PMcrunch

Human resources is an important function in all organizations and that includes the project organization. In these difficult economic times, the human resources’ function is being tested in organizations worldwide. How does that testing in this environment translate into the project team environment?

In good times and bad, the human resources’ function is at work, and the hiring of people and the building of teams. It is a function that relates to making sure that members of the organization are taken care of and given the best resources to perform their jobs optimally. In addition, it needs to ensure that everyone is treated fairly and that the organization lives up to the pact entered at hiring.

Similarly, a project organization needs to think through the pact that is entered with each member of the project team. Given that individuals are answering a project team, that pact needs to provide open consideration for expectations at the beginning of the project all through the execution of the project and at the close of the project. Unlike organizations, projects are temporary and thus individual team members are only members of this project organization for a relatively short period of time.

The big question we need to ponder, I believe, is how to treat people with the utmost of dignity throughout this whole phased process. In terms of the beginning of the project, I think that transparency is the best thing we can do. Transparency refers to an openness and an honesty about what is needed and what is expected. This openness and honesty at the beginning needs to set the tone for open and honest communication throughout the project. This leads to special consideration to current difficult situations.

Times of turmoil such as now where projects in motion are often reconsidered. This openness and honesty needs to continue. If people need to be downsized off the project, they should again be treated with utmost of dignity. As project managers, we can set a tone for our projects as small microcosms of our organizations, to treat people with a high degree of respect on a day to day basis, and should termination be required at the end of someone’s service.

Giving some thought to human resource management is part of our project plans can have great value and prepare us for whatever comes throughout the life of our projects. Our human resources are our greatest resources and we need to treat them with the greatest of respect.

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John Reiling, PMP
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