CASE STUDY Whose side are you on? Helen is an HR adviser with Rockwell Resources, a mining and exploration company. Recently the Board commissioned an independent review of the company's structure and staffing. The review recommended among other things) that the company's finance division be restructured to achieve greater efficiency and effectiveness. The review found that processes within the finance division were excessively bureaucratic and that these inefficient processes had led to staffing levels blowing out to an unsustainable level. The Board accepted the recommendation, and new business processes and a new, leaner structure were designed for the division. The new structure required a 20 per cent cut in staff numbers, from 60 positions to 48. Helen has been involved from the beginning and has contributed actively to the development of the new structures and processes. She is now responsible for managing the process of allocating people to jobs in the new structure, and facilitating the reduction in staff numbers. She has had numerous meetings with the Chief Financial Officer to discuss the best way to achieve these changes, and together they have developed a plan involving an internal selection process to fill the positions in the new structure. During all of this, Helen thought to herself, 'Wow, this is really what being a strategic business partner is all about! One of the initiatives that Helen has put in place is a weekly meeting with finance staff to explain the change process and to update them on developments. Obviously, there's quite a bit of apprehension. There are also a good many people in the division who believe that the review and recommendations were flawed, and that the proposed changes are problematic. Helen knows this, and puts it down to natural defensiveness and resistance to change. During the first meeting, Helen asks if people have any questions about the process, One person, Ray, puts up his hand immediately. Ray is an accountant who has been with the company for about ten years. The new structure reduces the number of accountants so his position is in jeopardy. Ray asks, 'Why are you doing this, Helen?' Helen is a little puzzled. What do you mean, Ray?' Ray replies, 'I thought HR was supposed to look after people. You've just got into bed with management. Shouldn't you be trying to find ways to avoid job losses rather than helping management get rid of people? Whose side are you on?' Ray asks, 'Why are you doing this, Helen?' Helen is a little puzzled. "What do you mean, Ray?' Ray replies, 'I thought HR was supposed to look after people. You've just got into bed with management. Shouldn't you be trying to find ways to avoid job losses rather than helping management get rid of people? Whose side are you on?' Questions 1. What does Ray's question tell us about the role of HR in the company? Do the employees perceive it the same way that Helen does? 2. Does being a strategic business partner mean 'getting into bed with management? 3. Is Ray right? Should Helen be doing what she can to prevent job losses? I 4. How should Helen respond to Ray's concerns