Posts

5 Ways to Improve Employee Experience With HR Tech

Sponsored by: Neocase

Did you know more than 160 million people are employed in the U.S.? Unfortunately, however, rising turnover is eroding workforce retention. In fact, 48% of hiring managers say turnover is higher this year – up from 44% in 2021. And the cost of replacing those people isn’t cheap. No wonder employers want to build a positive work culture that attracts and retains top talent. That’s why many are turning to HR technology to improve employee experience.

But here’s the catch: In recent years, the HR tech landscape has been bursting at the seams. This means choosing the best solution for your organization’s needs can be overwhelming. To overcome this obstacle, think first about how you want to improve employee experience, and work from those objectives to define your selection criteria.

HR Technology 101

To provide some context, let’s start with a brief overview of core HR systems. In most HR technology stacks you’ll find at least one of these systems as a foundation for all other people platforms, tools and applications:

1. HRIS Human Resource Information Systems

HRIS was developed to help organizations track and store employee data and records for essential administrative needs. As the HR function grew more complex, HRIS platforms added modules to support talent acquisition processes and recruitment operations, as well as employee information management and maintenance. 

2. HRMS – Human Resource Management Systems

Over time, HR became more deeply integrated with other functions, so HR tracking software had to meet these expanded business requirements. Now, HRMS/HRIS systems are used interchangeably to support operations such as payroll, time tracking and compliance management. 

3. HCM – Human Capital Management Systems

HCM supports a more expansive set of HR operations, including employee performance analysis, compensation planning and projection, workforce development and more.HCM covers all HR functions with a comprehensive solution that can be customized to support the entire employee lifecycle.

Why Employee Experience Matters

A strong employee experience is essential to attract top talent and keep people engaged with your work culture. As Gartner says, “Employee experience is the way employees internalize and interpret the interactions they have with their organization, as well as the context that underlies those interactions.”

But as many organizations have discovered, an exceptional employee experience isn’t easy to develop and maintain. In fact, according to Gartner, “Only 13% of employees are fully satisfied with their experience.

What’s at stake? A negative employee experience leads to low morale, poor work performance, and other issues that directly affect organizational culture and business results. On the other hand, a positive employee experience helps lift morale, productivity, efficiency, and work quality.

How HR Tech Can Improve Employee Experience

Clearly, creating the best employee experience possible leads to significant business benefits. So, to achieve the highest potential impact, consider these five priorities:

1. Automate Tasks and Streamline Workflows

Is anything worse than monotony? It is just as painful for your HR team as it is for others in your organization. Many manual HR tasks are excellent candidates for automation. Focus first on business processes that will free your HR team from tedious, time-consuming, redundant paperwork, and email communications.

Start by developing an employee journey map to better understand your current processes. Then look for bottlenecks, gaps, and disconnects. These issues are opportunities to streamline processes or speed response times.

Organizations often begin by mapping onboarding or offboarding processes. This ensures that an employee’s first and last impressions will align with company values and the employer brand.

2. Gather Employee Feedback

A silent employee can be a dangerous or at-risk employee – even if they don’t realize it. Many workers hesitate to speak up for a variety of reasons. Some fear punishment if they express negative opinions, while others think their input won’t be heard or appreciated.

If an employee doesn’t have a chance to share feedback or ideas, they could feel undervalued and unimportant. You can remedy this with HR technology specifically intended to improve communication.

Consider feedback tools that encourage employees to make their voices heard. Monthly surveys, quarterly outreach messages, and other kinds of digital communication can help build stronger connections and spark more useful conversations.

But that’s just the beginning. Once you receive input, you need to respond or implement changes. Otherwise, people could become more frustrated if you solicit input but don’t seem willing to act upon it.

3. Provide Self-Service Portals

One of the best ways HR technology improves employee experience is through self-service applications. Many platforms can help organizations build and deploy custom tools that help employees serve themselves at their convenience.

One of the best-known examples is a benefits portal. Many employers offer secure web-based destinations with all the information and tools people need to research, select and manage their particular benefits. This frees employees from having to manage the constant back-and-forth of emails or phone calls just to get basic benefits information or answer common questions.

This kind of solution increases efficiency, while giving employees more control. At the same time, portal analytics can help your HR team understand employee preferences and identify content and functionality that can better them.

4. Offer Anywhere, Anytime Access

Unfortunately, many employees feel totally disconnected from HR. Some need guidance and oversight, but HR teams and managers are stretched too thin to engage.

Integrated real-time HR communication tools can help you and your management team focus less on paperwork and more on people. Think of it as the digital equivalent of an office with an open door!

The benefits of integrated communications extend to employees, as well. This leads to a more closely-knit workplace culture that operates more efficiently and is better aligned with business priorities.

5. Design Intuitive Workflows

Demand for better, faster response started with customer service. But it has quickly spread to internal organizational functions, as well.

When we ask HR a question, we want the answer now. We also want to find answers ourselves, ideally with no more than one or two taps on a smartphone.

This aspect of HR technology requires decision-makers to put themselves in an employee’s shoes for a reality check. How easy is it to perform a task you want to accomplish? For example, if you’re a full-time manager using a self-service benefits portal, how intuitive is the path to information you need at the moment you need it? How much information do you have to dig through to find a useful answer?

This aspect of HR technology is central to the employee experience. Why? Because, if employees struggle to use a digital tool, they will also struggle to adopt that tool and succeed with it.

Final Thoughts

HR technology can play an important role when you want to improve employee experience. Whether you’re implementing a self-service portal to support job applicants, deploying an employee feedback tool or expanding business process automation to improve HR response times, your efforts can positively influence talent acquisition and retention. These 5 priorities can help your team focus on solutions that will make a strong impact.

Transforming Talent Decisions With Ethical AI

Sponsored by Reejig

Countless HR tools, applications, and platforms now rely on artificial intelligence in some form. Users may not even notice that AI is operating in the background — but it can fundamentally change the way we work, think, and make talent decisions.

This raises several big questions. What should we really expect from AI? And is this kind of innovation moving us in the right direction?

For example, what role should AI play in skills-related talent acquisition and workforce mobility practices? With stellar talent in short supply these days, this topic has never been more important for employers to consider. So join me as I look closer at key issues surrounding ethical AI in HR tech on this #WorkTrends podcast episode.

Meet Our Guest:  Jonathan Reyes

Today, I’m excited to talk with Jonathan Reyes, a talent advisor and futurist who has been helping technology and banking industry companies navigate hypergrowth for nearly two decades. Now, as VP of North America for Reejig, he’s on a mission to build a world with zero wasted human potential.

Defining “Zero Waste” in Humans

Jonathan, I love the phrase “zero wasted potential.” What exactly does Reejig mean by this?

We envision a world where every person has access to meaningful work — no matter their background or circumstance. In this world, employers can tap into the right skills for the right roles, whenever needed. And at the same time, society can reap the benefits of access to diverse ideas through fair and equitable work opportunity.

The concept of sustainability is emerging in every industry. Now, sustainable human capital is becoming part of that conversation, and this is our way of expressing it.

So, with zero wasted potential, decisions aren’t based on a zero-sum game. When employers make human capital choices, individuals or society shouldn’t suffer. Instead, by focusing on talent mobility through upskilling and reskilling, we can create a new currency of work.

Workforce Intelligence Makes a Difference

Why do you feel workforce intelligence is essential for employers as they make talent decisions?

Organizations have so much human capital data. With all the workforce intelligence available, there’s no reason to hire and fire talent en masse — and then rehire many of the same individuals just months later.

Obviously, that’s an emotional and human experience for employees. But also, organizations are spending unnecessary money to find people and let them go, only to invest again in rehiring them.

Focusing instead on internal mobility is far more cost-effective.

Where Ethical AI Fits In

Many companies are unsure about AI in talent acquisition and management. What’s your take on this?

There are no universally accepted standards for ethical AI. This means vendors across industries can say technology is “ethical” based on self-assessment, without input from legal, ethical, or global experts.

But we’ve developed the world’s first independently audited, ethical talent AI. In fact, the World Economic Forum has recognized us for setting a benchmark in ethical AI.

The Impact on Internal Mobility

How do businesses benefit from shifting to a zero-wasted potential talent strategy? 

When companies manage internal mobility well, they extend employee tenure by 2x. And we know that people who stay and continue growing and developing are much more engaged.

This can create a significant downstream benefit. It’s one of the biggest reasons to invest in this kind of talent management capability.

 


For more great advice from Jonathan about why and how organizations are leveraging AI to make better talent decisions, listen to this full episode. Also, be sure to subscribe to the #WorkTrends Podcast on Apple Podcasts or Stitcher. And to continue this conversation on social media, follow our #WorkTrends hashtag on Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram.

Job Design: Is It Time to Rethink Your Approach?

EDITOR’S NOTE: This is the last article in a 4-part series sponsored by Unit4. The series outlines a new approach to talent strategy for people-centric organizations. This final post looks at why and how employers should rethink job design.


 

As we close this series about how employers can reinvent their talent strategy for the future of work, we turn our attention to one of the most important ways to attract and engage the people your organization needs to succeed. Namely, we’re looking at why this is the right time to revisit your approach to job design.

For most of the past 100 years, employers have used the same techniques to scope job vacancies, write job descriptions, and hire employees to fill roles. But these classic job design methods aren’t particularly efficient or effective.

In fact, only about 50% of interviewed candidates who receive a job offer actually become employees. Plus, the talent acquisition process, itself, is expensive. This means the perceived cost of a “bad hire” is so steep that decision-makers often become paralyzed. And that inaction forces organizations to offset costs by relying too heavily on long tenure.

It’s not an ideal solution by any measure. But focusing on the 4th talent strategy pillar can help you address these issues. How? Read on…

Reworking Job Design: Where to Start

Employers can no longer afford to ignore the need to address ever-changing talent rosters. Average employee tenure is decreasing, even as demand for future-ready skills is increasing. This means leaders must fundamentally rethink the way they structure jobs.

Here’s a good starting point: Design new roles based on the assumption that whomever your hire will stay onboard for 2-4 years. Then work backward from there.

In this game plan, onboarding and robust initial training are especially important, so you can ensure faster time-to-value from new hires. In addition, jobs designed with shorter tenure in mind will benefit from being supported by onboarding and “bedding in” processes that are much more tightly controlled.

This means that skills mapping, employee learning, and professional development will need to become a more prominent part of the HR function, along with talent pipeline development. It also means that the skills you expect to develop in employees should become central to the benefits you offer candidates.

Reframe Benefits for Shorter Job Cycles

In addition to packaging skills as benefits, you’ll need to reorient benefits so they’re compatible with shorter terms of service. Rewards for time-in-role or time with the company are relics that don’t make sense in today’s workplace. They need to be replaced.

For better results, focus on performance-based incentives for contributions to specific projects and programs with more clearly defined targets and expectations.

What Does This Look Like? An Example

One way to illustrate this new approach to job design is through the rise of the contractor. This increasingly popular option is a way to tap into skilled talent on a temporary basis. It helps employers find and deploy people more quickly, while simultaneously reducing operational overhead and risk.

At the same time, contractors benefit from more options in today’s predominantly hybrid working environment. They also benefit from a faster learning curve that comes from working on a more diverse portfolio of projects over time.

Reliance on contractors has increased dramatically—but not at the same rate in every region. For example, in the U.K., contractor usage has grown by about a third since the 2008 financial crash. By comparison, in the U.S., it has surged by the same proportion since only 2020.

Nevertheless, the shift to a contingent workforce shows no sign of diminishing. And many organizations still struggle to find permanent employees in today’s tight labor market. So the advantages of hiring contractors make project-oriented hiring a highly attractive option.

Repackaging Jobs to Attract Top Talent

In your job descriptions, do you still use this kind of phrase?

“The successful candidate must be willing to…”

If so, prepare to leave that kind of thinking behind. Instead, think in terms of asking this question:

“How do you want to work for us?”

In other words, you’ll need to let new hires determine some of the terms of their engagement with you. This makes sense because it encourages deeper ownership of the role’s success. Besides, if you’re designing jobs around shorter “tours of duty” with specific goals and objectives, why not configure these positions so they can be performed on a contract or project basis?

This model offers multiple benefits:

  • You can more accurately assess jobs and redefine them so they deliver the most value to your organization.
  • You’ll be better prepared to tap into a much larger talent pool. (After all, the huge increase in today’s contractors is coming from somewhere. That “somewhere” is the rapidly growing segment of the working population currently seeking greater flexibility in how they market and sell their skills.)

Where to Find Help

This blog series may be over, but your job restructuring journey is just beginning. For an in-depth view of our insights into this and other future-minded strategies for people-centered organizations, download our white paper:

Rebuilding Talent Strategy: Finding and Retaining People in a Changing World.

Also, as you consider technologies needed as the backbone of a reimagined talent strategy, we invite you to take a closer look at our ERP and HCM suite of solutions. These advanced platforms can provide the advantage your business needs to stay at the forefront in the future of work.

For example, you’ll be better equipped to:

  • Audit and map workforce skills
  • Target and deliver timely, relevant learning and development programs
  • Take the pulse of workforce engagement
  • Increase pay equity and transparency
  • Provide people with seamless connections to colleagues and resources in hybrid work settings.

In combination, these capabilities can help you build sustainable business value, going forward. To learn more about how Unit4 solutions can make a difference for your organization, book a demo here.

 


Related Reading

For other articles in this series, check the following links:

Part 1:  Reimagine Talent Strategy: Make Development a Core Part of Your Business

Part 2:  Commit to Careers

Part 3:  Engage in the Employee

 

Photo: Edwin Andrade

How Does Data Accessibility Impact Your Culture?

What do we love about the TalentCulture community? It’s a community of participants who understand the power of information and feedback. With that in mind, instead of talking about great surveys and the data they reveal to better our workforces and workplaces, we’re conducting one. We want to know how human capital management (HCM) and payroll technology are helping you — and what effect they’re having on your employee experience and workforce culture. So we created a short survey, all of 10 minutes or less, to find out. And we want you to take it. 

