Two new tough requirements for employers in California and Pennsylvania covered in the latest Labor and Employment Compliance Bulletin:

California’s Wage Theft Prevention Act of 2011 takes effect Jan. 1, 2012, creating detailed requirements for employers to notify new employees about pay rates, among other things.

Starting Jan. 1, 2012, employers must require their employees to fill out a “Certificate of Residence” form and retain the signed form as you would retain a W-4.

But there’s good news as well: California’s Governor returned Senate Bill 931 to the Legislature without his signature, citing the bill’s "numerous and costly new requirements on pay card providers."

Read the bulletin now.

Subscribe to future bulletins.

We've been hearing some buzz about a recent ruling by an appeals court in the state of Washington. The ruling looks, at first glance, as though it might undermine the legitimacy of electronic signatures, at least in Eastern Washington.

But the federal law called ESIGN ensures the validity and enforceability of electronic signatures, and a more recent ruling in a federal district court provides further support.

To learn more about the details, please read our Labor and Employment bulletin for August.

If you'd like to receive future Labor and Employment bulletins please send an email to compliance.bulletin@talx.com with "subscribe me" in the subject line. 

Arizona recently enacted a law that allows employers to mandate paperless pay to employees.

Including Arizona, 24 states now allow for 100% paperless pay without employee consent. Three other states allow mandating to employees hired after a specific date.

We discussed Arizona and other states that have recently begun allowing employers to mandate paperless pay in our most recent Labor and Employment Compliance Bulletin.

I-9/E-Verify

By: Gordon Middleton, Esq.

More lawmakers and regulators and putting their weight behind E-Verify, the federal system for electronically verifying the identity and employment eligibility of newly hired employees.

Here are a few recent developments we've covered in our Compliance Bulletins:

The U.S. Supreme Court upheld Arizona’s law that revokes the business licenses of employers who knowingly employ undocumented workers.

Indiana passed a law requiring contractors to state or local governments to use E-Verify.

In the same bulletin linked above, we talked about a White House report on immigration reform that includes a show of support for the E-Verify system.

HR Service Matters

By: Mike Smith

We launched our Client Advisory Board (CAB) in May, 2003 so we are beginning our ninth year of regularly listening to the counsel of a representative group of clients.  We recently completed our spring meeting where we met in-person with our CAB members to communicate service updates and listen closely to our clients.  One important CAB tradition has been to provide a “closed door” session where we leave the room and let our clients discuss hard issues alone.

I was looking over the feedback we received and the notes from our spring meeting sessions that we publish to members after each meeting.  There is a wealth of terrific information that we captured during our day and a half CAB meeting.  Not just ho-hum information but hmm-let-me-think-about-that, actionable information.  Because of the insightful ideas and forthright discussions that our CAB meetings produce, we continue to invest in building our CAB and have been blessed with truly engaged clients who welcome the opportunity to share their views and needs.  Without a doubt, our Client Advisory Board has been instrumental in influencing the services we offer and how they are delivered to their employees.  I’m very thankful to our current and past CAB members that have taken the time to actively participate. 

Which leads me to the question; who are your trusted advisors for HR services.  Who do you turn to and present your newly planned HR services to gather feedback?  Does HR really approach its clients (the employees) to serve in an interactive advisory capacity providing candid feedback on the HR services in use today as well as those new ideas ready to launch?  I’m not talking about the inclusion of employees in pilots, or sending out another employee survey or even a required employee council to review “personnel issues.”  I’m suggesting a group of employees be selected to meet regularly (an Employee Advisory Board) to discuss the HR services now available.  Ask these employee advisors what new things would help them in their job or make it easier to get the information they need.  This Board would be a diverse Board covering all areas of the organization.

