The High-Efficiency HR Department

Higher education is a people-intensive enterprise, so HR has a clear role to play in achieving institutional goals. As the primary “people function,” HR is best positioned to drive high-level workforce effectiveness through sourcing, developing, engaging, and retaining talent. In this capacity, high-performing HR departments can significantly benefit the broader institution. Luckily, both HR leaders and business executives want HR to be more strategic and provide higher-level support to the academy and other administrative units. This, along with the widespread financial challenges facing the industry, continue to drive the evolution of HR’s organizational role.

Despite this desired shift, HR staff often lack the capacity to focus on more strategic priorities because they are consumed by transactional tasks foundational to HR department operations. As shown below, staff at all levels dedicate significant amounts of time and attention to HR processing and administrative responsibilities. This work precludes senior-level and high-skilled staff from assuming a greater focus on higher-level strategic activities.