In the spirit of transparency, a quality we all value, we’re sharing the results with those who leave their email at the end of the survey. We’re pretty sure you’re going to want to know what this survey reveals. The questions were designed to find out how we’re using HCM and payroll digital tools, and to what extent organizations are making it possible for employees to access and manage their own data. Employee self-service tools (ESS) are on the rise, but how are we offering them, and which ones are among the most popular? We’re also looking at just what we’re doing on paper and what we’re doing within HCM and payroll systems — from pay stubs to work schedules, from assessments to benefits and training. 

This isn’t just a “do you use this?” survey. We wanted to find out more than just the what. We wanted to find out the how and the why. Did your workplace culture change when you started offering increased accessibility to data? How has it changed, and hopefully improved, the employee experience? What do you wish you could offer, but can’t? And if you can’t, what’s holding you back? We’re looking forward to your answers — and the more people that answer, the bigger the picture we’ll get. No matter what our expectations are, the data is what matters. Your data.

Thank you ahead of time for participating.

The TalentCulture Team

Work: Employees Rewrite The Script #TChat Preview

(Editor’s Note: Are you seeking highlights and resource links from this week’s #TChat Events? See the #TChat Recap: “New Rules of Employee Engagement.”)

Have you heard the news?

Unless you’ve been living in a cave far removed from the HR grid, you know that employee engagement is alarmingly low — only 30% in the U.S. and 13% globally, according to 2013 reports.

Many workplace experts have examined these engagement trends, considered the causes and suggested solutions. But there’s more to the story than that.

The definition of work is being turned on its head. People are bringing a whole new set of expectations to their jobs today.

This shift is real. It’s a force that even the most successful employers can no longer afford to ignore. And according to Josh Bersin, Founder and Principal of Bersin by Deloitte, this reality is supported by hard data from companies around the globe. As he said when he declared 2014 The Year of the Employee:

“The war for talent is over, and the talent won.”

So, what is really driving today’s workplace transformation? And what are its implications for talent strategies in high-performance organizations? That’s the topic the TalentCulture community is tackling this week at #TChat Events, as Josh Bersin shares new insights from rigorous research his team just completed.

Sneak Peek — The Year of the Employee

To frame this week’s discussion, I briefly spoke with Josh in a G+ hangout, where we talked about the fundamentals that are driving workplace change:

Related reading:
China Gorman: A Cutting-Edge Strategy: Developing Business Leaders as Talent Leaders
Aberdeen Group: HCM Trends 2014: Developing a Critical Eye for Talent
HR Marketer: What Will Happen in HR in 2014 — Perusing the Predictions

This topic is vital for talent-minded professionals everywhere, so we hope you’ll join the #TChat conversation this week and share your questions, opinions and ideas!

#TChat Events: Are Employees Finally In The Driver’s Seat?

TChatRadio_logo_020813

Tune-in to the #TChat Radio show

#TChat Radio — Wed, Feb 26 — 6:30pmET / 3:30pmPT Tune-in to the #TChat Radio show Our hosts, Meghan M. Biro and Kevin W. Grossman talk with Josh Bersin about the key talent and HR technology trends that are shaping 2014 and beyond. Tune-in LIVE online this Wednesday!

#TChat Twitter — Wed, Feb 26 7pmET / 4pmPT Immediately following the radio show, Meghan, Kevin and our guests will move to the #TChat Twitter stream, where we’ll continue the discussion with the entire TalentCulture community.

Everyone with a Twitter account is invited to participate, as we gather for a dynamic live chat, focused on these related questions:

Q1: How are high-performing companies improving the way they recruit and hire?
Q2: How do talent analytics help employers understand workforce performance?
Q3: What are the key engagement initiatives for employers today?
Q4: As competition heats up for top talent, how are employees leveraging their influence?
Q5: What issues do employees face today that are shaping the future of work?

Throughout the week, we’ll keep the discussion going on the #TChat Twitter feed, and in our new TalentCulture G+ community. So feel free to drop by anytime and share your questions, ideas and opinions.

We’ll see you on the stream!

Virtual Workplace? For Real! #TChat Preview

(Editor’s Note: Looking for a full recap and resource links from this week’s #TChat Events? See the #TChat Recap: “Putting a Face on Remote Work.”)

Distributed workforce. Virtual team. Telecommuting.

Whatever term you use to describe remote work models, the concept continues to gain momentum in today’s business environment — and with good reason.

High-speed connections, mobile technology and cloud-based collaboration tools now make it easy and cost effective for people to “go to work” anytime, from almost anywhere.

XJyGYBut infrastructure and good intentions, alone, don’t guarantee that virtual organizations will be productive and profitable. So, what does it take? That’s the focus of  #TChat Events this week, as we look at why and how successful virtual teams really work.

And what better way to explore this topic than with an entrepreneur whose business is driven entirely by remote contributors? Our guest this week is Mike Hostetler, Founder and CEO of appendTo, a highly successful web engineering firm, powered by a far-flung workforce.

“Sneak Peek” Hangout: Trifecta of Awesomeness

To kick-off this week’s discussion, Mike joined me for a G+ Hangout, where he outlined the “trifecta of awesomeness” — three key reasons why the virtual workplace is taking hold:

What are your thoughts about how to build and manage awesome virtual organizations? This week, we’re seeking wisdom from the crowd — so share your ideas and opinions with the #TChat virtual community!

#TChat Events: Why Remote Work Continues to Rise

#TChat Radio — Wed, Jan 15 — 6:30pmET / 3:30pmPT

TChatRadio_logo_020813

Tune-in to the #TChat Radio Show

Our hosts, Meghan M. Biro and Kevin W. Grossman talk with Mike Hostetler about what it takes to create and sustain successful virtual workplaces. Tune-in LIVE online this Wednesday!

#TChat Twitter — Wed, Jan 15 7pmET / 4pmPT

Immediately following the radio show, Meghan, Kevin and Mike will move to the #TChat Twitter stream, where the entire TalentCulture community will join the discussion. Everyone with a Twitter account is invited to participate, as we address these 5 related questions:

Q1: What are the pros and cons of virtual workplaces?
Q2: How do remote work models affect employee and customer engagement?
Q3: What factors should leaders consider when creating virtual teams?
Q4: How can recruiters identify traits of successful remote workers?
Q5: How can we apply technology to foster virtual collaboration?

We look forward to hearing your ideas and opinions, as talent-minded professionals who care about the human side of business.

Throughout the week, we’ll keep the discussion going on the #TChat Twitter feed, and on our LinkedIn Discussion Group. So feel free to drop by anytime and share your questions, ideas and opinions.

We’ll see you on the stream!

New Year, New Company Culture? #TChat Preview

(Editor’s Note: Are you looking for a full recap of this week’s events and resources? Read the #TChat Recap: “What’s Your Culture Tattoo?)

“It’s never too late to start all over again.”
John Kay

As we move into 2014, it’s natural to take stock of our status — where we are, where we’re headed and how to get there.

That future-minded theme is the framework for #TChat Events throughout the month of January. And we’re excited to kick off the series this week with Fortune 500 executive leadership advisor, columnist, and author, Mike Myatt.

Hacking-Leadership-Book-Cover-678x1024

A year ago, Mike wrote a compelling Forbes post, “10 Reasons Your Top Talent Will Leave You,” which challenged business leaders to take a hard look at the how they undermine organizational culture and workforce commitment. His conclusion was stark — unless companies address these fundamental issues from the top down, it’s only a matter of time before employees will look elsewhere.

Of course, some executives will never get it. But what’s really alarming is how common these issues seem to be in today’s world of work. According to employee engagement research, most companies are long over-due for an extreme culture makeover.

But how? What can leaders do to intervene successfully?

That’s the focus of Mike’s new book, “Hacking Leadership” — 11 Gaps Every Business Needs to Close, and Secrets to Closing Them Quickly. So we asked him to join the TalentCulture community this week for a conversation about how to fix organizational cultures that are failing on multiple levels.

“Sneak Peek” Hangout

I had an opportunity to conduct a brief hangout with Mike, where he set the stage for this week’s conversation:

Also, to help you prepare for this week’s #TChat events, we’ve listed questions (at the end of this post), and selected several related articles:

8 Strategies to Successfully Change Your Corporate Culture
When Your Culture Needs a Makeover
 If You Want to Change Corporate Culture, Dare to Tell the Truth
How To Build a Great Corporate Culture
How Organizational Design Can Help Improve Corporate Culture

For everyone who wants to crack the code on cultural change, this promises to be an interesting and helpful week. So bring your ideas and opinions — and let’s talk!

#TChat Asks: Is It Time For A Business Culture Makeover?

#TChat Radio — Wed, Jan 8 — 6:30pmET / 3:30pmPT

TChatRadio_logo_020813

Tune-in to the #TChat Radio show

Our hosts, Meghan M. Biro and Kevin W. Grossman talk with Mike Myatt about how to assess cultural health, and steps leaders can take to turn around a struggling organization. Tune-in LIVE online this Wednesday!

#TChat Twitter — Wed, Jan 8 7pmET / 4pmPT

Immediately following the radio show, Meghan and Mike will move to the #TChat Twitter stream, where Dr. Nancy Rubin will lead an open chat with the entire TalentCulture community. Everyone with a Twitter account is invited to participate, as we address these 5 related questions:

Q1: What factors motivate people to remain with an employer?
Q2: How do leaders know if their culture needs a makeover?
Q3: What role can recruiting play in driving healthy cultures?
Q4: What critical development activities build employee commitment?
Q5: What technologies help leaders makeover business culture?

Throughout the week, we’ll keep the discussion going on the #TChat Twitter feed and in our LinkedIn Discussion Group. So don’t be shy! Please join us, and share your questions, ideas and opinions.

We’ll see you on the stream!

Image Credit: Stock.xchng

Workplace Technology and Innovation: BFFs?

Technology and innovation. How do these terms fit together in your mind?

If you’re like me, you tend to lump them into a fuzzy “whole.” Yet in today’s fluid world of work, each plays a distinctive role.

How do they differ? Why does it matter? And how can they co-exist in ways that add value in modern organizations?

Technology vs. Innovation — Revolution or Evolution?

Some people define technology by focusing on tools and machines. But there’s a deeper view. Technology is based on processes and skills that we mobilize to control and transform our lives. Our goal is to create and manipulate physical objects, symbols and norms. It starts with cultures that are seeking pathways to progress, but ends with solutions that are, in a sense, forced. In this regard, technology seems “revolutionary.”

Innovation, on the other hand, has been described as a better solution that is readily available to society. On the surface, innovation may seem revolutionary. But the process of innovation is more natural than contrived. So perhaps it’s more “evolutionary.”

Regardless, there clearly is an intersection between these two concepts — a symbiotic sweet spot. Therefore, it makes sense to look at them in tandem, respecting the fact that neither can exist without benefit of the other.

Do We “Like” Innovation More Than Technology?

I find it curious that people from all walks of life tend to embrace and support the concept of innovation as a beneficial part of what keeps our world turning. Yet technology often is not as well received. In fact, in some circles, technology is feared and loathed so much, it’s considered a demonic presence that requires experts to eliminate it from existence!

While technology is often equated with concrete mechanisms, innovation is more abstract — and therefore perhaps more approachable. Innovation doesn’t require advanced design, engineering or scientific proof, but can simply be a clever idea that makes life easier or more satisfying. For example, this video demonstrates how innovative ideas can add value without necessarily requiring sophisticated technology:

Change Is Good. Maybe. Sometimes. Sort of.

For some people, technology may symbolize fear of the future. The element of uncertainty can be deeply disturbing to the human psyche. Perhaps reinforced by exaggerated imagery from powerful Hollywood icons, fear surrounding the “dark side” of technology seems to persist. Of course, pop culture isn’t the only reason why our society tends to be apprehensive about accepting technology.

Why do many of us struggle with actually translating an idea from concept to application? And what keeps us from seeing the direct connection between innovation and technology? Some people claim that innovation and its outcomes are driven by a basic human urge to continue learning and expanding our understanding of ourselves and our surroundings. And yet, we all know people who defy that rule — people who never seem interested in learning anything new.

So, why do people perceive innovation and technology so differently? They could be considered two “stops” along the same path — innovation is thinking “outside the box,” while technology is the result of putting those thoughts into action. Technology is what we “make” from our ideas. And sometimes in the space between thought and result, we find resistance that can derail our progress. But the process isn’t necessarily sequential. It’s the result of continuous and sometimes nonlinear inspiration and feedback loops. We can’t dismiss how previous and existing technology and innovation lead to advanced thinking, learning and ideation.

Innovation and Technology at Work

Despite natural human resistance to change, technology solutions increasingly define the world of work. Sparked by innovative ideas, we discover and develop new ways to streamline processes, improve efficiency, speed communications, and stretch the physical and cultural boundaries that previously limited organizational performance. Since Americans work such long hours each week, don’t we owe it to ourselves to create a work culture that is not only more productive, but also connects us in ways we previously never imagined, and encourages us to dream of how we might improve tomorrow’s workplace?

If we don’t dream it, we can’t do it. Without innovation to ignite the imagination, and without technology to power these thoughts, silos can isolate and stifle us from advancing our quality of life, and our pursuit of happiness. So let’s honor both as we look to the future of work.

Image Credit: Pixabay

HR Flashback: The Way We Worked

(Editor’s Note: Want to learn more from Kevin and TalentCulture CEO, Meghan M. Biro about the transformation of HR and workplace learning? Listen to their CLO Magazine on-demand webinar.)

“What do you do?” asked my airport shuttle driver (I’ll call him Ben).

“I work for an HR software company,” I answered.

He nodded. “HR, huh? I remember when I worked in personnel.”

“Personnel.” That term got my attention — precursor to the “human resources” profession we know today. I asked Ben about his experience, and he told me about his days at Polaroid in the Boston area during the late 1970s and early 1980s.

