... own projects and priorities. Strategic HR function There have been a lot of good changes in HR, as the function has become more professional. For the HR function to truly strategic and viewed as a real business partner the following three conditions must exist: 1. Alignment - the HR function needs to understand and be connected closely with the business, rather than trying to implement HR programs. HR is not a P&L function, but a support and advisory function assisting managers to improve and develop organizational capability. 2. Business-focused - There are no HR strategies, only business strategies with HR implications. HR is only strategic when the various HR initiatives contribute to ...
Tags: hr function | strategic HR function | hr department | hr business partner | HR strategy | business strategy |

... what I need is some options on what I can do. The result is that HR is often seen as administrative compliance function, rather than as a strategic function. HR still needs to build their credibility. There is a significant dichotomy in the perceptions of line managers and HR managers - which only really crystallized for me personally, when I was a line manager for three years, having to manage two divisions with 500 customers, as well as dealing with all the Finance and HR issues. Lost in translation Many HR Managers operate in the dark, so like the person looking for their lost keys under a ... the HR team. Recent Research Recent research by Macquarie University suggests that the majority (sixty percent) of line managers actually believe and think that the HR function limits their ability to achieve business goals. This is a shocking state of affairs! As a manager told me recently, HR only tells me what I can't do, yet what I need is some options on what I can do. The result is that HR is often seen as administrative compliance function, rather than as a strategic function. HR still needs to build their credibility. There is a significant dichotomy in the perceptions of line managers and HR managers ...
Tags: hr function | hr speak | line managers | hr credibility | building hr credibility | HR Consulting |

... knowledge and effectively engage with each other. Embracing the future Companies need to embrace social media with the same vigour that the internet and websites are today an intrinsic part of the communication within a company. Often it is about making a start. The HR department is the custodian of employee communication. By developing a strategic approach, the HR department can apply social media tools in an integrated way where they have real meaning. Managers often feel a lack of control, particularly when a major change process is taking place. Rather than trying to control the process with zealous compliance, leaders need to ...
Tags: social media | social networking | social media policy | employee engagement | Strategic HR | |

... with thousands of employees focus on a different set of requirements than those for small businesses. On the other hand, the most basic niche software packages don't necessarily have what you need to effectively manage your workforce. You need to find a happy medium that addresses all your strategic and administrative HR needs. Here are some tips to help you do just that. Identify Your Core Needs For small business employers, a human resource database for storing basic employee information is the foundation of a good software system. Most applications will have the same traditional fields (identifying information, emergency contact, hire ... industry, applications are available in a single package or as elements you can add as you need them. A good rule to follow is spending your money on a product that will make your life easier right now. If you will use 75-80% of the features in a bundled HR software program, it is usually worthwhile to pay for a package deal. Actually, one of the ways you can tell if a program is designed for your business is that it will not be cluttered with features that small business owners typically don't use. This streamlined design helps you ...
Tags: HR software | HR software programs | | compare hr software | evaluating hr software | employee information |

... am?" Workplace Branding I envision a world where all nonprofits know the workplace strengths their employees appreciate most and who promote these strengths internally and externally; where turnover is low and candidates are attracted to employers who offer them a better fit. Workplace branding combines target marketing and sales with strategic planning and employee satisfaction. It strengthens the workplace in areas of most importance to employees. If you are a large organization, promote career paths and advancement. If you are small and can't pay well but are well-managed, promote sound leadership and employee opportunities for rich experience. Consider promoting ... organizational characteristics to sell? What is it about your workplace culture that would mean something to potential employees? Workplace Branding provides some answers. Why now? There are generally two challenges in recruitment, sorting out inappropriate candidates for easy-to-fill positions and locating candidates for hard-to-fill positions. Strategic recruitment addresses both issues. Recruitment efforts have evolved from newspaper classified, to a few online sites, to multiple job postings, social networking sites and a host of other more sophisticated and aggressive candidate sourcing methods. As recruitment for hard-to-fill positions becomes more competitive, chances increase that ...
Tags: workplace branding | employee satisfaction | strategic recruitment | recruitment efforts | recruitment |

