TOOL

HR Audit Template
Overview
This document provides an initial basis for evaluating the effectiveness of your property’s
HR function. Complete the rating form (attached) using the descriptions below to guide your
assessment. Be as specific as you can. The resulting information can be used to identify your
property’s HR priorities, and develop solutions that deliver value and drive property performance.

HR Function Descriptions
HR Leadership
The following are capabilities and key qualities among individuals who are formally or primarily
responsible for overseeing the HR function. On the rating form, assign a 1, 2, or 3 for each.

y Strategic partner — uses data-driven solutions to address significant, firm-level challenges

y Business acumen — links functional results to business results
y Sophistication — understands the value chain and ways to leverage the HR function effectively
HR Planning
Are there formal, systematic efforts taken to determine the short- and longer-term HR priorities that
address key business objectives. On the rating form, assign a 1, 2, or 3 for each of the following key
activities.
ƒ Key activities include:
Š Conducting ongoing, formal analyses to identify and predict the HR needs
Š Using IT-based solutions to facilitate the forecasting process
Š Updating key job-related information regularly to ensure clarity and accuracy
Recruitment
Are there, formal, systematic practices that are used to attract job seekers to apply for open
positions. On the rating form, assign a 1, 2, or 3 for each of the following key activities.
ƒ Key activities include:
Š Using multiple channels on an ongoing basis to promote jobs and develop a strong
employer brand
Š Ensuring that advertising about the job and organization is balanced and accurate
Š Demonstrating the effectiveness and utility of all channels and processes

© 2023 Cornell University 1

Selection
Are there formal, systematic practices that are used to select job candidates for open positions. On
the rating form, assign a 1, 2, or 3 for each of the following key activities.
ƒ Key activities include:
Š Using multiple, semi-structured procedures for screening and assessing job candidates
Š Demonstrating the predictive validity of all selection tools and methods
Š Utilizing multiple indicators to assess overall utility and effectiveness
Training
Are there formal, systematic practices that are used to facilitate knowledge and skill acquisition
among new and experienced employees. On the rating form, assign a 1, 2, or 3 for each of the
following key activities.
ƒ Key activities include:
Š Facilitating a wide array of formal and informal learning opportunities, on and off the job
Š Cultivating a shared value and understanding about the importance of continuous
learning and growth
Š Demonstrating the individual and organizational impact from all major learning and
development initiatives
Performance Management
Are there formal, systematic procedures that are used to assess and enhance individual job
performance. On the rating form, assign a 1, 2, or 3 for each of the following key activities.
ƒ Key activities include:
Š Using multiple measures to account for:
y core capabilities, behaviors, and values
y job-specific functions and outcomes
y learning and growth needs
Š Using multiple sources of data – self, other, aggregate
Š Demonstrating compliance and utility of all major feedback processes

© 2023 Cornell University 2

Rewards and Incentives
Are there formal, systematic procedures that are used to reinforce and reward desired capabilities,
behaviors, values, and key performance outcomes. On the rating form, assign a 1, 2, or 3 for each of
the following key activities.
ƒ Key activities include:
Š Using flexible, performance-based practices that account for individual and aggregate
outcomes
Š Ongoing external benchmarking to ensure market competitiveness
Š Demonstrating relevance and utility of all major incentive and reward practices
Employee Relations
Are there formal, systematic procedures that are used to a strong, supportive, committed, and
high-performing work culture. On the rating form, assign a 1, 2, or 3 for each of the following key
activities.
ƒ Key activities include:
Š Using formal, systematic practices to promote effective communication, transparency in
decision making, work-life balance, and related outcomes
Š Seeking and incorporating employee feedback in continuous improvement efforts
Š Demonstrating utility of all major initiatives

© 2023 Cornell University 3

 HR Audit Rating Form

1 - Poor 2 - Average 3 - Excellent Examples/Comments

HR Leadership My company has established a quantitative

way of addressing and approaching
challenges. The performance of each
business sector is linked to overall business
Strategic partner and results are analyzed quantitatively and
qualitatively. However, my company does
not have deep integration between value
Business acumen chain and HR functionality. HR often works
in isolation and does not have the ideal
level of integration with business objective
Sophistication compared to key business segments (i.e.,
marketing).

HR Planning HR planning is conducted at

regular intervals at my company
Formal supply and and there are continuous
analysis. However, the process is
demand analysis often based on subjective
analysis and not fully backed by
Integration with data. There are some IT-based
other information solutions, but most are coming
from software acquired. There is
systems/technology little internally built forecasting
model, that works well.
Continuous
job analyses

Recruitment My company has advertised job

openings on multiple platforms and
also through contracting agencies.
Proactive and
The representation of the job and
comprehensive expectation are accurate and we
received little complaints afterwards.
We try to leverage all channels, but
Realistic job the utilization rate is less than ideal for
previews some channels. There is certainly
areas for improvement, but I believe
the current approach is sufficient for
Effectiveness our needs.
metrics

© 2023 Cornell University 4

 HR Audit Rating Form

1 - Poor 2 - Average 3 - Excellent Examples/Comments

The candidate selection process

Selection
includes multiple rounds of
interviews, with different structures.
Formal, structured The decision is based on pooled
methods decisions and comparison of other
candidates in the same batch.
Candidate performance later is used
Validation to validate our approach and it
procedures usually works well. We have a few
primary indicators that are the major
basis for our decision and approach.
Effectiveness
Many indicators are collected, but not
metrics analyzed (deeply).

Training and Development I think training and development is

a major area of improvement for
my company. While we do have
Formal service, some formal training, most
technical skill, candidates learn on the job. The
and on-going onboarding experience varies
development widely by team. The
organizational wide learning
programs opportunities are limited and not
promoted. We certainly lack effort
Organization-wide to demonstrate individual impacts
as calibration and appreciation are
value for learning
mostly within in a team or a small
function.
Effectiveness
metrics

Performance Management Performance management is not an

ideal area for my company. Employees
often complain the stress during
Behavioral and performance management cycles. In
competency-based some instances, a quota of low
performance has to be met for each
evaluation function, even though all employees
perform well. While we do have a lot of
metrics, the regular feedback of
Employee performance is lacking. Managers are
involvement hard to provide feedback given
calibration of performance only happens
once every 6 months, thus they are
Effectiveness difficult to tell their reportees hot they
perform compared to others.
metrics

© 2023 Cornell University 5

 HR Audit Rating Form

1 - Poor 2 - Average 3 - Excellent Examples/Comments

Compensation is closely tied to

Rewards and Incentives
the performance of the
individual contributor and the
Performance- team. The compensation is also
based pay based benchmarked internally and
on individual and externally to provide
group outcomes transparency of competitive pay
information. For the bonus,
Continuous there is a detailed list of
benchmarking breakdown. Overall, the reward
and incentives are well received
in my company.
Effectiveness
metrics

Employee Relations As mentioned above,

performance management is
Formal and not ideal and this translates to
continuous the transparency of
assessment/ performance benchmarks.
feedback
Assessment varies and many
employees feel lost on the
procedures
formal performance reports. I
do agree it works like a black
Involvement/ box from time to time. The
engagement company does have regular
programs feedback collection procedure
and have genuine attempts to
Effectiveness align interests of different
metrics stakeholders.

© 2023 Cornell University 6