People-First, Process-Smart: Efficient HR Management for Real Satisfaction

I’m excited to share my recently published book chapter from Metrics, Mapping, and Modelling for Masterful Management in Higher Education (Emerald Press, 2025) entitled Create and Retain a Productive Workforce.

Chapter 17 focuses on the biggest investment most higher education institutions make—people—and how to build (and keep) a productive workforce while reducing the overhead of managing it. Readers learn how to define and model organizational capabilities, map those capabilities to roles, role instances, line numbers, and individual skills, and use that structure to make HR decisions clearer, faster, and more defensible. The chapter lays out practical schemas for appointments, contract types, and faculty position demographics, along with change-management tracking for line numbers and personnel actions so workforce evolution is visible and controllable rather than chaotic. It also moves beyond “who fills the job” to “what the job actually requires,” showing how to connect responsibilities to job descriptions, bundle performance metrics into responsibility sets, and generate performance plans aligned with tactical and strategic goals. Finally, it tackles the human side of retention—mentoring systems, succession planning, non-financial incentives, and recognition through honors and awards—so institutions can create an entrepreneurial, responsibility-centered culture where people want to stay and do their best work.

Many of the book’s chapters have a companion video which can be viewed for free on the Higher Education Leadership Learning Online Community web site. Visit the site to see the complete and evolving list.

If you’re involved in higher-ed leadership, strategy, assessment, or institutional research, I’d love for you to take a look at the chapter and add your comments below. If you would like assistance implementing any of the ideas addressed, please compete a consultation request form – the first hour is free for any institution.