Accountability in Human Resource Management (Improving Human Performance) (Hardcover)

by Jack J. Phillips PhD in Human Resource Management. (Author) "During the last decade, the Human Resources (HR) function experienced drastic change in its role, status, and influence..." (more)
Key Phrases: communicating program results, soft data measures, henchmarking project, New York, Personnel Journal, Saratoga Institute (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
Techniques for evaluating the human resource function, and measuring its bottom-line contribution.
This guide develops a results-based approach to human resources that keeps an eye on the bottom line. Based on actual experiences, accepted practices, and a strong 10-year research base, it clearly shows you how to:
Uncover and monitor the costs of human resource (HR) programs
Develop programs emphasizing accountability
Design data-collection instruments for evaluation
Measure the contribution of human resources
Calculate the return on investment
Elevate management's commitment to HR programs

Phillips' nine-step, results-based human resource model helps you analyze, create, and execute successful HR programs. In addition, you'll find a Human Resources Effectiveness Index you can use to measure the overall effectiveness of HR performance. A benchmarking chapter assists you in comparing your success against other organizations. HR professionals, top- and middle-level managers, and students of human resources management will find this book an invaluable resource in which each technique and idea has been tested and proven in actual practice.


'Accountability in Human Resource Management' develops a results-based approach to human resources that keeps an eye on the bottom line. Based on actual experiences, accepted practices, and a strong 10-year research base, it clearly shows you how to:
*Uncover and monitor the costs of human resource (HR) programs
*Develop programs emphasizing accountability
*Design data-collection instruments for evaluation
*Measure the contribution of human resources
*Calculate the return on investment
*Elevate management's commitment to HR programs

Phillips' nine-step, results-based human resource model helps you analyze, create, and execute successful HR programs. In addition, you'll find a Human Resources Effectiveness Index you can use to measure the overall effectiveness of HR performance. A benchmarking chapter assists you in comparing your success against other organizations. HR professionals, top- and middle-level managers, and students of human resources management will find this book an invaluable resource in which each technique and idea has been tested and proven in actual practice.

Based on actual experiences, accepted practices, and a strong 10-year research base, it clearly shows you how to:

Uncover and monitor the costs of human resource (HR) programs

Develop programs emphasizing accountability

Design data-collection instruments for evaluation

Measure the contribution of human resources

Calculate the return on investment

Elevate management's commitment to HR programs

About the Author
Jack J. Phillips, Ph.D., a renowned expert of measurement and evaluation, is with the Jack Phillips Center for Research, a division of the Franklin-Covey Company. He provides consulting services for Fortune 500 companies in the USA and to organizations in 25 countries. Previously, Phillips served as senior HR officer in three firms, bank president, and founder and president of a major consulting firm, which is now owned by the Franklin-Covey Company. He is also an author or editor of more than 30 books and 100 articles.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 342 pages
• Publisher: Gulf Professional Publishing (January 1, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0884153967
• ISBN-13: 978-0884153962
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6.1 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #950,747 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

25 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Tracking success in HRpractitioners need this book., March 11, 1999

By A Customer

This important work shows you how to take a results-oriented approach to human resources. It explains how to develop programs with an emphasis on accountability, determine the costs of HR programs, calculate the return on investment, design data collection instruments and techniques for evaluation, and strengthen management's commitment to HR efforts. The author presents a nine-step model to analyze, develop, and implement programs and illustrates its use. He also presents a methodology for measuring overall effectiveness of HR. This book shows how to benchmark against other organizations. Comprehensive and useful. Overall, tracking success is crucial for HR practitioners to understand and do! Ergo, HR practitioners need this book.

20 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A reference book on measurement and evaluation for HR, June 16, 2000

By	Turgay BUGDACIGIL (Istanbul, Turkey) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)

"During the last decade, the Human Resources (HR) function experienced drastic change in its role, status, and influence". Jack J. Phillips writes, "Some HR executives recognized the change and stepped up to the challenge. A panel of top-level HR executives recently assembled by Personnel Journal agreed that HR is moving away from the transactional, paper-pushing, hiring/firing support function it has been and is becoming a bottom-line business decision maker...Peter Drucker predicted these changes in The Wall Street Journal over ten years ago when he asserted that the personnel department, in addition to changing its name to human resources, must behave quite differently and follow the line mode of behavior rather than the staff mode"(pp.1-5).And hence, he rightly argues that "from recent articles, reports, books, and interviews on the subject, seven trends can be identified that have a significant impact on an organization's bottom-line results and the HR function's role in the process. These trends include the increased importance of the HR function, increased accountability, organizational change and quality programs, improvement in productivity, adoption of HR strategies, growing use of HR's information systems, and reliance on partnership relationships. Collectively these trends enhance or complement the efforts of the HR department to monitor and improve its contribution to organizational performance" (pp.5-6).

Within this context, he divides his book into four parts as follows:

Part I- presents a general framework for evaluating the HR function (Chapters 1-2)

Part II- presents the issues involved in developing a results-based approach to HR (Chapters 3-4)

Part III- focuses on specific ways to measure the contribution of HR (Chapters 5-9)

Part IV- explores data analysis and presentation results.

One of the core concepts of the book, in Chapter 1, he focuses on paradigm shifts from traditional HR approach to a more results-based approach demanded in today's environment, and summarizes these paradigm shifts necessary for a results-based approach as follows:

Traditional Approach:

(1) New programs initiated by request or suggestion of any significant manager or group.

(2) A maltitude of programs in all areas.

(3) Existing programs are rarely, if ever, eliminated or changed.

(4) Count activities, hours of involvement, number of employees involved, etc.

(5) Limited management involvement in the HR process.

(6) HR viewed as cost center.

(7) HR staff unfamiliar with operations issues.

(8) HR staff lack knowledge of finance and business concepts.

Results-Based Approach:

(1) New programs initiated only after a legitimate need is established.

(2) Fewer programs with greater opportunity to make an impact.

(3) Existing programs are regularly reviewed and eliminated when necessary.

(4) Measure the impact of programs on the organization.

(5) Extensive involvement and collaboration with management.

(6) HR is viewed as an investment in employees.

(7) HR staff very knowledgeable about operations issues.

(8) HR staff versed in basic finance and business concepts.

I highly recommend this invaluable study to all HR executives.