Human Capital Resource Pipelines

The “Human Capital Resource (HCR) pipeline” is an organizational capacity that involves the internal, external, horizontal, and vertical flow of human capital resources in and out of an organization. The goal of an HCR pipeline is to ensure that the appropriate quality and quantity of HCRs are in place for the ongoing functioning of organizations. In turn, managing the HCR pipeline is the organizational capability to acquire, develop, and align individual or unit-level capacities to match unit-relevant purposes as they arise. It is necessary for organizations to think of managing the HCR pipeline as an ongoing process that involves the horizontal alignment, or congruence, of several human resources (HR) functions. This includes Staffing, through attraction, Selection, and Attrition. Once talent is in place, then it must be developed through Performance Appraisal, Succession Planning, and Training. It is also essential to align that talent with the organization’s objectives. This involves continuously matching talent with the appropriate role, including focusing on Internal Mobility, Fit, and Flexibility. Compensation also affects the HCR pipeline through Sorting (e.g., who is attracted to the pipeline) and its effects on how the HCR pipeline coordinates; however, heretofore, compensation has not been explicitly tied to the HCR pipeline. The HCR pipeline may also need to focus extra and different attention on star employees and executives or other employees who disproportionately contribute to organizational performance. The general idea of considering the HCR pipeline has been growing in importance, including the creation of a special interest group at the Strategic Management Society, and two journal special issues dedicated to the topic. Therefore, the concept of the HCR pipeline is an extension of this literature that highlights the dynamic nature of HCR that has thus far been looked at in a static lens.