Andrewartha Correll HR Evaluation

A SIGNIFICANT NEW HRM AUDITING TOOL

by Graham Andrewartha, BA AUA MAHRI and Michael Correll, BSc (Hons)

A snapshot of HR practice

The Andrewartha Correll HR Evaluation has grown and developed from an idea by Graham Andrewartha in 1995, to achieve a conceptual representation of two controlling dimensions of human resources management: flexibility and strategic focus.

It provides a snapshot of the perceptions of the entire organisation, or of selected parts, about the ways in which HRM is experienced by managers and employees, and the value which is placed on it. It is a compilation of individual ratings, to give a picture of how employees feel about the organisation's people management.

The ACHRe is a climate survey/employee attitude survey, specifically of HR practices. There is also an opportunity available to add other carefully designed questions relating to issues relevant to the organisation at a particular time.

The ACHRe can be conducted annually, to become an established part of company practice and procedure, and to always have current data for business-linked HR planning.

As part of the core program for the Deakin Australia Managing Human Resources Unit, the ACHRe has been successfully applied by hundreds of students, in many organisations.

An adaptation of the ACHRe was also used in PT Telkom Indonesia, in conducting a 'company first' organisation-wide survey of 37,000 employees. The evaluation has been used in the Australian Meat Processing Industry, both with smaller and larger organisations.

A visual picture of opinions about HR ^TOP

Flexibility and strategic focus can be scored for each completed questionnaire using the templates provided, or alternatively, returned surveys can be sent to McPhee Andrewartha for scoring and evaluation.

Flexibility and strategic focus can then be plotted on the ACHRe chart, to gain a visual determination of HRM in your company. Trends or clusters in the arrangement of points can be identified and analysed.

The data is presented on a quadrant map which indicates whether the organisation is restrictive, reactive, planned or proactive in terms of its HRM.

Charting organisation/business unit averages ^TOP

You can obtain an organisation average score on each Dimension and averages could be calculated separately for each business unit, section or directorate. This enables dramatic comparison of perceptions of HRM across different business units.

It also enables a differential measure of perceived effectiveness or impact of implementation of new HRM initiatives or policies, like team development, quality control, restructuring and so on.

Time series analyses ^TOP

It can be very informative to plot these changes over several years and compare the progress from year to year, across different areas of the organisation.

Three ACHRe versions ^TOP

There are three versions of the Andrewartha Correll HR Evaluation:

1. Administrator/Professional Version

The Administrator/Professional Version is the most detailed, using 24 statements describing activities typical of an organisation which primarily employs people in either administrative or professional roles. This would include public sector organisations, companies in the finance, health and education sectors, and the corporate sections of many of the larger utilities, mining, technology, manufacturing and processing firms. There is a four point rating scale for each statement, by which respondents assess the degree to which their organisation matches the statement. This provides a high level of discriminability, allowing very precise rating.

2. Manufacturing/Processing Version

This is a simpler version using a 2 point scale. The individual statements have been carefully crafted to reflect 'plain English' to be readily accessible to a broad range of employees. It is suitable for the broad workforces of utilities, mining, technology, transportation, manufacturing and processing firms.

3. Checklist Version

The checklist version is especially designed for quick profiles. It can be self scored immediately, to provide a thumbnail version of the ACHRe evaluation, for training and strategic planning sessions.

User manual ^TOP

Each version comes with all the materials needed and a detailed user manual including a step by step process for implementing the ACHRe in your organisation.

What the ACHRe measures ^TOP

The HR dimensions

Strategic Focus ranges from a focus on reactive, immediate, procedural management issues through to a focus on long term, strategic issues.

Flexibility ranges from a fixed adherence to established procedures and protocols through to a flexible response, taking each new situation on its merits, and allowing creative solutions and options.

The sectors

In the Restrictive HRM sector, HR is practiced with low flexibility, and a low strategy focus. These organisations focus on fixed, firmly established HR procedures, which are often applied in reaction to events. There is little forward planning and HRM practices and activity are restricted.

In the Reactive HRM sector, HR is practiced with high flexibility, but a low strategy focus. HR practices tend to be flexible and available but most of the activity occurs after the event and in response to situations. HRM is responsive but is still defined by procedures and history. There is little long term strategic HRM planning.

In the Planned HRM sector, there is low flexibility, and high strategy focus. In this sector are organisations that plan HR ahead effectively and there is strategic thinking and forethought. The application of HR practices, whilst planned, is nonetheless mostly rule-bound and by the book.

In the Proactive HRM sector, HR is practiced with high flexibility, and a high strategic focus. HR is widely valued for its contribution as a strategic business partner, with key involvement in leadership in business strategy formulation and change management, and being an employee champion. The approach is forward thinking and flexible within a considered and open framework, operating on learning organisation principles. HR is seen as a professional, strategic and tactical contributor to organisational direction and activity, and not as a processing unit.

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