The practice of taking on two roles at once, or “double hatting” is on the rise, according to a leading HR recruiter, who explained that this trend presents HR leaders with both opportunities and challenges.
“I first started to hear about “double hatting” four to five years ago in the period after what we call the GFC,” said MD and founder of HR Partners, David Owens, who recalled some senior HR professionals working in international banks were asked to do a local role, but also pick up a regional portfolio as well.
“As time went by I noticed that a number of senior leaders in HR also had other portfolios attached,” he said.
Owens observed that sometimes these portfolios were related, like people and culture, and this evolved into HR and corporate relations, or HR and reputation.
“There appeared to be more and more people doing this, and of course a willingness on the part of the executive to accept a dual role – the ‘double hat’.”
What started as a post-GFC response by international banks soon became much more common in ASX listed businesses, said Owens.
“The cynic in me suggests the CEO getting more blood from the stone – dressed up as a career development opportunity; we will see”
HR Partners is conducting a survey in conjunction with Inside HR to better understand this trend and how common it is.
Owens observed that there are a few trends behind the rise of double hatting, and said there must be a “win-win” in the process.
“For the organisation, they have one executive, not two; they have the benefit of one less head in the matrix; there is a bottom line benefit and quite possibly similar capability in both portfolios,” he said.
“For the individual themselves they have the opportunity to take on more responsibility, presumably one portfolio represents more of a learning curve than the other.
“Furthermore, it is an opportunity to become more indispensable and a great way to justify their hard (er) earned remuneration package.
“The cynic in me suggests the CEO getting more blood from the stone – dressed up as a career development opportunity; we will see,” he said.
“Take a view on how long this is intended to be in place and manage people and workloads accordingly”
For HR leaders at the brunt of this trend, Owens noted that there are some “pretty nasty side effects” of long-term double hatting.
“In some cases both portfolios have significant workloads, and if one or both is across timezones, there is risk that long term double hatting could be detrimental to health through stress, burn out, mental issues, family disruption and lack of exercise – the list goes on,” he said.
Owens suggested that people be rotated in and out of double hat roles so they do not become burnt out, and also recommended pitching remuneration packages which reward success – but also have an incentive for managing successful succession planning.
“Understand why it’s being done and why it is being done,” he said.
“Take a view on how long this is intended to be in place and manage people and workloads accordingly.”
Do you double hat? What is your experience with the practice? To take part in the survey, please click on this link. Entrants go into a draw to receive one of two bottles of Veuve Clicquot Yellow Label Brut NV 750ml. Image source: iStock