... within the company, be it a pay system, a sociotechnical system, a team-based systems or others requiring the internal consultation of the HR professional. Their contribution is tied more closely to the strategic nature of the business and the impact can therefore be even greater than that which was possible within the traditional HR Department. WHERE IS HR TODAY? Where is the HR function today? In an increasing number of companies, HR services are being delivered in new ways. In others, the HR Department resembles the same function and structure used in the 1960's. Fortunately, we are seeing long overdue change. The change is prompted ... , as evidenced in publications of the Human Resource professional's accrediting organization, the Society for Human Resource Management, (e.g. see HR Magazine, 11/98). Chief Executive Officers are increasingly viewing the HR function as an actual or potential "strategic business partner." This is encouraging, for as recently as the early 1990's the notion of the HR function as a strategic partner would have been quite novel. To understand where the HR function is going, it is helpful to briefly review its past. WHERE HR CAME FROM In the first half of the 20th century, the Human Resource function grew out of the Payroll function. The ...
Tags: hr department | human resources | hr services | human resource function | human resources consultant |

... . Once all this has been done, the human resource personnel need to identify appropriate policies, procedures and practices in lieu of career path, performance appraisal, encourage employee development and learning, manage rewards and benefits, award promotions and job assignments and so on. Finally, HR policies must be inclined towards achieving the organization's objectives. These strategies can be critical inputs in determining the strategic initiatives for the organization. It would be wrong to develop such strategies without keeping the goals and objectives of the company in mind. Similarly, hiring resources without a definite resource plan in mind would prove to be meaningless.
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... Compliance Statement, give employees a sense that their employer is compliant with the law, and it can help mitigate risk for the organization. An Employee Handbook is an essential communication tool for employee and employer expectations and is not an easy task to handle single-handedly. Work with a Xenium HR professional to customize your handbook to reflect both your culture and best practice policies within appropriate regulatory guidelines.
Tags: employee handbook | company policy and procedure | employee counseling | progressive discipline | handbook |

... round table is preferable, or if not available then make sure that seating is arranged to allow discussion to take place at right angles as opposing seating will suggest provocation. Have a 3rd person at the meeting to record the discussion. This person could be a colleague or someone from HR, who will take an objective record of the meeting. Begin the meeting with a clear explanation of the intended outcome where the employee is to be dismissed. Explain why they are being dismissed and provide any evidence. Allow the individual to respond, and be prepared for them to display emotions ...
Tags: dismissal | firing | release |

... no use to say you are going to be customer focused and then treat your customers with disdain when they complain, for instance. Now that you have a clear picture of what success will look like for your business, you need to involve your teams/departments (sales team, accounts team, HR, marketing, IT etc) and workshop with them how their particular team can contribute to the picture described. Again, honesty and openness are important in these exercises. Teams should be asking themselves; "If the overall business will look like this, how can we as the marketing/accounts etc team contribute and ...
Tags: Employee Engagement | employee communications | business objectives | strategy | leadership | goals |

... function like transactional processing & RPO (Recruitment Process Outsourcing) not only justifies the projected expenses but maintains the quality confidence in the level of competency these companies offer. The search for management resources for administrative functions without expertise in HR strategic management takes a backseat with an HR strategic partner handling all the requisite expertise. The proposition offers small to midsized organizations benefits typically available only to bigger companies. Amongst the countless number of HRO (Human Resource Outsourcing) firms, whom should a small business with the little budget consider to reap maximum benefits on the expenditure. Deciding ...
Tags: HRO | payroll outsourcing | recruitment outsourcing | recruitment process outsourcing |

... business plan, whether the company is small or large, is like signing the company's death warrant before it even gets off the ground. Combining the business metrics with the culture and then designing HR programs that will sustain them (recruiting, performance management, compensation & rewards) is the only way to go! Turning the Juggernaut Cultures should evolve with the business strategy and goals as part of the strategic planning process. That is why we recommend incorporating this into the planning process. When it comes to the impact on people, this is the stuff of workforce planning or readiness - training, downsizing, ramping up ... effect. SO CONSIDER ALL THE PARTS AND PIECES The leg bone is connected to the hip bone...or so the song goes. Whether large or small, take the time to consider the culture you need to be successful in your business at the same time you do your annual and strategic planning. Build the HR programs that will facilitate and sustain the changes required. And if at all possible, do that while your company is small enough, and easily enough changed!
Tags: achieving organizational effectiveness | business plan |

... (ensuring the skills required are hired or 'ready' when needed), training, compensation plans (salary, incentives, stock options), program design that will motivate (performance coaching, benefits, paid time off) to name a few. The actions required should be translated into a cost/benefit business proposal for senior executive approval each year. HR must partner with managers to design and develop the programs needed. If we assume managers have the technical and behavioural skills to lead, and your Executive has created the overarching business strategy and goals, managers become responsible for rolling out the plan, implementing new policies, programs and practices, motivating, removing ...
Tags: human resource | business strategy |