If your Board were in place today, consider the real value your HR services team would receive if you asked the members of your “Employee Advisory Council” to: 

• Go through the current new hire onboarding process just like a new hire and critique it (what are you not telling new employees that would speed their productivity?)
• Suggest what HR services are missing and rank these hopefuls in order of importance
• Grade the HR services available today (tell them to not be afraid to give an “F” if justified)
• Offer ideas on how to improve the HR services in place
• Recommend ways to better engage employees

These responsibilities represent just some of the ways of getting direct counsel from employees that would benefit your HR services and positively impact the organization.  For example, what if your recruiters were able to tell prospective new hires that your organization has an active Employee Advisory Board that helps direct how HR services are delivered?

Tax season is officially over and TALX W-2 clients hit a record high for electronic downloads at 1,557,628 in 2011.  More employees are demanding electronic access to their W-2 which can be downloaded directly into leading tax software, which saves time and reduces human error.  Employers, recognizing this demand, have become keen on providing this option to their employees which is improving overall efficiency, reducing paper/postage costs, and assists the employer embrace Green technologies.  Many employers, just having gone through W-2 season, are eager to explore paperless and electronic W-2 options to ease their workload, improve service to employees, and meet employee demand for tax software download.

Here’s a couple of examples from TrueBlue and Lowe’s on their experience converting their W-2 process:

http://www.talx.com/whyTALX/VideoLibrary/index.asp?category=w2_management

Meeting with Congressional Staff on I-9 and E-Verify, April 7, 2011

On Thursday April 7th, I had the opportunity to accompany members of the American Immigration Lawyers Association, (AILA), on their National Day of Action and met various members of the Congressional Staffs of our Missouri Senators and Representatives.  The goal was to bring the employer message that something needs to be done on the Federal level regarding immigration in general, but more specifically, to alert the Federal legislators that they need to deal with E-Verify on a national level to stunt the proliferation of state laws and bills regarding the topic.  As of last week, there had already been some 165+ bills introduced in 38 states dealing with E-Verify in this session alone.

These meetings were generally with one or two staffers and one AILA immigration attorney from Kansas City.  The staffers engaged were the people who were responsible for legislative and/or immigration issues for their respective Representative or Senator.  The immigration attorney, (Anthony Weigel), generally opened these advocacy sessions by talking about immigration issues in general, and the need for the Federal Government to pass sweeping reforms that would create a clear path for those currently in the country illegally to gain citizen status.   In espousing the employer viewpoint, it was explained to each member that TALX was a Missouri employer, with around 1,800 employees in the state and that we were agents of some 330 clients—many of which are large national employers-- who made use of our electronic I-9 and E-Verify services.

The real rub for employers, as earlier explained, is the fact that there are so many bills floating through the various legislatures that deal directly with E-Verify.  It was explained that this is a minefield for employers—especially those who have a nationwide presence.  They have ICE, with their ramped up enforcement efforts on one side, and the various state regulatory bodies on the other, waiting to pounce on those who run afoul of the law, regardless of any intent, or lack thereof which may be involved.  This situation is an untenable one for employers, and needs to be eradicated.  The way they—Congress—can make that happen is to pass a law that essentially wrests control of the issue from the states, and reaffirms their lack of standing to deal with immigration in general.

The TALX message was met with a good degree of enthusiasm, although the staffers were somewhat preoccupied with the budget wrangling of last week.  When we asked point blank when and if something might get done, we were met with shrugs and uncertainty.
However, this exercise was invaluable, in that not only were we  able to get our views across directly to those with sway on the issue, but we were able to gain key contacts within the staffs of our House and Senate representatives, as well as insight into how things get done behind the scenes regarding such issues. 

We will continue to keep this issue at the forefront of the minds of our members of Congress, and as many of those with sway that we can gain access to.  We make every attempt to be an effective advocate for our employer clients, and we will continue to work diligently in this effort.

Gordon Middleton
TALX Legal Compliance Specialist for Employee Services

Read the latest TALX Labor and Employment Compliance Bulletin:

http://www.talx.com/News/Compliance/Compliance%20Bulletin%20-%20Labor%20and%20Employment%20Mar2011.pdf

New Mexico considers bill to allow mandating electronic pay:

A bill has passed the New Mexico House of Representatives that would allow employers to mandate electronic pay.  The bill would allow employers to pay employees by paycard as long as they offer a direct deposit option.

