Listening, learning and contributing

The subtle art of not diving in

In any new post – but particularly your first at manager level – it’s tempting to jump in with both feet and make your presence felt straight away.

But unless you’ve explicitly been tasked with shaking things up from the start, it’s vital that you resist the urge to make sweeping changes.

Global HR Analyst Josh Bersin is among leading industry figures who claim these first few weeks are instead a time to listen, learn and get to know the business you’ve just joined.

Part of that challenge will be assessing and understanding the current HR practices and processes, the culture of the company and the ways in which people in the business interact.

And, as an HR leader with a key part to play in strategic discussions, you’ll also need to gain a detailed understanding of the corporate structure, the way the business operates and, crucially, how the company makes its money.

Only by understanding the organisation’s overriding goals and challenges can you ensure your ultimate HR strategy aligns with the business’s direction of travel.

It's an opportunity you'll never have again

For an HR leader, the first few weeks in the role offer an incredibly valuable insight that you’ll never be able to fully replicate.

This is your one and only chance to experience life as a freshly hired employee – and your own experience as a new starter will teach you a lot about the HR department you now head up.

Seeing things from an employee’s perspective is critical to developing an effective HR strategy that works for the whole business, so aim to spend time with as many people in as many roles as possible.

You may want to take a trip into the field with the sales team, for example, or spend a day on the factory floor – just to see first-hand what elements of the job work well for your employees, and what could potentially be improved.

Building relationships

Developing relationships at the opposite end of the hierarchy will be crucial too. If this is your first HR leadership role, it may be daunting to work so closely with the Chief Executive, but make it a priority to speak to them at length early into your tenure.

Probe them on the core business issues that are causing the most concern, and evaluate how HR can play its part in meeting those challenges.

Of course, it’s not all about asking questions – you will be expected to contribute thoughts and ideas right from the off. If your peers are engaged and proactive in their

own positions, they’ll likely be looking to you for a ‘fresh eyes’ perspective on the way things are done.

You’ll need to proceed with a little caution here. Aim to offer constructive, balanced advice, never overly critical of practice, process or predecessors – whatever the state of the situation you’ve inherited.

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