Getting line managers to engage is an HR priority

David Shepherd reports from the CIPD conference 2005, which took place in Harrogate.

Front line managers are the key to effective implementation of HR strategies, CIPD conference delegates at Harrogate were told yesterday afternoon.

John Purcell, professor of human resource management at the university of Bath, outlined research findings demonstrating that line managers have a critical impact on the outcome of policies - representing the means through which formal policies are transformed into practice.

Contributions from Nick Lambourne, manager of human resources at Honda UK, and Mike Watts, director of HR transformation at the Cabinet Office, highlighted the crucial role of the line manager in both public and private sectors.

In an answer to a question from the floor, Watts pointed out that many line managers in the civil service are promoted into such posts 'because it is a promotion, not because they can manage'.

Getting line managers to engage has become a priority for HR. But this is easier said than done, especially in organisations where managers have been promoted into their positions based on technical or operational competence rather than management aptitude or ability.

XpertHR's CIPD reading list provides much useful material on the line manager issue, while our new series of line manager briefings give you a valuable tool to ensure line managers are complying with the law and best practice in their people management role.