In order to have a productive career discussion with your manager, it is important for you to prepare and think through some key items ahead of time. You want to be in full control of your career path and the best way to do that is to approach your manager with confidence and conviction around your career goals. To prepare for the discussion, start by answering some basic questions about yourself and your career: What is your personal mission statement with regard to your career? This response should focus on what you hope to achieve through your career. What are your values? This response should include your top five values in your life. The importance of answering this question is to be ...
Tags: career discussion | career goals | ultimate career | ultimate career objective | career development |

Feedback is defined as the return of information about performance, a process or an activity. Whether we like to receive it or not, feedback is an essential part of career development. If you don't know how you've been doing, how will you know where you need to improve, grow and develop? Feedback is a look backward - it is the review of what has been done; yet, the most important factor in receiving this information is to determine what you will do with it moving forward. Marshall Goldsmith coined the term "feed-forward" as an alternative to feedback. This is the process of giving someone suggestions for future improvement instead of looking backwards at what they have done in the past. My ...
Tags: career development | career development feedback | career growth | career development actions |

Depending on where you are in your career as well as how you feel about making "plans" for your life, creating a career plan may or may not be a welcoming idea. However, it is a step that is vital to ensure you are focused on your career objectives and are taking the right steps along the journey to get there. A career plan can be whatever you want it to be. It can be a short-term or a long-term plan, or both. That is the beauty of it; you get to decide. It is your plan. Regardless of whether you want a long or a short-term plan, there are several key aspects to include in your plan. First, you want to have an end result. What are you trying to achieve? It might be the next job or ...
Tags: career plan | career objectives | career development | career transition | career growth |

There is a lot of talk today about career transitions. Perhaps because the economy has forced some people out of their jobs and they need to make a transition, or because people are starting to take a more introspective look at what they want to do and how they want to spend their time. Either way, transitioning into a new career is a frequent occurrence today. Although it can be something that seems overwhelming, it is also an outstanding opportunity for a fresh start; it is an opportunity to begin with a blank page and fill it as you choose. Transitioning into a new career is more than just polishing up your résumé and beginning the job search. It is something that should include some ...
Tags: career transitions | career development | career growth |

When working with clients in the area career advancement, one of the first things we talk about is their willingness; that is, do they know what it takes to reach their ultimate career goal and are they willing to do what it takes to get there? This is usually a good reality check to ensure that the career goal is meaningful and realistic. Assessing your "willingness" involves gathering information about what it truly takes to reach your career goals. Whether your goal is to reach the highest leadership level in your company or to get that next promotional increase, you must know what it will take for you to get there. The best way to find out what it takes is to talk to someone who is in ...
Tags: career goals | ultimate career aspiration | career development | careeer growth |

... organizations look outside their current policies to see new and innovative ways to maximize long-term employee loyalty and productivity. Attract New Talent Maintaining a strong understanding of the work-life balance is crucial for a successful human resources program today. Employers and HR managers need to not only encourage the concept of integrating working life into the employee's personal life, but they also require the strategic action to bring more choices and opportunities into their employee culture. An organization often needs to adopt openness to the changing economy and workforce, and evolve along with it. By reassessing traditional workforce policies ... need to not only encourage the concept of integrating working life into the employee's personal life, but they also require the strategic action to bring more choices and opportunities into their employee culture. An organization often needs to adopt openness to the changing economy and workforce, and evolve along with it. By reassessing traditional workforce policies, HR managers can help reduce the work barriers that may lead employees with potential in their organization to seek out work flexibility that an outside company is able to offer. In actuality, finding new talent is not as challenging as retaining them. Save on Overhead ...
Tags: flexible work | flexible work options | | workplace flexibility | | offer workplace flexibility |

There is a framed photo on my desk of a runner out for a run in a beautiful field with mountainous views. The photo says, "Persistence - The race goes not only to the swift but to those who keep running." I love this photo because it reminds me to be persistent in the pursuit of my goals and dreams. When we are persistent, we act with conviction and that energy draws us toward those people and events that help our dreams come to fruition. Even if they don't show up exactly how we want or think they should or, we are met with obstacles and roadblocks along the way, it is the persistent pursuit of our goals that will eventually bring them into reality. This also holds true for our career ...
Tags: career | career goals | achieving career goals | career development | career growth |