SHRM Blog

Is Your Organization Prepared to Support Virtual Work?

by Rick LepsingerOn April 25, 2012 0 comments

Whether your virtual teams are in the formation stage or have been operating for a few months – it is critical to ensure that they are set up for success and get off to a good start.  Organizations that proactively plan how to structure their virtual teams to set them up for success will see a better return on their investment than those that do not.
 
Here are some other guidelines to follow to ensure your organization will maximize its investment in remote work:
 
Keep Your Virtual Teams At a Manageable Size
 
...

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Cultural fit trumps skills

by Susan AvelloOn April 24, 2012 0 comments

According to experts, candidates with the right skills are being overlooked by employers more interested in "cultural fit" and alignment of core values with their company. In fact, cultural fit has become so important to hiring managers that it now often rates above a 100 percent match to the necessary technical skills.

In a recent article it was stated that this trend is being seen across a wide range of industries and even in highly-skilled roles like project management. Experts are saying that for most roles, soft skills and cultural alignment is more important than technical ability. ...

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Costly Unpaid Internships

by Jonathan SegalOn April 23, 2012 0 comments

An important customer, client, colleague or business partner asks an executive if her son can intern with your company for the summer.  Don’t worry about the money, she says.  My son is only looking for the experience.

As we approach the summer, expect more of these requests.  I personally have received quite a few already!

Sounds like a classic “win-win.”  The intern learns something and you strengthen an important relationship at no cost. So, the executive says “of course.”  Not so fast, please!

There have been several recent high-profile cases in which interns have alleged that...

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More motion is just that!

by Mason.HollowayOn April 20, 2012 0 comments

We (Americans) live in a “take action” culture, a culture of the “yankee work ethic” in which incremental effort and pressing the nose harder to the grindstone supposedly leads to success and rewards. We are also a culture of immediate gratification the “I-want-it-now-quick-fix-diet-pill-plastic-surgery-100% LTV loan” society.

Don’t get me wrong, those traits are to be admired when put to good purpose. They have helped to make us the innovative, industrious, can do leader of the modern world. But they can often (as in a crisis) work against us.

Here is the inevitable confusion: Because some hard work...

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Optimizing Talent in the New Workforce

by Sharlyn LaubyOn April 19, 2012 0 comments

I’ve been thinking a lot lately about talent management in terms of the new workforce.  We’re starting to see the signs that the economy is going to rebound.  When that happens, the speculation centers around whether companies will go back to their old ways and just start hiring people or will the new workforce be a blend of freelancers and consultants along with employees.

As you may guess, my bets are on the latter.  At least for a few years, I think we’ll see more permatemps in the workplace.  Which prompts a question about the best way to...

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#NEXTCHAT RECAP: Promoting the HR Profession to Millennials

by SHRM StaffOn April 18, 2012 0 comments
Each day HR professionals in companies of all sizes are addressing issues related to planning for the eventual departure of baby boomers from the workplace.  There is much talk of succesion planning as it relates to filling key positions and roles within these companies.  
 
In the midst of these conversations, another question needs to be raised: "Who will succeed our current generation of HR professionals?" 
 
On  April 18 at 6 p.m. ET, Curtis Midkiff, SHRM's "Social Media Guy", hosted #NextChat and tackled questions such as Who's Next? -- Who will be the...
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How to Quickly Overcome Inexperience

by Dan RockwellOn April 18, 2012 0 comments

10 dangers of inexperienced leaders:

  1. Needing to be liked.
  2. Blaming.
  3. Emotional decisions.
  4. Impulsiveness.
  5. Trying too hard.
  6. Neglecting the long term.
  7. Focusing on symptoms rather than causes.
  8. Aiming without pulling the trigger.
  9. Meddling.
  10. Forget to say thank you. (Speaking of thanks, many of these points were inspired by contributors on the Leadership Freak Facebook Page. Thank you!)
     

10 questions every inexperienced leader must keep asking:

  1. What type of world are my behaviors building around me?
  2. How many questions did I ask today?
  3. What am
    4. ...
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Snails, Big Companies and Bureaucracies

by John BellOn April 16, 2012 0 comments

I’ve always held the opinion that big organizations move at a snail’s pace. Every day, we see or read about bureaucracy – government is the biggest offender. But anyone who has worked with large NGOs (non-government, not for profit organizations), or giant corporations has tasted it. Sure, there are exceptions to the rule. The most valuable business on the planet has set a wonderful example for getting things done. But unlike Apple, most big companies don’t have the will or the way to cut through the quagmire of red tape to “just do it.”  Even Procter & Gamble, a...

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5 ways you can help younger managers view older workers differently

by Irene HahnOn April 13, 2012 1 comment

There is an explosion happening all around us.  We are getting grayer as a society - much grayer.   As a result, organizations are faced with a diversity-related challenge.   Younger managers, on a much broader level than ever before, are finding themselves in the position of having to supervise older subordinates. 

Early on in my career, I found myself in a similar position.   As a very young, first-time manager, I found myself with subordinates who were considerably older than me.   To be honest, I didn't think much of it.   A few months after becoming a manager, an employee from another...

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Cognitive Attrition and Employee Engagement (Part 3)

by Ross Smith, FRSA On April 13, 2012 0 comments

Note: This series is based on the paper My Generation. 

One of the biggest challenges in the modern workplace is employee engagement.  An organization that struggles to keep employees engaged faces an onset of cognitive or mental attrition. So why do we need engaged employees? Engaged employees are happier, more productive and more efficient.
 
Gallup does a survey every year on employee engagement, identifying three types of employees.  The Gallup research shows that “business units in the top quartile of Gallup's engagement database have 37% less absenteeism, 25% less turnover in...
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