Guest Article: Apex Predator by Jay Kuhns, SPHR

I'm a super competitive guy. I like to win. I push myself hard at work, in my workouts, and in how I try to cram two lives into just one. I like the pressure to differentiate myself, my company, and my clients from the competitors in their respective markets.

I like to win.

Every time.

Winning Without Being A Loser
Part of winning is making sure I try to help everyone on my team win. This is no small task. Think about the people you work with and how they (read here --> many) are slow to accept change. 

Some may be early in their careers and don't want to make a mistake. Others may be long-tenured but still cling to the prehistoric notion that a command and control leadership style actually garners credibility in 2015.

Whatever obstacles we confront, it is essential that we try to include everyone. Candidly, not everyone will make the journey with us. It is easier to accept this reality when we know we've done our best to be inclusive.

Winning Comes in Threes
When you commit to winning you can not simply state you want to win and expect to get a good result. It requires courage and thick skin (particularly when hearing the criticism from those that want 'everyone' to win --> impossible, by the way.)

Let's take a look at my big three:

1. An endless supply of enthusiasm
Are you the one that everyone knows is fired up...all the time? Can you be relied on to jump in front of a group of people and get them engaged on a new project, strategy, or set of business tools?

If not, what the heck is going on? It's up to you to change your organization for the better. No one else. That means you must be the one who is out in front.

2. A willingness to take risks
Are you the one that is pushing to try new things and challenge the status quo? Or, do you wait for "approval" for everything and make sure each issue is so "safe" that you never take a step forward? 

If so, what the heck is going on? It's up to you to create a culture where innovation and creativity are normal. If you're not role modeling this behavior who is going to do it?

3. An ability to execute
Progress never occurs when we "wait and see" or "take a closer look at something." Do these phrases sound all too familiar? Is it suddenly uncomfortable reading this post?

If so, what the heck is going on? You must be the one leading...you must be the first one through the wall...you must make decisions and move forward.


How About You
Do you want to be the apex predator in your industry, organization, and life? 

Reality check...the only thing stopping you is you. 

Get yourself fired up, take some risks, and above all else execute more effectively than anyone you've ever seen. 

In the end...you're going to make a world of difference.

I'd love to hear from you.

No Excuses.

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Article source:Jay Kuhns, SPHR - Apex Predator»

Check out more of Jay Kuhns' work at No Excuses HR

Guest Article: Notes and Closing Comments from #HRevolution 2015 by Ben

This weekend was a whirlwind of activity as HRevolution swept through Saint Louis. It was one of the best yet (I’ve heard from some that this one was the most impressive), and as I head back to work I want to keep a few of the great conversations and topics in mind. Here’s what you missed:

• Nearly 50 practitioners and leaders in the space got together to crowdsource problems, build stronger networks, and get a new outlook on the future of this great profession. On the drive home my good friend Allen told me that he was pumped up and excited about putting some of the ideas into action.
• The Morgan Street Brewery Lodge was amazing, and the food was incredible. I’m going to be running off the ten pounds I gained over the weekend. :-)
• Mary Faulkner got us all talking about whether or not HR is ready for feedback, how we might be perceived in the organization, and how to respond to data showing dismal approval ratings. Most of us would be afraid to ask for feedback internally, but it’s a great way to ensure you’re meeting the needs of internal customers.
• Franny Oxford and Paul Hebert helped to dig into positive HR, how we can help our organizations be more positive, and how to specifically bring our own happiness into the workplace every day. To be honest I thought the topic was simplistic, but it received more comments from the audience than pretty much every other session.
• We had a new game during lunch based on the Jimmy Fallon Box of Lies bit. It was pretty darn hilarious and everyone seemed to enjoy the experience. Bottom line: we are terrible at being able to tell if people are lying to us. Or maybe HR people are great liars. Hmmm…
• Jane Jaxon led a discussion around curating the organizational culture as the company grows. How do you scale some of the high-touch activities and experiences when you triple in size?
• Tim Gardner brought the big company discussion with his experiences at Kimberly-Clark. It was a great look at how large organizations manage people and a realization for me that even big companies have people issues, just of a different scope and hue.
• Katrina Collier helped to frame a discussion around increasing candidate engagement in a noisy social atmosphere. I think the corporate recruiters in the audience picked up some helpful tips and hints from the conversation.
• Finally, Steve Boese led us on a hunt for revolutionary HR technology, and each group had to design its own solution and explore the market need, functionality, etc. Most of us think we could design better stuff than some vendors, but it’s not quite as simple as it sounds!
• Finally, we had a sizable portion of attendees as first timers. It was great to meet Teresa, Angie, Katrina, Rob, Bernie, and so many other great folks. I love my long-time friends from the HR/recruiting space, but it is always great to expand that circle as well.

