Frequently Asked Questions

Q:  What do you mean when you say you align human capital strategy with business strategy?

A:  Human capital—or people—can cost up to $.70 of every dollar of profit. Given that huge influence on the bottom line, we work with companies to identify their long-term business goals, and we provide a people strategy that helps them achieve their goals.

Q:  Where does your experience come from—just as a consultant?

A:  Certainly our experience comes through our consultancy practice, but it is also based on vast experience of dealing with human capital issues on a day-to-day basis in the corporate world. We understand how it feels to struggle as part of a management team to make a company a success.  We have used our corporate experience as a foundation for our consulting experience.

Q:  Who are your clients?

A:  We serve a variety of industries and companies of all shapes and sizes. But the bottom line is that all of the companies we’ve served have two things in common: 1) the company truly believes that the people are driving the success of the organization; and 2) the company is experiencing some sort of “people pain”—be it attraction, development, recruitment, retention, morale, etc.

Q:  How do you deliver your services?

A:  Unlike larger consulting firms where the most experience person sells the project but shifts quickly to the next new prospective client, our chief strategist stays on the job throughout the lifetime of the project. He’ll identify your issues, develop a strategy, and then help you solve the problem. If we don’t have the immediately expertise to deliver a particular component, we have partners who are part of the Human Capital Consulting Partners umbrella that will deliver the same level of value and service.

Q:  This sounds like something that only large companies do. Why should I commit the energy to developing a human capital strategy?

A:  If you agree that your people are at the center of your business success, you need a human capital strategy. But this strategy doesn’t have to be huge or cumbersome. It does, however, need to be written for a forward-looking roadmap. If you don’t have this roadmap, sooner or later you’ll become lost and you won’t be able to attract and retain the people you need to succeed. As your company grows, your human capital strategy plan can become more sophisticated.

Q:  Are you an HR consultant?

A:  Yes, however, our approach is to focus on the business first and on HR second.

Q:  Are you an executive search firm?

A:  No, but we can help you first determine what roles, responsibilities, competencies, and experiences, and compensation package are needed for a position before you begin recruiting. We do have strategic partners who can provide executive search services under our Human Capital Consulting Services umbrella, providing the same level of value and service.

Q:  How long does it typically take to develop a human capital strategy?

A:  Depending on the availability of the client, the size of the organization, and the issues involved, the development of a human capital strategy typically takes four to six months.

Q:  What kind of resources should I expect to commit to developing a human capital strategy?

A:  This all depends upon the organization and the scope of the deliverables of the project in question. It is important to realize that developing a human capital strategy is a collaborative effort. The strategy is owned by the company, and you would certainly need to provide some level of resource-typically a key contact within the business—to the process.

Q:  Can you give me an example of successful corporate cultures?

A:  A successful corporate culture is in the eye of the beholder. If it works—for the company, the employees, shareholders, and customers—it works.

Q:  How do you bring two very different companies together as one after a merger/acquisition?

A:  Bringing two different companies together can create organizational turmoil. Common “fit” issues include employee turnover, productivity and moral problems, cultural alignment, people selection, communication, and organization design. We’ve had experience time and time again with M&A integration. We understand what it takes to bring two companies together, how to develop an effective integration strategy, and how to communicate appropriately and effectively with all employees.

Q:  Is leadership development only for the fast-track executive types?

A:  No, development is for everyone regardless of the level of each individual—whether a mail clerk, a data entry clerk, a sales rep, or a senior officer. It is important for companies to focus on how they develop their employees and how do they coach and mentor them in a way that makes them better employees and better contributors to the success of the organization.

Q:  I'm thinking of retiring in a few years. What should I do now to plan for the continued successful leadership of my company?

A: Succession planning is important for every company and for every key
position in the company. Take a look at this article.

Q:  Should I have a performance appraisal system? How formal should it be?

A:  Yes, but you need to remember that the most important aspect of a performance management system is the communication and dialogue between the employee and the immediate supervisor. To ensure that everyone knows the expectations of the job, it is important to have communication at least once a year regarding performance. It can be formal with forms, a formal process, and rating scales (we can help you develop this process and system) but at the very least there needs to be two-way communication and some process in place to review employees’ performance annually. This will help you determine individual training needs, salary needs, and promotability.

Q:  Should we outsource HR?

A:  Maybe. It depends on the nature of your company, your issues, and what you’re trying to accomplish. This is not a slam dunk decision that is right for everyone. It should be well-thought-out, there should be a process to manage and assess performance, and you should select the best possible provider to perform the HR services.