By my estimates, Ben is in his early 60s — a fit man with short salt-and-pepper hair, a neatly trimmed matching goatee, and an infectious storytelling style.

Back in his Polaroid days he worked the line that manufactured the shutterfly housing for a new camera at the time. Two years later he was offered a personnel job.

“I thought I was going to have my own corner office, enjoy long lunches and play golf with the management team,” he told me, shaking his head. “I was 21 years old and extremely naïve. I had no idea the job would be as hard as it was.”

“HR is no free lunch. Not then, not now,” I said.

“Well, it certainly wasn’t then, that’s for damn sure,” he said.

He managed and staffed the “C shift” (11 pm to 7 am  — otherwise known as the graveyard) one of the hardest shifts to work, much less staff and manage. He had to continually wake up his team members as they dozed off on the job.

“C shift” workers were some of Boston’s poorest whites and minorities who had the basic skills to do the job. Ben had to interview, screen and hire 50 people a week for months, until he had a few hundred employees to help roll-out the new cameras.

And Ben managed it all manually.

“We had no HR software or systems,” he explained. “I was going through 150 to 200 applicants per week to hit my 50 target. We had a brief interview process and a skills proficiency test. Then there were tons of forms for each new employee, and all had to be completed in triplicate. There were stuffed file folders and cabinets that cornered me daily in my tiny office.”

“Mercy me,” I replied.

He continued. “Not only that. The new hire trainings were intensive and on-the-job, complete with product manuals that weighed about 100 pounds each. Needless to say, I got very close to the line I used to work with and the new line employees I was staffing for. These people struggled financially, had families to care for. Many were single moms. They had all sorts of personal stress outside of work that affected productivity and quality, but we managed to meet line quota every week.”

“Fascinating,” I said. “And painful.”

“Yes, it was. One of the hardest jobs I ever had.”

“It sounds like it,” I said. “I’ve only played HR on TV.”

He laughed. I sat fascinated by the conversation and the contrast to today. The whole time we talked, with my WiFi hotspot booted, I had logged into my company’s expense report system to review and approve reports.

Then I logged into our collaborative community platform to review some product marketing collateral and the latest entries in our organization’s global contest to name our corporate intranet. What a great way to promote creativity, diversity of thought and culture in a company that’s recently moved through multiple acquisitions, and now has multiple product lines and multiple office locations and many remote contributors.

There we all were, naming the very thing that kept us connected, and I was accessing it all from my tablet of choice.

I logged off, closed my iPad, and sighed audibly. Thank goodness we have today’s technology and software systems at our fingertips, I thought. It’s all about moving from the way we worked to the way we work now — complete with interconnected, platform agnostic devices tethered by the invisible magic of cellular and WiFi science.

Mobile recruiting has seen unprecedented recent growth, and now mobile screening, assessing, hiring, onboarding, training, learning, developing, recognizing, rewarding, and more are part of the “world of work” master plan — critical to an increasingly global, dispersed workforce of full-time, part-time and contract employees.

Again, thank goodness. Think about the old model of snail-mail offer letters, conference room paperwork and storage space stacked to the ceiling with file box archives. So horribly inefficient and administratively painful. Even e-mail has become cumbersome for many in today’s workplace, (although it’s not being replaced anytime soon.)

Fortunately though, highly configurable, mobile-friendly work spaces and systems are here. They mirror our day-to-day work experience and allow us to access the data we need, whenever its needed.

Your corner office is nestled comfortably in the heart of your favorite mobile device. I think Ben would like it that way.

Image Credit: Stock.xchng

Hiring: Moving Forward With Mobile? #TChat Preview

(Editor’s Note: Looking for a full recap of the week’s highlights and resources? Read the #TChat Recap: “Mobile Hiring Hits The Fast Lane.”)

Several weeks ago at #TChat Events, our community discussed the rapid rise in demand for mobile recruiting.

The statistics are mind-boggling. Already, it’s estimated that 1 billion job-related searches are initiated each month from mobile devices. That kind of volume means organizations everywhere are racing to make their candidate experience more mobile friendly.

Mobile Recruiting Leaps Forward: Can Hiring Keep Pace?

These explosive mobile adoption figures lead us to wonder — what happens after the recruitment phase?

Are HR organizations committed to mobile-friendly hiring processes — from the offer letter to onboarding — and beyond? What will it take to connect the mobile workforce dots across the entire employee lifecycle? And how can we get there from here? That’s what we’ll explore this week at #TChat Events, with two talent acquisition experts:

Kyle Lagunas, Talent Acquisition Industry Analyst at Brandon Hall Group and
Todd Owens, President and COO at TalentWise, a next-generation hiring platform provider.

Todd took several minutes to help frame this week’s issues in a “sneak peek” hangout with me:

This is an important issue for talent-minded professionals everywhere. So we hope you’ll join the conversation this week. We look forward to hearing your ideas and opinions!

#TChat Events: Mobile Devices + Hiring = Good Match?

TChatRadio_logo_020813

Tune-in to #TChat Radio

#TChat Radio — Wed, Nov 13 — 6:30pmET / 3:30pmPT

Our hosts, Meghan M. Biro and Kevin W. Grossman talk with Todd Owens and Kyle Lagunas about how mobile hiring processes extend the candidate experience and improve HR effectiveness. Tune-in LIVE online this Wednesday!

#TChat Twitter — Wed, Nov 13 7pmET / 4pmPT

Immediately following the radio show, we’ll move this discussion to the #TChat Twitter stream, where Dr. Nancy Rubin will moderate an open chat with the entire TalentCulture community. Everyone with a Twitter account is invited to participate, as we address these questions:

Q1: What exactly is mobile hiring, and how it is being applied today?
Q2: What are the advantages of hiring anywhere, anytime?
Q3: How can mobile hiring showcase an organization’s corporate culture?
Q4: How can companies get all generations to adopt mobile recruiting/hiring?
Q5: Is mobile hiring a revolution, while mobile onboarding is an evolution?

Throughout the week, we’ll keep the discussion going on the #TChat Twitter feed and on our LinkedIn Discussion Group. So please join us share your questions, ideas and opinions.
We’ll see you on the stream!

Generation X at Bat #TChat Recap

Do you ever wish you could instantly capture expert advice or opinions from across the World of Work?

Here’s an easy solution: Just ask a quick question on Twitter about generational differences in today’s workplace. Even better, ask that question during a #TChat event. I guarantee that, within moments, you’ll be drinking from a fire hose of thoughtful, passionate, articulate responses!

That’s exactly what we experienced on the #TChat stream last night with special guest, Mark Babbitt. As founder + CEO of YouTern, an organization that helps young professionals grow through high-impact information, mentorships and internships, Mark has developed strong opinions about the silent strength that Generation X brings to the workforce.

Do You Mind If I Talk About Your Age?

We were curious if the TalentCulture community agrees with Mark’s perspective. And we wondered how important generational similarities and differences are in shaping tomorrow’s organizations.

The conversation exposed what at first blush, might seem like opposing viewpoints. For example, on one hand, many participants emphasized the benefits of celebrating diversity:

“It’s not one-size-fits-all.” …and… “Let’s value the differences.” …and as Tom Bolt suggested…

Meanwhile, other participants emphasized the importance of focusing on similarities:

“Empower people; stop focusing on generations.” …and… “There are inspired, innovative, connected people in every generation.” …and as Kelly Blokdijk noted…

Of course, upon reflection, these perspectives are really two sides of the same coin. Both hold truths that can propel organizations forward.

But key questions remain — HOW BEST can we bring together both ends of this spectrum to create more effective organizational cultures? And how prepared is our next wave of leaders to accomplish that mission? Whenever human behavior is involved, there are many roads to the same destination. Some paths have many more detours and roadblocks. Organizations need smart navigators. Meanwhile, the business world continues to grow more complex and challenging. That’s why we’ll need extraordinary leaders in the future — regardless of their generation.

What’s Age Got To Do With It?

In the meantime, we look to one another for guidance. It’s actually phenomenal how much information has been created and shared about generations in the workplace. And yet organizations still struggle with how to “make it work.”

Just for fun, consider this quick, unscientific peek at the magnitude of commentary available online:

GOOGLE SEARCH RESULTS:
“Millennials” work = 39,000,000
“Boomers” work = 37,000,000
“Generation X” work = 3,260,000

You’d think there are enough nuggets of wisdom in there to help us understand and resolve these issues. But ideas, alone, aren’t the answer. Action is also required.

I wonder what “old-school” sage, the late Peter Drucker, would have said about this, if he had joined #TChat Twitter last night? Perhaps only this:

“If you want something new, you have to stop doing something old.”

After all, no matter how old or young we are, that’s really the only path to progress.

So let’s keep the ideas flowing. Let’s keep the lines of communication open. Let’s share what works, and toss out what doesn’t. But most of all, let’s encourage one another to be bold and try “something new.” Let’s keep trying, and learning, and growing, and evolving. Let’s look forward to creating that “new” future together!

#TChat Week-In-Review: Gen X — Leading From The Middle

MarkB

Watch the Hangout now

SAT 10/12:

#TChat Preview:
TalentCulture Community Manager Tim McDonald framed this week’s topic in a post that featured a brief G+ Hangout video with guest Mark Babbitt. Read the Preview: “Gen X: Leading From The Middle.”

SUN 10/13:

Forbes.com Post: TalentCulture CEO, Meghan M. Biro suggested how leaders can overcome generational differences. Read: “5 Ways Leaders Bridge the Generational Divide.”

TUE 10/15:

Related Post: Dan Newman, author of “The Millennial CEO,” examined the source of effective leadership. Read: “Anatomy of a Leader: Not Just Skin Deep.”

WED 10/16:

TChatRadio_logo_020813

Listen to the radio show now

#TChat Radio: Our hosts, Meghan M. Biro and Kevin W. Grossman spoke with special guest, Mark Babbitt, about the unique challenges and opportunities that Generation X faces in today’s world of work. Listen to the radio recording now!

#TChat Twitter: Immediately following the radio show, Mark, Meghan and Kevin joined the entire community on the #TChat Twitter stream for an open conversation about 5 related questions. For highlights, check the Storify slideshow below:

#TChat Highlights: Gen X: Leading From The Middle

[javascript src=”//storify.com/TalentCulture/tchat-insights-gen-x-leading-from-the-middle.js?template=slideshow”]

Closing Notes & What’s Ahead

GRATITUDE: Thanks again to Mark Babbitt for adding your voice to this week’s discussion. Your insights about Gen X have helped challenge our assumptions and expand our understanding.

NOTE TO BLOGGERS: Did this week’s events prompt you to write about the multi-generational workforce? We’d love to share your thoughts. Post a link on Twitter (include #TChat or @TalentCulture), or insert a comment below, and we’ll pass it along.

WHAT’S AHEAD: Next week, we tackle another important “world of work” topic. So save the date (October 23) for another rockin #TChat double header. And keep an eye out for details in the next few days.

Meanwhile, the World of Work conversation continues! So join us on the #TChat Twitter stream, on our LinkedIn discussion group. or elsewhere on social media. The lights are always on here at TalentCulture, and your thoughts are always welcome.

See you on the stream!

Image Credit: Stock.xchng

Gen X: Leading From The Middle #TChat Preview

(Editor’s Note: Are you looking for a complete overview of the week’s #TChat highlights and resource links? Read the #TChat Recap: “Generation X At Bat.”)

I just discovered that I’m exceptional! Or to be more accurate, I’m unconventional.

I’m a member of Gen X — and according to those who analyze age-related attributes, I should feel disadvantaged and overlooked in the workplace. Fortunately, I’ve had an interesting and rewarding career path, so perhaps I just got lucky. Or perhaps the assumptions aren’t as universal as we think.

But that raises some related questions — Just how “real” is the generational divide at work? And what do those differences mean, as Baby Boomers begin to retire, and a new wave of leaders steps up to drive the world of work?

Last week at #TChat Twitter, our community collectively agreed that the office is no place for age discrimination. However, for better or worse, each generation brings a unique set of shared experiences to the workplace. Are Baby Boomers and Millennials stealing attention from those of us who are “in the middle”? If so, what kind of impact will that have on the future of work?

This week, we’re addressing those questions head-on. We want to give Gen X the attention it deserves. And we’ve invited an ideal expert to lead the discussion:

Mark Babbitt, Founder + CEO of YouTern, an organization that helps young talent develop professionally through high-impact mentors, internships and information.

I spoke with Mark briefly in a joint G+ Hangout, where he set the stage for this week’s topic:

No matter what generation you represent, we want to hear your thoughts about how organizations can prepare tomorrow’s leaders for success. So please join us, and bring your ideas and opinions!

#TChat Events: Gen X — Leading From The Middle

TChatRadio_logo_020813

Tune-in to the #TChat Radio show

#TChat Radio — Wed, Oct 16 — 6:30pmET / 3:30pmPT

Our hosts, Meghan M. Biro and Kevin W. Grossman talk with Mark Babbitt about the unique challenges and opportunities that Generation X faces in today’s world of work. Follow the action LIVE online, and dial-in with your feedback and questions!

#TChat Twitter — Wed, Oct 16 7pmET / 4pmPT

Immediately following the radio show, we’ll move this discussion to the #TChat Twitter stream for an open chat with the entire TalentCulture community. Anyone with a Twitter account is invited to participate, as we address these questions:

Q1: Gen X is “forgotten” in today’s workforce — myth or reality?
Q2: How can Gen Xers elevate their visibility and value at work?
Q3: Why is it smart for employers to empower all generations?
Q4: How can today’s leaders develop tomorrow’s decision makers?
Q5: What could technology do to remove generational barriers?

Throughout the week, we’ll keep the discussion going on the #TChat Twitter feed and on our LinkedIn Discussion Group. So please join us share your questions, ideas and opinions.

We’ll see you on the stream!

