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Seminar Notes

Survey on Human Resource Issues

Question One: Human Resource GOALS

The following is a list of goals related to human resources that you could strive for. Please indicate your assessment of the relative priority among these goals, taking into account both the importance AND the likelihood of making a difference. (e.g. you may conclude that raising quality of input is important but not practically achievable and thus rank it lower than if you judged only its importance.)

PLEASE RANK ALL ITEMS, NO TIES. Number “1” is your TOP priority and number “9” is the LOWEST priority

1 Improve caliber of new entry hires
2 Raise rate (speed) of skill building among non-partners
3 Change emphasis among types of skill building we do: e.g. increase emphasis on counseling, client skills, etc.
4 Increase level of motivation among non-partners
5 Reduce turnover rates among non-partners
6 Improve how productively we utilize our non-partners resources
7 Increase level of motivation among partners
8 Improve how productively we use partner resources
9 Increase ability to absorb “alternate career style” non-partners (e.g. working mothers)

What other Human Resource Goal should be on the list?

Question Two: Human Resouce PRIORITIES

Having chosen your priority GOALS, now please indicate your priorities among the following list of human resource ACTIONS. To indicate your priorities, please allocate:

EXACTLY 8 “1’s” (top priority), EXACTLY 8 “2’s” (next highest), EXACTLY 8 “3’s” (third in importance) and EXACTLY 8 “4’s” (lowest in priority).

1 Improve/revise formal training programs on key skills NA 1 2 3 4
2 Institute (Spread) paraprofessional program NA 1 2 3 4
3 Change our selection criteria in hiring NA 1 2 3 4
4 Change our promotion policies below partner level NA 1 2 3 4
5 Modify career counseling system below partner level NA 1 2 3 4
6 Modify career counseling system above partner level NA 1 2 3 4
7 Modify performance review process below partner level NA 1 2 3 4
8 Modify performance review process at partner level NA 1 2 3 4
9 Change alumni relations program NA 1 2 3 4
10 Encourage increased (different) approach to specialization (below partner level) NA 1 2 3 4
11 Encourage increased (different) approach to specialization (at partner level) NA 1 2 3 4
12 Change pay structure (Salary and/or bonus) below partner level NA 1 2 3 4
13 Change compensation system at partner level NA 1 2 3 4
14 Change approach to cross-office resource allocation (below partner level) NA 1 2 3 4
15 Change approach to cross-office resource allocation at partner level (partner redeployment) NA 1 2 3 4
16 Modify partner admissions policies NA 1 2 3 4
17 Hold offices/practices accountable for success on explicit human resource measures NA 1 2 3 4
18 Engagement experience reviews by non-partners on every engagement NA 1 2 3 4
19 Annual firm-wide non-partners satisfaction/attitude surveys NA 1 2 3 4
20 Increased emphasis on senior hires NA 1 2 3 4
21 Become more accommodating to part-time / flexi-time work preferences NA 1 2 3 4
22 Change work assignment processes to ensure that all are put to “highest and best use” NA 1 2 3 4
23 Speed up use of technology as substitute for labor NA 1 2 3 4
24 Speed up use of technology as a tool to enhance value of non-partners efforts NA 1 2 3 4
25 More emphasis on hiring non-traditional candidates,e.g. lower grade-point averages, wider range of schools, different majors, re-entrants to workplace, etc. NA 1 2 3 4
26 Institute career positions short of full partnership NA 1 2 3 4
27 Explicitly reward partners / non-partners managers explicitly for good coaching/skill transfer NA 1 2 3 4
28 Introduce greater performance differentials in pay schemes for non-partners NA 1 2 3 4
29 Make greater use of formally designated industry teams in offices NA 1 2 3 4
30 Train practice leaders in human resource management skills NA 1 2 3 4
31 Train partners in human resource management skills NA 1 2 3 4
32 Train managers in people management skills NA 1 2 3 4