Employee relations
Managing 'in scope' employee relations within a centralised HR shared services model: Adam Kiayias CPHR, HR Services Manager, Stockland

“The structure and design of the APC Program gave me the flexibility to continue working full-time, and complete research that was relevant and contributed to my current role and responsibilities.”
As one of Australia’s largest diversified property groups, Stockland has about 1500 employees across three core businesses − Commercial Property, Residential and Retirement Living. It also has a variety of industrial instruments (awards/agreements) in place.
To support and realise benefits from a company-wide operating model review, Adam Kiayias reviewed the organisation’s HR function, and assessed the viability and benefits of centralising ‘in scope’ ER activities into a HR shared services team. Activities included performance and grievance management, and workplace investigations.
After gaining key stakeholder agreement on centralising ER into a shared services model and getting sign off from the sponsor and HR leadership team, Adam developed process maps to ensure there were clear responsibilities across the HR team and that adequate resourcing was structured.
He identified risks and determined key mitigation strategies, then developed a plan to upskill HR consultants’ capabilities to perform the agreed ‘in scope’ activities, with quantitative and qualitative measures of success.
This plan is now approved for implementation.
This article was first published in HRM magazine.