By Maureen Campbell

Tom Collins said it best: “Excellence must be achieved through the eyes of those who judge us; once achieved it can only be maintained with constant innovation.”

Through a variety of surveys and research, it’s been proven that senior management teams are seeing the value in HR. Moreover, they are seeing the value in the Certified Human Resources Professional (CHRP) designation. Now is the time for Collins’ ‘constant innovation’—to add to the value of HR and the CHRP designation.

Innovation means different things to different people. At its core though, it is linked to performance and growth through improvements in efficiency, productivity, quality, competitive position and market share—and typically adds value by changing old organizational forms and practices. Stated simply, innovation is about bringing ideas to life.

CHRP Looks Forward

In the spirit of innovation, in 2012 the Canadian Council of Human Resources Associations (CCHRA) embarked on a new strategic plan to carry through until 2015. This strategic plan will help to assure that CCHRA remains relevant and responsive to the needs of the provincial member associations and it will contribute to organizational stability and growth. Providing a basis for monitoring progress, and for assessing results and impact, it will facilitate new program development.

“It’s like the quote ‘If you don’t know where you’re going, you’ll probably end up someplace else.’ CCHRA’s Strategic Plan has provided an invaluable opportunity for dialogue and consensus among staff, Board, and volunteers. This plan provides a clear definition of CCHRA’s future direction and desired outcome,” says Sharon Lee, CCHRA’s executive director.

Having identified key priority areas, results of this strategic plan will involve strengthening the credibility of the profession and the CHRP designation and providing a forum for facilitating agreement and collaboration amongst provincial member associations. Clear communications amongst member associations ensure that powerful messages on the value of the CHRP and the profession are thereby delivered to potential members, employers and policy makers.

Most importantly, the new strategic plan will work to establish Generally Accepted Human Resources Principles (GAHRP) as the recognized standard for professional Human Resources management in Canada by 2018.

Professional Practice Analysis Leads Action Plan

As with every goal, a strong, tangible action plan is required. In the case of CCHRA’s latest strategic plan, the first step of the action plan is the Professional Practice Analysis. This analysis will identify and validate CCHRA domains, tasks and knowledge and skill statements. This is a crucial step in building a solid foundation for GAHRP and ensures that CCHRA’s credentialing exams are current, challenging and relative to today’s environment.

The Professional Practice Analysis or PPA is the cornerstone of the new strategic plan. Currently underway, the PPA will allow CCHRA’s mandate of updating the body of knowledge through regular reviews now, and into the future, to ensure ongoing currency and foundation in practice. Most importantly, the results of the PPA will dictate the continuing action plan moving forward.

Key Stakeholder Collaboration Ongoing

Given the comprehensive framework that will develop in the PPA, CCHRA will collaborate with key stakeholders to use survey data to define the particular knowledge and skills that are appropriate for credentialing purposes. Using a collaborative process where people in many fields contribute to implementing new ideas, the PPA will see input from participating HR professionals, academics and business professionals. Focused on reengineering and processes present and future, the PPA involves people who will challenge the status quo to ensure a robust and reliable result.

In facilitating discussions related to the practice analysis, CCHRA and its stakeholders will inform participants that current or potential credentials in human resources are not being evaluated in the study per se. However, it is anticipated that current, and if identified, potentially new credentials and/or designations, will have a logical linkage to CCHRA’s Required Professional Capabilities (RPCs®) identified through the PPA.

It is also desired that the PPA will support curriculum development for a variety of educational offerings. In essence, the PPA will ensure maximum linkage between the body of knowledge and the current and anticipated future professional practice of Human Resources in Canada.

Computer scientist Alan Kay said, “The best way to predict the future is to invent it.” It’s fortuitous then that the CCHRA Board have the creativity, foresight and gumption to engage its stakeholders to do just that—embrace the future and grow the value of the HR profession and the CHRP designation.

Maureen Campbell is communications manager for the Canadian Council of Human Resources (cchra.ca).

(PeopleTalk Spring 2013)