Game On! Playing To Business Strengths #TChat Recap

This week, the TalentCulture community took a fascinating look at gamification in the workplace. And in my opinion, everyone earned badges and gold stars, as we shared collective knowledge at #TChat events.

Our two expert guests are masters at explaining the connection between business gamification and big data. These smart senior executives brought key concepts to life with practical ideas and real-world examples:

Guy Halfteck, Founder and CEO of Knack, a company that integrates games into the hiring process to help companies define desired talent characteristics and improve recruiting outcomes.

Mark Howorth, COO at Panavision, who previously served as Partner and Sr. Director of Global Recruiting at Bain & Company. He has seen the power of gamification at work, as three of his #TChat Twitter comments revealed:

(Editor’s Note: For full highlights from the #TChat Twitter event, see the Storify slideshow at the end of this post)

Gamification: What’s In A Name?

“Gamification” is a controversial term, but the concept it simple. It’s about employing game theory and mechanics in business environments to drive problem solving, boost workforce and customer engagement, capture better organizational insights, accelerate responsiveness, improve learning and increase ROI. Last year, Gartner predicted that by 2015, more than 50% of organizations that manage innovation processes will integrate gamification.

Gartner identified four ways that gamification drives engagement:

• Accelerated feedback cycles. In the real world, feedback loops are slow (annual performance appraisals) with long periods between milestones. Gamification increases the velocity of feedback loops to maintain engagement.

• Clear goals and rules of play. In the real world, where goals are fuzzy and rules selectively applied, gamification provides clear goals and well-defined rules of play to ensure players feel empowered to achieve.

• A compelling narrative. While real-world activities are rarely compelling, gamification builds a narrative that engages players to participate.

• Tasks that are challenging but achievable. While there is no shortage of challenges in the real world, they tend to be large and long-term. Gamification provides many short-term, achievable goals to sustain engagement.

Gamification: What Makes It Tick?

Gamification is serious business. As Accenture explained in a detailed report early this year, companies are striving to understand what makes games so appealing (a shared sense of purpose, challenge and reward). They are decoding gaming mechanisms (personalization, rankings and leaderboards), and applying these mechanics in imaginative ways across business functions. Accenture identified seven essential elements:

Status: Because gamers are motivated by recognition of others in their social circles, game-based business solutions must make it possible to enhance players’ reputations.

Milestones: Levels are everything in gaming, and enabling participants to perceive progress through incremental accomplishments is vital to sustaining interest.

Competition: This is a major motivator that maintains engagement.

Rankings: Visually displaying progress and rankings help participants benchmark their performance to their own goals and others’ performance. Rankings tap into natural human competitiveness, and motivate participants to continue, so they can improve their position.

Social connectedness: Successful gamification initiatives create a strong sense of community.

Immersion reality: With visually rich graphics and animation, digital environments can help immerse participants in their virtual reality.

Personalization: The ability to customize promotes a sense of control and ownership.

In their book, “For The Win: How Gamification Can Transform Your Business,” Wharton professor and gamification expert, Kevin Werbach and New York Law School professor Dan Hunter, take a deep dive into gamification.

In this informative video, they explain how gamification helps people “find the fun in the things you have to do.” They make it easy to understand gamification, with examples of successful companies that are applying these techniques, and advice to help organizations avoid common pitfalls. We hope you find this, along with the collected resource links and #TChat Twitter highlights slideshow below a helpful resource for game-based initiatives in which you may be involved!

#TChat Week-In-Review: Games + Big Data + Talent Management = Trifecta!

SUN 9/15:

GuyHalfteck

Watch the Hangout now

#TChat Preview: TalentCulture Community Manager Tim McDonald framed the topic in a post that featured a brief G+ Hangout videos with Guy Halfteck. Read the Preview:
“Games and Data and Talent — Oh My!”

MON 9/16:

Forbes.com Post: TalentCulture CEO, Meghan M. Biro outlined 5 compelling reasons for businesses to integrate gaming into workflows, learning and management processes. Read: “5 Ways Leaders Win At Gamification Technology.”

WED 9/18:

TChatRadio_logo_020813

Listen to the #TChat Radio show now

#TChat Radio: Our hosts, Meghan M. Biro and Kevin W. Grossman talk with Guy Halfteck and Mark Howorth about how games are emerging as a highly effective, reliable way to select, recruit and retain employees. Listen to the radio show recording now!

#TChat Twitter: Immediately following the radio show, I joined Guy, Mark, Meghan, Kevin on the #TChat Twitter stream for a dynamic and enlightening discussion with the entire TalentCulture community. For highlights from the conversation, check the Storify slideshow below:

#TChat Highlights: Games People Play: Ultimate Way To Measure Talent?

[javascript src=”//storify.com/TalentCulture/tchat-insights-games-people-play-the-ultimate-way.js?template=slideshow”]

Closing Notes & What’s Ahead

GRATITUDE: Thanks again to Guy Halfteck and Mark Howorth for adding your voices to this week’s discussion. Your insights and passion for the business benefits of gaming strategies have captivated us all.

NOTE TO BLOGGERS: Did this week’s events prompt you to write about gamification? We’d love to share your thoughts. Post a link on Twitter (include #TChat or @TalentCulture), or insert a comment below, and we’ll pass it along.

WHAT’S AHEAD: Next week, we tackle another important “world of work” topic — Transparency vs. Privacy in the Workplace with HR/Employment lawyer, Mary E. Wright. So save the date (September 18) for another rockin #TChat double header. And keep an eye out for details in the next few days.

Meanwhile, the World of Work conversation continues! So join us on the #TChat Twitter stream, on our LinkedIn discussion group. or elsewhere on social media. The lights are always on here at TalentCulture, and your thoughts are always welcome.

See you on the stream!

Image Credit: Graeme Lawton via Flickr

You 2.0: Reinventing a Personal Brand #TChat Preview

(Editor’s Note: Looking for a complete review of the week’s events and resources? Read the #TChat Recap: “Will the Real You Please Stand Up?”)

Here’s Looking at You, Kid

Most of us are familiar with the concept of personal branding. We understand how important it is to put our “best face forward,” especially during a job search. (Our mothers told us about that long ago.) And you don’t have to be Kim Kardashian to see that social media shines a constant spotlight on our lives, for better or worse. So…why don’t more of us cultivate our personal brands as carefully as a marketing manager would?

Creating a Fresh Perspective

Reinventing You

Learn more about “Reinventing You”

Is your online presence incomplete or out-of-date? Do you suspect it sends the wrong message? Are you considering a career change, but struggling with how to reposition yourself for a new role? What’s the best way to recombine all the elements for a message that is accurate, authentic and attracts the right kind of attention?

That’s our focus this week in the TalentCulture community, as we continue our “summer restart” series with the author of of Reinventing You, Dorie Clark. Dorie is a communications and brand management expert who has written extensively about this topic. And we’re fortunate that she’s sharing her insights with us throughout the week.

To set the stage, Dorie joined me for a brief G+ Hangout to discuss why personal brand management matters, not just during a job search, but on a continuous basis:

The article Dorie mentions is great preparation for this week’s #TChat discussions. Check it out at Harvard Business Review: It’s Not a Job Search, It’s a Campaign. Also, if you’d like to read related articles from the TalentCulture archives, see “Mindfully Managing Your Personal Brand” and “Personal Re-Branding For Chareer Changers.”

#TChat Events: Reinventing Your Brand

Don’t forget to save the date — Wednesday July 17 — for a #TChat double-header that is designed to change your professional life for the better. Bring your questions, concerns, ideas and suggestions, and let’s talk!

#TChat Radio — Wed, July 17 at 6:30pmET / 3:30pmPT

TChatRadio_logo_020813

Listen to the #TChat Radio show

Dorie joins our hosts, Meghan M. Biro and Kevin W. Grossman for a closer look at why and how professionals can benefit from personal branding. Listen live and dial-in with your questions and feedback!

#TChat Twitter — Wed, July 17 at 7pmET / 4pmPT

Immediately following the radio show, our conversation with Dorie opens wide, as she moderates our community discussion on the #TChat stream. We welcome anyone with a Twitter account to join us, as we discuss these questions:

Q1:  You are the captains of your own career destiny. Why or why not?
Q2:  What should your first priorities be when reinventing your personal brand?
Q3:  Does it make a difference if you’re a full-time, part-time or contract worker? Why/why not?
Q4:  How can business leaders facilitate ongoing career development, inside and out?
Q5:  What technologies today help us reinvent ourselves? How/why?

Throughout the week, we’ll keep the discussion going on the #TChat Twitter feed and on our new LinkedIn Discussion Group. So please join us share your questions, ideas and opinions.

We’ll see you on the stream!

 

Will Your Talent Be Swept Away in the Coming Tsunami?

(Editor’s Note: Please welcome Switch and Shift co-founder, Ted Coine, to the pool of TalentCulture contributors. We look forward to sharing his insights on business leadership.)

Recently, I had the true pleasure of appearing on Lead with Giants TV. Founder and host Dan Forbes brought together six of his community’s most talented leaders to discuss one of my favorite topics — the question of a financial Return on Morale.

How does morale affect organizational performance? I’m passionate about this question. It doesn’t quite keep me up at night, but I do spend much of my days obsessing over it. In fact, “Return on Morale” is the title of my new “snippet” (a new digital format that works like an ebook on steriods).

I constantly wonder. How do I prove Return on Morale? And most importantly, how do I explain it to company leaders, who still have power to do something about employee morale before poor morale kills their organization?

ReturnOnMoraleThe interview with Dan was a great forum to test the waters for my Return on Morale narrative. Our conversation was exhilarating from start to finish. It was perfect evidence that the quality of an interviewer makes all the difference in showcasing a guest’s expertise.

One question in particular really stuck with me. Almost halfway into our conversation, Dan asked, “Ted, I’m thinking that when we get through this financial crisis, and employees are feeling a lot better about their financial situation … right now they’re putting up with the culture and the environment that they’re in … don’t you think we’re going to have a tsunami of people ready to leave and go somewhere where life is better?”

A tsunami of people leaving! Man, I wish I’d thought of that analogy (although fortunately Dan did, and shared it with me). Consider waves of business value rushing out of the door, beyond your reach. It’s not pretty. So, if you want to get a good idea of the true Return on Morale for your company, then consider this question:

What will it cost your company if your top talent becomes dissatisfied with how they are being managed, and leave to work for your competitors?

Ted Coine Return on Morale

Watch Ted on Lead With Giants TV now

In the TV show, we tackle this question and a whole lot more — all sorts of aspects of Return on Morale, and how to make sure you set-up your company to benefit from it, not just today, but in the future as well. I hope you take time to watch the program, and if you enjoyed the give-and-take, perhaps you’ll share it with some colleagues or friends.

And, if you want to learn more, perhaps you’ll enjoy my “snippet,” too. It’s available now, exclusively on iOS mobile devices, as an app from a really amazing company called (wait for it…) Snippet. Within the snippet, along with the text of each short chapter, you’ll find brief videos and even a way to tweet and connect with other readers and with me. (Yes, right from within the book!) I promise you, the experience is so cool that one or two snippets later, you never want to “just read” again.

So tell me — what do you think about the coming talent tsunami? What sort of impact do you anticipate? And what is your organization doing to protect your investment in employee morale and performance?

Image Credit: Pixabay

HR Data: What’s The Big Deal? #TChat Preview

(Editor’s Note: Are you looking for a full overview of this week’s events and resources? See “HR Data: What Really Counts? #TChat Recap.”)

(Also Note: Have you heard the news? Now there’s another reason to look forward to Wednesdays!  STARTING THIS WEEK #TChat Radio moves to Wednesday nights at 6:30pmET — just prior to our popular #TChat Twitter event at 7pmET. So tune-in live, and then join us on stream!)

Better Data = Smarter Choices

Past performance can be a good indicator of future performance, right? Well, when it comes to HR decisions, not necessarily — according to a recent New York Times profile of workforce science practices.

Advances in data collection and analysis are shattering preconceived notions about how to find and manage talent. Increasingly, HR practitioners are looking to data for answers to important business questions. The possibilities span a broad spectrum:

  • Talent Pool Viability
  • Skills + Competency Analysis
  • Hire Quality + Cultural Fit
  • Employee + Contingent Engagement
  • Hiring vs. Workforce Development
  • Workforce Growth Rates + Costs
  • Talent Retention + Turnover
  • Overall Business Impact

So how can you effectively apply data to HR practices? That’s a question we’ll discuss at #TChat forums with two HR data experts:

#TChat Sneak Peek Video

To kick-off this week’s conversation, Christene joined me for a quick G+ Hangout, where she helped clarify the meaning of “Big Data” and its relationship to HR management:

#TChat Events: The Big Deal with HR Data

What do you think about workforce data and its role in business management? Whether you’re an organizational leader, an HR practitioner, or a job-seeker who wonders how data analysis will influence your career, data is increasingly relevant to professional life. So bring your point of view, and join us to share your questions, ideas and opinions to the table this week!

TChatRadio_logo_020813

Tune-in to the #TChat Radio show

#TChat Radio — Wed, June 26 at 6:30pmET / 3:30pmPT

Christene and Andrew join our hosts, Meghan M. Biro and Kevin W. Grossman, for a LIVE 30-minute discussion to examine this topic up-close.

#TChat Twitter — Wed, June 26 at 7pmET / 4pmPT

We welcome anyone with a Twitter handle to join our open, online community, as we exchange ideas live on the #TChat stream to explore this week’s questions:

Q1: Why is Big Data a bit of a misnomer when it comes to HR analytics?

Q2: What’s the difference between data, metrics and analytics?

Q3: What metrics and analytics should HR focus on, and why?

Q4: What can HR leaders do to make a business case for predictive analytics?

Q5: Why should we stop using spreadsheets to analyze talent management data?

Throughout the week, we’ll keep the discussion going on the #TChat Twitter feed and on our new LinkedIn Discussion Group. So please join us share your questions, ideas and opinions.

