRM performance scorecards and ROI metrics (creating credibility
and accountability)
2 50%
Your organization's HRM strategy is embedded in business strategy and HRM
are able to translate that strategy into deliverable actions
3 54%

11. STRATEGIC PERFORMANCE ADVISOR (SPA) – MOST
COMPLIANT CRITERIA
BEST PRACTICE CRITERIA RELATIVE
DIFFICULTY
RANKING
MEAN SCORE
Your organization's HRM function
collaborates with line management to
broker meaningful and impactful business
solutions
10 69%

12. 0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
STRATEGIC HR PLANNING
11-20 21-30 31-40 41-50 51-60 61-70 71-80

13. STRATEGIC HR PLANNING – MOST COMPLIANT
CRITERIA
Range Median Mean Standard Deviation
11-80% 60% 57% 14%
BEST PRACTICE CRITERIA DIFFICULTY
RANKING
MEAN SCORE
Your HR Plan is aligned with the organization’s
strategic business plans and priorities.
10 71%

14. STRATEGIC HR PLANNING – WIDEST COMPLIANCE
GAPS
BEST PRACTICE CRITERIA RELATIVE
DIFFICULTY
RANKING
MEAN SCORE
Your organization's HR plan yields a positive ROI, with
tangible/demonstrable outcomes and impact i.e. creates sustainable
HCM competitive advantages
1 53%
Your organization's HR plan integrates both scientific (HRM metrics,
predictive analytics and strategy maps) with artistic (planning)
principles.
2 53%
Your organization's HR Plan provides accurate and reliable (clear view)
talent planning/management information e.g. available core
competencies; scarce skills; critical jobs and employee segments and
talent gaps.
3 56%

15. “HRM will have to migrate from the
fundamentals of people science to the
complexities of data science.”
(Cotter, 2017)

16. 0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
HR METRICS AND ANALYTICS
21-30 31-40 41-50 51-60 61-70 71-80 81-90

17. HR METRICS AND ANALYTICS – WIDEST
COMPLIANCE GAPS
Range Median Mean Standard Deviation
22-83% 53% 53% 11%
BEST PRACTICE CRITERIA RELATIVE DIFFICULTY
RANKING
MEAN SCORE
Your organization has re-injected scientific principles, processes
and tools and credibility into HRM Metrics e.g. 3 E’s -
evidentiary, empirical and ethical.
1 49%
Your organization harnesses automation, utilizing a 4-G digital
data analysis solution.
2 50%
Your organization applies the 4 C’s to HRM Metrics Reporting i.e. 3 50%

18. HR METRICS AND ANALYTICS – MOST COMPLIANT
CRITERIA
BEST PRACTICE CRITERIA RELATIVE
DIFFICULTY
RANKING
MEAN SCORE
HR professionals "walk the floor" and
actively engage organizational
stakeholders in metrics/analytics
processes and, therefore, do not manage
it like a detached “desktop” exercise.
10 61%

19. 0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
STORM - Principles
11-20 21-30 31-40 41-50 51-60

20. STRATEGIC TOTAL REWARDS MANAGEMENT
(STORM PRINCIPLES) – WIDEST COMPLIANCE GAPS
Range Median Mean Standard Deviation
19-54% 42% 43% 9%
BEST PRACTICE CRITERIA RELATIVE DIFFICULTY
RANKING
MEAN SCORE
Your organization's reward management practices are future-
focused (ensuring that the organization is future-proof).
1 32%
Your organization's reward management practices are
vertically aligned with the business strategy, goals and
objectives.
2 36%
Your organization's rewards management practices conduct
environmental scanning and are highly attuned, sensitive to and
3 37%

21. STORM PRINCIPLES – MOST COMPLIANT CRITERIA
BEST PRACTICE CRITERIA DIFFICULTY
RANKING
MEAN SCORE
Your organization's reward management
practices adopt a measurement culture
e.g. scorecards, dashboards, metrics, risk
analysis and audits etc.
8 62%

22. 0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
STORM - Practices
31-40 41-50 51-60 61-70

