Why school Principals shouldn't double as CHROs?

When I was a Principal, one of my last professional development courses was an HR Management course in Dubai, aimed at HR professionals rather than school leaders. As the only educator in the room, I brought a unique perspective to the debates. I undertook this course because, despite my vertical growth from teacher to Head, I questioned if I was managing HR to the best of my ability, especially as it took up so much of my time.

Principals, busy and skilled, are responsible for many aspects of their schools. They employ experts like marketeers and accountants for strategic insight but often handle HR tasks themselves, relegating HR staff to administrative roles. This course revealed to me that in HR, "we don't know what we don't know."

School leaders often stick to traditional methods, hiring via job boards and managing grievances, without advancing the "People Business" through professional HR practices.

The Principal acting as the Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO) can be both beneficial and challenging. While they understand the school’s culture and can align HR decisions with its mission, managing both educational leadership and HR can be overwhelming. This dual role stretches their time and can detract from focusing on instructional leadership and student outcomes. Effective HR management requires specialized knowledge, which many Principals lack, leading to potential bias, role confusion, and suboptimal HR practices.

Employing a dedicated HR professional alleviates these issues, allowing Principals to concentrate on educational leadership while ensuring HR is managed by someone with the necessary expertise.

A qualified, HR professional, not just an administrator, brings specialised knowledge and skills in HR management from other sectors which could benefit a school. These include:

• Specialized Expertise

A dedicated HR professional brings specialized knowledge and skills in human resource management, including understanding employment law, benefits administration, conflict resolution, and talent management. This expertise ensures that HR functions are handled efficiently and in compliance with regulations. In contrast, an educator may lack the detailed knowledge and training required to manage these complex HR tasks effectively, which can lead to legal and operational risks.

• Improved Efficiency

HR professionals are trained to handle the administrative aspects of HR, such as payroll, benefits administration, and record-keeping, with high efficiency. Their expertise allows for the streamlining of HR processes, reducing the time and effort required to manage these tasks. This efficiency frees up educators to focus on their primary roles of teaching and educational leadership, rather than being bogged down by HR administrative duties.

• Objective decision making. HR professionals provide an objective perspective in handling HR issues, such as performance evaluations, disciplinary actions, and conflict resolution. Their neutrality helps ensure that decisions are fair and unbiased, which is crucial for maintaining staff morale and trust. Educators who take on HR roles might struggle with objectivity, especially when dealing with colleagues they work closely with, leading to potential conflicts of interest and biased decisions.
• Enhanced Recruitment and Retention

A dedicated HR professional can implement effective recruitment strategies to attract high-quality candidates and develop retention programs to keep talented staff. They can create robust onboarding programs and professional development opportunities, enhancing job satisfaction and reducing turnover. Educators may not have the time or expertise to develop and manage such comprehensive recruitment and retention strategies, potentially leading to higher turnover rates and less effective onboarding processes.

• Development of a Positive Work Culture

HR professionals are skilled in fostering a positive work environment and developing initiatives that enhance staff well-being and engagement. They can implement wellness programs, recognition schemes, and team-building activities that contribute to a positive school culture. While educators may have insights into the school's culture, they might lack the time and expertise to systematically develop and maintain such programs.

In larger school organisations, HR responsibilities are often centralized, but in independent schools, these tasks may be spread among several team members. Completing my HRM course with distinction highlighted that even with advanced educational leadership qualifications such as the NPQH, educators may lack the detailed HR knowledge needed to avoid legal and operational risks.

In conclusion, employing a skilled HR professional, even part-time, is more effective, enabling Principals to focus on educational leadership while ensuring HR functions are managed efficiently and professionally.