2.2.2.2 Involvement of the HR director in the strategic planning process
SHRM requires more than an established strategic planning process. It also requires the full involvement of
the HR director in that process. This is necessary to ensure that the strategic plans under debates are evaluated
in terms of their implications for human resources (Tompkins, 2002). Involvement by the HR director is also
necessary so that the HRpersonnel staff can get a better and more full understanding of the organization’s
mission and the issues confronting line managers. However, organization executives have tended to view
HRpersonnel managers as staff performing relatively routine functions and occupying a quite low status in
the organizational plan of things (Tompkins, 2002; Huselid and Becker, 2006; Harris, 2009). Accordingly,
they have not been inclined to engage HR directors in strategic discussions. At the same time many
HRpersonnel directors have been slow to be firm upon a strategic role because their professional training has
not prepared them to carry out such a strategic role. Training in personnel management tends to put emphasis
on the administration of personnel systems rather than general management or organizational development
(Tompkins, 2002)