We’ll see you on the stream!

HR Data: What's The Big Deal? #TChat Preview

(Editor’s Note: Are you looking for a full overview of this week’s events and resources? See “HR Data: What Really Counts? #TChat Recap.”)

(Also Note: Have you heard the news? Now there’s another reason to look forward to Wednesdays!  STARTING THIS WEEK #TChat Radio moves to Wednesday nights at 6:30pmET — just prior to our popular #TChat Twitter event at 7pmET. So tune-in live, and then join us on stream!)

Better Data = Smarter Choices

Past performance can be a good indicator of future performance, right? Well, when it comes to HR decisions, not necessarily — according to a recent New York Times profile of workforce science practices.

Advances in data collection and analysis are shattering preconceived notions about how to find and manage talent. Increasingly, HR practitioners are looking to data for answers to important business questions. The possibilities span a broad spectrum:

  • Talent Pool Viability
  • Skills + Competency Analysis
  • Hire Quality + Cultural Fit
  • Employee + Contingent Engagement
  • Hiring vs. Workforce Development
  • Workforce Growth Rates + Costs
  • Talent Retention + Turnover
  • Overall Business Impact

So how can you effectively apply data to HR practices? That’s a question we’ll discuss at #TChat forums with two HR data experts:

#TChat Sneak Peek Video

To kick-off this week’s conversation, Christene joined me for a quick G+ Hangout, where she helped clarify the meaning of “Big Data” and its relationship to HR management:

#TChat Events: The Big Deal with HR Data

What do you think about workforce data and its role in business management? Whether you’re an organizational leader, an HR practitioner, or a job-seeker who wonders how data analysis will influence your career, data is increasingly relevant to professional life. So bring your point of view, and join us to share your questions, ideas and opinions to the table this week!

TChatRadio_logo_020813

Tune-in to the #TChat Radio show

#TChat Radio — Wed, June 26 at 6:30pmET / 3:30pmPT

Christene and Andrew join our hosts, Meghan M. Biro and Kevin W. Grossman, for a LIVE 30-minute discussion to examine this topic up-close.

#TChat Twitter — Wed, June 26 at 7pmET / 4pmPT

We welcome anyone with a Twitter handle to join our open, online community, as we exchange ideas live on the #TChat stream to explore this week’s questions:

Q1: Why is Big Data a bit of a misnomer when it comes to HR analytics?

Q2: What’s the difference between data, metrics and analytics?

Q3: What metrics and analytics should HR focus on, and why?

Q4: What can HR leaders do to make a business case for predictive analytics?

Q5: Why should we stop using spreadsheets to analyze talent management data?

Throughout the week, we’ll keep the discussion going on the #TChat Twitter feed and on our new LinkedIn Discussion Group. So please join us share your questions, ideas and opinions.

We’ll see you on the stream!

High Tech or High Touch? #TChat Recap

Epic Times in HR Innovation

For geeks in the TalentCulture community, this was a red-letter week. We saw an impressive spectrum of innovative technology solutions roll through the HRO Today Forum in Philadelphia.

As planned, TalentCulture founders, Meghan Biro and Kevin Grossman were on-hand each day — sharing photos, updates and color commentary, live on the #TChat stream. It was like opening a virtual window into the state of HR innovation — and along with it, a perfect springboard to discuss promising “world of work” technologies and best practices.

I dialed-in from a distance, and couldn’t help feeling drawn to the energy of the iTalent innovation showdown (which Connect6° won, by the way), as well as the enthusiasm of #TChat-ters who openly exchanged ideas about HR tech at our Wednesday Twitter discussion. (See complete highlights in the Storify slideshow near the end of this post.)

Key Takeaway: Seek Balance

So, did we reach consensus about technology’s role in acquiring and nurturing talent? Did we agree on what matters most — high tech or high touch?

Wait. That’s not the right question. This isn’t a zero-sum game. Instead, shouldn’t we ask something more useful? Try this:

How well are we balancing the natural tension between “high tech” and “high touch,” for best results in our organization?

Truth is, there will never be a “final answer.” In an ever-changing business environment, we’ll always be seeking true north. A commitment to continuous improvement can help. But even with constant recalibration, it’s easy to miss the mark. So, for future reference, maybe we should tuck this tiny nugget of #TChat advice into the back of our minds:

Whatever helps us go THERE should be good. Thanks for the reminder, Zachary!

#TChat Week-in-Review

SUN 4/28

Forbes.com: TalentCulture CEO, Meghan M. Biro, set the stage for the week in her post: “HR Technology: A Revolution for the World of Work.”

MON 4/29

Publication1

Watch Tim’s G+ Hangout videos in his #TChat Preview

Meghan on Monday: To start the week, Meghan expanded on her Forbes commentary in a message to the TalentCulture community: “HR Tech as High Art and Deep Science.”

#TChat Preview: Our community manager, Tim McDonald, outlined the theme and key questions in a preview post: “Live From the Edge of HR Innovation,” featuring brief video interviews with four of the five finalists in this year’s HRO Today Forum iTalent Competition.

WED 5/1

TChatRadio_logo_020813

Listen to the radio show recording now

#TChat Radio: In a special 1-hour “open mic” roundtable live from the HRO Today Forum social media lounge, Jessica Miller-Merrell (Blogging4Jobs), Matt Charney (Talemetry), and a variety of other conference attendees talked with Meghan and Kevin about the changing role of HR, and technology’s role in supporting that shift.

Partner News: Speaking of innovative HR technology, we announced a partnership with Achievers this week — our first formal business alliance in TalentCulture’s 3-year history. Exciting stuff. Learn more in “TalentCulture + Achievers: Better Together!”

#TChat Twitter: Our expanding community gathered around the #TChat Twitter stream, as Achievers Community Manager, Katie Paterson, led us in a real-time exchange of ideas about innovation in HR practices and technology. The feed lit-up with great ideas and interaction throughout the hour. Watch highlights below:

#TChat Twitter Highlights Slideshow: “Live From the Edge of HR Innovation”

[javascript src=”//storify.com/TalentCulture/tchat-insights-live-from-the-edge-of-hr-innovatio.js?template=slideshow”]

Closing Notes & What’s Ahead

SPECIAL THANKS: Again, thanks to the HROToday Forum social media team for sharing their perspectives live from the conference, and thanks to Achievers Social Community Manager, Katie Paterson, for spearheading this week’s #TChat Twitter conversation. You brought insight, humor and energy that everyone could feel.

NOTE TO BLOGGERS: Did this week’s events prompt you to write about HR Innovation or related issues? We’re happy to share your thoughts. Just post a link on Twitter (include #TChat or @TalentCulture), or insert a comment below, and we’ll pass it along.

WHAT’S AHEAD: Next week, education and social learning advocate, Angela Maiers, returns to talk about how our nation can prepare today’s students to become tomorrow’s business and technology leaders. Stay tuned for a “sneak peek” video in our preview this weekend!

Until then, as always, the World of Work conversation continues each day. So join us on the #TChat Twitter stream, or on our new LinkedIn discussion group. And feel free to explore other areas of our redesigned website. The lights are always on at TalentCulture, and your ideas and opinions are always welcome.

We’ll see you on the stream!

Image credit: Pixabay

HR Tech as High Art and Deep Science

(Editor’s Note: For full insights from this week’s events see High Tech or High Touch? #TChat Recap.)

If you’ve seen this week’s #TChat Preview, you know that I’m packing my Team TalentCulture bags and heading for Philadelphia to join the action at the HRO Today Forum — where I’ll again help judge the iTalent innovation showdown.

Although it’s a live show-and-tell competition among vendors, I don’t think of it as a smackdown. Instead, I think of it as a celebration. A very important celebration.

The Upside of Change

Why is this so important? And why now? Because the world of work is changing at a phenomenal rate — and there’s no going back. You can find evidence everywhere — and it’s exciting. Just think about it. Only a year ago, at the first iTalent competition, HR infrastructure was in a much different place.

Enterprise adoption of social business is no longer just a smart idea, but a requirement that is rapidly redefining organizational culture. This shift is spawning a whole new class of start-ups — ventures that are challenging the status quo across the HR technology space. The convergence of cloud computing, big data, mobile connectivity, collaboration tools and social channels is disrupting talent management processes at every level.

Some might feel threatened — but that kind of inertia is eroding fast.

There’s a new mantra in the networked organization — adopt and adapt. That means there is no wide-open, well-marked, straight-line path to the future. On the other hand, leaders can no longer afford to delay or deny. Agility is the keyword in a world of relentless change. Without it, organizations jeopardize the effectiveness of their workforce, the vibrancy of their corporate culture, and the competitive advantage that comes from a strong talent infrastructure.

This is today’s truth. The road ahead may be uncertain, but I’m on your side. So you might as well hear it from me.

HR as High Art and as Deep Science

ForbesApr29

Read the Forbes.com post now…

So with the future at stake, how do we get “there” from “here”?

As I noted in my Forbes column this week, technology, alone, is not enough.

HR (specifically talent management) is an art because, at it’s heart, it’s about people – in all their messy glory. It’s about hiring the right people, and then inspiring and enabling them to deliver stellar performance.

HR is a also science because there are ways to measure talent, skills and compatibility that can take some of the guesswork out of the process and dramatically increase the odds of success.

Imagine being able to recruit, hire, recognize, measure and reward stellar performance on a virtually continuous basis. Imagine a real-time feedback loop that allows leaders to gauge the pulse and productivity of their organizations from mobile devices and tablets. Imagine unsung workforce heroes receiving the recognition they so richly deserve.

All of that is already happening now, thanks to new HR technology — in the hands of smart talent-minded professionals. I’d say that’s reason to celebrate the art and the science that makes the “human” side of business so complex, so rich, and so rewarding.

And that’s why — no matter which vendor “wins” the iTalent competition — I am celebrating the fact HR innovation is leading us to a whole new future of work.

To look more closely at this topic, read my Forbes.com post:

HR Technology: A Revolution for the World of Work

(Editor’s Note: For full insights from this week’s events see High Tech or High Touch? #TChat Recap.)

Image Credit: Pixabay

Age at Work: Moving Beyond Birthdays

“How old are you?”

What do you feel, think, and say when you hear that question in the workplace? Do you suddenly get tense, wondering how others will perceive your answer? You’re not alone.

No matter when you were born or what kind of upbringing you’ve had, you’ve likely dealt with some sort of label. And regardless of the situation, we can all agree that no one likes to be unfairly stereotyped. Despite attempts by organizational leaders and HR to reduce discrimination and adversity, it still lingers in some forms. Not surprisingly, age-related stereotyping is on the rise, now that more organizations have a multigenerational workforce.

Generational Generalizations

As recent studies illustrate, every generation is affected by damaging biases. For example, do profiles like this sound familiar?

  • Baby Boomers = materialistic, technologically illiterate micro-managers
  • Generation Xers = cynical, disloyal and skeptical of authority
  • Generation Y “Millennials” = lazy, entitled and self-serving

Although these generalizations may have emerged for a reason, why should we assume that they are widely applicable or even relevant? Perhaps some high-profile individuals have displayed these characteristics, but their actions shouldn’t be the basis for defining a whole generation.

The Price of Stereotypes

More often than not, typecasting like this comes from lack of awareness, communication or understanding. It’s important to identify this issue quickly and bridge the gap, before it destroys our talent pools. Otherwise, organizations are at risk of missing out on the strongest talent — internally or externally.

What Can Individuals Do?

As I continue to progress in my career and become more involved in networking opportunities, I make it a point to avoid conversation about my age. Quite frankly, it’s not important. And, as a Millennial, the last thing I want others to do is marginalize my capabilities upfront. I don’t want them to presume I am a lazy or cynical person — I want them to evaluate me for my skills, abilities, goals and accomplishments. Isn’t that how it should be?

The workplace is rapidly developing into a collaborative environment, where everyone is expected to step up and contribute toward common goals. To do this effectively, employees must avoid animosity toward one another that starts with preconceived notions about age. We need to let go of misplaced biases and instead focus on the thing that matters — an individual’s capacity to contribute something valuable to the team and to the organization.

I look forward to engaging the TalentCulture community in a dialogue about this topic — not just at this week’s #TChat Twitter forum, but beyond. It’s important to every one of us. So, I ask you to consider one simple question:

How are you creating a “no labels” workplace?

(Editor’s Note: Want to hear more from Ashley? She was a featured guest last night on #TChat Radio “The No Labels Workforce.” Listen on-demand, anytime. She also moderated #TChat Twitter this week. To read the full recap of this week’s events, see “The Best-of-All-Ages Workplace #TChat Recap”)

Image Credit: Pixabay

HR on the High Road in DC: #TChat Recap

Washington, DC. Our nation’s capitol. What better place to discuss the intersection of business leadership, HR and public policy? It’s the venue for this week’s Society of Human Resource Management Leadership conference (#SHRMLead). And it was the backdrop for yesterday’s dynamic #TChat session, as Illinois SHRM Director, @Donna Rogers, moderated the discussion with polish and panache.

(Speaking of panache, did ya get a peek at #SHRM’s hottest swag? Check the “Ask me about #TChat” bling that the leadership conference crew is rockin this week, thanks to Donna. We like that style!)

But of course, this week’s session went way beyond the buttons.

(To see highlights from the #TChat session, watch the Storify slideshow at the end of this post.)

Tackling Today’s Toughest Topics

Anytime the relationship between business and government is on the table, it sparks passionate opinions from all sides. And this #TChat was no different.

Although there were plenty of lighthearted moments, participants were engaged and the flow was intense. But yesterday’s discussion was different from many “business/government” forums I’ve encountered – especially on social media. This session was actually constructive. The ideas were grounded and realistic. Moreover, the tone was respectful. Despite diverse viewpoints, there were no snarky “gotchas.” No dismissive “know-it-all” comments. No locked-down partisanship on display.

A Lesson for Lawmakers?

