Whats the prize here? What is the benefit of raising HRs visibility? How will the world be better when you have done it?

The key is to start with the end result / the benefit not the task.

Hi Freya,

My role was the first HR Director role in my school, so was frankly met with a certain amount of curiosity about what I was there for. That certainly meant it was easy to start a conversation with most staff, and get a better shared understanding of our roles - over lunch in the dining hall sometimes, but also attending Head of Department meetings, briefings and so on.

One thing I've not managed to do in any kind of consistent way is to go to the staffroom at break - which the Head is keen that I do, but my mental clock rarely remembers that it is break until it's past! When I do pop over, I always get involved in conversations, so it's definitely a good way to maintain some visibility.

In terms of 'why' - I think when there hasn't been a culture of HR practice in an organisation, it's important to define what you do, what you can help with and what you need from others, and to keep defining it. Otherwise you find that you aren't in the loop until too late in a performance management issue, or you've not been around to support someone who needed something that was easily available to them. In schools in particular, you do have to walk the floor a bit, for people to remember that you are there.

In reply to Nina Waters:

It would be interesting to see what the SMART version of "Raising HRs viability" would be :-)

In reply to Nina Waters:

Thank you Nina that is helpful I just wanted to see what the norm was for HR - they have stated they want to improve visibility yet in the same breathe don't want me going to meetings in case it freaks people out! I think the staff room is a good way to get to know people though on a personal level thank you

In reply to Freya:

Good luck with it Freya. I tend to go to meetings with a specific agenda item, but ask to stay for the whole thing as it definitely helps me to be informed (that visibility is a two way thing). So I'm going to the next head of department and pastoral meetings this term, to introduce them to the new appraisal system I'm rolling out, and to ensure that I meet any practical concerns head on. Maybe if you're there for a specific item, you'll be less scary to them!

[Fascinated as to why they might be freaked out by the presence of HR and perhaps indicates why this might all be necessary...]

In reply to Nina Waters:

I think it's because they never had HR (for 450 years!) then when they did get HR a process of restructuring and fast paced change immediately began rather than any positive changes so it's given me a bit of an uphill battle! I also used to be located in a separate building from the schools with finance & IT therefore they hardly ever saw me except if we had official meetings. I've moved into an office in the schools now and have noticed an increase in staff coming into chat which is good! oooo is the appraisal for teachers/ support staff or both?

In reply to Freya:

Appraisal is for both teaching and support staff, but we're rolling out over two years to try to manage the workload involved. Using a product called MyOnstream - having evaluated (I think) every conceivable system on the market, that was the one that suited us best. Very happy to chat through if it's any help to you?