Why is there a need for a Workshop on Project Management for HR Professionals?   

The Human Resources function operates at a strategic level as a full business partner in achieving an organization’s strategic plan.    Like all other professions, new business competencies are needed for Human Resource Professionals to deal with major program and organizational changes brought about by restructurings, reengineering, downsizing, as well as ongoing changes in revising and updating human resource programs.  The human resource function is expected to accomplish more with fewer resources.

In the new Canadian Council of Human Resources Association’s (CCHRA) certification process, Project Management has been identified as an element in the business acumen competency.  Business acumen goes beyond the traditional knowledge areas of HR, and incorporates business thinking that is essential for a human resource professional to deal with a wide range of new or changed Human Resource programs. 

Examples of human resource projects include new initiatives or changed programs such as: large scale recruitment and/or downsizing; total rewards, succession planning, leadership development, incentive compensation, performance management, employee and executive compensation, job evaluation, health and safety, dealing with human resource implications of mergers/acquisition/divestitures and a wide range of other human resources areas.

In addition, Human Resource Professionals are increasingly called upon to serve as part an interdisciplinary team as a subject matter expert to work on major organizational projects.  As a team player in a large multi-disciplinary project, the Human Resource Professional must bring project management skills to the table.  

There are a myriad of courses dealing with Project Management - all of which are generalized to the technical aspects of Project Management, and none of which are specific to the unique role that Human Resources plays within the organization.  We view this as a customized training course that blends the knowledge areas of project management, but from the perspective of a HR professional.   

Objectives of the Workshop

The objectives of the workshop are to develop basic project management skills that:

• Practical and geared specifically to the Human Resource Function
• Covers the Project Management subject matter areas of the CCHRA body of knowledge
• Focused on the fundamentals of project management principles, concepts and techniques
• Applicable to human resource professionals in all stages of career development
• Based on the project management  “body of knowledge” developed by the Project Management Institute (PMI)
• Supplemented by a  materials binder

Advantage of Our Approach

The advantages of our approach are as follows:

• Develops a specific human resource project management competency that will increase the effectiveness and efficiency of the Human Resource Professional in his or her career.
• It is designed by an experienced Human Resource Project Management Professional who brings subject matter expertise in Human Resources as well as experience in using PMI project management tools and principles.  This means that the way the project management body of knowledge is covered is highly relevant to the human resource professional and is practical for their needs. 
• As part of our project design, we translate the project management principles into the 'world' of the human resource professional and present them in a practical relevant manner.  Other more traditional training courses in project management present the project management knowledge in a generic manner, and leave it up to the participant to translate the principles to his or her profession. 
• The proposed workshop will include a progressive Human Resources project as a case study that will reinforce and directly apply the concepts of project management

Workshop Content

The Basic Project Management workshop has been delivered to hundreds of Human Resources Professionals through the Human Resources Professional Association of Ontario (HRPAO) since 2002.  It has also been delivered on an in-house basis to other organizations, and customized to address unique challenges.

Sample list of organizations where Project Management training has been delivered

ADP
Alberta Health Services
Bank of Canada
Durham College
Ecolab Canada
Federal Government of Canada
Human Resources Professional Association of Ontario (HRPAO)
Human Resources Professional Association of Manitoba
London Ontario Chapter of HRPAO
Ottawa Hospital
Pivotal
Scotiabank
University of Calgary
York University

Workshop Delivery

The Basics of Project Management workshop is delivered over 2 days, and covers project management principles and practices in an experiential manner. We gear our training to the specific challenges of HR Projects, and train from a HR point of view. We use a progressive case study methodology to apply project management techniques and tools to a “real life” human resource project.  This learning is practical and “hands on” and immediately transferrable to the workplace.  The Advanced Project Management workshop is also delivered over 2 days, and covers more in-depth project management principles and addresses specific challenges faces by a HR Professional.

We would be pleased to discuss options on how this workshop may be delivered on an in-house basis or as a publicly available workshop.