HR Service Matters

By: Mike Smith

If you were curious about my previous blog concerning employee engagement, I saw a recent article from Knowledge@Wharton that presents some very interesting research results from Wharton management professor Adam Grant.  While the research is focused on what motivates employees, it is hard to imagine a motivated employee who is not engaged with the organization.

The premise in my blog was that recording and then replaying videos of employees relating positive experiences that customers had encountered with a product or service would help engage other employees.  Even a simple video made with a Flip Video camera would surely do the trick.  For details, here is a link to my previous blog:

http://tiny.cc/oe5IA

Adam Grant’s notion was straightforward.  If a person knows that their work has had a meaningful, positive impact on others, that realization can make the employee happier and more productive (and I contend more engaged).  Here is a sample of Adam Grant’s research results:

In his 2007 study, Grant and a team of researchers -- Elizabeth Campbell, Grace Chen, David Lapedis and Keenan Cottone from the University of Michigan -- arranged for one group of call center workers to interact with scholarship students who were the recipients of the school's fundraising largess. It wasn't a long meeting -- just a five-minute session where the workers were able to ask the student about his or her studies. But over the next month, that little chat made a big difference. The call center was able to monitor both the amount of time its employees spent on the phone and the amount of donation dollars they brought in. A month later, callers who had interacted with the scholarship student spent more than two times as many minutes on the phone, and brought in vastly more money: a weekly average of $503.22, up from $185.94.

"Even minimal, brief contact with beneficiaries can enable employees to maintain their motivation," the researchers write in their paper, titled "Impact and the Art of Motivation Maintenance: The Effects of Contact with Beneficiaries on Persistence Behavior," published in the journal Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes. 

You can review the complete article at:

http://knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu/article.cfm?articleid=2436

The big takeaway for me is that we need to make sure we are providing opportunities for our employees to interact with customers (or the ultimate end users) on a regular basis.  Hearing the benefits directly from the customer or end user is a powerful way to engage employees in the organization.  If employees can’t meet the end user directly, then make a video and post it on employee portals or replay during periodic employee webcasts.   Even if the customer is internal, take time to capture on a regular basis the benefits the customer experiences so all can see that their work is making a difference.

HR Service Matters

By: Mike Smith

Well maybe you guessed it, but I bought Seth Godin’s book; Linchpin (see my 1/26 blog).  The book’s main premise as I see it is that a new and important workplace component (the linchpin) has arrived.  The linchpins are the people that invent, lead, connect with others and generally make things happen.  While the book is intended to help the individual learn how to be a linchpin and thus become indispensable, I think we all want to cultivate these folks and have many linchpins in our organizations (and expectantly on our individual team).

As I quickly thumbed through my new read, I noticed that in one chapter Seth writes about “The Culture of Connection.”   Here I saw another insight for HR services.  Linchpins need to connect to succeed.  I believe HR can and should provide the services to help their linchpins connect inside and outside the organization.  Seth speaks about job satisfaction and offers the proposition that the key distinction between places to work is really the perceived connection between the employee and coworkers.

We have all seen the excitement in the marketplace about “we’ve got an app for that.”  Employees live in that world and I’ll bet the linchpins thrive in it.  We would do well to create an environment that enables collaboration and connecting tools for our linchpins.  I believe that getting some visibility for the people who are making a difference in our organizations will go a long way to building linchpins and keeping them too.  Do you have an app for that?

Here is a more detailed review of Linchpin if you want to know more about its content.

http://www.ratracetrap.com/the-rat-race-trap/linchpin-a-review.html

HR Service Matters

By: Mike Smith

Since inception, the focus of my blog has been HR services.  And, in thinking about the important roles for the HR teams, employee communication seems to be of foremost concern in these uncertain times.  Intertwined with employee communications is the need for thoughtful marketing as you approach employee messaging.

My last blog highlighted the top trends in marketing and those trends that HR can incorporate for better HR service.  But how can we make those trends come alive for our organization?  Looking once again to marketing we can uncover ways to reach our employees with a positive message.