Department of Labor steps up affirmative action audits for federal contractors:

The US DOL's Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs is conducting more thorough audits of federal contractors for compliance with affirmative action and equal employment opportunity laws. 

HR Service Matters

By: Mike Smith

I know that I’ve said it before -- HR must assume a marketing role within their organization (see past blog) http://blog.talx.com/2010/01/26/DoYouKnowYourIndispensableEmployeesDoOthers.aspx.

And, what’s more, HR is also closely aligned with the entrepreneur role.  Now, I may get some flak on this one, but let me explain.

A few years back Guy Kawasaki spoke at the HR Technology Conference and he presented some very interesting ideas for HR folks to consider.  Guy is a marketer extraordinaire and his sometimes irreverent flair has always appealed to me.  Guy’s book of a few years ago, The Art of Start, redefined the word “entrepreneur” when he said, “…the reality is that ‘entrepreneur’ is not a job title.  It is a state of mind of people who want to alter the future.”  See more on this book at: http://tinyurl.com/4oyg6kd

So when you consider the fact that HR is often tasked with bringing new things to employees, HR is really attempting to alter the future for employees.  Enter HR as the entrepreneur.  Whether it is a new benefits plan, a new way to receive a paycheck, a new way to implement performance management or a new career pathing model, HR has the responsibility to not only communicate these new things, but bring about the desired, successful future state. 

If you accept the premise that HR has a significant marketing component, then buying into some of Guy’s entrepreneurial principles for HR is an easy step.  Here is what some of this might look like: 

• Define a beachhead—for HR this means you need to target a group of employees to create momentum.
• Show a vision of a brighter future—for HR this means you must promote the bigness of the “new.”
• Establish reference accounts (grow a following)—for HR this means you must have employees that will evangelize the new method/process/options.

I still believe there are a lot of good marketing concepts that can help HR to be successful in reaching out to employees when new HR services become available.  I suggest that HR add a few good marketing books to its bookshelf to help effectively launch the “new things” that are always coming.  For a start, check out Guy Kawasaki’s blog for some of his thought provoking works and videos.

http://blog.guykawasaki.com/2006/05/art_of_the_star.html#tp

HR Service Matters

By: Mike Smith

With the start of a new year and the hopeful prospects that business may actually improve, HR teams that have not been recently focused on onboarding issues may be turning their thoughts to this vital area.  And, as HR looks at onboarding it will be important to take time to reexamine what onboarding should look like for your organization.

In observing the onboarding process over the last few years, it is apparent to me that there is really no clear definition of onboarding. Some consider onboarding to be just the process of getting all necessary forms completed and providing the new employee with everything needed to do the job.  Others see it as an ongoing process that eventually flows into employee engagement.  As you begin reassessing onboarding for your organization, I believe taking a broader view of onboarding offers many opportunities to touch the new employee and reinforce the organizational brand.

A recent article ( http://tinyurl.com/4vbwkl9 ) in Inc. gave some good insight into the new employee’s first 90 days.  However, one of the ideas presented that caught my attention was that transitions provide wonderful opportunities to start afresh.  In those first days, weeks and even months, there are numerous, powerful transition points that can impact employees.  Each transition offers yet another opportunity to reinforce the brand and strengthen the relationship with the employee.

These transitions also offer opportunities to connect the new employee with your available HR services.  Whether the transition point has a planned survey or a one-on-one connection, appropriate HR services can be incorporated in the process to highlight the services while helping enable the transition.

HR Service Matters

By: Mike Smith

Sometimes book titles really get your attention.  I just saw one of those as I looked over a recent book review blog.  I Love You More Than My Dog, by Jeanne Bliss is one of those titles that make you want to look further to see what this book is all about.  The essence of this book appears to be characterized by this quote, “Customers admire the beloved companies for how they are treated, not for how they are handled.”  You can see the complete book review here:

http://actionablebooks.com/articles/i-love-you-more-than-my-dog/

One thing that stood out to me was when the author related her experience with a company where she regularly buys CDs.  The simple act of confirming her orders was done so well that this typically boring interaction became something remarkable. If you can build loyal customers through an exciting customer experience (which I think you can), then I believe you can create more engaged employees by making their HR service experiences more memorable.

