Empowering Talent Management

Guest Contributor: Maryna Stiahailo is a Human Resources Executive with more than 10 years of experience in the industry. Originally from Ukraine, she currently resides in the United Kingdom, where she runs her own HR Academy and HR Consulting Company: NextGENHR.

In 2019, the company Maryna was working for decided to transition from waterfall project management to scrum. The company paid for her and some of her colleagues to enroll in Certified ScrumMaster® courses to learn more.

The transition wasn't without bumps and challenges along the way. Some employees had been using waterfall for 20 years or more, and the shift in mindset and approach was significant. But with time, Maryna and her colleagues were working smoothly with scrum events and iterative work, experiencing big wins like reduced focus on less impactful work, improved efficiency, and money saved by identifying obstacles and blockers early in a process.

Maryna currently runs her own HR agency. Using scrum, the teams are able to get on the same page with daily work and obstacles. Maryna sees that solutions are reached regularly when work is divided into sprints. And discussing how the company can continue to support employee growth has supported her ability to make it a great place to work. With scrum, Maryna can execute her hiring strategies faster and more effectively, ultimately saving money and time, and finding great people to join the company.

In Maryna's article below, you can see insights and expertise she's gained along her journey with scrum in HR, and how she's applied scrum concepts to real-world HR work.

Check out Maryna's personal experience with applying scrum to HR:

In the fast-paced and dynamic landscape of modern workplaces, Human Resources departments are constantly seeking innovative approaches to streamline processes, enhance productivity, and foster a culture of collaboration and continuous improvement. One such approach with significant traction in recent years is scrum. Originally developed for software development, scrum has proven to be adaptable and effective in various domains beyond its initial scope. Below, see how HR can leverage scrum to revolutionize talent management practices.

Understanding Scrum: at its core, scrum is an agile framework that emphasizes iterative development, frequent feedback loops, and adaptive planning. It promotes cross-functional teamwork, transparency, and a focus on delivering value to stakeholders and customers. The framework consists of defined accountabilities, events, and artifacts, all orchestrated to facilitate the effective execution of projects and the development of products and services.

Applying Scrum and Agile Principles to HR

Accountability Definition:

• Scrum master: In the context of HR, the scrum master can be seen as a facilitator or coach who guides the HR team, ensures impediments are addressed promptly, and that the team remains aligned with organizational goals.
• Product Owner: HR professionals can assume the role of product owner, responsible for defining and ordering the backlog of HR initiatives based on business needs and employee feedback.
• Development Team: This comprises HR specialists across various functions such as training, performance management, recruitment, and employee relations, working collaboratively to achieve HR objectives.

Iterative Approach:

HR processes, such as recruitment, onboarding, and performance evaluations, can be broken down into smaller, manageable work in "sprints." Each sprint typically lasts 1-4 weeks, allowing for regular checkpoints and adjustments based on emerging requirements or feedback.

Daily Stand-up Meetings: 

Daily stand-up meetings, or "daily scrums," provide an opportunity for HR teams to synchronize activities, discuss progress, and identify any obstacles hindering their workflow. These brief, time-boxed meetings promote transparency and accountability.

Sprint Reviews and Retrospectives: 

At the end of each sprint, HR teams conduct reviews to demonstrate completed work or share sprint outcomes with stakeholders and gather feedback. Retrospectives follow, where teams reflect on what worked well, what can be improved, and actionable steps to enhance future sprints.

Transparent Communication: 

Emphasizing open communication channels within the HR team and across the organization fosters transparency and trust. Tools such as Kanban boards, task boards, or digital platforms facilitate real-time visibility into ongoing HR initiatives and resource allocation.

Continuous Improvement: 

Scrum encourages a culture of continuous improvement, where HR teams regularly evaluate and adapt their processes to optimize efficiency and effectiveness. By embracing experimentation and learning from both successes and failures, HR can evolve proactively in response to changing organizational needs and market dynamics.

