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.