Think about all of the connections your HR services have with employees and how each one brings the opportunity to create an emotional connection with employees just like the “beloved” companies seek to do with their customers. These companies are easy to identify because of how they interact with their clients.  Apple and Southwest were two companies mentioned in the book and we can all attest to the loyal following of these two successful companies. 

Most organizations are well-positioned to create a stronger emotional connection with their employees.  For example, the technology put in place to deliver HR services can be leveraged to do more than deliver the same boring messages.  Think of it as a great opportunity to reinforce a personal, uplifting experience for employees.  Wouldn’t it be great to have employees see your organization as one of the “beloved?”

HR Service Matters

By: Mike Smith

At our recent Client Advisory Board meeting we discussed the state of social media in HR and the use of Web 2.0 tools by employees. The Board confirmed that social media for recruiting seemed to be leading the way when it comes to pervasive use.  Current industry surveys on the use of Web 2.0 pinpoint recruiting as the current “killer app.”

While the benefits of using Web 2.0 in recruiting are apparent, employees on the job after they are recruited may find themselves with few tools to connect and enrich their job experience.  Today I read the SystematicHR blog (http://tinyurl.com/23h98k2) and the thoughts presented on Web 2.0 seemed especially relevant to this scarcity. 

This blog made me think about the importance of understanding how people work and the way they go about networking to solve problems as well as produce original ideas.  As an example, I am part of the LinkedIn network but I’m not a power user.  However, I did find that LinkedIn was a wonderful source to explore potential new members for our Client Advisory Board. 

Are we asking our workforce what tools would make their experience on a team more notable?  Do we offer a place for employees to share their ideas about using Web 2.0 tools effectively?  I think we would discover a lot of creative thoughts by asking our Web 2.0 power users how those tools could be leveraged on the job to make an employee’s experience more exceptional.  I believe HR can and should lead the way to making their workplace THE place to work.

HR Service Matters

By: Mike Smith

As the Smartphone wars continue at a furious pace between the relatively new iPhone 4, the Android-based Smartphones and the new Windows-based phone peeking its head this fall, I’m reminded that often the way we present HR information on our employee portals is pretty sorry.  The iPhone brought simplicity and smartness to the mobile phone market and set the bar for how devices need to allow users to control access to desired information.

While striving to make HR services keep pace with Smartphones is not really required and certainly not attainable, HR should look closely at which Smartphone principles can be transferred to employee portals. Sure, many of the features like high-def video don’t translate, but there are marketing concepts available for HR to leverage when employee portals are being updated.  It is clear that Apple and others are watching closely and evaluating how their customers use their products.

For example, the iPhone 4 took advantage of the popularity of “apps” to develop a truly multitasking interface that allows fast switching between open apps.  The principle here is that Apple is making one of the most popular features of a very slick product even better.  So, do we know what our most popular employee portal “apps” are?  Have we used monitoring tools to determine which information is most likely to be accessed and make that experience better? 

Once we know the patterns of use and employee desires we can make the most popular information easier to access and present it in an exciting and more engaging manner. Other characteristics of the recent iPhone updates worth considering in our revamped employee portals include:

* Does access to information and transactions work “right out of the box?”

* The iPhone has eye-popping appeal; do your employee portal apps look attractive?

* Can employees customize their portal experience?

* Are employees notified when information is updated in another app that might be important for them to know about while they are on-line?

It’s hard to argue with success particularly when it gives you wonderful ideas that you can use to make the experience for your employees better. 

HR Service Matters

By: Mike Smith

During our Fall Client Advisory Board (CAB) meeting two breakout sessions generated a lot of interesting, thought provoking discussion.  One breakout centered on onboarding issues while another tackled the workforce issues being driven by the current economic conditions. 