Thanks for our great sponsors, attendees, and my fellow planning crew for another great event. Mark your calendar for early June next year, because you don’t want to miss this experience.

Article source:Ben - Notes and Closing Comments from #HRevolution 2015»

Check out more of Ben Uebanks' work at Upstart HR

Guest Article: We Only Need One HR Policy by Jay Kuhns, SPHR

I’ve been in human resources for twenty years. I’ve written, revised, edited, printed, emailed, posted and leveraged policies to make decisions over and over again. Too many times following the policies morphed into the focus of the work…instead of the work being the focus of the work.

Sound familiar?

We Need A Policy for “That”

My favorite policy of all time is the “policy on policies.” You know the one. It describes the proper format, headers, indentations, when to bold and not to bold, etc. Argh!

How has such a high impact function in the organization devolved into a paper pushing bureaucratic machine? 

It’s as if we in human resources believe we are the core business, when in fact we are the engine that fuels the core business. I’ve even seen policies called “Policy on ___.” 

Seriously? We love them so much we even put the word policy first! 

All for One and One for All

Here’s where I'm going with this concept. The noise, criticism, and candidly glacier-like movement that typically comes from HR relative to change must end. The one-policy approach can send a powerful message to the organization, that no longer will human resources hide behind a stack of excuses…er, paper…any longer.

Here's my human resources policy of the future:

“We will follow all applicable laws that impact our organization and will treat each team member with respect as we strive to be a truly world class company.”

Done.

How About You

One policy says it all. The only piece you need to ensure you keep track of is the consistent practices for various issues so as to avoid unwarranted discrimination or third party claims. Let’s start moving away from the paper, and get into the business of driving the business forward.

I’d love to hear from you.

No Excuses.

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Article source:Jay Kuhns, SPHR - We Only Need One HR Policy»

Check out more of Jay Kuhns' work at No Excuses HR

Guest Article: NZ employment update: First fall in three years by Ross Clennett

Yesterday the most recent quarterly update for employment in New Zealand was released (Statistics New Zealand publishes labour market data quarterly, whereas the Australian Bureau of Statistics publishes the equivalent data monthly). The result was the first backward step in the New Zealand labour market in three years. Category Sept 2015 (000s) 3 month
Article source:Ross Clennett - NZ employment update: First fall in three years»

Check out more of Ross Clennett's work at hisblog

4 Economic Alternatives to Dismissing an Employee

Whether your company is under-resourced or an employee is constantly under-performing, there comes a time where it is inevitable that businesses lay-off employees. However, you may be surprised that sometimes this doesn’t necessarily have to be the case. If you are considering letting someone go, make sure you consider these 4 points to ensure you are not losing a valuable employee unnecessarily.

1. Reassigning

Just because an employee that does not perform well in their current position does not mean they are a ‘bad’ employee or lacking in capability. It may simply be a mismatch between person-job fit. Before firing an employee, consider alternative positions that they are a better fit for. Please note, that this is not a suggestion to move a ‘poor performer’ to another department, but rather an instruction to look and see if there truly is a position they would be well suited for. If you decide to reassign the employee to another role, to ensure a smooth transition, it is advisable to give the employee’s new manager some recommendations on strategies that have been successful in the past and highlight the strengths you believe the individual possesses.

2. Retraining

If an employee cannot perform their tasks, they may require additional training to build their capability in a certain area. If the employee wasn’t thoroughly trained and educated, or if their job description has changed significantly since they were recruited, they may not have the necessary skills to meet expectations. If this is the case, re-training or upskilling the current employee is more cost effective than recruiting, on-boarding or training a new employee for the role. Conducting an assessment on whether an employee requires further training will provide a good indication of their skills, and can assist in deciding if they have the right resources for the job.

