Strategic human capital management (HCM) is not just a measurement focused approach to human resource management (HRM). It is certainly not a decision science in which people can be managed as a result of quantitative analysis and financial valuation. In fact, it is probably more of an art than a science and is a way of leading people to unlock great business performance. Strategic HCM focuses all people management and development practices on maximizing the capability and engagement of the people working for an organization to create valuable intangible capability, human capital, which enables the organisation to take full advantage of potential business opportunities. Unlike HRM which focuses on getting closer and closer to the business, strategic HCM draws its energy from people, from their individual strengths, interests and motivations, which, aligned with long-term business strategy, can increasingly provide the main basis for differentiation and competitive advantage. However, the perspective also recognizes that measurement is important, and the book outlines an approach to measurement which recognizes the importance of knowledge, complexity, best fit and intangibility. Pulling together seemingly disparate strands of thinking, the book calls for a paradigm change in which people really are seen as an organisation's most important asset, and are managed in a way that reflects this fact. The text includes case studies from leading private and public sector organizations and commentary from HR practitioners and academics.

About the Author
Jon Ingham reformed Strategic Dynamics, a human capital management consultancy he originally founded ten years ago, in 2005. Prior to this, he was Head of HR Consulting at Penna plc, an international HCM consultancy. Previous roles include HR Director at Ernst & Young (UK & Europe) and various sales and HR related roles supporting the UK government's Skills and Enterprise agenda. Jon has a BA in Psychology, a Masters in Engineering and an MBA. He is a member of the BPS, a Chartered Fellow of the CIPD and a Fellow of the RSA.

Reviews

That people's capacity to unlock the performance of organizations is far from a simplistic and causal model is hardly new. A book offering a new way of explaining how such complexity can be managed and harnessed for the good of organizations certainly is. This is a book to address HR's continuing inability to think outside the box of how people influence performance. Read, reflect and act.

Dr. Anthony Hesketh
Director
Centre for Performance-Led HR
Lancaster University Management School

This book, whilst acknowledging the importance of measurement, rightly focuses attention on what HCM approaches deliver increased business performance. ...For HR professionals it will give confidence that they do have a unique and critical contribution to make which they are being expected to step up to.

Malcolm Hurrell
Vice-President Human Resources UK
AstraZeneca plc

Book Information
ISBN 9780750681346
Author Jon Ingham
Format Paperback
Page Count 400
Imprint Butterworth-Heinemann Ltd
Publisher Taylor & Francis Ltd
Weight(grams) 658g