Actually, that’s why I consider #TChat such a useful resource. Each week, hundreds of professionals who are deeply interested in the human side of business gather to focus on a single topic that affects us all. Everyone brings “A-game” ideas to share – and the loosely structured virtual environment makes crowdsourcing an efficient and exhilarating experience.

Logo for Society of Human Resources Management (SHRM)It’s not about intense “win/lose” debate. And it’s not about steering everyone toward the same conclusions. Rather, it’s about creating a forum for knowledge sharing that honors plurality of thought. The process is the goal. It’s a model for corporate collaboration. But more important, it’s a laboratory for collective virtual learning. No one has all the answers. But together, we have an opportunity to improve everyone’s game.

It makes me wonder – how much could our nation’s policy makers accomplish, if they embraced the #TChat model as a framework for brainstorming and problem solving?

Hopefully, enlightened organizations like #SHRM can influence the nature of policy dialogue, and show Washington the way! It could happen – even only on a limited scale. In the meantime, we can continue to demonstrate how these new forms of communication can make a difference. What’s more, we can continue to share the #TChat concept with others. If we don’t do it, who will?

To quote one of last night’s participants, Michael Clark at @ReCenterMoment:

Revolutions are always created and sustained by people, not policy.”

We, the people. We, the #TChat people. It’s our revolution. Let’s own it!

#  #  #

NOTE: For highlights from yesterday’s business/HR/government #TChat session, see the Storify slideshow at the end of this post.

#  #  #

Closing Notes & Highlights Slideshow

SPECIAL THANKS to this week’s guest moderator, Donna Rogers (@Donna Rogers), HR Management & Development Consultant, and Director of Illinois Society for Human Resource Management. She’s a strong advocate of TalentCulture and #TChat, whose tireless support has helped our community thrive.

Did you miss the #TChat preview? Go here.

NOTE TO BLOGGERS: If this #TChat session inspired you to write about business/HR/public policy issues, we’re happy to share your thoughts. Just post a link on Twitter (at #TChat or @TalentCulture), or insert a comment below, and we’ll add it to our archives. There are many voices in the #TChat community, with many ideas worth sharing. Let’s capture as many of them as possible.

WHAT’S AHEAD: No #TChat next week – Happy Thanksgiving! But be sure to mark your calendar now for our special 2nd-Anniversary “double feature” event, the following week! On Wednesday November 28, at 7-8pm ET, we’ll celebrate by looking at how #TChat has helped some of our best-known participants. And the day prior (Tuesday, November 27) we’ll showcase some of those community members on a live Radio #TChat show. It promises to be a week filled with great memories and glimpses of the road ahead. Look for the preview early next week via @TalentCulture and #TChat. Thanks!

Image Credit: Matt Tillett via Flickr

#TChat INSIGHTS Slide Show: Business Leadership, HR & Public Policy

[javascript src=”//storify.com/TalentCulture/tchat-insights-talentculture-goes-to-washington.js?template=slideshow”]

