Articles - Consulting and Outsourcing

What ever happened to core business competencies?!  Bret Starr of StarrTincup will be releasing a survey of HR professionals focused on their view of the HR-vendor relationship and value proposition.  I was shocked to learn that only 6% of all HR professionals surveyed stated

that it was better to develop solutions internally than go to a vendor for help.  All I could think to myself was that our businesses have become full of managers at the expense of do’ers.

I worry that entry level  staff (in HR as well as other areas of the business)  are now coming in to a workplace with such entitlement, that they feel their job is to MANAGE their job.   This may not seem like such a bad thing at first glance, but the result of this perspective is that fewer and fewer people are actually DOING their jobs.  It seems as though more and more people consider themselves above the work associated with their job, and are turning to outsourced solutions in growing numbers.

How bad has it gotten?  In this article from Workforce Management, a respected resource, author Margaret Steen is selling us on the value of outsourcing for an outsourcing company!

If Done Right, Outsourcing Can Help Staffing Firms Become More Efficient | workforce.com.

So, I’m not completely obtuse- I do understand that some competencies are difficult to find and hire for.  But these are staffing agencies!  Surely they could source competent candidates with the skills, ability, and motivation to be great employees, right?  And for those who argue that it makes sense to outsource IT functions, as this isn’t a core business competency, I say WAKE UP!  If you really think that technology and IT infrastructure are NOT core competencies in today’s business world, you’re not paying attention (see how this approach has worked for newspapers).

The following quote from the above article attempts to summarize their report, but falls short on one major point:

The bottom line on outsourcing is that it can save money if done well and with the right functions. But it’s not a panacea. The key question, Wintrip says, is: “At the end of the day, will this help the firm make money?”

I suggest replacing the key question with: “Will this help the firm increase profitability while not sacrificing long term growth and innovation?”  In truth, a company with qualified employees who understand how to do the work associated with their business are far more capable of generating new ideas and translating them into profits.  Don’t expect that type of engagement or understanding from your outsourced solution.

Lastly, with regard to the decline of do’ers in the office, beware the long term affects of creating this type of culture.  The best manages are those who have had access to mentoring and training for management skills, but have also worked at the foundational level in their organization.  These people have the very best understanding of the workings of their organization, both the strengths and weaknesses.  They understand the impact of macro decisions at the micro level in a way that someone who has not done the work can.

If finding outsourced solutions has become a valued and core competency at your organization, it may be time to re-examine your long term business goals and strategy.  Outsourced companies will come and go, as will your employees.  Those who know intimately how the small details affect the bottom line are invaluable and will someday leave your company.  Will your new hires be learning from them, or just learning how to find a company to outsource the work to? If it’s the latter, how will they know how to evaluate those vendors?

Biography

Jason Blais currently works with a global talent acquisition company specializing in pre-employment screening and recruitment technology. Previously, Blais held a director level position with a recruitment media company for several years, where he cut his teeth in Employment Branding. Blais began blogging in 2004, as he researched the value of social networks and new media for employers and job seekers.  He has written and presented numerous HRCI-certified seminars in the areas of recruiting, employment branding, social media in HR, and employee engagement; and has been a featured speaker at several state HR conferences and trade associations.  Blais is a contributing writer for JobsInTheUS, and has been featured in various news outlets including Fox News American News HQ, the Wall Street Journal, and local ABC, CBS, and NBC affiliates across New England. To compliment his experience in recruiting, Blais has also worked closely with thousands of job seekers through his work with state agencies, college and university career centers, and local economic development entities.  Blais is currently developing a new conference for job seekers focused on using social networks and new media to find work, which will launch in the Spring of 2011.  Blais resides in Northampton, MA, with his wife and their one child.

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