Some governing bodies have established HR or staffing committees to support them. This, however, is by no means universal and, indeed, many such committees are being disbanded to streamline governance structures. The membership of HR committees varies. In post-1992 institutions staff and students are forbidden to be members because of a perceived conflict of interest. In pre-1992 institutions staff membership is common, reflecting the tradition of academic self-governance. Whilst such representation on an HR committee can be helpful in bringing a broader perspective to the discussion, there are more effective means of consulting staff [PDF, 56Kb], and there will be times when the subject matter may challenge the objectivity of staff members (for example, if workforce reductions are planned).
The positive contributions that an HR committee can make include:
There are some potential disadvantages, although some can be overcome by good committee practice (effective chairing, careful selection of members, and so on), but others are generic:
Provided that governors are prepared to challenge the executive and the HR director there can be effective governance without having a committee.