#TChat INSIGHTS: TalentCulture Goes to Washington

Storified by TalentCulture · Thu, Nov 15 2012 07:25:55

Some of the rowdiest #TChatters in the room #TChat http://pic.twitter.com/Q0dR8V4DDonnaRogersHR
@MeghanMBiro I am at the celtics game with hall of fame legend Bob Cousy – #tchat http://pic.twitter.com/x5VweLdbValaAfshar
I’m so excited. Hello all from #yyj Canada :) #TChat http://pic.twitter.com/MBO2LrbsSocialMediaSean
Dog stole my solo cup again…guess I’ll have to join the #tchat party without it. http://pic.twitter.com/nXpcAejpSusanMazza
Drink 2 is a KNOCKOUT punch! #TChat http://pic.twitter.com/CzCbHFk0DonnaRogersHR
#SHRMlead look for Cindy – she will tell you where we are at National Pastimes Bar on the lower level #tchat http://pic.twitter.com/hxGRLwnIDonnaRogersHR
If you are at #SHRMLead join us for #Tchat in the NAtional Pastime lounge (ask for us) http://twitpic.com/bd9bnlDaveTheHRCzar
Here we go! Button delivery prep for #TChat http://pic.twitter.com/afTuOReCDonnaRogersHR
Q1: In what ways is public policy shaping the future of the workplace – for better or worse? #TChat #tchatDonna Rogers, SPHR
A1) Here’s the crux of it: Policy lags, innovation leads. If we wait for policy we’ll never be innovative enough to be competitive. #TChatJonathan Kreindler
A1: Public policy needs to level the playing field when competition won’t solve problems of public interest #tchatGreg Marcus
A1: Public policy should address urgent prob>deteriorating environment, ageing population, jobless youth, mental health, innovation #tchatIrene Becker
A1. Healthcare Reform (& specifically health exchanges) may support more people abandoning trad jobs 4 contracting & freelance work. #tchatBob Lehto
A1. USA is only country in world that’s always debating value of education, training and development. #tchatMichael Clark
A1: Public policy in Cda, Australia and Chile has led to innovation in terms of welcoming entrepreneurs and innovators building biz #tchatIrene Becker
A1. companies/orgs/business isn’t black and white anymore. policy needs to think about the gray areas and non-traditionals #tchatAshley Lauren Perez
A1 Some of us HR folk hate to hear about a new piece of legislation, but it wouldn’t be-if businesses did the right thing. #TChatJanine Truitt
A1. Determine relatively collective values, find leadership, align public policies, improve life for as many as possible. #tchatMichael Clark
A1: There has to be accountability and public policy has to not only further and protect the rights of employees but further biz #tchatIrene Becker
A1. I agree that education must adapt to better support Tomorrow’s workforce. #tchatBob Lehto
A1: Latest surveys say the French are the most productive per hour and they have the shortest wk day and longest vacations. #tchatIrene Becker
A1. Too many contradictions in public policy: work harder for less, maximum uncertainty, support children in high-stakes testing… #tchatMichael Clark
A1: policy assumes work = job — what about for those of us who don’t have a traditional job? our numbers are growing rapidly #tchatSusan Mazza
A1 – Public policies > regulations & accountability. That’s the good news, bad news. #tchatAnne Messenger
A1. i think it can help for protection purposes but i think it also can be really annoying when it comes to innovation/progression #tchatAshley Lauren Perez
A1 Regional policies affect regional economies and opportunities; businesses will choose communities that fit best. #tchatStephen Abbott
A1. A prominent university executive told me, “You would laugh out loud if you saw our operating budget.” #tchatMichael Clark
A1: It seems that public policy makers ignore the fact that they are creating a competitive disadvantage for US business. #TchatJohn R. Bell
A1) impact of Obamacare (both real and perceived consequences) will influence what small bus owners do #tchatRich Grant
A1 At the state level, public policy can provide an employer friendly landscape to do business or not. #tchatShawn LaCroix
A1: In Canada small business does not have to adhere to the same scrutiny at all as mid size and large biz #tchatIrene Becker
A1 Public policy is needed because business does not do the right thing voluntarily! e.g. people treatment! #TChatIan Welsh
A1: Public policy began with all good intentions. Protect rights, prevent abuse. But has it become a bloated regulatory bureaucracy? #tchatMark Salke
YES @ToddNoebel: A1. Public policy impacts benefits, investments, innovation investments, hiring HR should insert & help shape #TchatMeghan M. Biro
A1: One disturbing aspect of public policy is over-regulation. <= not political, but constantly changing. #TChatTom Bolt
A1. K-20 education funding and programs are decimated while record numbers of people are seeking education and training. #tchatMichael Clark
A1: Keeping up on new policies for smaller businesses can be a challenge. I hear: “Not sure if this impacts us” #tchatAlli Polin
A1. People say to me, “Do we have to throw more $$$ at education!” I say, “YES!!!” #tchatMichael Clark
A1. Fully developed talent will awaken our economy and save our planet. #tchatMichael Clark
A1. Public policy impacts benefits, capital investments, innovation investments, hiring and more. HR should insert & help shape #TchatTodd Noebel
A1: Public policy process is too slow to effect or shape the workplace. #TChatRobert Rojo
A1 Public policy provides guidance on the administration of HR. Keeps us in check whether we like it or not #TChatJanine Truitt
A1) improved technology infrastructure-big impact in Maine. Upside – more broadband in rural areas Down-too many call ctr jobs #tchatRich Grant
A1: Oh, boy, already we’re in deep waters. #tchatAnne Messenger
A1: The infamous fiscal cliff will continue economic uncertainty… job uncertainty. Huge impact on incoming #20somethings. #TChatJon M
A1. We are underfunding, over-regulating and deemphasizing education. #tchatMichael Clark
A1: Lawsuit/ allegations that have come as a result of ridiculous public policy will challenge SMB’s who have everything to lose #tchatJobsite.com
A1 provides accountability and consequences for violations EEO, FLSA etc #tchatShawn LaCroix
A1. Public Policy also drives educational trends which translates into the supply side of graduates #Tchat #SHRMLeadDave Ryan, SPHR
A1: The more open, yields more business. The more closed sends business elsewhere. #tchatRob McGahen
A1: Too many are now hiring less FT which impacts engagement, and in some cases level of talent #tchatAlli Polin
A1: Don’t we already have enough public policy in the workplace? #tchatRayanne
A1: I’m gonna say for the better, and yet we haven’t gone far enough yet (more JOBS Act, please). Keep it civil, kids. #tchatKevin W. Grossman
A1: Sadly, public policies, like Obamacare may break already struggling companies with 50 or more employees. #tchatJobsite.com
True!! We need communication >> @CASUDI: A1 Can Public Policy really know & understand what is going on the workplace? #TChatMeghan M. Biro
A1: Some public policy is leading to more telecommuting. #TCHatBrent Skinner
A1: #Leaders #HR must be accountable for PUBLIC Policy – Actions speak. #SHRMLead #TChatMeghan M. Biro
A1. To understand impact of public policy on future of workplace, we have to start with K-12 education. #tchatMichael Clark
A1: I’m not using the O word…healthcare reform. #tchatKathy Herndon, GPHR
A1 Can Public Policy really know & understand what is going on the workplace? #tchatCASUDI
A1: Public policies like 1938 #FLSA limits #HR’s ability to design innovative, 21st century #workflex strategies for orgs #Tchat #shrmleadLisa Horn
A1: This would require legislation actually being passed by Congress, for improvements to happen, right? #tchatRob McGahen
A1 Through tax incentives & Credits. #TChat #SHRMLeadDave Ryan, SPHR
Q2: Why and how can HR and leaders stay ahead of regulations — to benefit organizational stakeholders? #tchatDonna Rogers, SPHR
A2. I truly believe #communities like this are creating significant positive change. #tchatMichael Clark
A2. Public policy creation must be done by people that see and comprehend big picture and single individual. #tchatMichael Clark
A2. How many people shaping public policy know K-20 education AND large, medium, small business organizations? #tchatMichael Clark
A2: it seems that legistlation continues to pit employees against business and vice versa – how do we change that? #tchatSusan Mazza
A2 Legislators have to focus on what is needed by society, not what business wants! #TChatIan Welsh
A2: Before we accept potential (new) policies we have to understand them to be able to intelligently advocate for change #tchatAlli Polin
A2. The revolution’s always created and sustained by people, not policy. #tchatMichael Clark
A2. if hr doesn’t stand up, they’ll lose talent. many people are starting their own ventures to break out of restrictions from policy #tchatAshley Lauren Perez
A2 Common sense has gotten away from HR. In many cases we are playing a popularity contest that doesn’t favor the employee. Bad Biz! #TChatJanine Truitt
A2 Creativity is not going to happen in oppressive unregulated business environments! #TChatIan Welsh
A2. I’m seeing more and more “entrepreneurial” jobs within world of work in business and education. #tchatMichael Clark
A2: HR perspective vital in regulatory process.#SHRM Gvt Affairs always looking for input. #tchat #SHRMLEADKathleen Coulombe
A2 – Definition of “the right thing to do”? Tricky. Fine-line time. #tchatAnne Messenger
A2. Are human resources professionals given opportunities to shape work force policy? #tchatMichael Clark
A2. Definitely use SHRM resources and Social Media connections to share content and an understanding of policies #tchatChris Fields
A2: Regular self-evaluation, industry-wide support systems and maintenance of leading standards. #tchatRoger Veliquette
A2: Splitting up responsibilities across HR in larger orgs help to ensure people & culture aren’t ignored #tchatAlli Polin
A2: We may not like the concept of public policy, but recent history shows us what happens when checks & balances are not sufficient #tchatIrene Becker
A2. Be authentic. | cc @nancyrubin #tchatJustin Mass
A2. We cannot allow policy to stand in the way to talent development. #tchatMichael Clark
A2: Make sure INNOVATION a core value, align all depts (esp HR) to this value, Lead and be ahead of regulations. #TChatKeith C Rogers
A2: Like an agile lawyer, HR must show other functions how to work within regulations & generate desired biz outcome. #TchatJohn R. Bell
A2 If HR stops being a groupie to the C-Suite and gets back to working for the people they may find there will be less regulation. #TChatJanine Truitt
A2) Be transparent #tchatnancyrubin
A2 I think it’s not about staying ahead but more walking alongside, holding hands and leading Government..they are often clueless :-/ #TChatEnzo Guardino
A2: We need new processes for dialogue re legistlation – the debate model results in winners/losers vs. learning and better ideas #tchatSusan Mazza
A2. Read – Talk with each other – Stay informed #tchatChris Fields
A2: Listen to employees and work to foster open, collaborative environments to safeguard against the need for regulation #TChatIntern Employers
A2. HR professionals must be time, space, $ for mentoring and reverse mentoring. #tchatMichael Clark
A2: If you do the right thing, why would the regulations even matter? #tchatRob McGahen
A2: HR Leaders need to b/c and stay connected-u can’t mandate/regulate openness, agility, collaboration, – u experience it. #TChatAngela Maiers
A2: Leaders need to be good maze navigators… find the paths through policies w/ best result. #TChatJon M
A2) the prob can be, the more you read about pending legislation, the more confused you get. Too much political positioning #tchatRich Grant
A2: Live up to their employment branding,, for God’s sake! #tchatJobsite.com
A2: HR can be a catalyst and an advocate for the org when ahead & a partner when regulations are in place & impact #tchatAlli Polin
A2. Be knowledgable about trends – know where biz & emp trends r going – and b there b4 it becomes PUBLIC POLICY #Tchat #SHRMLeadDave Ryan, SPHR
A2 Secondarily, by presenting options to obviate or address pending regs to avoid compliance/risk issues #TchatTodd Noebel
A2 Business has to learn how to positively harness requirements rather than negatively oppose #TChatIan Welsh
A2 HR pros need to anticipate changes in workforce planning, economy and legislation to fast change adapt and stay ahead #tchatShawn LaCroix
A2: Just do the right thing. #tchatRob McGahen
A2. stop throwing their hands up in the air and accepting what is. HR needs to fight for whats right for them and the org #tchatAshley Lauren Perez
A2: They should create own regulations that benefit employees & whoever they serve, clients or customers, but fall w/i guidelines. #tchatJobsite.com
A2: Um, heavy investment in lobbyists? #tchatMark Salke
A2 HR leaders must get involved in making “innovative” policies :-) that fit the scenerios #tchatCASUDI
A2: Ack. That’s a tough one. By staying ahead of regulations but not creating so many contradictory ones? Focus on self-regulation. #tchatKevin W. Grossman
A2) meaning keeping up with regulations? Need a team of smart, unbiased lawyers to help interpret new regs #tchatRich Grant
A2) Stay connected, be pro-active, share what you know and ask others when you don’t #tchatnancyrubin
A2: Partner with orgs that monitor and study policies and long-term impact (i.e. Mercer). #tchatKathy Herndon, GPHR
A2: Never stop learning. Policy often comes without a guide on how to do it. Follow HR bloggers and news on #SoMe #TChatTom Bolt
A2: HR needs to remain connected & be active outside of the org to be effective inside the org w/regulations #tchatAlli Polin
A2: Listening to employees is a novel concept, but worth considering in this day and age #tchatRayanne
A2: the operative word is leaders- it is not a department or job title- it is a systems change @ThinDifference #TChatAngela Maiers
A2 First and foremost by being involved with legislators to see what’s coming and advise org stakeholders #TchatTodd Noebel
A2. Savvy HR professionals are doing what they always do, staying ahead of as many curve balls as possible. #tchatMichael Clark
A2: HR and Leaders either solve problems or make them – just like any employee. They need to figure out how to “solve” #tchatJobsite.com
A2 create a great empowered place to work. A great company shouldn’t be hovering near the margins of compliance #tchatShawn LaCroix
A2. #HR reps & leaders need to stay on top of regulators & communicate w/ employees because open dialogue/transparency = key #tchatGabrielle Kur
A2: I’m gonna go for the low-hanging fruit: hierarchical? #TChatBrent Skinner
A2: Probably most any style would work with a #veteran, as long as respectful management is taking place #TChatJobsite.com
Q3: What role can technology play in forging more constructive ties between business and policy makers? #tchatDonna Rogers, SPHR
A3: It’s all about communication #tchatJobsite.com
A3. The solution to everything: Engagement, engagement, engagement! #tchatMichael Clark
A3: I tell you what, Labor/HR Policymakers should join #tchat! Would they ever get a snootful!Mark Salke
A3. Interesting, that so many of us know what to do: Focus on people first! Yet, it’s not happening like it could. #tchatMichael Clark
A3 Technology is great, but it’s a mere vessel. Plain old communication is still king in many instances & that is failing miserably. #TChatJanine Truitt
#Tchat A3 by listening to chats or conversations on the social web, policy makers can understand better what needs to be addressed & howMila Araujo
A3 – Social media seriously enables the fringes of a company to move their ideas across the matrix #TChatLeAnna J. Carey
A3: Tech. can help bis/policymakers understand & respond to realtime issues. (see:Newark Mayor @CoryBooker using Twitter for #Sandy) #TChatIntern Employers
A3 – Tech is quick and sexy. Longterm, still imp’t to know your stuff, be rational, reasonable, have relationships. #tchatAnne Messenger
They do but you can follow up w/ mail. @AlliPolin: A3: I use tech to get in touch with my legislators. not sure if they get my msg :/ #tchatMike Walters
A3. Governmental institutions and policy makers should be required to participate in the Social Revolution. #tchatMichael Clark
A3. HR must be tech savvy – not to limit tech, but learn its potential to increase engagement and productivity. #tchatChris Fields
A3 Social media is a game changer and so is analytics – tech is a tool – not what you have so much as what you do with it #tchatnancyrubin
A3. Also use #SoMe and tech to stay informed – in addition to communicating. #haveavoice #tchatTiffany Kuehl
A3: Technology should also help identify drivers of performance as well as critical problems to be resolved thru effective policies #tchatIrene Becker
A3 Tech has to be “sold” to the policy makers to show that it is efficient, cost effective & that u can’t hide from progress. #TChatEnzo Guardino
A3: Technology is a tool that will amplify the values of the organization, for good or ill #tchatGreg Marcus
A3. The development of #socialmedia has been life changing for gov relations! It demands transparency & 2-way comm #tchatGabrielle Kur
A3. Tech has brought more open communication than ever, supporting collaboration in a virtual way:) #TchatNisha Raghavan
A3) policy makers need help getting the right data, right info. With technology, there’s too much noise. Gotta be smart to filter it #tchatRich Grant
A3: #HRVoice Baby! Using tech to write your MOC makes sure u #haveavoice with Legislators! #tchat #SHRMLEADKathleen Coulombe
Lemme know when u find it MT @brentskinner A3: Where is the SoMe chat where fed regulators discuss their ideas with biz leaders? Hmm? #TCHatRobert Moore
A3. Tech can speed things up… Make it happen faster. 2 Edge sword #Tchat #SHRMLeadDave Ryan, SPHR
A3: Tech, when used well, can make info available real time to HR and create a forum for questions / clarification / input #tchatAlli Polin
A3 Technology opens up more avenues for greater communication #TchatChelsea C
A3: #SocialMedia has great power through visibility – use it wisely and often. #tchatKathy Herndon, GPHR
A3: Technology provides data, but it must be used to formutlate policies to optimize human potential, business growth and survival #tchatIrene Becker
A3: For starters, helping to consolidate disparate systems into a manageable network for such a complex array of, well, stuff. #tchatKevin W. Grossman
A3: I use tech to get in touch with my legislators… not sure if they get my msg :/ when no response #tchatAlli Polin
A3 – Done well, technology can quickly arm HR leaders with accurate data to make their case. #tchatAnne Messenger
A3: Technology is a tool to compile data. Relevant good policy is about addressing urgent prob-youth unemploy, aging pop etc. #tchatIrene Becker
A3: Policy makers need to actively engage technology for anything else to happen. #tchatRob McGahen
A3: Where is the social media chat where federal regulators discuss their ideas with biz leaders? Hmm? #TCHatBrent Skinner
A3. Technology allows us to share but as we’ve seen in the news some stuff shouldn’t be shared. Tech can change security policies #tchatChris Fields
A3) Technology compresses space and time – makes communication and collaboration easier (or should) #tchatnancyrubin
A3 technology has the ability to provide accurate measures and transparency to each side govt/business/workforce #tchatShawn LaCroix
A3 Business and policy makers should have their ears to social media- #TChat perhaps- to hear what people really think. #realitycheck #TChatJanine Truitt
A3) use of technology to provide policy makers with better data. Not more, but more actionable data #tchatRich Grant
A3: Track. Communicate. Hold policymakers accountable to their word and good practices. #TChatJon M
A3: Technology is a tool that can enable policy makers to understand facts, formulate policy to help critical areas. #tchatIrene Becker
A3 HR has not kept pace w/the changing market requirements – intrapreneurs & tech innovation are needed to sustain co’s #TchatLeAnna J. Carey
A3: Policy makers can engage technology. It’s not 1950 anymore. #tchatRob McGahen
A3: #SocialMedia has great power through visibility – use it wisely and often. #tchatKathy Herndon, GPHR
A3 Tech has paved way 4 more open communication between biz & policy makers. When I was House staffer, #SM didn’t exist! #tchat #shrmleadLisa Horn
A3 Thirdly (tertiarily?), monitor trends in work/labor to ID potential issues and provide guidance #TchatTodd Noebel
Q4: To what degree is public policy helping or hindering innovation in talent strategy? What should HR do? #tchatDonna Rogers, SPHR
Deaf, DUMB & blind is the norm. @ReCenterMoment: A4. Attention, policy makers! Can you hear us? Is this thing working? Hello!?! #tchatEnzo Guardino
A4. Attention, policy makers! Can you hear us? Is this thing working? Hello!?! #tchatMichael Clark
A4: Advocacy & innovation can play together #tchatAlli Polin
A4. I have a lot to learn about public policy, but I know the “human” in human resources quite well. #tchatMichael Clark
A4: could/should policy address the issue of workplace bullying? #tchatGreg Marcus
A4. We can’t keep chopping away at the trunk, while urging the top to grow. #tchatMichael Clark
A4 In gov’t & for federal contractors #OFCCP gets a bad rap, but I see it as a means of keeping things fair and equitable in hiring #TChatJanine Truitt
A4. It has never more important for HR professionals to receive continuing education and training. #tchatMichael Clark
A4: healthcare policy has a huge impact on HR #tchatGreg Marcus
A4. Creating insecurity in your HR department, creates insecurity in the entire organization. #tchatMichael Clark
A4. Reducing retirement security creates a lot of insecurity. #tchatMichael Clark
A4 Public policy that promotes a feeling of worth of an individual promotes innovation & a person more likely to speak up, feel free! #TChatIan Welsh
A4. Middle managers and human professionals must collaborate to attract, develop, retain, transform talent. #tchatMichael Clark
A4: Public policy should only be about public employees. Let private sector alone. Free market works. Best Orgs/culture/leaders win #TChatKeith C Rogers
A4 If we managed risk, issues, and ethics appropriately-at the business level we would not be dealing with EEO, OFCCP, NLRB etc. #TChatJanine Truitt
A4. My experience has proven HR #Leadership is critical for bringing world of work into 21st century. #tchatMichael Clark
A4: Policy comes from improper use of innovation. #tchatRob McGahen
A4: How long does it actually take for an idea to become policy, weeks, months…years?? #TChatRobert Rojo
A4: Guidelines are good as long as they do not restrict creativity or allow for a monopoly. #tchatJobsite.com
A4: It sounds wrong, but with regards to policy, do the minimum required. Dedicate resources to talent development. #tchatKathy Herndon, GPHR
A4: I used to be the one that trained on OFCCP – yikes! Still, many were challenged to comply even after understanding #tchatAlli Polin
A4: Policies like #sec127 help #HR profs recruit and retain talent. Vital to ensure US competitiveness. #SHRMLEAD #TchatKathleen Coulombe
A4) outdated policy is why the US EI system bleeds $17B to fraud EVERY year. Don’t count on policy to improve HR. #TChatJonathan Kreindler
A4: HR can still be compliant w/o letting policy interpretation win over doing what’s right for people #tchatAlli Polin
A4. Because of the complexity of integrating social media, power is shifting back to HR. #tchatMichael Clark
A4 Simply no $ available. We need to convince the simple principle that they have to invest in the future; redirect useless spending. #TChatEnzo Guardino
A4: Sometimes policy can be tone-deaf to the dynamic nature of talent acquisition? #TCHatBrent Skinner
A4: This one is tough & answers could be controversial? #TCHatBrent Skinner
A4. Entrepreneurs are too busy doing-being “their thing” to focus much on public policy. #tchatMichael Clark
A4. invest in your employees, their development, and give them the empowerment to be innovative. educate them #tchatAshley Lauren Perez
A4 Public policy scares HR into becoming compliance zombies. This kills innovation & the bigger picture gets lost in translation. #TChatJanine Truitt
A4: PubPolicy makes it more arduous to fire underperformers. HR must ensure better hiring strategies & processes. #TchatJohn R. Bell
A4 IMO PUBLIC POLICY rarely helps w/innovation #Tchat #SHRMLeadDave Ryan, SPHR
A4. I think public policy is behind tech so it does not hinder…policy tends to be reactionary … #tchatChris Fields
A4: Hiring more PT to avoid $$$ implications of FT hires is not putting talent strategy or innovation first #tchatAlli Polin
A4: Innovation is always ahead of policy. People who use that innovation for bad forces policy to be developed. #tchatRob McGahen
A4. The best talent in the best organizations does not think about public policy at all. #tchatMichael Clark
A4: HR needs to educate & advocate internally for talent. #tchatAlli Polin
A4) same as A1) Policy lags, innovation leads. If we wait for policy we’ll never be innovative enough to be competitive. #tchatJonathan Kreindler
A4 There is policy concerning ATS and EEOC requirements – how is that playing out? #tchatMarla Gottschalk PhD
A4: #TChat to Washington! Raise your voice! #tchatKathy Herndon, GPHR
A4: Join SHRM and storm DC! #tchatKevin W. Grossman
Q5: Should some aspects of the workplace remain separate from public policy oversight? Why and how? #tchatDonna Rogers, SPHR
A5) Yes – anything that has to happen quickly. #tchat #booyah!Jonathan Kreindler
A5: I’m gonna go off the beaten path and say no. Keep friends close and enemies closer #TChatIntern Employers
A5 There always has to be some oversight to determine where public policy may be necessary #TChatIan Welsh
A5 How the money is spent…give us the dosh and leave us alone to spend it ad we see fit…then revel in the results. #TChatEnzo Guardino
A5. Boutique organizations, driven by entrepreneurs, are central players in transforming world of work. #tchatMichael Clark
A5 But alas, people will always try to abuse others and privileges and this is why public policy and HR will be the best of friends. #TChatJanine Truitt
A5: I’m hard pressed to find a place that policy doesn’t already play a part. #tchatAlli Polin
A5 In a perfect world, we would shower our businesses and employees with HR goodness and innovation w/o fear of policy backlash. #TChatJanine Truitt
A5 Of course. But if there are abuses, it will be legislated. #tchatMarla Gottschalk PhD
A5: Can oversight be separate from regulation? Telling how vs. protecting rights? #tchatAlli Polin
A5. It really depends on your political views. One side believes in more gov. control and regulation. The other side doesn’t. #tchatMike Walters
A5: Nearly every aspect of employment process already dictated by federal statute or regulation #tchat #shrmleadLisa Horn
A5: WHOA!! This is such a dangerous and fiery topic – especially following the election #tchatJobsite.com
A5: If you are doing the right thing, then yes! #tchatRob McGahen
A5: Small companies need different policies that large ones. “It just isn’t fair” cried the left… #tchatRayanne
A5: More of it than what is now? #TChatBrent Skinner
A5: Public oversight has no idea what the true work environment is like – they aren’t even good listeners #tchatRayanne

Employee Superpowers Assessment For That? #TChat Preview

Discerning employee and prospect superpowers for hiring and retaining your best people talent. Is assessment the key to a happy and content workplace and retaining your best people? As a leader, sometimes you need to recruit talent, and sometimes they are right there in your own organization, staring you in the face.