Generally CAB members placed a high priority on improving the onboarding process currently in place at their organization.  One of biggest issues that everyone is facing is getting the onboarding solutions to communicate directly and seamlessly with the established HRMS.  The goal of speeding the impact of new employees by having them ready on day one was common to nearly everyone.  Many pointed out that the current forms in use in their organization don’t necessarily lend themselves to an electronic form.  Being careful to be on the lookout for terminology on the forms that the new employee will not be familiar with is also important.  Electronic onboarding brings a lot of leverage but careful planning and a close review of how things are being done with the manual methods are keys to success.

From the group’s discussions on the current economic situation it is clear most organizations are putting a significant amount of energy into keeping the best talent with the organization.  From directing the small pools of raises to top performers to making sure managers are providing regular feedback through performance reviews, HR teams are striving to help their organizations make sure that the top talent stays with the organization.  By and large most organizations have lost all of the people they could afford to lose and are focusing now on holding steady and managing attrition to lower levels.

I was reminded onced again that Client Advisory Boards are terrific ways to share common issues and bring fresh ideas to the table.  If you are not involved in a Client Advisory Board I would encourage you to consider joining one to bring more value to your HR team.  Plus, you can have direct input on your HR service provider’s offerings.

HR Service Matters

By: Mike Smith

As I left the recent HR Policy Association Washington Policy Conference I was beset by all of the daunting issues that were considered.  Aimed at larger employers, the Association has 300+ members and their proactive endeavors make this a worthy organization to consider.  If you are not familiar with this organization, I recommend you look at their mission and the focus this association has on the top public policy issues.  http://www.hrpolicy.org/

The hot topics at this year’s conference included how contemporary politics are shaping HR policy, the blossoming regulatory activity surrounding the congressional action over the last 12-15 months, and the pressing need to create a health care strategy in view of the new health care law.  Panel discussions headlining these topics were lively and to the point.  And, the questions asked by the attending top HR executives revealed the real impact these issues are having on today’s companies.  The difficult, underlying compliance concerns were at the heart of the discussions.

As the issues onion was peeled back, it became clear that there is so much uncertainty about most of these concerns that it is hard to determine when and what to communicate to employees.   Even so, these matters will have a big effect on employees and once an organization’s policy has been determined, clear communication to employees will be vital.

I was particularly struck by the closing roundtable discussions which were conducted as an open forum for all attendees.  Several topics were teed up, but one issue produced the most discussion and innovative thinking.  That topic centered on what organizations were doing to engage employees in the business.  Warm-hearted stories were shared that provided some real insight into what companies are doing to engage employees.  

For example, a leading retailer reported how they increased employee engagement by over 30% by rewarding managers through incentive programs based on the level of employee engagement at the store level.   A simple but effective directive was also shared that had a real inspiring impact on employees working hard in the trenches.  Managers were dismissed from an executive briefing and all were instructed to call two of their employees who were doing an excellent job.  The managers were asked to let them know the employee’s efforts were appreciated as well as thank them for their important contribution. 

It was refreshing to see top HR executives so readily able to relate imaginative steps that their team was taking to engage employees in the business.  Wow, everyone should have a story like these to tell.

HR Service Matters

By: Mike Smith

There is still a lot being said and written about Web 2.0 being used in HR.  I noticed that this year’s HR Technology Conference has a complete track devoted to the topic of Social Media and Innovation which relies heavily on Web 2.0.  The complete agenda for this industry-leading conference is available here:

http://www.hrtechnologyconference.com/agenda.html

But often what is talked about is very slow to be put into action in the HR service delivery world.  For example, the Towers Watson survey that I referred to in my last blog, asked 400+ respondents to indicate their top three reservations toward adopting Web 2.0 tools.  The top two responses by a wide amount were:

* We are too busy right now to explore or consider this yet

* We’re interested, but it’s not a priority right now

All of this points to an attitude of avoiding the issue by not deciding how important Web 2.0 might be to the organization.  I’m not saying Web 2.0 is right for all organizations now.  But rather I’m advocating that it is good time to devote some effort to decide a position that is right for the organization.  Careful thought now might help a team to not overlook an opportunity that can help support the vision for the organization.

