OK - is OD more than the sum of its parts? - Working in HR - Careers Clinic

11 OK - is OD more than the sum of its parts?

28 Sep, 2017 15:58

Hello there

I have a query about moving in to the field of OD. I have nearly 20 years experience of working across a range of projects, programmes and all manner of assignments although most of my role was communications focussed (working at a senior level in internal communications). I have designed and delivered workshops, conferences, coaching, action learning, learning and development programmes, leadership development, diversity talent programmes etc ....but this has all rather peculiarly been in partnership with HR rather than inside of it. i.e. I was viewed as the very 'keen' and 'able' comms partner or similar!

My most recent in-house role was consulting and gaining buy-in for a suite of policies which effectively bridged the gap between IT and HR and even covered topics such as information management and cybersecurity. I struggle to find any part of OD that I have not worked on or contributed to over the years, and five years ago gained an MSc in Occupational Psychology. I now teach this part time at MSc level too.

I'd dearly love to consolodate these skills and experience with a role in OD. But due to never really sitting inside 'pure' HR and therefore never really gone after CIPD chartership (I've 'reported to' HR Directors and Partners with respect to project outcomes and workstreams but never as a direct report) should I still apply for roles?

I'm 'qualifed' academically to the hilt but I feel recruiters put you in a box. its' a catch 22 in that I can't pursue gaining my CIPD chartership until I have a role to start building that portfolio story, and I was told flatly by CIPD helpline some years ago that I can only charter if I report into a Head of HR.

thoughts?

691 views

Elizabeth Divver | 0 Posts

29 Sep, 2017 19:54

Hi Christine

I think the "information" you were given by the CIPD helpline was utter poppycock. I am surprised you haven't had a response from someone within the CIPD on that point. Is there anyone out there?

However, I do think you are largely right about recruiters. This thread:

www2.cipd.co.uk/.../290763

included comments on the difficulty of getting interviews with a non-standard career path.

I would also say you are only going to find an OD function in the largest of employers so there may not be many opportunities that come up, regardless of the strength of your application.

OD is not my field, but I wonder how much the CIPD qualification would add to your CV when you aren't planning to move into HR? Or are you seeing OD as a subsection of HR?
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Steve Bridger | 0 Posts

Community Manager

29 Sep, 2017 21:28

"I was told flatly by CIPD helpline some years ago that I can only charter if I report into a Head of HR."

Well, that isn't right, but as it was "some years ago", we'll never know, I guess. With regards a route to 'Chartership'... I'll escalate your query to a colleague on Monday, Christine. Every case is different, so it's hard to comment without knowing all the facts.

I / we will be in touch.
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Christine Brown | 0 Posts

30 Sep, 2017 09:52

In reply to Steve Bridger:
Hi Steve/Elizabeth
thanks very much for your replies! I'm happy to hold my hands up and admit if I got the wrong end of the stick in terms of CIPD information from the advisor when I was enquiring about Chartership routes. But I do clearly remember there being something in the verbal guidance about having a senior HR exec (preferably Director level) signing my logbook and I wasn't in a position to provide this because the OD work I was doing was not 'directed' by HR . Complicated I know.
More than happy to have the conversation again with CIPD and explore options and totally appreciate the need for rigour.

thanks again

Christine
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Keith | 0 Posts

1 Oct, 2017 21:45

In reply to Christine Brown:
Your challenge now will be not your CIPD status but the extreme lack of real OD roles. They just aren't out there in any sizable numbers. Even large firms often don't have a real OD function and many people use the term OD to cover many other things.

So if it were me I would be really looking at what I thought was OD and if there was actually sufficient opportunities in that field to give me a chance of breaking into it.
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Christine Brown | 0 Posts

2 Oct, 2017 09:34

In reply to Keith:
Hi there
Interesting view! Perhaps one advantage I have is that I’m only looking for contract work.
I’ve taught many students who work in the field (perhaps in more entry-level L&D work) but OD is within their job title or department. Or indeed similar to my own background, the field of change and communications.
Thanks all for your input.
Christine
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Keith | 0 Posts

2 Oct, 2017 09:39

In reply to Christine Brown:
That's one of the issues. OD can and sometimes is seen as a L&D function - and its used by L&D folk to "sex up" their roles. It was used (In my view) at the same time as HR came in when L&D folk wanted a more business focused title.

But real OD is some thing very very different. Organisational Design is 100% not (in my opinion) an L&D function.
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Christine Brown | 0 Posts

2 Oct, 2017 10:15

In reply to Keith:
I agree - my view is that OD is about how the entire organisation works in harmony to deliver results. Importantly OD should be and is given the mandate to evaluate and intervene in addressing any issues. Covering leadership, training, culture, etc. Optimistic I know!
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Keith | 0 Posts

2 Oct, 2017 10:18

In reply to Christine Brown:
And much much more than that :-)

OD should focus on developing organization capability through alignment of strategy, structure, management processes, people, and rewards and metrics.

very few People teams are anywhere close to that definition of OD

And its interesting is OD Organisational Design (for me) or Organisational Development (for most L&D practitioners who "do" it)
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Ray | 0 Posts

2 Oct, 2017 11:07

In reply to Keith:

Monday starts with a philosophical note....

I must admit my perception of OD ("D" for design) is well aligned with that of Keith - an analysis of how the business needs to organise itself in order to be better adapted to the context it faces (and often a regularly changing context).

The tactical processes required to support this new way of working then flow on from the new model, calling for changes in rewarding, developing, reporting.....There is a lot of confusion in the use of the term, which unless clarified can seriously muddy the waters.

Between the two sits the much maligned process of "change management".
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Christine Brown | 0 Posts

5 Oct, 2017 13:30

In reply to Ray:
Hello
Just had a chat with Gary Lyseight from the CIPD advisory team. He was excellent and reassuring and I now have lots of information to plough through. But I feel more reassured that doors to recognition of my experience are opening rather than closing.
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Steve Bridger | 0 Posts

Community Manager

5 Oct, 2017 15:03

In reply to Christine Brown:
Great. Pleased Gary could help out. Onwards and upwards...
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