BALANCING HR TRICHOTOMY WITHIN THE NGO SECTOR: STRATEGIC POSITIONING OF HUMAN RESOURCE  FUNCTION

Oluoch F. Ochieng; Nyambegera M. Stephen

Oluoch F. Ochieng Doctoral Student ,United States International University, Africa
Nyambegera M. Stephen Professor of Human Resource Management United States International University-Africa

Keywords: Trichotomy, Human Resource Management, Change Agent, Employee Advocate, HR Strategy, HR Activist

Abstract

The role of human resource (HR) has been changing over the years but the speed of change may not have been met by a corresponding understanding of the emerging intricacies and complexities of the HR tasks and responsibilities. For a long time, the HR function has been confined to a dichotomous relationship between advocating for employee rights (employee activist) and aligning the human resources to organizational strategies to ensure achievement of its goals (employer defender). Yet, there is also an increasing emphasis on HR professionals as change champions. These different perspectives have often conflicted with each other especially in the non-profit sector such as non- governmental organizations (NGOs) where there are competing interests by the donors. HR professionals working in the NGO sector may find juggling responsibilities of being an activist as well as a defender presenting two opposing tensions that can potentially wear down the officers professionally and personally. For the overall success of the organization, the need for linkage and harmony of strategic needs of the organization with that of the employees that subsequently brings about both success to the organization and satisfaction and willingness to change by workers is critical. That implies therefore that HR professionals cannot choose sides between being an employee advocate, a business partner, or a change interception of the trichotomy in a way to achieve win-win results, which is the subject of this paper. This paper calls for an appropriate balance in job operationalization identifies the various tensions and conflicts and attempts to provide a suitable framework to recognize and balance the trichotomy in a way that provides assurance to the organization, its workers as well as the HR professional.

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