If I were in your situation, I would pinpoint a senior executive who can side
with you on the idea of making a separate Records Management Dept. (which is
a great idea). You should team with the senior manager who has enough
authority that he/she will be able to help "push" your idea. I would
approach the suggestion of change as a risk management perspective. If there
is a $$$ benefit, obviously that will help also. I think though your first
move is to get a senior manager on board with you who can help "influence"
management.
-Ben Greene
MPLS, MN.
-----Original Message-----
From: Records Management Program [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf
Of Charlie Rimfan
Sent: Friday, January 11, 2008 12:58 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: reporting structure / shared services center
I'm a semi-frequent poster to this list (an
Dear RIM Professionals,
I'm a semi-frequent poster to this list (and an avid reader!), but for this
post I've decided that I had best go "underground". I apologize for any ill
perceptions.
I would like your thoughts on my current situation. I work for a global
manufacturing company. The Records Management department is currently aligned
under Human Resources, which is undergoing a massive reorganization. As part
of this reorg, management is considering dissolving the Records Management
department and incorporating its function into a larger shared services
center that will provide traditional HR services (benefits, payroll, stock,
comp, etc.)
I feel like this plan is a bad idea, but I'm not sure I can articulate my
opinion as effectively as some of you here might be able to. I have not been
in my position long (11 months to be exact), but I think in order to be
effective Records Management needs to retain some degree of autonomy and
specialization that would not be possible in a service center focusing on
traditional HR services. Any thoughts on what other issues may arise from
being part of this service center, and not a distinct, autonomous department?
Are any RIM professionals out there operating in such an environment, and if
so, what challenges have you faced or what benefits have you realized? Also,
how is RIM organized within your shared services center, HR or otherwise?
I should mention that, in my opinion, in my organization Records Management
would be best aligned under Corporate Legal and not under HR for the
following reasons:
1.) RIM's mission (to effectively manage the Company's records and
information so that it is available when needed, yada yada yada...) is
entirely different that HR's mission (to maximize the workforce, provide
employee services, etc etc etc....);
2.) HR has little or no understanding of where RIM provides value to the
Company beyond administrative services, and as such RIM does not get the
support, budget, or influence that it needs to be effective.
3.) We operate within a heavily litigated industry, and are ourselves
participants in several cases with significant Records Management components.
The synergy gained by being aligned under Legal would be invaluable during
discovery requests, in executing legal holds, etc.
4.) Legal has a better understanding of the full value that RIM provides
to a business, and could provide RIM with the influence, support, and budget
to be effective company-wide.
When I present these points to management, I'm not sure I am communicating
very effectively. I think the problem I am running into is that they still
see Records Management as an administrative service, and not as a strategic
function essential to the business. How can I most effectively change this
perception? I've cited some of the landmark cases where Records Management
issues either saved or cost a Company millions (Arthur Anderson, UBS Warburg,
JP Morgan, Morgan Stanley, Phillip Morris, et al.), but that hasn't provided
the impact with HR as it might with Legal.
What points or arguments am I missing here? Those of you who have driven
forward similar changes in your organizations, how did you do it? What steps
were involved? What points were really effective with the executives, and
which were not? If you are aligned under Legal, are there any benefits you
have realized that I have not listed above?
Any additional thoughts you could provide would be appreciated greatly. I
apologize if I have rambled, but I am in full-on crisis management mode and
not thinking as clearly as normal. I want to make sure I am not missing any
significant points or arguments that would be relevant to my situation. And
again, I apologize for posting anonymously, but it just seemed like the right
thing to do in this instance.
Sincerely,
"Charlie"
_____________________________________________________________________________
_______
Looking for last minute shopping deals?
Find them fast with Yahoo! Search.
http://tools.search.yahoo.com/newsearch/category.php?category=shopping
List archives at http://lists.ufl.edu/archives/recmgmt-l.html
Contact [log in to unmask] for assistance
To unsubscribe from this list, click the below link. If not already present,
place UNSUBSCRIBE RECMGMT-L or UNSUB RECMGMT-L in the body of the message.
mailto:[log in to unmask]
List archives at http://lists.ufl.edu/archives/recmgmt-l.html
Contact [log in to unmask] for assistance
To unsubscribe from this list, click the below link. If not already present, place UNSUBSCRIBE RECMGMT-L or UNSUB RECMGMT-L in the body of the message.
mailto:[log in to unmask]
|
