Human resource management in the PMO

The purpose of this research is to provide an analysis of Human Resource Management policy and practice in the Project Management Office, a project orientated context that often leads in the implementation of organisational change and the development of change capability within the Irish insurance industry. This research was in the form of a case study and draws on information gathered from 14 semi structured interviews conducted amongst project professionals who work in this PMO setting. The interviewees range from project team members to project directors and senior managers who often act in the role of project sponsor. Human Resource Management is a core process of the firm however studies of its application in the project orientated context have been described as rudimentary in nature. What has been studied has highlighted the challenges traditional HRM theory and practice present for firms who adopt projects as their principle form of working. This research has drawn attention to the difficulties experienced in the PMO setting in the enactment of HRM policy that is more suited to the organisations routine processes. Of particular note in this study was the need for the organisations recruitment, appraisal and reward policies to be adapted to suit the PMO setting. Roles and responsibilities in the enactment of HRM were also unclear. The study highlights the PMO workers’ willingness to promote organisational core values may be associated with effective HRM. This study lends supports to the assertions that mainstream organisational HRM policies are a challenge in the project orientated firm. The study highlights how temporary workers drawn from the organisations mainstream functions can bring further complexity to the enactment of HRM in this context. Organisations who adopt projects as a form of working need to pay more attention to HRM in this setting ensuring HRM policies and roles and responsibilities in relation to its enactment are clearly defined. The effective enactment of HRM in this context has implications for organisations who seek to promote their core values. This study contributes to the understanding of the challenges for HRM in the project orient setting. Future research may wish to investigate the importance of effective HRM in promoting an organisations core values and its relationship to organisational citizenship behaviour in the project orientated firm.