Yes, HR Should Run on EOS® Too

During the past quarter, I kept running into a strange situation that surprised me. I had the same conversation with three leadership teams of family businesses. All three family businesses wondered if all departments should follow EOS concepts when a company runs on EOS.

All three of those leadership teams asked, “What about HR?”

Huh?

All three businesses didn’t use EOS with their HR teams. It boggled my mind. It worried, scared, and then infuriated me as I asked questions.

Why Wouldn’t HR Run on EOS?

Honestly, I wrote this blog post in a fit of rage.

I learned their HR leaders insisted that EOS doesn’t apply to their department. They said HR couldn’t have numbers. These leaders claimed HR has circular processes that you can’t force into linear processes. Then they insisted HR needed their OWN tools.

The HR leaders said they MUST have job descriptions and annual reviews that work in a certain way. They declared that HR in family businesses just works differently, and EOS doesn’t fit them.

I asked around. Since then, I’ve learned that many HR leaders of companies that run on EOS feel similarly.

HR Can (and Should) Run on EOS

Please, I beg you. Don’t treat HR in your company like a separate thing that needs separate tools. They should run on EOS, using EOS Tools, like the rest of the organization.

Claim: EOS Can’t Help Write Job Descriptions

Myth: One HR leader shared how arduously they work to write job descriptions, and EOS couldn’t fix that.

Busted: In companies that run on EOS, HR can easily write job descriptions. I referred this leader to my recent blog that recommends using their organization’s Vision/Traction Organizer™ (V/TO), The Accountability Chart™, and the Scorecard to write job descriptions.

Claim: HR Can’t/Doesn’t Need to Have Numbers

Myth: Another HR leader claimed numbers on a Scorecard could not capture HR’s roles in a company.

Busted: In the current job market, HR plays a huge role in recruiting and retaining the best team members. How do they know if they’re succeeding unless they measure progress?

I could go on for three days, but I’ll share a few measurables that have immensely helped HR teams — tracking the number of:

• Qualified applicants in the last week
• Applicants contacted within 1 hour
• Screening calls made within 24 hours
• Career fair contacts
• Creative postings
• Social media postings
• Interviews scheduled within 48 hours

Claim: EOS Doesn’t Offer Leadership Training

Myth: I nearly fainted when one HR leader told me EOS just doesn’t have anything to help leaders in their organization.

Busted: If running a Level 10 Meeting™ well isn’t leadership training in itself, I don’t know what is.

Rocket Fuel™ and How to Be a Great Boss literally cover nothing but creating great leaders in a company.

Claim: Only HR Can Do Team-Building

Myth: One HR leader told me they must do all the team-building for their company.

Busted: This particular company refused to bring Level 10 Meetings beyond the leadership level in their organization. They’ve seen HUGE improvements in their team health, willingness to debate issues, and make great decisions. But they didn’t think anyone else in the company needed a Level 10 Meeting.

Instead, HR wanted to do team-building exercises. Sure, holding daylong team-building events or volunteering together can build a sense of camaraderie. Many people dread those activities, though, and feel alienated. Plus you can’t always define a clear ROI for those events.

Having GREAT Level 10 Meetings creates 80% of what you need in the land of team-building. They’ll build your team and get stuff done.

It’s that simple.

I can sympathize with the HR leaders who feel this way. Many of them have fought for more structure and consistency for years. They’ve wanted a vision. EOS gives them that. They’ve fought for consistency; EOS gives them that. They’ve fought to have clarity in roles; EOS gives them that. They’ve fought for a vision; EOS gives them that.

Please. Run your HR teams on EOS and use EOS Tools in your HR toolbox.

It really is that simple.