Episode F.004 Human Resources & Financial Practices

Human Resource Services Practice Domain
Our knowledge base of professional services focused on improving the business performance of organizations through issues around people. Historically, Human Resources has been focused on the roles of control and compliance: operational and administrative tasks such as payroll and benefits, legal compliance, recruiting, on-boarding, and training. All of these activities continue to be important management tasks, but effective Human Resources today is more about the strategic alignment people issues to organizational objectives. 

5.1 Compliance
HR compliance is a process. Based on appropriate federal, state, and local laws, it is the defining proper individual and group behaviors, and assuring that laws and policies are understood and followed. Compliance also means the HR department and the organization's managers communicate these policies to employees, along with expectations for adherence and the consequences for non- adherence. The latter requires specific investigative and punishment procedures. Effective HR compliance programs need to be integrated into business strategies, starting at the top and trickles down to all levels. Everyone in the company understands Personnel Policies & Procedures, Employee Law, and the application of Corporate Values.

• 5.1.1 Personnel Policies and Procedures
• 5.1.2 Employment Law
• 5.1.3 Corporate Ethics

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5.2 Safe Work Environment
The totality of a number of policies and programs to create a workplace that removes controllable physical and psychological threats which impacts an employee's ability to work. 

• 5.2.1 Diversity and Inclusion Workplace
• 5.2.2 Substance Abuse
• 5.2.3 Employee Assistance
• 5.2.4 Ergonomics and Physical Safety
• 5.2.5 Employee Wellness:
• 5.2.6 Workplace Violence

5.3 Discretionary Performance
The most important role of Human Resources inside the organization. Successful execution of supporting human performance and therefore impacting productivity ensures HR's seat at the executive table. How well this component of the HR role is managed will determine the degree people are the organization's competitive advantage. 

• 5.3.1 Recruiting-Selection-Separation
• 5.3.2 Orientation-Training-Development
• 5.3.3 Leadership & Management
• 5.3.4 Succession Planning-Career Development-Promotion
• 5.3.5 Recognition & Compensation
• 5.3.6 Performance Management

5.4 Pay & Benefits Administration
Involves the creation and management of employee benefits, as well as providing a means for employees to be trained in understanding how the benefits work, and what types of standards employees must meet in order to qualify for the benefits. Payroll administration encompasses all the tasks involved in paying employees. It typically involves keeping track of hours worked and ensuring that employees receive the appropriate amount of pay. It also includes calculating taxes and social security, as well as ensuring that they are properly withheld and processed.

Financial Performance Services Practice Domain
Our knowledge base of professional services focused on business valuation, reinvestment into growth, cash flow management. This practice covers sell side Mergers & Acquisitions (divestitures, private and public company sale), buy side M&A, Mergers, Joint Ventures and other business combinations. This includes financial restructuring, distressed debt and M&A situations, fairness opinions, board of directors advisory role (strategic business review, including both M&A, and non-M&A strategic initiatives), review of capacity (marketing, sales, production, service) and its return on budget. 

6.1 Capital Strategy
Capital strategy determines the best kind of capital to accept from the best source at the best time and valuation. This decision occurs within the larger economic timing of hype, boom, bust, stagnation, and recovery. 

• 6.1.1 Capital Structure
• 6.1.2 Capital Investment & Budget Strategy
• 6.1.3 IPO Strategy
• 6.1.4 Project and Finance Strategy

6.2 Shareholder Strategy
The ability to generate consistently superior total shareholder returns over time is the best single measurement of corporate management performance. The increase in shareholder value is achieved through the pursuit of two separate but related activities: financing the business at the lowest sustainable after-tax cost, and allocating capital resources to investments that promise the highest risk- adjusted returns to investors. 

• 6.2.1 Shareholder Analysis
• 6.2.2 Capital Markets Communications
• 6.2.3 Value Based Management

6.3 Merger & Acquisition Strategy
Mergers and acquisitions are tools to fulfill a strategy for growth. The choice is to build organically or buy and the factors that drive the decision: acquire customers, gain operational leverage, capitalize on company strengths, cover a weakness, buy a low cost supplier, improve or complete a product (services) line, buy technology, provide scale and access to capital markets, protect and expand mature product lines, protect customer base from competition, and remove barriers to entry. 

• 6.3.1 Divestiture Strategy
• 6.3.2 Joint Ventures
• 6.3.3 Alliances
• 6.3.4 Due Diligence
• 6.3.5 Pre-Deal Integration

6.4 Growth Strategy
Creating a unique growth path that achieves exponential growth. The growth curve has three parts - a variable ramp-up time from start-up to optimization, an inflection point where revenue accelerates, and rapid growth to market dominance. 

• 6.4.1 Gross Margin Targets
• 6.4.2 Sales Growth Targets
• 6.4.3 Retained Earnings Reinvestment