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176 Just Promoted!

is the best use of resources? It is the fortunate organization that has a work-
force and leadership for both the short and longer terms.
Another question is whether the function has analyzed its overall human
resources needs and staffing levels. Are people regularly working overtime,
taking work home, and missing deadlines? Do they joke or complain about
the workload? Perhaps people don’t want to admit that they can’t keep up,
afraid of giving the impression that they don’t have what it takes. How many
new projects are coming online in the next six to eight months, and is the
organization properly staffed with enough of the right people? Worse, there
may be no new projects scheduled in the near future. Are managers and lead-
ers who would normally delegate certain aspects of their work doing it them-
selves to justify their time and salaries? Are other people fighting over the little
there is left? One manager, told he should delegate the training of new employ-
ees in his unit, said, “But then what would I do?” Maybe people are not busy
enough. Is there dead wood? When was the last analysis of human resources
needs conducted? What has changed since that analysis?

Retention

Finally, look at retention. Does the function hold onto its talent and experi-
ence, or is there constant turnover, the constant need to recruit, train, and the
accompanying costs of lost productivity to supervisors and new staff alike?
Talk to some who have left. Why the turnover? One company found that it
was the lowest-paying large firm in the industry; another, which hired mostly
nurses, assigned them to travel 70 to 80 percent of the time, which many, espe-
cially those who had children, soon grew tired of. A third company’s work-
force consisted of an all-male executive team and an all-female midlevel and
first-line management staff. It was the women who left.

TARGET 7. RESOURCES AND TECHNOLOGY

Look at the department’s resources. Are there enough budget dollars to do
the job? Analyze the adequacy of the budget, the line of credit in a company
where cash flow may be uneven, and financial management and reporting
systems. Are you using state-of-the-art technology to optimize productivity?
Also review capital investments, facilities, and equipment. Do you have nec-
essary supplies? Technology will not always be a panacea. GM has learned
that in its most technologically advanced plants, labor costs and escalating