Enhancing, rather than managing, people
A recently published book about HR widens practices and horizons in an area that is key to enterprises
Working women and men are the essential resources for success. In the past, companies used to “manage” these resources, while today they aim to “enhance” them through appropriate approaches. Le 5 lenti dell’HR (The five lenses of HR), a recently published book by Alessandro Rimassa, revolves around these tangle of topics.
The work is based on an observation: “Staff management” has been seen as a mere secondary, auxiliary function for a long time, only good for some things and for some people, whose support role mostly lacked really quantifiable goals. Then the concept of “HR manager” arose and developed into a more poignant Chief People Officer and People & Culture Manager. As designations evolved, so did the tasks and features of a “Head of staff”. A change in functions and culture that needs to be explored and properly understood, and that, to gain a better insight, can be articulated into a more defined path: from the management of recruitment and dismissals to caring for people in the workplace.
Starting from all this, Rimassa highlights how those at the head of an organisation need people in order to actualise their strategy and grow the business, but, above all, need to build a “people’s strategy”. This is, once again, a cultural change and requires, above all, a reassessment of how complex and challenging the role of those who deal with people is, as well as the fact that HR functions can no longer remain secondary.
Thus, the book proposes to “adopt five different lenses”– individually and more often all together. A design lens, to plan the best product that will meet the needs of the people and the company; a marketing lens, to create unique experiences that encourage employees not only to stay on at a company but also to become its chief representatives; a learning lens, to guide a continuous learning process; a technology lens, to invest in digitisation and information accessibility; a well-being lens, to build working environments where everyone feels at ease and more content, and therefore becomes more productive, finding their own place in both individual and professional terms.
This work by Alessandro Rimassa tries to summarise all this using precise and technical language and as such does not always make for an easy read – this does not detract from its usefulness, however, thought it does require to be read with great attention. A book that can really teach a lot to those who are truly committed to enhance people working in enterprises.
Le 5 lenti dell’HR (The five lenses of HR)
Alessandro Rimassa
Egea, 2023
A recently published book about HR widens practices and horizons in an area that is key to enterprises
Working women and men are the essential resources for success. In the past, companies used to “manage” these resources, while today they aim to “enhance” them through appropriate approaches. Le 5 lenti dell’HR (The five lenses of HR), a recently published book by Alessandro Rimassa, revolves around these tangle of topics.
The work is based on an observation: “Staff management” has been seen as a mere secondary, auxiliary function for a long time, only good for some things and for some people, whose support role mostly lacked really quantifiable goals. Then the concept of “HR manager” arose and developed into a more poignant Chief People Officer and People & Culture Manager. As designations evolved, so did the tasks and features of a “Head of staff”. A change in functions and culture that needs to be explored and properly understood, and that, to gain a better insight, can be articulated into a more defined path: from the management of recruitment and dismissals to caring for people in the workplace.
Starting from all this, Rimassa highlights how those at the head of an organisation need people in order to actualise their strategy and grow the business, but, above all, need to build a “people’s strategy”. This is, once again, a cultural change and requires, above all, a reassessment of how complex and challenging the role of those who deal with people is, as well as the fact that HR functions can no longer remain secondary.
Thus, the book proposes to “adopt five different lenses”– individually and more often all together. A design lens, to plan the best product that will meet the needs of the people and the company; a marketing lens, to create unique experiences that encourage employees not only to stay on at a company but also to become its chief representatives; a learning lens, to guide a continuous learning process; a technology lens, to invest in digitisation and information accessibility; a well-being lens, to build working environments where everyone feels at ease and more content, and therefore becomes more productive, finding their own place in both individual and professional terms.
This work by Alessandro Rimassa tries to summarise all this using precise and technical language and as such does not always make for an easy read – this does not detract from its usefulness, however, thought it does require to be read with great attention. A book that can really teach a lot to those who are truly committed to enhance people working in enterprises.
Le 5 lenti dell’HR (The five lenses of HR)
Alessandro Rimassa
Egea, 2023