Evaluating what your HR department looks like is step one of a six-step process to help gauge the readiness of a team, HR expert Lori Kleiman writes for SHRM. “We know that employees are more productive when their manager is paying attention to them... Today HR should exist to impact and grow your business with a focus on positive employee interactions.”

Gathering pertinent data on all aspects of the business and separating basic HR functions that can be outsourced or that can be automated so HR can focus on its strategic role also are key steps. HR also needs a strong team that can communicate directly with the CEO and be able to sit in on business meetings with key departments to appreciate their respective roles in the firm.

Finally, HR needs to be ready to make changes if their current team isn’t getting the job done. “If you just can’t see the value, consider outsourcing the function,” Kleiman notes. “There are options, but one of them should not be complacency with a department that is draining resources and not adding value.”

Read the full article from the Society For Human Resource Management.