Although many people are looking for jobs, most companies–especially those in the technology sector–demand very specific skills, attributes and capabilities. This is still a tricky combination of factors that many companies are stugggling to get right.

If you’re a recruiter or hiring leader, the task of selecting the RIGHT talent becomes more difficult: you need to quickly screen all candidates and somehow find the hidden jewels of talent. If you’re a job seeker, it’s doubly difficult: first you must parse increasingly arcane job descriptions, then you must run the gauntlet of phone screens, spam-email-style responses to online applications, and interviews, all to get to the aptitude tests and puzzles today’s hiring managers are so fond of. Well, some are not really fond of them at all…

We are well beyond the time when a hiring manager asked, “What is your greatest strength? How about your weaknesses?” And we are past the question Microsoft made famous in their hiring process: “Why are manhole covers round?” Today, leaders and hiring managers use HR automation software and social media to flesh out the talent they’re looking for. Then come the assessments: self-assessments, personality tests, skills inventories and more.

But which deliver the best results for hiring and retaining your talent? Are any of these automated processes more effective than a face-to-face interview? Why, at a time when we most need to understand what makes a candidate tick, are we pushing human interaction so far down the list of to-do’s?

As the global economy pushes and pulls itself beyond the post-apocalyptic Recession, businesses big and small are looking inside as much as outside their organizations for the highest quality of fit and productivity possible with their full-time, part-time and contingent workforce. That means assessments galore measuring a myriad of hard and soft skills–superpowers, if you will–that will propel the business into the stratosphere.

In this week’s TalentCulture #TChat we’ll look at assessments and what they tell us about our organizations and employees. We’ll discuss which ‘superpowers’ hiring managers are looking for and how they dig out indicators of talent and culture fit. And we’ll weigh the balance between automated assessments and results. I can’t wait to see where this takes us. Always an interesting topic.

Join us Wednesday night, February 22 from 7-8 pm ET (4-5 pm PT, or wherever you are) for the next installment of #TChat Radio: #TChat Radio: Employee Super Powers: Is There an Assessment For That? This month, we’ll explore the topic of assessments vs. superpowers with Charles Handler of Rocket-Hire  – People skills coach Kate Nasser – and Julie Moreland of People Clues. We’ll assess assessments and dissect superpowers. In the process, we’ll reveal a lot about the true nature of today’s workplace and its concomitant hiring challenges. Please join meKevin GrossmanMaren HoganSean Charles and Kyle Lagunas for a very special #TChat Radio.

Here are this week’s #TChat questions:

[listly id=”pU” theme=”light” layout=”full” numbered=”yes” image=”yes” items=”all”]

HRO: Engagement Perception and Social Recruiting Technology

I spent most of this past week at the HRO Today conference in Las Vegas as a member of the blog squad, and what do I have to show for it? A new appreciation for HR and Recruiting technology innovation – that’s what.

On the personal side, new friendships were made and old bonds renewed. In short, a very good conference. I even had an opportunity to sing along with dueling pianos  – talk about a Talent Show. Right up my alley. We had many laughs. What happens in Vegas is not always meant to stay in Vegas after all.

This week’s #TChat was a highlight of course. As I referenced earlierin the week,  The HRO Analyst Study was pretty fascinating from my perspective. So while there’s plenty of HR technology out there, much of it is focused on talent management and recruitment. HR and recruiters just are not perceiving what’s out there as innovative, perhaps because most of what we’re seeing isn’t screaming cloud, mobile application. What the survey found, instead, was a gap in perceptions of innovation.

For example, 62 percent of technology providers think it’s vital to innovate in talent management technology – but only 33 percent of practitioners agree. Even more telling: 70 percent of providers surveyed think talent management technology supports work, while practitioners – 37 percent – view the technology as ‘just gadgets’.

But wait, there’s more – over 70 percent of practitioners surveyed say providers ‘rarely or never’ talk to them to gauge whether their offerings align with the practitioners’ business strategies and goals. Yikes, what a disconnect! As a “recruitment practitioner” (one of my hats) I’m hoping there are many more of us who see these innovative tools as a must have – I certainly fall into this grouping.

So let’s go to Door #1 and a review of my stint as a judge on the iTalent2 Demo Competition. The talented roster of hopefuls: BranchOut a solution that helps people tap into their Facebook friends network to find career opportunities; InternMatch a brilliant yet simple application that simplifies finding interns and marketing internship opportunities for organizations of pretty much any size; JobScore a social media-enabled talent management application; SmartRecruiters a winner (did I say it is free?) application with a great SaaS recruiting solution; Wednesdays a team building and employee engagement application built on social media networking, and Work4labs, with a very cool application that enables career sites on Facebook. Quite an impressive array of new technologies included here.

As a judge who ended up being closer to Simon Cowell than Paula Abdul as we first thought – I was way careful about the numbers I gave each company featured, never going past 8 on a scale of 1-10. Apologies to the contestants if that seems harsh, but we’re talking about my passion here: innovation meets matching people talent with new career opportunity.

I have a weak spot for technologies that do it well. In classic start-up form no company or application is perfect just yet. Innovation is truly about creating a culture of working and reworking ideas where it’s ok to make mistakes in the early innings. I found flaws in each application from either a usability or branding perspective. It will be exciting to watch their progression in the coming months. There were almost too many good things on offer for the judging panel.

SmartRecruiters won – it’s a free (yes, free), social-media enabled application that helps companies recruit top talent. The pitch was strong, the website is user friendly, it’s organized and the people are enthusiastic about it’s potential in the market.

I have a soft spot for InternMatch. I mentor as many interns as I can and many people know I’m an advocate for these programs. Pay it forward and all, interns are a great resource for any company – and actual work experience with actual companies is part of a complete education.

I’m so energized by the people I met, the ideas that were presented, the technology that is available right now that will make talent recruiting and hr management so much easier and more productive. I can’t wait to talk to people (and clients) about what I’ve heard about in Vegas and beyond. Onward we go.

IMAGE VIA BestofWDW

HR Innovation Should Keep us All In Business: #TChat Recap

“Gadgets be gone.”

Ah, no truer words have ever been spoken. That was one of my lighter “tweetable” sentiments from yesterday’s HRO Today Forum analyst panel where we discussed the process of innovation between HR technology suppliers and practitioner buyers, and more specifically the lack thereof. A recent HRO Today survey of over 100 buyers and providers of HR technology revealed quite a disparity, more so than I would’ve guessed.

The analyst panel was a great group that included Madeline Laurano, Talent Systems Analyst of The Newman Group; Mark McMillan, co-founder of Talent Function Group; Katherine Jones, Principal Analyst of Bersin & Associates; Jayson Saba, Senior Research Associate of Aberdeen Group; and myself. Look for collaborative content to come from this group and HRO Today about the state of innovation in HR technology.

The survey itself revealed that while providers for the most part feel they are highly innovative, the practitioners disagree. This is contradictory of where many vendors are with their customer service and user adoption, because time and again late vendors will tell you that besides customer advisory councils, focus groups and user group gatherings, some SaaS deployed products have created the “sandbox” approach.

This is where customers can play with features and enhancements before they’re live. They’ve also created online care/idea centers where customers can suggest, vent and collaborate. However, the democratization of customer product development hasn’t quite closed the gap yet.

My fellow analysts and I agreed that innovation must be something new, or a re-imagining, of how technology can drive efficiencies in HR/recruitment processes and activities as well as contribute to overall business growth. It must take into consideration the how and why of the workplace today — the best practices in acquiring, empowering and retaining talent. It can’t be a gadget for gadget’s sake just so the vendor can say, “Hey, you can log in to our system on your smart phones now.”

“To do what exactly?”

“To do…cool stuff. You know.”

“No, I don’t. Can I download your system information to a spreadsheet?”

“Why would you want to do that when you’ve got our perfectly good system to work within?”

“To do…cool stuff. You know.”

Maybe you’ve heard some of that kind of conversation. But, HR practitioners need to also better educate themselves on the use of technology in the workplace and even take business “tours of duty” in finance, operations, IT, customer service and more to understand what it means to run and grow a business, not just keep it in compliance and be risk-averse.

We posed similar survey questions to #TChat-land last night (questions below), and there was a resounding agreement on one thing:

Tech and innovation is great to a point, as long as it helps to humanize acquiring, empowering and retaining the workforce.

And keep us all in business.

Read Meghan’s great preview here as well as the questions from last night:

  • Q1: How important is technology innovation in acquiring, empowering and retaining a workforce today?
  • Q2: Are HR and recruitment technology providers truly “innovative” today? Why or why not?
  • Q3: Are HR and recruitment practitioners truly “innovative” today? Why or why not?
  • Q4: How have technology innovations impacted end users’ experiences? Using it or not?
  • Q5:How do you use technology to support business strategies and objectives?
  • Q6: Do HR and recruitment technology innovations support the work, or are they just gadgets? Why?
  • Q7: What can practitioners and providers do to facilitate and improve technology innovation?
  • Q8: In summary, what do you think it means to be innovative in the HR and recruiting business today?

Thank you all who participated last night! We’re taking an extended Memorial Day weekend break from #TChat next week, but we’ll resume on Tuesday, June 7

Innovation Gap Realities Workforce Technology: #TChat Preview

We’ve talked before about how hot the theme of ‘innovation’ is. In the technology world, much of what’s filed under ‘innovation’ is related to cloud technology, or mobile, or ‘apps’. What isn’t so hot, in my observation, is technology that links innovations to people. And so it is here at the HRToday conference in shiny Las Vegas, where technology is everywhere, but the links to employees and workforces are not so clear.

I’m looking forward to visiting the technology demos, and especially speaking with today’s analyst panel, which is bringing a group together to discuss the ‘innovation gap’ in HR technology. As I wear my “everyday practitioner” hat it is apparent to me that we still have some major holes to contend with. Reality Check!

At today’s panel, our hosts for this event, HRO Today, have brought together a great group including Kevin W. Grossman of Ventana Research; Madeline Laurano, Talent Systems Analyst of The Newman Group; Mark McMillan, co-founder of Talent Function Group; Katherine Jones, Principal Analyst of Bersin & Associates, and Jayson Saba, Senior Research Associate of Aberdeen Group. This group of analysts – many with a focus on talent management – are discussing a survey HRO Today ran earlier this year of over 100 buyers and providers of HR technology. The survey’s goal was to get a better pulse on the pace of technology innovation.

So while there’s plenty of HR technology out there, much of it is focused on talent management and recruitment. HR just isn’t perceiving what’s out there as innovative, perhaps because most of what we’re seeing isn’t screaming cloud, mobile or app. Very interesting.

So, what should the role of the buyer and the technology provider be in pushing innovation? My take:

Collaborate to innovate, but do it differently, depending on which side of the table you sit on. If you’re an HR tech buyer, make your technology recommendations based on how, say, innovative recruiting technology can help you build an innovative company. Don’t worry about the technology being innovative per se; that’s the role of the provider.

Providers of technology, listen to your customers. Ask about their recruiting and retention challenges, and think about how to use social media technologies to enhance the technology suites you’ve already built.

With smart solutions like these available, could there be a disconnect between technology innovation and HR?  I say a big yes, and the survey seems to have found the same scenarios unfolding with their samples.

I base my observation both on what I see here in Vegas, and more on what I’ve been experiencing in the market for the past three years. Sure, there’s lots of HR technology. Solutions that target enterprises are probably doing fairly well. But the real struggle is in the SMB, where most people look for and find work.

Workforce technology, perhaps more than other technology solutions, needs to scale. It needs to be useful for the 10 person company and the 10,000 person company. And when we talk about tech innovation in HR and recruiting, please hold the spreadsheets and go long on social media. That’s the edge case.

SharedXpertise and the HR Demo Show just completed a survey on what industry stakeholders, both practitioners and providers, think about innovation in HR technology.

Based on that premise, we want our #TChat community to chime in on the subject later today. Tonight’s #TChat questions are:

Q1: How important is technology innovation in acquiring, empowering and retaining a workforce today?

Q2: Are HR and recruitment practitioners truly “innovative” today? Why or why not?

Q3: How have technology innovations impacted end users’ experiences? Using it or not?

Q4:How do you use technology to support business strategies and objectives?

Q5: Do HR and recruitment technology innovations support the work, or are they just gadgets? Why?

Q6: What can practitioners and providers do to facilitate and improve technology innovation?

Q7: In summary, what do you think it means to be innovative in the HR and recruiting business today?

Back to the conference floor. More thoughts from me soon. Cheers to Vegas!