23. STORM PRACTICES – MOST COMPLIANT CRITERIA
Range Median Mean Standard Deviation
38-63% 54% 53% 8%
BEST PRACTICE CRITERIA DIFFICULTY RANKING MEAN SCORE
The value of remuneration and rewards offered by your
organization is affordable (feasible) promoting business
sustainability and continuity.
10 62%

24. STORM PRACTICES – WIDEST COMPLIANCE GAPS
BEST PRACTICE CRITERIA RELATIVE DIFFICULTY
RANKING
MEAN SCORE
Your organization adequately and accurately recognizes the knowledge,
skills, competencies and experience of employees and rewards are
sufficiently flexible and variable.
1 44%
Your organization promotes transparency through sharing information
about their compensation practices, pay rates criteria and how they are
determined – especially at the managerial and executive levels.
2 45%
Your organization's reward system is effective in that it directly contributes
to and enables the achievement of business management goals e.g. higher
levels of productivity and performance.
3 46%

25. 0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
SKILLS AUDITING
0-10 11-20 21-30 31-40 41-50 51-60 61-70 71-80 81-90

26. SKILLS AUDITING - WIDEST COMPLIANCE GAPS
Range Median Mean Standard Deviation
10-90% 57% 56% 17%
BEST PRACTICE CRITERIA RELATIVE DIFFICULTY
RANKING
MEAN SCORE
Formal appeal mechanisms are in place in your organization and
skills assessment results are regularly moderated and reviewed.
1 52%
Your organization's skills auditing is a holistic, systematic,
integrated and aligned L&D approach.
2 52%
Your organization trains skills auditors and -raters to use the skills
rating instrument properly.
3 53%

27. SKILLS AUDITING - MOST COMPLIANT CRITERIA
BEST PRACTICE CRITERIA RELATIVE
DIFFICULTY
RANKING
MEAN SCORE
Your organization's skills auditing process
complies with the 7 E’s i.e. efficient,
effective, economical, educational,
ethical, empirical and evidentiary.
10 70%

28. 0
2
4
6
8
10
12
STRATEGIC LEARNING PARTNER
41-50 51-60 61-70 71-80 81-90

29. SLP – WIDEST COMPLIANCE GAPS
Range Median Mean Standard Deviation
41-89% 58% 60% 13%
BEST PRACTICE CRITERIA RELATIVE DIFFICULTY
RANKING
MEAN SCORE
L&D have established a high impact learning organizational (HILO)
culture and developed a Knowledge Management System
1 55%
There is direct and active engagement, consultation and participation
of line management in all learning processes
2 56%
L&D Managers and -professionals adopt and apply a strategic mind-
set (conceptual thinking)
3 57%

30. SLP – MOST COMPLIANT CRITERIA
BEST PRACTICE CRITERIA RELATIVE
DIFFICULTY
RANKING
MEAN SCORE
When utilizing outsourced training
providers, L&D ensures performance-
directed, Service Level Agreements
are in place
10 68%

31. "Diligently serve the S.A training industry and the
S.A training industry will diligently serve you."
(Charles Cotter, 26 May 2017)

32. 0
5
10
15
20
25
30
ETHICS OF S.A TRAINERS
31-40 41-50 51-60 61-70 71-80 81-90 90-100

33. ETHICS OF S.A TRAINERS – MOST COMPLIANT
CRITERIA
Range Median Mean Standard Deviation
39-100% 59% 58% 12%
BEST PRACTICE CRITERIA RELATIVE DIFFICULTY
RANKING
MEAN SCORE
South African trainers' conduct is morally corrupt. 20 66%
South African trainers are trustworthy. 19 64%
South African trainers demonstrate a sense of duty and commitment to
faithfully serve the training profession.
18 64%

34. ETHICS OF S.A TRAINERS – WIDEST COMPLIANCE
GAPS
BEST PRACTICE CRITERIA RELATIVE DIFFICULTY
RANKING
MEAN SCORE
South African trainers sometimes violate copyright and intellectual property
rules and are guilty of plagiarism.
1 48%
South African trainers sometimes discredit the training profession by associating
with unscrupulous business owners.
2 49%
South African trainers are sometimes guilty of misconduct. 3 52%
South African trainers sometimes violate the organizational code of conduct. 4 52%
South African trainers' actions comply with regulatory standards and training
legislation.
5 54%

