Deciding to start this blog, I was confronted by the same dilemma that I am sure all of the thousands of other blog writers out there faced when first putting their fingers to keys?

What should I write about, and where to start?

Sure, I wanted to relate to HR systems or process in some way – but in which way? In the HRIS world, where people, policies, process and technology meet, there are many areas to discuss.

Today however, I have chosen to take my inspiration from the Sound of Music where when needing to find a starting point; Maria proposed that the Van Trap children start from the very beginning (a very good place to start). Click here for some Do RE Me goodness.

In my opinion, the very beginning; the foundation from whence all (data) process flows is Organisation structure and Position management. In the well oiled machine of your organisation, this is both the alpha and the Omega for everything people.

Once you have a working organisation structure and are practising good position/establishment management everything else falls into place.

Bersin by Deloitte has a great definition of position management. Click here to get this before the link no-longer works.

How should this be set up?

Every business is different and to state the obvious, will have different requirements when it comes to the amount of data to be collected, queried and reported on.

At a minimum, your Position Management Structure should contain:

A hierarchy of positions each with a clear line of reporting.

Each position should have its own unique identifier (position number)

You would then be able to go as in-depth or high level as you desire in terms of the amount of information held for each position and the people filling them. (Your workforce)

There are many HRIS tools available that would help you to build the solution that works for you. . As none of those bigger companies with piles of money, especially the ones that like to spend large on boat races are sponsoring my new blog, neither am I naming their products – Not that I have asked mind you.

Most importantly, this needs to be Maintained

Too often in business has the Perfect World been created in an instant only for that instant to pass into disorganisation and uselessness through a lack of maintenance and adaptability.