With the evolution of technology into the field of Human Resources, HR is being knitted well into the mound of technology and automation with increased quantities of data, artificial intelligence and virtual communication. However, this kind of technology integration requires up-skilling with the latest trends in addition to the core HR specialization.
Thus, being a “jack of all trades and master of none” generalist type professionals will no longer suffice. The generalist type are termed as “Hyphenated resources” who possess no specific domain skills with full competence but have broad range of skills across domains. Startup organizations have limited resources, thus they have no place for hyphenated resources. However, organizations that require team functionalities over expertise skills rely heavily on Hyphenated resources.
We will also come across highly expertise professionals, termed as “I-shaped resources”, with deep knowledge in a specific competency. These experts are most valuable to clear bottlenecks. However, not every task requires an expert. Offloading non-expert tasks to non-experts frees up expert time to be available for bottlenecks. Firms employ I-shaped resources that primarily focus on niche research in science and technology.
“Multi-skilled, generalizing specialists” becomes the need of the hour. These are professionals who possess a broad range of skills across domains and are experts in a specific competency. They are termed as “T-shaped resources” who can tackle diverse projects with creativity and their knowledge across disciplines are highly effective. Large firms require lot of domain experts with industry knowledge who can operate across other domains.
“Pi-shaped”, “M-shaped”, and “Comb-shaped” metaphors extend T-shaped by indicating an increasing number of specializations.
Why T-Shaped HR Professionals?
- Maximum Resource utilization: T-shaped people means more can be done with the same number of people or the same can be done with less people. If a person is skilled only in one particular skill, and if developing a product requires n skills, then n people are needed to develop the product. However, if people know more than 1 skill, then you will need <n people.
- Effective Communication: T-shaped people help to communicate more effectively. By learning each other’s skills, other’s domain-specific language is also adopted. This will enable more effective communication as an understanding of different perspectives is developed.
- Adaptability: T-shaped people is about embracing human adaptability. A skill that is well known to one may be mundane to him, however this mundane task might be very interesting and challenging to the other who doesn’t know that skill. Thus, Cross-training to be more T-shaped enables this learning and growth mindset.
How to develop T-shaped people?
Cross Training is the most useful technique to build T-shaped skills. Creating T-shaped people is not instantaneous. Cross-training at adjacent activities helps smooth out hand-offs in the workflow, that is, any point where we have one role handing off to another one.
- Cross-train on similar skills-It’s easier to learn skills and technologies that are similar to the known ones by building a network of people with complementary expertise. By organizing knowledge transfer workshops and document how key activities are performed by specialized resources is another approach for a team to start trying out cross-training.
- Make cross-training gaps visible-A Cross-training matrix shows where cross-training would help reduce key person dependency and expose the skill gaps on the team. This encourages people to cross-train where there is the least capability.
- Pairing facilitates rapid cross-training-Pairing facilitates cross-training very quickly particularly on tasks where only 1 or 2 people have the relevant skills. Leveraging the knowledge of experts, is right for building competence across disciplines.
- Cross-functional work items encourage cross-training-When work is broken down based on incremental outcomes, they tend to require multiple skills which encourage cross-training and specialization.
- Generalized encourage cross-training-Specialized job titles encourage people to specialize only in a specific area. Instead, a more general title, keeps things open, thus de-emphasizing specialization and encouraging cross-training.
The multiplicity and complexity of professions and work scenarios puts us in front of a continuous need for reskilling, up-skilling and the need to constantly adapt.
To develop skills of any kind be it specialized or a combination with transversal skills, it is essential to have an adequate mindset and a constant learning mentality.
Share your thoughts if you have identified other types of skills that are can adapt to the ever-changing demands of work culture.
PURELY HUMANE 