Hal Rosenbluth, chairman of Take Care Health Systems Inc., and author of “The Customer Comes Second” told Mike Armstrong of the Philadelphia Inquirer & Daily News in a March 21, 2010 article entitled, Companies that put workers first win that

“ …creating an employee-first workplace requires good human
resources programs and even better leaders, the first step is honesty.
Corporate management really must believe that employees are the
most important asset and then back it up with training, tools, and
infrastructure to help workers do their best.”

As I read more about Rosenbluth’s ideas on employee engagement as a precursor to business success, I thought about a conversation I recently had with a friend. She was visibly upset and frustrated by the way her company had decided to share, what she deemed, as important information with the staff. Instead of having an HR person, a department manager or outside trainers deliver personal and professional growth information the company management decided to use an online training service. The lack of personal contact made her feel uneasy. Her concern made me think about the changing delivery of training and information sharing in organizations. Is this wave of technology the panacea that organizations think it is? Is the return on investment really better than assessing what information is viable as mass broadcast and what information needs the human touch?  Are companies being short sited and paying lip service to the idea of investing in human capital? Rosenbluth thinks that many companies say employee engagement is important but do nothing to back up their rhetoric. According to his view the company suffers in the long run when cost cutting rules the roost, because eventually employees feel less valued. Devalued employees look elsewhere for validation.

There is no denying that technology has brought about cost saving methods to deliver information and training to employees.  According to a 2009 survey done by WINNING WORKPLACES, mobile phones; web/audio conferencing; company intranet and social networking sites rated high on current methods for information sharing to and by employees.  When asked what areas of business are most conducive to technology-driven information among the top ten replies were HR information; quick dissemination of information for all employees; and providing employees with common answers to questions. In direct contrast to the high marks technology received, many respondents indicated that in-person, face to face communication is essential to the success of understanding and completing key tasks and to satisfying customers.

Information sharing and the delivery of training will continue to be a hot button for both the company and the employees. Is the dichotomy of responses in the WINNING WORKPLACES survey a generational issue or does one method of delivering information not fit all purposes? We cannot forget that we currently have four generations working side by side with differing views on human communication. Not every company is willing to train their new hires for six months and mentor them for two years like The Graham Company, an insurance brokerage firm in Philadelphia; nor does every successful company need to follow suit.

As businesses move forward and expect the best out of people what are they willing to invest in their employees? Each company will have to check the pulse on their own business. One method of information/training delivery does not fit all situations and successful companies will know how to bridge the gap. Company management cannot be afraid to ask employees how they best receive information, proceed to do a cost analysis and come up with a plan that will support the employees without breaking the company bottom line.

Don’t forget to visit the APLS Online Store for more insights into the benefits of employee engagement.

Two weeks ago I spent a week in Singapore and presented at the HR SUMMIT 2010. It was my first time in that part of the world and I must admit it was an eye opener. I enjoyed every minute from exploring the sights of a foreign land to interacting with HR professionals from around the globe. The major take away from the experience was the importance of having the right person in the right job. This is a concept I have stressed repeatedly in coaching and training but never have I seen it come to fruition as I did in Singapore.

On the flight from Los Angeles to Singapore I had the pleasure of flying on Singapore Airlines. From the moment my colleague and I stepped on the plane the flight attendants anticipated our every need. We were greeted by our names and escorted to our seats as if we were celebrities, but as I looked around the plane the other passengers were being treated with the same care. During the long flight I couldn’t help but stare at the pleasant faces that were looking back at me. My cynicism would not let me believe that the flight attendants were genuine. I tried to detect a frozen smile or a less than comforting tone as they served passengers for the almost 20 hour flight, but their demeanor never wavered. I couldn’t help but wonder how Singapore Airlines managed to choose this harmonious crew of flight attendants for their airline? What were the criteria? Or did we get lucky? I got my answer on the return flight.