Today I looked at some reviews and references to a new book (just released 1/26/10) by Seth Godin, Linchpin: Are You Indispensable?  Seth Godin revolutionized marketing with bestselling books that have changed the way people think about marketing and change.  There is an interesting interview with Seth where you can hear Seth tell first hand about his premise in the book.

http://www.gooseeducationalmedia.com/Talks/SethGodinLinchpinInterview/tabid/199/Default.aspx

What caught me from the reviews of Linchpin was Seth Godin’s concept that to make a tangible difference in the lives of our customers today, we must provide exceptional value.  I believe that employees need encouragement to take the risks needed to consistently provide exceptional value.  Seth said in an interview, “…if you do work that is remarkable, people will remark on it.”  So for HR teams, I believe we should provide a forum in our HR Service delivery to promote (e.g. remark on) employees who are demonstrating remarkable work.  The person who does work that matters should be celebrated in our organizations.  Not the same old celebration, but a focus on the indispensable aspects of their work that keeps customers coming back again and again.

HR Service Matters

By: Mike Smith

At this time of year there is a lot of discussion of the coming trends in 2010.  And, a lot of the smart people look to the recent past to help get a grip on what is coming.  There is a marketing resource that I have used for many years that always seems to offer solid scrutiny of a variety of marketing topics.  MarketingProfs is a resource website http://www.marketingprofs.com that is comprised of a self-described talented and somewhat eccentric team.  I have found them to put forward some very ingenious ideas and views about trendy marketing practices.

So what is the connection with HR Services?  Well a big part of effective delivery of HR Services should be thoughtful consideration of marketing the services.  It is so important to habitually consider how to effectively market powerful HR Services to our employees.  As you consider your HR Services in 2010 and how you market your offerings, consider what MarketingProfs reported (see their full report on their website) as their most-viewed, most-read and most-downloaded content in 2009.

1) What will we do with social media?  Marketers seem to be all over this media tool and it has moved into mainstream marketing.  Has your HR team figured out how to use social media effectively?

2) How can we do more with less?  Search out tips from a variety of resources on how to market for less and even look at classical guerilla marketing principles for low cost ideas.

3) Two Words: Digital Marketing. Taking the time to explore popular digital marketing concepts could lead you to some actionable ideas for your workplace portal.

And, as you consider deploying and marketing some of your HR Services through the workplace portal, consider some great reminders and fresh thinking from a recent post at Jason Averbook’s blog.

http://www.knowledgeinfusion.com/coe/blogs/infuser/2010/01/08/who-owns-the-workforce-portal-and-who-is-the-biggest-loser

HR Service Matters

By: Mike Smith

One of the hottest areas associated with HR Services is talent management.  I say “associated with” because talent management must reach out directly to employees for feedback (for likes of reviews and self-evaluations) and up-to-date employee profiles to be effective.  I say “hottest” because there are numerous software and SaaS alternatives (40+ providers) to choose from and the market is still growing.  Both Gartner (Magic Quadrant for E-Recruitment Software) and Bersin Associates (Talent Management Systems Customer Satisfaction 2010 report) have produced reports in December 2009 so there are plenty of current technical and practical opinions to review.

In looking at the Josh Bersin blog which has an overview of the Bersin Satisfaction Survey, I noticed that while the functionality of the alternative solutions is high, the overall satisfaction level is low.  The link to the summary is below:

http://www.bersin.com/Blog/post/2010-Talent-Management-Systems-Satisfaction-Results.aspx

The survey reports that buyers like the features, but struggle with the implementation and integration with other related systems.  As we consider the overall delivery of HR services within our own organizations, I wonder if our employees also struggle.  Could it be that the portals we provide employees to access our HR services are not well integrated with the underlying HR systems?  Maybe we should survey employees regularly about their satisfaction level with HR services.

HR Service Matters: By: Mike Smith

The employee portal is the doorway to today’s HR services.  Most organizations have at least a first generation employee portal and many others have introduced (or they are well on their way) a second generation portal.  So, how do you show off what you have done to make your employee portal look easy and exciting to use?