Seth Godin’s recent blog ( http://tinyurl.com/26pdnlo ) speaks to the notion of never being absolutely sure about a decision.  Seth calls it “It's (always) too soon to know for sure.” His instructive thoughts are worth considering if you are “fixin’ to get ready” to decide about leveraging Web 2.0 in your organization.

When my father-in-law was asked how things were going for him he would often answer the “same old sixteen.”   To him things were the same and were not changing.  Things were actually changing for him, but it just seemed the same to him.  All things were giving the appearance of being exactly as before.

Recently, I attended the Workforce HR Tech Week virtual conference and connected with several sessions.  The last session of the conference was of most interest to me because it highlighted the results of Towers-Watson’s 2010 HR Service Delivery Survey. If you want to experience this session or any other from the HR Tech Week program, you can follow the link below to access the archived event.  Please note that you will need to register to gain access to any of the sessions.

http://www.workforce.com/hrtechweek-ondemand

I must admit I experienced the “same old sixteen” feeling as I listened to the 2010 results.  Of the HR initiatives undertaken in the last 18 months 68% of the respondents indicated that “Reengineered Key HR Processes” was where they invested their time.  This area tied for first place as respondents reflected on what they had been doing over the last 18 months.

In my 25+ years of being engaged in HR service delivery, reengineering the important HR processes always seems to be near or at the top of the list and taking the most time.  This same old sixteen outcome is similar to the results of organizations wanting to move in recent years to web-enabled self-service and now web 2.0 capabilities.  I believe that this protracted effect of HR technology investments is still driven by top management’s real view of the value propositions presented.  The result; many organizations are never able to get it done.  Being successful means spending more time understanding the real value, really believing in it and then communicating the passion.  This approach makes the difference in moving beyond the “same old sixteen.”

HR Service Matters

By: Mike Smith

Last week TALX hosted a Client Forum and it was great to see such a terrific level of enthusiasm.  With a late rush of registrations, we had great representation and crowded sessions.  Every session was highlighted by meaningful questions and useful interaction.   Just prior to the start of the Client Forum, we also had a brief meeting of our Client Advisory Board to review some important issues.

Watching the interaction at the Forum reminded me how clients, by investing just a small amount of time, can help offer HR service providers valuable insight into client needs.  The result; you have the power to influence how your contracted HR services are being delivered.  By actively participating in a client forum, or stepping up your commitment by joining a client advisory board of one of your prime HR services providers, you can establish an important link between your strategic business goals and your personal goals.  The following checklist gives you some idea of the considerations of a well-organized Client Advisory Board.  http://www.geehangroup.com/images/stories/cab_checklist.pdf

As I consider the contributions of our current and past Client Advisory Board members I have found that advisory boards also provide HR executives with strong value.  They have a unique forum for discussing general opinions on industry trends and technology, considering legislative issues impacting HR/payroll business processes and exchanging views on current topics of great interest.

As you consider the possibility of joining a client advisory board, you probably will want to limit your participation to a single board.  Choosing the best board helps ensure your goals are met and the sponsoring HR service provider receives the most value from your membership. As you decide which board to join, consider the following criteria to narrow your choices.

1. Relevance: Make sure all other board members are part of the senior management team at their organization.  Participants should be at a level to know and articulate their organization’s strategy. 

2. Style: Ask the sponsor what they are looking for in members.  Are they looking for forward-looking management styles?  Will this board be characterized by a willingness to embrace new ideas and foster an open exchange?

3. Influence: Consider carefully the board make-up and format. Look to see if there are other organizations that you want to be linked with on the board.  Talk with a current board member and find out if the members are willing to take an active role in providing feedback. Are the members asked to actively participate?  You need to be surrounded by people who are able and capable of contributing to the board enthusiastically.