The flight from Singapore to Amsterdam was much less luxurious because we flew in coach instead of business class. The red eye flight was jammed pack with passengers gibbering in a multitude of languages, babies crying, generation y flopping from seat to seat and the bell for service ringing every few minutes. Still the flight attendants remained calm, attentive and busy serving the passengers. As I watched what seemed like a 12- hour circus the only constant was the reserve of the flight attendants. I had that “aha moment” Oprah often talks about, the moment when you “get it”. You realize what you are seeing. This is what it means to have the right person in the right job. Just like the crew on our flight to Singapore, though the conditions were different, the return crew’s behavior was essentially the same. The business class crew could afford to appear to be more personable because they had fewer passengers to serve. However, the coach crew spent an equitable amount of time with passengers attending to their needs.

I came to the conclusion that Singapore Airlines practices what consultants tell HR departments to do. Search for the right people to fill your positions. Do not fall prey to filling the position with what looks good on paper. Employer-employee compatibility is important to the bottom line. The right fit can increase your return on investment. Singapore Airlines has an excellent image in the marketplace. After my experience I am convinced that the HR department at Singapore Airlines must look for a certain type person to fit the image they have for their company. The right personnel fit is tied to the success of the airline. The crew projects an image and serves as a constant marketing agent with their consistent standard of service to all passengers. Singapore Airlines personnel strategy proves that the right person in the right job matters.

Visit the APLS Online Store for more ideas about finding the right employees to make your business successful.

Earlier this week as I prepared an APLS Group proposal for a perspective new client I found myself feeling optimistic about the media hype on economic recovery. I have noticed a change in traffic around the office. The phones, fax and email have been buzzing with requests from HR departments around the country. Maybe this economic recovery talk is not just hopeful rhetoric or part of a secret government plot to convince the masses that our economy is getting back on track. Perhaps the USA Today article I read earlier this week about business picking up in various sectors in the country really is true. Given my inquisitive nature, I wondered how are HR departments going to position themselves for the next wave of American business? What will economic recovery look like through the lenses of HR departments? Will HR departments use this time to realign services with an eye on the bottom line, ethical leadership and people development?

Traditionally HR departments have concerned themselves primarily with the following areas:

• Recruiting, Interviewing and Hiring/Firing Employees

• Employee Management

• Training and Development

• Employee Manuals, Forms and Policy

• Wages and Benefits

• Government Rules, Regulations and Compliance

As economic recovery becomes a reality HR departments have an opportunity to reassess the way they currently do business. Department heads have a chance to make HR a viable stakeholder in their respective organizations by asking themselves the following questions:

• Are we becoming partners with company leadership to have a stake in perpetuating a positive, ethical company culture?

• Are we interfacing with all departments on a continuous basis to keep management and staff on the same page about company issues and policies?

• Are we using our HR budget efficiently?

• Are our recruiting efforts netting the type employees that fit our company culture?

• Are we using best in breed practices for interviewing?

• Are we researching and investing in technology as a useful tool in HR?

• Are we effectively training our employees for the maximum ROI?

• Are we researching multiple resources for the training and development of employees?  (Cheaper is not always the best investment.)

• Have all employees been made aware of diversity initiatives, harassment policies and code of conduct? Is adequate discussion time provided for employees to talk about behavioral expectations on the job?

• Have we performed a wage analysis in the last five years?

• Have we reviewed the benefit packages for existing staff and new hires? Do adjustments need to be made to compensation, health care, insurance, and work hours?

• Does the HR department have global awareness of employee management?

This is a time to be reflective and forward thinking about the power of HR in your organization. Take time to review the aforementioned questions. Let your answers be the catalyst to initiate change during the economic recovery and watch how the perception of HR improves in your organization.

Next week I will be presenting at the HR Summit 2010 in Singapore. I look forward to conversing with HR professionals from around the world about the part HR will play in the global economic recovery.

For more ideas about increasing the role HR plays in your organization, visit the APLS online store.