Human Resource Management
What is Human Resource Management?
Human Resource Management includes all practices and processes concerned with individuals within our Association - namely ELSA Officers and ELSA Members. People are what keeps ELSA relevant and alive. Without our officers, there would be no one to organise and coordinate projects and events. Without our members, there would be no one to organise projects and events for. So it is important that every ELSA Group ensures proper Human Resource Management through specific practices. These practices are best laid out in an HR strategy.
On the international level, it is the Secretary General of the International Board that is responsible for HRM. Yet their work will look significantly different as the IB does not have to attract individual members as National or Local Groups have to. The IB focuses more on ELSA Officers, mostly National Board Officers, and on ensuring that these officers are trained to transfer the knowledge and skills they gain to their own Network. In addition, the IB is also concerned with attracting ELSA Groups to become hosts for International Internal Meetings.
To sum up, HRM concerns itself with the attraction and training of individual ELSA Members, ELSA Officers and ELSA Groups.
What is an HR strategy?
An HR strategy identifies the current and future needs when it comes to people and lays out specific procedures and processes to be followed to fulfil the identifies needs. For ELSA Groups, this means your needs in regards to ELSA Members and ELSA Officers. You need members to participate in events, to support your ELSA Group financially through Membership contributions, and to subsequently become officers so that your ELSA Group continues to exist. At the same time, you need officers that are knowledgeable and competent to organise events and projects and generally ensure the survival and thriving of your ELSA Group. You can find an example of an ELSA HR strategy below and many 'best practices' from across the Network in the HR Handbook.
How should we create our HR strategy?
When creating or updating your HR strategy, it is important to make sure that the process is right for your specific ELSA Group. Some things that work in one group do not work in another. You may want to conduct a survey across existing members to find out what attracted them, whether they enjoy ELSA, what projects they like most, whether they are interested in becoming ELSA Officers, or what you could do better for them to enjoy their time in ELSA even more. The results of such a survey will provide you with a lot of data that you can use to evaluate current practices and establish/update your HR strategy to perform even better. You might want to do the same for your officers, for them to share feedback on how they can be better supported and trained.
How could an HR strategy look like?
Article 1. The Human Resources Strategy of ELSA Narnia – Individual Members
1.1 Attraction and Engagement refers to attracting new members to join ELSA Narnia and to engage them to participate in ELSA events.
a) The Director for HR shall organise a social event within the first two weeks of the new university term.
b) ELSA Narnia shall be present at the Freshers’ Fair during the first week of the new term and any other event organised by the University of Narnia showcasing students’ organisations.
c) The Vice President in charge of Seminars and Conferences shall organise an academic event within the first three weeks of the new university term.
d) The Director for HR shall organise an event explaining ELSA’s projects and the Association before the first academic event of the term.
e) The Vice President in charge of Academic Activities and the Vice President in charge of Moot Court Competitions shall organise taster sessions for members to practice and learn skills for them to apply in ELSA competitions.
f) The Director for HR shall organise soft skills training for members at least twice per term.
g) ELSA Narnia shall promote events via social media, the university mailing lists and shout outs before lectures.
h) The Board Members of ELSA Narnia shall develop an event calendar for the whole term during their transition but latest within four weeks of the beginning of the new term.
Article 2. The Human Resources Strategy of ELSA Narnia- Officers
2.1 There are three general processes to consider when dealing with the Human Resource Management of ELSA Officers in ELSA Narnia:
i) Attraction and Selection;
ii) Training and Development;
iii) Engagement and Retention.
2.2 The Attraction and Selection process refers to attracting interested individuals and encouraging them to become active ELSA Officers:
a) ELSA Narnia shall offer positions for Freshers and newer members such as Helper during events and Assistant or Director to support Board Members.
b) The Director for HR shall organise information events for interested individuals to learn more about positions within ELSA and the Association itself. These events shall take place when opening call for Directors, Assistants or Helpers and before opening a call for candidates for the Local Board of ELSA Narnia;
c) The Director for HR shall organise bi-monthly social events;
d) ELSA Narnia shall develop a selection procedure that ensures that individuals apply for the most suitable position considering their skills and interests.
2.3 The Training and Development process refers to providing officers with the necessary knowledge and skills to have a successful term and to providing them with opportunities to develop their soft skills:
a) The outgoing Local Board of ELSA Narnia shall organise a transition period of at least two full weekends consisting of team building sessions, soft skills training, Association knowledge, National Network knowledge, and Area knowledge.
b) The Director for HR shall organise at least 2 ELSA Training sessions for all officers of ELSA Narnia during the term.
c) ELSA Narnia shall participate in all National Officers Meetings, National Council Meetings, and, if possible, in International Internal Meetings.
3.4 The Engagement and Retention process refers to encouraging officers to keep motivation high and retain talent within the Association or Alumni networks:
a) The Secretary General shall organise a mid-term evaluation halfway through the term.
b) The Director for HR shall organise wellbeing events, especially before exam periods.
c) ELSA Narnia shall develop a recognition procedure that celebrates achievements of individual officers and/or ELSA Groups such as awards or certificates.
d) The President with the support of the Director for HR shall research and create partnerships that directly benefit the officers of ELSA Narnia such as discounts for traveling, hotels or well-being items.
e) The Director for HR shall organise collaborative events with ELSA Narnia Alumni at least twice per term.
f) ELSA Narnia Alumni shall be invited to Local Council Meetings to present their activities and network;
g) ELSA Narnia shall promote national and international Train the Trainers’ events.
Is there someone that can help us?
There is! If you have any questions or would like to brainstorm with others, contact the Human Resources Department of ELSA International at nationalrelations@elsa.org. ELSA International will be happy to help in any way we can!