Benefits of Implementing Scrum in HR

1. Enhanced Agility: By embracing an agile mindset, HR departments can respond swiftly to evolving business demands, market trends, and talent requirements. The iterative nature of scrum allows for flexibility and adaptation, reducing time-to-market for critical HR initiatives.

2. Improved Collaboration: Cross-functional collaboration and shared accountability are fundamental agile principles. By breaking down silos and promoting teamwork, HR can leverage multiple perspectives and skills to drive innovation and achieve collective goals.

3. Increased Employee Engagement: Implementing scrum empowers employees by fostering a sense of ownership and autonomy over HR processes. Regular feedback loops and opportunities for collaboration contribute to a more engaging and fulfilling work experience.

4. Measurable Outcomes: Scrum's focus on delivering tangible value enables HR to measure the impact of their initiatives more effectively. Key performance indicators (KPIs) and metrics are tracked iteratively, allowing for data-driven decision-making and continuous optimization.

Let's delve deeper into practical advice for implementing scrum in HR:

1. Develop a Clear HR Backlog: Begin by identifying and prioritizing HR initiatives based on organizational goals, employee feedback, and market trends. This backlog serves as a repository of work to be tackled by the HR team.

2. Define Sprint Goals and Duration: Set clear objectives for each sprint, ensuring alignment with broader HR and organizational objectives. Determine the recurring duration of sprints, typically ranging from 1 to 4 weeks.

3. Foster Cross-Functional Collaboration: Encourage collaboration and knowledge-sharing among HR specialists from different functional areas. Cross-functional teams bring many different perspectives and areas of expertise to the table, enriching the problem-solving process and driving innovation.

4. Conduct Effective Daily Stand-up Meetings: Keep daily stand-up meetings focused and time-bound, with each team member sharing updates on their progress, challenges, and planned tasks. Use this opportunity to identify any impediments and collaborate on solutions collaboratively.

5. Prioritize Continuous Feedback: Emphasize the importance of regular feedback loops throughout the HR process. Solicit feedback from employees, managers, and other stakeholders to refine HR initiatives and ensure alignment with their needs and expectations.

6. Embrace Agile Tools and Techniques: Leverage agile project management tools such as Jira, Trello, or Asana to facilitate collaboration, work tracking, and transparency. Utilize Kanban boards or task boards to visualize workflow and monitor progress in real time.

7. Empower Self-Organizing Teams: Encourage autonomy and self-organization within HR teams, empowering them to make decisions and adapt to changing circumstances. Provide support and guidance as needed, but trust teams to take ownership of their work and outcomes.

8. Foster a Culture of Experimentation: Cultivate a culture where experimentation and learning are encouraged. Encourage HR teams to try new approaches, learn from failures, and iterate on successes. Celebrate achievements and share learnings to foster a culture of continuous improvement.

9. Regularly Review and Adapt Processes: Schedule regular sprint reviews and retrospectives to reflect on past performance, identify areas for improvement, and refine HR processes accordingly. Use data-driven insights and stakeholder feedback to inform decision-making and drive continuous optimization.

10. Invest in Continuous Learning and Development: Provide training and resources to equip HR professionals with the skills and knowledge necessary to thrive in an agile environment. Foster a learning culture where ongoing development is prioritized, empowering employees to stay abreast of industry trends and best practices.

By incorporating these practical tips into their approach, HR departments can effectively harness the power of scrum to drive transformative change, enhance collaboration, and deliver measurable value to their organizations and employees alike.

HR departments play a pivotal role in attracting, developing, and retaining top talent. By embracing scrum, HR professionals can reinvent traditional talent management practices, driving innovation, agility, and collaboration across the organization. Through iterative experimentation and a commitment to continuous improvement, scrum empowers HR to adapt swiftly to changing dynamics, ultimately delivering greater value to both employees and the business as a whole.

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Interested in learning the scrum framework and discovering how to apply agile principles to any role? Check out the Certified ScrumMaster track to learn more.

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