Author Archives: Ben

HRevolution-A Different Kind of HR Conference

HRevolutionEvery month at NASHRM Mentor University each individual gets to share something about what’s going on in their life/work. This month I proudly shared about the HRevolution event I’ll be attending later this week. Not only will I be going to Chicago for the first time, I will also have the opportunity to interact with more than a hundred other rock solid HR pros from across the globe.

So, what is it?

Here’s a blurb from the website.

HR social media thought leaders and practitioners from around the country will be converging for 24 hours+ of mind-bending, trend-setting discussions on HR, social media, communications, leadership/development in an unconference format that emphasizes interaction over passive listening.

Sounds neat, huh? When I helped to develop this event last year with my friend Trish McFarlane, we had no idea how popular it would become.

So, why do you care?

We all know that the use of social media is affecting our work. I believe it has the power to fundamentally change how many things work in our organizations. For instance, it has an effect on:

  • Employer Branding
  • Employee Communications
  • Workplace Culture
  • And more!

I helped to found this unconference in order to teach others. This weekend, that’s definitely going to happen. I’ll be speaking on blogging, and we have others who will be doing recruiting, diversity, healthcare, and other more traditional tracks.

It’s too late for me to go. What can I do?

We’re really hoping to gather as much video and audio as possible to share, because I know this stuff is too valuable to let it just disappear into the ether when the event is over. Stay tuned and I’ll do what I can to let you know what sort of great things I learn this weekend.

If you have any questions about social media use in your own organization, I’d love if it you would let me know. I bet I can help you find an answer!

30+ Ideas for SHRM Chapter Leaders

Ideas for SHRM chapter leadersThese ideas for SHRM chapter leaders are a part of the SHRM Chapter Leadership Guide.

I often hear from other HR pros who are members of a local SHRM chapter that stinks. Depending on your chapter leadership, you could be having an amazing experience or a horrible one. Whichever you may be in, it wouldn’t hurt to pass this link on to someone at your local chapter. And if you are in a leadership position, explore the list. I don’t have all the answers (admitting that up front!), but I do love coming up with ideas that could really be beneficial for the average HR professional.

Here are a few ideas to make things more interesting and engaging for your members. Continue reading

Supervisor Training Programs-Missing the Mark? (Video)

Check out the short video below. I had the chance to go through a supervisor training session in recent weeks, and although I enjoyed myself and learned a few lessons, I felt like there was something missing…

(Subscribers may have to click through to view)

So, what do you think? Does a training program that focuses solely on the minimum “don’t do these things” really get people in the right mindset to lead well?

Blacklisting, Heather Huhman, and The Ex Recruiter Show

FailWhat do you do when someone asks you to be on a radio show that you haven’t prepared for? You do it, of course! I was surprised recently when I received an email from both Paul Paris and Heather Huhman asking if I wanted to help out with an episode of the Ex Recruiter Show on blacklisting.

A Little Back Story

Heather is an entrepreneur. She hires her own employees, and she had a bad experience with one candidate who she ended up blacklisting. The whole experience was reported in an interview about blacklisting in the Wall Street Journal. Continue reading

Netflix, Culture, and Responsibility (Slideshare)

Check out the fantastic Slideshare presentation I found the other day. It deals with culture, a high performance work environment, and the company that revolutionized movie rentals. (Subscribers may need to click through to view.)

The ideas in the presentation are refreshing and inspiring. They reinforce my core beliefs about HR. The “keeper test” on slide 29 is killer, and the reason for for such an emphasis on a high performance workforce (slide 35) is brilliant.

So, which part do you like? Would you enjoy working somewhere like Netflix?

(Click here to see the original presentation on Slideshare.)