35. IMPROVEMENT RECOMMENDATIONS - SPA
• According to Cotter (2014), business executives expect SPA’s to fulfil the following
key roles:
• #1: Catalytic Driver of Change;
• #2: Pro-active Business Thinker;
• #3: Collaborative Consultant;
• #4: Purpose-directed Coach;
• #5: Delivery (results-oriented HR practices);
• #6: Strategic Facilitator and
• #7: (Credible and Accountable) Performance Advisor

36. IMPROVEMENT RECOMMENDATIONS – SPA
(COTTER, 2017)
• #1: Transition from transactional to transformational HRM;
• #2: Transition from a cost to a profit centre;
• #3: Migration from fundamentals of people science to the complexities of data
science;
• #4: Acquisition of more advanced, business relevant skills by HR Professionals;
• #5: Migration from manual to automated/digital HRM – 1G to 4G technology and
• #6: Transition from administrative expert to strategic performance advisor.

37. “As Learning and Development professionals, let's
liberate the learning like true revolutionaries."
(Charles Cotter, 7 June 2017)

38. IMPROVEMENT RECOMMENDATIONS – SLP
(COTTER, 2017)
• #1: Transition from e-learning to mobile (m)-learning;
• #2: More video-based, on-demand micro-learning;
• #3: Learners taking more ownership and responsibility for their learning;
• #4: More use of Virtual Reality in the traditional learning space;
• #5: Technology-enabled and digital learning devices;
• #6: Transition from training facilitators to Learning Navigators;

39. IMPROVEMENT RECOMMENDATIONS - SLP
• #7: Less focus on learning content and more focus on the learner experience;
• #8: Less focus on learner assessment and qualifications and more focus on holistic
application and transfer of learning;
• #9: Less formal training and more focus on social and experiential learning (refer to the 70-
20-10 model of learning);
• #10: Transition from books to MOOC’s;
• #11: Use of a Strategic L&D Scorecard and
• #12: Adoption and implementation of the Strategic L&D Conceptual Framework (Cotter,
2017).

40. Strategic Learning & Development
Conceptual Framework
(Cotter, 2017)
Business Strategy
#1: Strategic mindset &
alignment with business goals
Learning & Development
Strategy
L&D VALUECHAIN
(Horizontally integrated)
#6: Enhanced skills set of
… L&D prof’s
#7: Top management support &
line management engagement,
commitment & involvement
L & D Strategic Objectives
#4: Provision of Learning Solutions
#7: Future-proofing organisation
EFFICIENCY EFFECTIVENESS STRATEGIC IMPACT
STRATEGIC
L&D
SCORECARD
Performance Management System
Change Management Process
}
#3: Learning architecture
& design
#5: Learning structure & roles
#8: Curating modern
learning experiences
#10: Learning admin.
#2: Evidence-based
metrics
3 YEARS

41. IMPROVEMENT RECOMMENDATIONS - SLP
• CURATE - from providing training programmes to providing business valued learning solutions;
• CREATE – an enabling high impact learning organization (HILO) culture and improved learner
experience (Lx);
• NAVIGATE - from being people pleasers and comfort-seekers to making employees competitive and
competent;
• MIGRATE - from traditional, manual methods to technology-enabled learning;
• EDUCATE - transform from training departments to learning factories (repositories of knowledge) and
• GRADUATE - from being transactional (administrative) to being transformational (strategic) i.e. from
training administrators to being strategic learning partners.

42. CONCLUSION
•As a matter of urgency, CHRO’s and CLO’s and -professionals
need to seriously address some of the strategic deficiencies
(identified by means of the mini surveys) throughout the
respective value chain functions and implement the
recommended improvement strategies to graduate from a
transactional (level 2 of maturity) to strategic performance
advisors and strategic learning partners (level 4), respectively.

43. CONTACT DETAILS
• Dr. Charles Cotter
• (+27) 84 562 9446
• charlescot@polka.co.za
• LinkedIn
• Twitter: @Charles_Cotter
• https://www.facebook.com/CharlesACotter/
• http://www.slideshare.net/CharlesCotter