Inflexible, over-prescriptive and outmoded HR practices are limiting the ability of TAFEs to recruit the best staff and ensure those staff continue to perform, according to an in-depth study of HR management in Australia's training organisations.
The study, by the National Centre for Vocational Education Research, involved a survey of more than 700 training organisations as well as in-depth case studies and interviews with key stakeholders. It concluded that the opening up of the vocational training market had put TAFEs under increasing competitive pressure.
But while TAFEs faced greater pressure to attract students and provide services, in many cases their "highly prescriptive" HR management practices constrained their flexibility in managing their staff, the study found.
"Recruitment and selection procedures often emphasise procedural fairness and qualifications rather than address cultural fit in the organisation.
"Performance management systems tend to be focused on staff development rather than on performance evaluation," the study concluded.
The research found that almost invariably, TAFE HR managers weren't part of the institute's senior executive team and their departments were simply implementing strategies rather than formulating them.
"Because of the important role workforce capability plays in assuring organisational capability, human resource management should be a strategic issue for TAFE institutes.
"However, human resource managers and departments are usually involved in strategy implementation rather than contributing to strategy formation," it said.
Flexibility needed and a "seat at the table" for HR
The NCVER study recommended that TAFEs should recognise HR management as a key strategic function, and change reporting lines to ensure HR managers reported directly to institute CEOs.
It also recommended that state governments, which currently exercise very strong control over human resource policies and procedures within TAFE institutes, should allow greater autonomy in determining how people were recruited and managed at the institutional level, including greater freedom in relation to enterprise bargaining.
It concluded that key HR procedures such as recruitment and selection, performance management and training should be better aligned with the strategic direction of the individual institute.
In particular, this should include "hiring for fit" in selection procedures, better evaluation of staff performance and extending more training opportunities to non-teaching and casual teaching staff.
