Recently Ben had the opportunity to attend Oracle Open World and speak with some amazing HR leaders at companies doing business across the globe. This is one of the interviews from that event. Ben interviews Jim Rhodes, VP of HR Information Systems at Emerson Electric, a firm with a global workforce of more than 75,000. The conversation explores how to build a business case for HCM technologies, what it takes to create a strong selection team, and more. Continue reading
Top 9 Facts About the Recruitment Credit Check
Credit checking is an option usually used by banks to assess the financial situation of potential lenders and see how good they are at money management. Lately, recruitment agencies are learning from them and hedging their risks by looking at the credit report. This is a typical background check, together with the criminal record.
The One Thing You Must Know to Be Successful in an #HR Career
Last week at LinkedIn Talent Connect in Dallas, I had the opportunity to sit down and talk with one of the other speakers about his session. Peter Sursi is a talent acquisition/HR pro working in the FBI to modernize some of their approaches to finding and keeping talent. He’s not what you might expect from a government agency: he is energetic, passionate, and forward-thinking. Yes, this is HR/career advice from the FBI, of all places!
During our conversation, we talked about what makes the difference between teams that are successful long-term when it comes to HR and which ones continue to struggle for years with being strategic, creating value for the business, etc. The quote was a powerful one:
We can’t be emotionally invested in the process. We have to be emotionally invested in the people.
The Big Takeaway
This was a light bulb moment for me. So much of the time as HR practitioners we get wrapped up in our process, our way of doing things, and our perspective on the world.
The problem with that? The business doesn’t always see HR as a requirement to getting the job done. They often see it as a nuisance or a blocker of other necessary activities. The “no” police, in other words. This negative perception even discourages people from trying to get into HR in the first place!
In this quote we see that we should flip it: be invested in the people, care about their results, think about how to help them and eliminate barriers to their success.
Don’t get caught in caring more about your process than you do about the people.
Don’t Let the Light Go Out!
So many people I talk to got into HR because they want to help people. Because they enjoy working with people. And so on. But something often happens where you stop really caring about the people and instead become clingy with your processes, tools, and requirements.
I can still remember ~10 years ago when I was early in my HR career and someone told me that my passion for the profession and the people would eventually wane. I’d stop caring so much. I’d just settle for mediocre.
Maybe it’s because I have a little redneck in me (hello from Huntsville Alabama!) but I decided then and there that I wouldn’t easily let go of that spark that drove me. It’s kept me going all this time and I don’t see it going out any time soon. I want to leave a legacy with my HR career, and I want you to do the same.
What about your spark? Is it still going strong? Do you need to relight it and refocus on why you got started in this profession in the first place? Whether you chose it or you fell into it by accident, you’re here now and it’s up to each of us to make sure we don’t turn into the crusty old HR lady that cares more about process than people.
I’ll hold you accountable if you’ll do the same for me. Deal?
WOH 64: How to Engage Remote Teams and Virtual Workers
Today, almost every company has workers that are either remote, telecommuting, or virtual. There is incredible value in this for businesses and for workers, but the challenge comes in engaging these people that you rarely (if ever) see face to face.Â
In today’s conversation, Ben interviews Beth Hearn, an HR leader with PeopleStrategy who has a variety of experience working at technology firms with remote staff. She shares a great set of ideas, from the simple ways to say you care (think templates and employee gifts) to the more challenging (and more valuable) methods like culture books that capture the key moments in time for your people.Â
If you want to connect with Beth, check her out on LinkedIn:Â https://www.linkedin.com/in/bethhearn/
This episode is sponsored by PeopleStrategy
What Startups Should Know About Compliance
Starting a business requires tremendous effort. One of the things that startup business owners need to be aware of and adhere to is industry compliance laws. Sure, you are looking to make profits, but you have to do so by following regulatory requirements.
Unless you have substantial venture capital, the chances are that your startup may not have enough money to operate as you would like. Most executives use the lack of adequate funding as an excuse to bypass compliance laws. Others are simply unaware of the existing laws and regulations. Ignorance is bliss, but not in the startup world. You do not want your startup's operations stifled by huge fines or penalties for breaching compliance laws.
Failure to adhere to compliance laws can put your business in the red. 60% of companies that breach compliance laws are never able to get back on their feet. The scenario is even worse for startups that are yet to make a mark in their fields.
If you are thinking of starting a business, here are several things you need to know about compliance.
5 Things You'll Never Hear an HR Department of One Say…
For those of you not in the know, an HR department of one is just what it sounds like: an HR department where one person covers all the bases from an HR, talent, and recruiting perspective.
I have a special place in my heart for the HR department of one, because that's where I came from. When I worked in the HR profession, I had the opportunity to wear all (and I mean ALL) the hats, and while it was challenging it was also a lot of fun. I love building a function and growing from the ground up, and it was an amazing experience. That is one reason I've worked on podcasts and other free resources to help a department of one to survive and thrive.
An HR department of one (or DOO) is a special kind of person. They are doers and are the kinds of people employers need to hire. And while we assume these are all tiny companies, we found that these individuals work for companies of all sizes (as our new research shows)Â from 5 to 750 employees!
5 Things a DOO Will Never Say
That said, there are some things that an HR DOO is simply unlikely to say. Read this and try not to smile!
- I'm done for the day so I'll take off early.
- Sure I'd love to take on security and finance in addition to HR. Got anything else we can add to my plate?
- Since I don't have any competing priorities I'll go ahead and attend that “optional†meeting my coworker invited me to.
- I wonder if accounting needs help with anything?
- I love when I get to recruit for two new openings, investigate a harassment claim, run a training class, send a new baby congrats card, celebrate an employee service anniversary, review a payroll exception report, reconcile our benefits statement, onboard a new employee, and send out our engagement survey all on the same day.
At the end of the day, this is just a reminder that while you see so many companies in the news for their flashy benefits or their “cool†culture, the truth is many firms exist that are run by 1) no HR person 2) a department of one or 3) a department of one with a very small team.
Don't get caught up in what the “cool†companies are doing. Make work great for your team. As the head of HR for the nation's best midsize firm likes to say, you need to create the right environment for your specific workforce to perform and thrive, and that environment isn't the same at every organization.
What else would you add to this list of things an HR department of one will never say?Â
WOH 63: 5 Lessons from the Best Midsize Employer in the US
What does it take to be a best place to work? Or, perhaps a Best Place to Work, in official terms?
In this episode, Ben recaps some of the key ideas and pointers shared by Juanita Philips, VP of Employee Experience at Intuitive Research in Huntsville, AL. Intuitive has won awards as the best midsize employer in the United States several times, and Juanita opens her team’s playbook so everyone can pick up ideas on how to craft amazing employee experiences.
She covers everything from the role of managers to hiring practices and more, but her warning is one that we all should take to heart. And her story about visiting a fellow “best place to work” will make you laugh! Check out the show and let Ben know how much you enjoyed it: ben.eubanks@lhra.io
Learn more about We’re Only Human: http://lhra.io/podcast
Learn more about our sponsor for this episode, PeopleStrategy:Â https://www.peoplestrategy.com/
Learn more about Intuitive Research:Â https://www.irtc-hq.com/