That question made me think about the ways that employees and the management team learn about the variety of HR services available at their fingertips.  Let me challenge you to think creatively about how you show off what your team has done.  Making a big impression about ease-of-use and depth of services accessible is important if you want to increase adoption rates.  Also, having an astounding impact can be a big boon to the viral marketing of dazzling new capabilities.

I thought about the legendary product Shootouts that Bill Kutik has made famous at the HR Technology Conference.  There is a lot that HR service teams can learn from these Shootouts.  Reflecting on these demos reminds me that while demo skill is important, other tools can make a big difference in perception.  For example, in translating this perception goal to portals, consider taking the time to build a “movie” that shows off key features.  A simple video can help you drive excitement and hype about portal enhancements.

Looking over the reviews of the fall 2009 HR Technology Shootout reinforces the value of highlighting what you want your audience to see and engage.  Ron Hanscome’s blog (link below) shows some real insight into the power of a good demo.

http://tinyurl.com/ygb3m76

All of this makes you want to have a good repeatable demo that is engaging to watch.  Enhancing your demos might be a great place to start as you ready new HR service features.  And, next year when you attend the HR Technology Conference Shootout, consider viewing the alluring demos as a way to learn new ways to show off your own employee services.

This week I saw an interesting article published by Harvard Business Review that considered the emotional drives or needs of employees (link to read the executive summary: http://tinyurl.com/yhlw7om ).  Using surveys from over 300 Fortune 500 companies the researchers were attempting to answer the question—how do you increase employees’ overall motivation?

The synthesis of their research suggested that there are four underlying emotional drives that guide people at work and impact their motivation.  These four drivers also have a distinct organizational influence that can help meet the needs of the driver; Acquire—Reward System, Bond—Culture, Comprehend—Job Design, and Defend—Performance Management.

The "Bond" driver seemed to be the most likely driver where employee services could actually provide a practical and tool to increase organizational Bond through the culture—that feeling of pride in belonging to the organization.  Specific actions where I believe HR services can have a big impact on the culture include:

* Fostering mutual reliance and coworker friendships—Consider what components of social media make sense for your organization and how to connect people through HR service facilities

* Value collaboration and friendship—Show the results of collaboration and how people are working together by giving them the opportunity to share their successes in the marketplace

* Encourage sharing of best practices—Get more visibility on the employee portal for best practices across the organization

The article does point out that the supervisors have just as much importance as the overall organization’s polices and actions.  However, keep in mind that HR services are a powerful tool that can provide a quick way to begin to impact employee motivation.

Mike Smith

HR Service Matters: By: Mike Smith

At our recent Client Advisory Board (CAB) meeting we had a great opportunity to hear from our clients and communicate key initiatives currently underway at TALX.  Our CAB is now in its 7th year and our members represent the executive levels of HR/Payroll/Benefits/Tax within their organizations. 

These in-person meetings always include a time to discuss important issues that member organizations are encountering.  Many members mentioned the cost reduction focus taking place at their companies and one commented that the HR team was asked to look in some areas that they had never looked at before for cost savings.  Several mentioned salary freezes and we also heard that 401(k) matches are being reduced. In the midst of all of these issues was the common theme of keeping employees happy.

I’m sure these issues are most likely representative of many HR teams across a wide range of industries. While a recent Watson Wyatt survey (link below) reflects that a growing number of employers are planning to lift their salary freeze soon, employees still feel the sting.

http://www.watsonwyatt.com/news/press.asp?ID=22602

In these tenuous times it is important to let employees know how they too are helping manage costs beyond their pay freeze.  For example, many HR service initiatives have a solid cost reduction component.  Making these cost savings more visible to employees can help them understand how their utilization of HR services is making a significant contribution.  In addition, many paperless employee services support the organizational goal to be more “green.” This represents yet another opportunity to tout how employees are making a difference while promoting the scope of all HR services initiatives.

Recently, I attended the HR Policy Association meeting in Washington D.C.  Whenever you visit D.C., I have found there is always an energy that permeates the air.  However, this time in D.C. the energy was tarnished by a sense of uncertainty.  The health care discussions are still at peak frenzy and other key issues loom large led by the Employee Free Choice Act.  Uncertain times for sure.