3. Performance Improvement Plan

Performance plans are a great way to set expectations and clarify objectives. You could set a 30, 60 or 90 day plan. Your performance plan should state the specific performance areas to be improved; it is also helpful to provide examples where possible. State the level of work performance expected and the timeframes of deliverables. Identify and specify the support and resources that you will provide and notify them of additional resources available. Ensure the employee is clear about the measures you will be using to review their performance and progress. Monitor the plan, and communicate your feedback to the employee at specified meeting times.

4. Disciplinary Action

Given there are many legislative requirements to consider when an employee misbehaves, it is advisable to have a Disciplinary Action Plan that may be utilised when counter-productive work behaviours occur. It is important that employees are aware of what behaviour is unacceptable and are fully aware of the consequences of engaging in such behaviours. Some disciplinary actions may involve a form of counselling or training sessions, warnings, or suspension from work.


There are of course preventative measures that are time and cost effective. Many revolve around recruiting the right employee for the role and the organisation. Our partner company Psych Press has many Talent Management Solutions which can be tailored to suit your company’s needs. If you need any advice, give one of their helpful consultants a call on (03) 9670 0590.

Guest Article: 23 Leadership Essays via @LeadChangeGroup by Jennifer Miller

The Lead Change Group is hosting this month’s Leadership Development Carnival. In it, you’ll find over 20 leadership authors, consultants and coaches who wrote about various leadership topics, including:

• Leaders who have “real” conversations
• Helping people avoid the “drama” that sometimes needlessly occurs in the workplace
• How to lead people, even when they irritate you
• Leaders who develop a listening culture

. . . and 19 more insightful essays.

 

Check it out: the November 2015 Leadership Development Carnival on the Lead Change blog.

Article source:Jennifer Miller - 23 Leadership Essays via @LeadChangeGroup»

Guest Article: Stop Wasting Time Measuring HR Data by Ben

Please. For goodness sake, please stop measuring HR data.

See, I know why you’re doing it. You heard this “big data” thing it was a good idea, and you started gathering information. Then you realized how easy it was, so you started pulling together even more from a variety of sources. You’re hitting up your applicant tracking system, payroll system, and other data feeds to get what you want. I know, it’s hard to stop.

But then you did what many others do–nothing. You took all that information and you sat on it.

Why?

Because you didn’t slow down and start with a plan. You need to know ahead of time (or at least have a general idea) about how the information can help you. If you’re gathering data for the sake of gathering data, then you are wasting time and resources, and you’re probably harming your credibility as well.

On the other hand, if you started with a plan to associate the data with business outcomes to actually prove a point, then carry on. I hope you make better decisions and deliver more value to the business based on what information you’re pulling together.

A quick test

Here’s a quick test to help you figure out what data is valuable and which is not.

• Learning: what is more valuable in business terms, measuring training completions or measuring changed behaviors based on the training?
• Payroll: what is more valuable to the organization, calculating how many zip codes employees live in or calculating how many have benefits and how that number trends over time?
• Employee relations: how about this? Should you measure the number of sexual harassment complaints or how many disagreements you mediate between supervisors and staff?

Here’s the twist. I could easily make the case that any of these could be valuable in specific circumstances. But if you are truly looking at how your training is changing the organization and making people work smarter, then completion information just isn’t enough to do that.

The thing is, many people just gather data without any idea of how to use it. Your needs are different from those of every other organization, so something others might ignore could be incredibly valuable in helping your employer meet its goals and vice versa.

Think about the information you gather and report. Is it truly impacting the business, or is it just a “we’ve always done it” kind of activity? When I think back to the data I reported on at my last job, some of it was valuable, and some of it was a complete waste of time. And it was rarely used for decision-making, which made it doubly painful.

For instance, I had to regularly report on turnover numbers, but we never took the time to review them by team or functional role, which might have given us some insight into what was driving turnover for those specific positions.

We need to be thinking about what we gather and report on more critically. Stop gathering data just for the sake of it. Start with a purpose in mind before you piece together the first bits of information, or “begin with the end in mind,” as Mr. Covey would say.

Hope that helps. Lessons learned from someone who did it the wrong way the first time around. :-)

Article source:Ben - Stop Wasting Time Measuring HR Data»

Check out more of Ben Uebanks' work at Upstart HR