Development Articles

In just a few short years social networking sites have gone from something that people thought might just be a fad to a major part of our society. You’ve probably seen the statistic that if Facebook was a country it would be the fourth largest in the world. It might also surprise you to know that based on Facebook’s last publicly released data, their fastest growing segment is adults aged 40-55.

You can’t click on a human resources web site or open a newsletter these days without confronting a significant issue in our line of work: employee morale isn’t where we’d like it to be. Sure, with the recent economic volatility it would be odd if sentiment was at an all time high. However, many surveys are indicating that if employers don’t do a better job of improving morale there will be a lot of employees hopping jobs once the market opens up again.

The New Year is here and many of us are thinking about our professional goals for the upcoming year. One thing that is never far from the minds of human resources practitioners is skills development. Looking at this for ourselves and our company’s workforce with tightened budgets can make it difficult to find development opportunities. Trade and professional organizations offer a great way to increase your skill set without breaking the bank.

In today’s rapidly evolving business environment, the most successful organizations are often those that invest in workforce development. When employees are encouraged to expand their skills and learn new ones, this creates an atmosphere that is conducive to innovation. Attention to training is also imperative from a performance management standpoint.

One of the reasons Human Resources has always struggled to become strategically involved within the corporate power structure is a lack of hard numbers. Any HR director who has tried to make a case that employee satisfaction is important for an organization’s overall performance is familiar with the frustrating response “Show us the data”. Without reliable, current research linking corporate culture with financial outcomes, HR is left with little leverage to effect change.

You probably know quite a few HR managers who have been passed over for promotion to a C-level position. No doubt you are wondering why. These dedicated professionals have spent years (or decades) in HR and have all the education and certifications necessary to qualify for this position. As managers, they have experience leading a team and making tough decisions. Each one would appear to be the perfect candidate for such job - but it’s just not happening. The same thing could happen to you.

As an HR manager, you are used to being responsible for the wellbeing of pretty much every employee in the workplace. However, sometimes you may be neglecting those closest to you - your HR staff members. Each of your direct reports needs mentoring and support. These individuals are the people you rely on most to help you do your job successfully. They should be able to rely on you as well.

There is no doubt that our present economy is still under significant pressure. While a recovery may not be in the immediate future, companies are starting to feel less panicked and are focusing more on their futures once again. One of the most exciting changes has been the reduction in conversations about cost-slashing among corporate leaders and the renewed interest in replacing those savings with more effective performance management tools.

Human resources executives are constantly setting goals to push their companies forward and bring strategy and focus to their teams. However, it’s far too common for these high level strategy goals to get pushed aside by the HR department’s most common cycle: focus on recruitment, focus on retention and then repeat. Human resources leaders understand the value and importance of breaking this cycle.

As an employer, you already spend a significant portion of your budget on total compensation for your workforce. Can you afford to invest in continuing education as well? If you do it right, the answer is probably yes. Many employees value tuition reimbursement programs. This type of benefit offers a way for workers to improve themselves and advance their careers. It also makes them feel that their employer believes in their abilities. However, you need to plan your program carefully to maximize your ROI.