4. Conflict: Only join a provider’s board that isn’t considered a competitor to another key supplier to your company.  This situation can make both you and the provider unable to really be open.  The conflict of interest will also prevent you getting the most from your investment and could put you in an awkward position.

5. Scope: Consider those boards with representation from a diversity of industries.  You probably already have a network established within your own industry or sector so gaining access to a broader network can bring you a good balance.  However, select a board where your provider serves organizations like yours well and your sector represents a significant market for them.

6. Fit: Select a board that matches your credentials.  Your participation is important to success for you and the board, so make sure that you have the domain expertise to help shape new services.  Having insight into the basic values your provider’s services bring to your organization is essential. Even thinking through and exploring how you will participate can reinforce the benefits you will offer the board you select.

7. Commitment:  Look carefully at the commitment the provider is both making to the board and expectations from its member organizations.  Infrequent meetings mean you will have a hard time finding continuity or meeting your person goals for a solid network connection.  If the board has more than four meetings a year, the time commitments may be outside your limits.

Don’t forget to make advisory boards a topic to discuss with your colleagues.  Find out what boards they participate on and some of the top issues that are discussed.  It will certainly broaden your view.

HR Service Matters

By: Mike Smith

I was honored when Bill Kutik asked me to be interviewed on The Bill Kutik Radio Show.  Bill has always done a remarkable job of bringing relevance to HR technology and I think his Radio Show gives listeners the opportunity to hear Bill dig deeper.  My interview “aired” recently and following my personal listening experience, I was drawn to think even more about the topics discussed.  Actually, the Radio Show is not live but posted for easy Podcast download enabling listeners to tune in at their convenience.  If you would like to hear my interview you access the Show at:

http://www.knowledgeinfusion.com/ondemand/community/radioshow

During the Show, Bill and I discussed several key milestones for HR technology over the last 25 years, which made me feel older than before the interview started.  But as I reflect on our discussions about the impact of client/server technology on HR service delivery, I am reminded of Geoffrey Moore’s popular 1991 book, Crossing the Chasm.  In the early nineties, anyone using or providing HR technology solutions was actually living that book.  And, not only did the providers have to cross the chasm, the HR organizations had to help bring the providers across.

Today, that same model is at work to a much lesser degree with Web 2.0 technologies in HR service delivery.  From the innovators and early adopters to the late majority and laggards, all the segments will be represented.  The element that is different now is the addition of the employee using the services.  In the client/server days, employees were so isolated from the technology there was not much consideration for their needs.  Today, employees need to be an active part of any Web 2.0 implementation to ensure usability and acceptance.  Don’t forget to let employees help you cross the chasm as you turn to Web 2.0 for HR service delivery.

HR Service Matters

By: Mike Smith

Having been close to sales and marketing organizations for over 30 years, I have observed the sometimes simple yet more often complex world of sales compensation plans.  And recently we have all been exposed to the difficulties of highly-leveraged bonus plans in the financial services arena.  Clearly all incentive plans have a goal to motivate employees to peak performance.

Recently, I reviewed a very interesting TED video by Daniel Pink. Pink’s talk covers some of the key elements of his newest book titled Drive.  The research highlighted is intriguing and his conclusions about a whole new operating model for business are very fascinating.  Rather than rely on traditional monetary (carrot) incentives which are external, Pink advocates an intrinsic motivational model that offers employees motivation through autonomy, mastery and purpose.  Below is the link to the complete video on TED.

http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/eng/dan_pink_on_motivation.html

In considering this new model, I believe that HR services can help facilitate the autonomy and purpose incentives.  Using even skimpy social networking capabilities, organizations can help promote autonomy by showing how employees are satisfying their urge to direct their own lives in the workplace.  Even team results can be promoted. 

HR services can also make it easier for employees see the bigger picture and bring into focus the essential purpose of the organization.  Everyone wants to know about the results that are bigger than any one individual.  This revelation helps to satisfy that longing we all have to see our work support the service of something greater than ourselves.

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