IAMGOLD
Innovative Practice/Initiative: Creating Buy-in to Implement a Vision
Organisation Profile
IAMGOLD is a leading mid-tier gold mining company producing approximately one million ounces annually from 8 gold mines on 3 continents. IAMGOLD is uniquely positioned with a strong financial position and extensive management and operational expertise. To grow from this strong base, IAMGOLD has a pipeline of development and exploration projects and continues to assess accretive acquisition opportunities. IAMGOLD's growth plans are strategically focused in West Africa, select countries in South America and in the Canadian provinces of Ontario and Québec, where it also operates a niobium mine.
The Organisation's Initiative
Background
IAMGOLD has grown considerably in the last few years, moving from a management to an operations based company through the acquisition of Cambior in 2006. The acquisition moved IAMGOLD to a mid tier gold mining company with four mines in South Africa, three in Quebec and one in South America.
Driven by the HR demands of both the corporate and mine sites, the HR SLT recognized the acute need to align the HR vision, strategy and structure to IAMGOLD's vision, strategies and growth imperatives. In support of building a partnership with all key stakeholders (employees, leaders, and mine site human resources professionals), the HR SLT engaged in a key stakeholder analysis seeking input to the overall people strategy of the organization and how HR strategies and initiatives were either supporting the overall people strategy or where there were opportunities for greater alignment. A comprehensive study was initiated to review the HR functions, processes, work activities linking back to the overall strategy and requirements of the IAMGOLD organization. This analysis served as the foundation and thinking for the creation of an IAMGOLD HR purpose statement and key strategies to enable the team to achieve the overall HR vision. A series of recommendations were created including: the reorganization of Corporate HR and linkage to Site HR, implementation of HRIS system, talent acquisition, leadership development, performance management, total rewards and succession management.
IAMGOLD HR is currently developing a process of strategy integration across all of the HR functions, driven by the sudden growth through the acquired sites. This is a complex and involved process of not only integration across different countries, but to also to take a step back and define the purpose statement and vision as foundational pieces for the HR functions at IAMGOLD.
Using a Consultative Process to Create Buy-in
One element of the overall organisational review is the strategic alignment of HR with the rest of the business. When the process began it was clear that there were many opportunities for IAMGOLD to realign its HR structure and vision.
An essential part of creating buy-in and ownership was fully involving the HR and Communications team in the creation of the foundational pieces for the HR function: a purpose statement, vivid description of the future and a set of values completing the overall vision for HR. The integrated HR and Communications team went through a facilitated process using an affinity diagram. 
The affinity technique was chosen as it is a consensus based process, and group consensus is essential for long term buy-in. The HR team answered a number of questions on the HR purpose and vision, placing their answers on sticky notes. Within teams these answers were then distilled into purpose statements of 15 words or less. The result was a purpose statement and vision that was owned by the team and compelling for IAMGOLD. Collectively the team decided the reason they existed was to "inspire and empower IAMGOLD talent to achieve business results through promoting our brand, reputation and culture of performance excellence."
To complete the process the HR strategic priorities were reviewed and redefined and aligned to realise the purpose statement. A series of recommendations were created including: the reorganization of Corporate HR and linkage to Site HR, implementation of HRIS system, talent acquisition, leadership development, performance management, total rewards, succession management and overall employee engagement.
A comprehensive set of strategies were created from a comprehensive stakeholder analysis including employee engagement focus groups, and input from managers, business leaders and best practices that would ensure the IAMGOLD HR team achieved its compelling vision.
A critical component of creating a strong HR team to realise this vision was the agreement of a structure for corporate HR. Through a facilitated process the team chose a customer/function/geography hybrid model. This enabled the alignment of expertise to the needs of global client groups, removed overlaps and any duplication of effort. The next step will be to align the international structure.
Creating buy-in of the HR strategy through all layers of the organisation
To create buy-in the key stakeholders affected were first be identified. The HR team then invested time in understanding their needs and learn how to speak their language. Trust was built and credibility established, recognising that does not happen overnight and is a long term investment. The HR team seeks opportunities to build trust and credibility across the organisation.
In 2010 IAMGOLD completed an employee engagement survey with an 82% response rate across all mine sites. This excellent response rate gave the HR team an opportunity to demonstrate the organisations responsiveness to employee feedback. Taking the survey feedback, focus groups were run at the mine sites to work through areas of opportunity. The solutions created through this process were owned at a local level, and also reinforced that IAMGOLD is actively listening and responding to its employees.
The IAMGOLD Talent Management strategy is built on an integrated approach in support of the IAMGOLD vision, strategy and brand position. Our recent branding exercise involved key stakeholders at all levels of the organization. The result, our exciting brand position: Empowering people, extraordinary performance. People are at the heart of our organization, they are fundamental to IAMGOLD success.
In support of our overall vision for IAMGOLD, an integrated Talent Management model and strategy has been developed which includes compelling strategic imperatives in the areas of Talent Acquisition, Employee Engagement and Development, Total Rewards, Performance Management, Leadership Development and Succession Management.
Continuing IAMGOLD's inclusive approach to talent management, leadership is recognized as a key leverage in employee engagement. Top leaders were recently assessed, feedback provided and in the process of developing and implementing development plans. This process is expected to be implemented for all levels of management.
The HR team recognizes that credibility and partnership continues to be built on supporting leaders achieve their own goals within their respective teams. This allows the HR team to problem solve and facilitate group consensus of HR strategies with leaders. This may mean tackling a problem that impacts stakeholders, perhaps not a pure HR issue, simply to demonstrate the capability of the HR function.
These purpose statement and vision, customer centric structure and consensus based approach will enable the HR team to implement its aggressive talent management strategy effectively over the next five years.
Evidence of Impacts
Evidence of impact is assessed through IAMGOLD's employee engagement survey, exit interviews, and the ability to attract and retain talent, all which will be tracked through an HRIS system. These measures will be defined by key stakeholders so that outputs from the system can enrich the talent management aspect of their overall management role.
