What Customers Want From HR
The views of line managers, senior managers and employees on HR services and the HR function
Hirsh W, Carter A, Gifford J, Strebler M
IES Report, available for HR Network members, September 2008 for non-members

Do the internal customers of HR – line managers, senior managers and employees – see the role of HR in the same way as the function sees itself? Have the changes in HR functions led to the kinds of services and support which managers and employees feel they need? Do they see the HR function as effective, or at least as getting more effective?

Drawing on findings from interviews, focus groups and surveys in employing organisations, this study finds that customers want responsive, pro-active, professional HR support.

• HR needs to be responsive: clear about what it is there for and what services it offers; easy to contact; and able to respond quickly, effectively and with consistent advice.
• Managers want an independent-minded HR function, which understands the workforce and can help management balance employee and business needs.
• Customers do want an HR function with strategic business impact, but this is about solving problems which are strategically important for the business, not about separate HR strategies or frequent policy changes.
• The customers of HR want a ‘pro-active’ HR function, which spots issues ahead of time and works closely with managers to address them.

HR people want to be seen as Business Partners, and indeed line managers want professional advice from HR people who also understand their business context. Viewed from the customer perspective, however, the term Business Partner is something of a misnomer. Managers want HR to provide them with a People Partner – someone who works with them to address their people issues.

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Human Capital Measurement: Approaches, issues and case studies
Robinson D, Hooker H, Mercer M
IES Report, July 2008

This study provides a practical insight into how different organisations devise and use human capital measures. Drawing on findings from a series of workshops and real-life case studies, it showcases tried and tested techniques for successfully measuring human capital.

The report has three main sections:

• The first section describes the research and its outcomes, with emphasis on the human capital measurement approaches which were felt to be particularly effective.
• The second section contains case studies of nine of the organisations involved in the study.
• Finally, the third section contains the results of a scan of human capital measurement in the UK and abroad.

The appendices include an executive summary of ‘People and the Bottom Line’, an IES report linking HR practices with key indicators such as profit and sales growth.

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Labour Market Experiences of People with Seeing Difficulties
Meager N, Carta E
Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB), July 2008

This study uses data from the UK Labour Force Survey (LFS) to look at the labour market situation and experiences of ‘people with a seeing difficulty’. The report explores:

• individual demographics: characteristics of the population of people with seeing difficulties
• economic activity and employment characteristics
• multivariate analysis: factors influencing the likelihood of being in work
• earnings
• state benefits.

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