Modern HR is Agile HR

Modern HR is agile HR

More is being asked of HR teams today than ever before. From hiring, to compliance, productivity, the employee experience, leadership, learning and development – and more – HR is the backbone of successful organisations.

The growth of HR teams and their expanding capabilities depends on shaking up old practices and trying out concepts like agile HR.    

“Agile HR Manifesto: We are uncovering better ways of developing an engaging workplace culture by doing it and helping others do it. Through this work, we have come to value: Collaborative networks over hierarchical structures; Transparency over secrecy; Adaptability over prescriptiveness; Inspiration and engagement over management and retention; Intrinsic motivation over extrinsic rewards; Ambition over obligation. That is, while there is value in the items on the right section of the sentence, we value the items on the left more.” 
― Pia-Maria Thoren, Agile People: A Radical Approach for HR & Managers  

Here are some key differences between traditional HR and agile HR:

• Traditional HR drives alignment and execution. Agile HR fosters expertise, collaboration, and decision-making.
• In traditional HR, managers are taskmasters. In agile HR, managers are trained to become coaches.
• Traditional HR trains employees for new roles. Agile HR creates a continuous learning environment for employees.
• Traditional HR implements systems of record. Agile HR implements systems of engagement to facilitate collaboration and information sharing.
• Traditional HR has annual performance reviews. Agile HR establishes continuous feedback throughout the year.
• Traditional HR measures success by compliance and documentation. Agile HR measures success in terms of retention, employee satisfaction, and innovation.