The change that is coming is not the same type of change we have responded to in past years.  The coming change is more of the non-incremental and sudden variety that drastically alters the way things get done.  These changes will most likely have an impact on how HR services will be delivered also. 

In responding to the radical innovative technology changes, organizations often look at the leaders in their industry.  However, these imminent radical changes are much more pervasive and will shape a broad range of industries.  So, in considering the influence these changes will have on an organization’s HR service delivery, the far-sighted will cast a wider net and look beyond the familiar leaders in their industry.

Mike Smith                   

Good marketing begins with strong differentiation in the market. As highlighted in Jack Trout’s Differentiate or Die and proposed by Ted Levitt, a legendary figure in the field of marketing, “… you can differentiate anything.”   Both believed that “… differentiation is one of the most strategic and tactical activities in which companies must constantly engage.”  So, if we can really differentiate anything, how would you characterize how your employment brand is differentiated?  And importantly, what do your employees say makes working for your organization really different and supports the overall organizational brand?

Wouldn’t it be great if your employees could be telling others that working for your organization gives them the opportunity to do what they do extremely well and love to do every day?  That view of a job is the essence of employee engagement which many organizations are trying to embrace.  I believe many employees sense that level of satisfaction in their work on a regular basis.

HR Organizations can certainly help promote the employment brand, but their employee’s views are much more powerful.  Current and prospective employees will always put more trust in what employees are saying about their work and the employment brand experiences. This video provides a good overview of the importance of an effective employment brand.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=af052lbuYPU

Given the chance, employees will be glad to share their fervor with others.  As suggested in my June 17 blog, find a good way to capture and publish these personal messages of enthusiasm and your employment brand will come more alive to both current and future employees.  The more compelling your employment brand, the easier it will be to attract and engage employees.

Mike Smith

Employee portals 2.0 are bound to happen as HR teams begin exploiting the newest Web 2.0 technologies to deliver HR services.  Organizations clearly want to better engage employees, and the employee portal is a proven platform to deliver HR services.  And now, portals provide a terrific source for collaboration too.  To have the biggest impact with these portal upgrades, structuring the employee experience so each individual can quickly obtain just the information they need is vital to creating employee portals that appeal to all.  

To meet the desires of the current multi-generational workforce, more attention must be given to managing the user experience.  The user interface has now become even more valuable in addressing the distinct communication preferences of different generations.  Today’s employee portal projects demand well-executed usability testing to ensure each employee has an experience that works for them.  The best portals will offer an authentic experience that reinforces the employment brand already established.  See the article below for a more in depth look into what it means to build an authentic user experience.

http://exde.wordpress.com/2009/06/12/designing-authentic-experiences/

Leveraging the Web 2.0 outcomes, HR now has the opportunity to engage employees in a different way that allows the employee to actually participate at a new level.  To illustrate, rather than just observe, employees can actually participate which enables employees to define the make-up of an authentic experience.  For example, using popularity features on employee portals can enable employees to give their opinion instantly and find out what other employees think too.  Feedback like this was hard to come by in the past, but in the future HR can leverage these features to get timely reactions and build an authentic employee experience.

HR is watching closely as new web technologies gain proponents elsewhere in their organization. Marketing departments are using Twitter to appeal directly to clients.  Wikis have proven useful tools for training employees and for managing projects.  And many PR pros are using blogs to develop and manage public dialogue surrounding their organizations.  HR may find these experiments useful in determining how and when they’ll want to join in to address their own branding and communication needs.

I-9/E-Verify

By: Dave Fowler

Well, my speculation was way off! This one surprised me and, I'm sure, many others.

The Administration has decided to move forward with the FAR rule requiring federal contractors to use E-Verify. In a press release dated July 8, 2009 the Department of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano announced that "After a careful review, the Administration will push ahead with full implementation of the rule, which will apply to federal solicitations and contract awards Government-wide starting on September 8, 2009." Click here for the full press release. I interpret the term full implementation to indicate that the rule will be implemented as it currently stands, which includes a verification requirement for existing employees. No mention was made in the press release of the lawsuit filed against the rule by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and others.

One of the hot topics at this spring’s IHRIM Conference in San Diego was how to engage employees in the organization. Conference sessions revealed that we are not in want of good ideas centered on using web 2.0 technologies to help us engage employees.  While technology is a great tool, careful consideration of exactly what the technology is helping you communicate is crucial.

Taking a page from the marketing handbook on using effective client case studies to promote product benefits, a focus on actively communicating “why an organization is a good place to work” provides a very appealing story.  Engaged employees are the ones whose personal values closely match the organization’s values.  Consider communicating the organization’s values in a first person employee story as a powerful way to connect with your employee’s values.  Tammy Erickson’s article below has some great examples of how organizations have accomplished this connection.

http://blogs.harvardbusiness.org/erickson/2009/04/a_low_cost_way_to_improve_enga.html?cm_re=homepage-031909-_-body-middle-tert-_-voices

So, how do you leverage web 2.0 in this story-telling connection?  I would suggest a practical way is to capture and publish short video testimonies from employees.  Ask them to tell their stories about what gets them excited about their job or team.  Why do they feel the way they do about the mission of the organization?  Videos like this would be priceless in helping employees connect with what the organization is trying to accomplish and how each employee’s hard work makes a difference. What a wonderful way to firmly connect the values of organization with employees.

Yes, a picture (video) is worth a thousand words.  So, I quickly created this sample (link below) using a Flip Video camcorder (under $200) and up loaded my video to YouTube.  Think about how this could be adapted for your organization.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YXDKthpjbec

Mike Smith

Not long ago I was asked to speak to our sales & service teams about the key HR trends in 2009 that would be impacting HR executives and, in particular, our clients. Armed with my own opinions, I then began looking at other sources. From recent and upcoming HR conferences, analyst’s predictions and several “What’s coming in 2009” webcasts, I saw several common areas surfacing. Interestingly, many of these common themes have a direct relationship with HR/Payroll service delivery:

1. The definition of “the workforce” will continue to evolve
2. New HR initiatives must show business value and help support key organizational goals
3. Enthusiastic employee engagement
4. Web 2.0 and the next generation of Internet for business

Paul D. Hamerman and Zach Thomas’ Forrester report, Trends 2009: Human Resource Management (November 21, 2008), identified the evolution of the workforce as one of the key trends. This is not to be confused with the generational workforce issues, but rather the types of workers that will make up the workforce. This includes more people who are not fulltime employees. However, the job of managing these workers from an HR perspective will need to be accommodated within the HRMS/HCM system structure.

I believe that this changing workforce dynamic means we must pay careful attention as to how we deliver HR/Payroll services and any resulting employee communication complications. Will these workers have access to the employee portal? Should they see all of the information available to all employees? Maybe not, since they are not traditional fulltime employees. Going forward, having a firm handle on the target audience, and their specific communication needs and challenges, will be essential to successfully adapting HR/Payroll service delivery channels.

Mike Smith

Well here goes my inaugural blog. With my many years of encouraging the delivery of HR services through technology, I picked this area for my blogging concentration. I might take a bend or two in the road, but my focus will be on the delivery of HR and payroll services. To me, leveraging technology to deliver HR services has always meant using technology to help HR teams better communicate with employees.

Recently I was preparing an update on 2009 HR trends (more on that in a coming blog) and in the midst of reviewing HR trends, I was overwhelmed with the fact that the strongest growing part of the workforce is the inactive workforce. Many are now speculating that we are headed to a 10% unemployment rate. With this dynamic in mind we really need to consider that the active employees still on the job need special attention.

Those remaining on the job are doing the work that had been done by others who are now part of the inactive ranks. Excellent delivery of HR services is essential to keeping these folks well-informed and engaged in the organization.

I was struck by a Stanley Bing article in the February 13th Fortune magazine.

http://money.cnn.com/2009/02/13/magazines/fortune/stanleybing/bing_column.fortune/index.htm

So what is the connection? It’s a great appeal to stay connected with those employees still doing the work.

Mike Smith