Job-seekers often complain (and rightly so) about the lack of communication from potential employers. They say they get little to no response to most applications and that communication doesn’t improve a lot even after an interview or two. It’s very discouraging.

It’s also disheartening to apply for a job, only to receive communication in the form of a ‘no thank you’ letter. You instinctively want to crumple up the paper, hit the delete button, or angrily write back,  “@^&# you!”

Don’t do any of the above. As disappointing as the news may be, I’d suggest sending a quick, gracious reply, maybe something as simple as, Read the rest of this entry »

The other day, I was struck with the bug to reorganize my desk drawers at work. I decided to switch the right and left file drawers and retire a bunch of paper. As I worked, I noticed I’ve collected a lot of interesting objects during my tenure:

1. Furniture spray. My table shows fingerprints quickly, especially nervous interviewee hand-prints, so I spray and clean several times weekly.
2. Contact lens solution. If you wear contacts, you understand.
3. Deodorant. ‘Cuz you know, sometimes you run out of your house in a hurry. And the rest of the world shouldn’t have to suffer!
4. A red velvet Christmas stocking declaring: Best Employee.
5. Baggies with dog food and dog treats tucked into a dog bowl at the back of a file drawer, preparation for those weekends when my dogs accompany me to work.

What are the strangest things you have in your office?

Or what’s the craziest thing you found in an inherited desk when you moved in?

photo by Manatari

If you work in HR, you know it can be hard to form close friendships at work, especially in a small HR department, because you know too many secrets.  It’s hard to form sincere, meaningful friendships when you have access to everyone’s pay and performance information, when you know who’s struggling, who’s sleeping with whom, who has accused whom of what; and you have to be fair and impartial and all that.

And at the same time, we are all familiar with Gallup research indicating that one of twelve indicators of  strong ‘engagement’ is having a good or best friend at work. So, my HR colleagues, tell me:  are you able to do it? Can you develop and sustain true friendships at work? As for me, I feel a strong connection with several co-workers, but with rare exceptions, we don’t socialize outside of the office. I’m friendly with lots of people, but I don’t have many true friends at work.

Fact: Working in HR can be lonely.

About five years ago at a job fair, I started talking with two other nonprofit social services HR pros, Liberty and Amy, and we quickly became fast Read the rest of this entry »

(I originally posted this on my FaceBook Notes,’thinking it was too ‘personal’ for my blog. But after receiving enthusiastic commentary on FaceBook, I thought it was worth re-posting  here.)

I just returned from two days at a human services association conference in western Maryland. The annual conference is geared toward executive staff; I spent most of my time with CEO’s and CFO’s.

It was awesome. I attended sessions on the state of our specific sector, financial sustainability, social media, employment law–all from a greater-than-HR perspective, so to speak. When we heard about health care reform, it wasn’t just about how it will affect our benefits budget or  that of our employees, but how it will affect the lives of our clientele and what it means to our service delivery system in Maryland. When our presenter spoke of social media, he highlighted advantages from marketing, communications, customer service and practical standpoints, rather than focusing on denying and suppressing the reality of what is or mitigating risks with restrictive approaches. When we talked about labor law, the execs asked pointed and savvy questions about the makeup of the NLRB and how much leeway Board members have in selecting the cases so that they can  advance their political agenda.

There was no navel-gazing by HR folks. No “what does it mean to be a CEO?” talk.  No professional angst. No plotting how to be taken more seriously or how to score more strategic, transformative work.

I don’t mind saying it was very refreshing.

It made me think: if we are frustrated by ‘traditional’ conferences maybe we are going to the wrong ones.  Last week while featured on Women of HR, I was asked for my advice to other HR professionals. It boiled down to: get out. Get out of your office, get out of your department, get out of the HR mindset, get out of your sector, get out of your comfort zone.  At this conference, I was able to do just that.

I read with interest Jason Lauritsen’s post about the death of the traditional HR conference. Despite my great experience with unconferences (HRevolution I&II, RecruitDC), I’ve also had very recent positive experiences with ‘regular’ conferences. I don’t think traditional conferences are dying, though they may need to evolve to keep pace with the way we learn and connect in 2010 and beyond.

Lisa Brown Morton

Last week,  I attended the third Nonprofit HR Solutions Conference (“the only human resources conference dedicated exclusively to meeting the professional development needs of [US] nonprofit human resources leaders,”) in Washington, DC.  As I arrived, I promptly ran into a number of people I know, including Tracy Tran, a recruiter I met at RecruitDC.

We had four tracks to choose from: HR 101, Legal & Compliance, HR Strategy/Workplace Culture, and Talent Management. For the most part, I eschewed the two former groups, happily basing myself in the two rooms where the more transformational sessions were held.

Other than Tracy and conference staff, I was one of very few people tweeting conference updates, quite different than RecruitDC and HRevolution I & II. I’m sure I raised eyebrows and  elicited puzzled expressions as I scrolled through my TweetDeck columns. Being a lone tweeter felt odd after the unconference format I’ve experienced at social media-influenced events in the last year.

But here’s what wasn’t so different. No ‘death by power point,’ or at least judicious, very restrained use of power point. Minimal handouts. Dynamic leaders, such as Nonprofit HR Solutions President and CEO Lisa Brown Morton. Engaging facilitators. (Pratichi Shah. Love her!) Great discussion. Valuable connections made in hallways and over beverage breaks.

The conference exceeded my expectations in every way (except one; keep reading) and I was so impressed that I volunteered to serve on the planning committee for next year’s event.

HR Take-Aways

As far as human resources goes, I love Pratichi Shah’s mantra: Ask bigger questions. Provide bigger answers. Think consultatively.

So simple, so beautiful, and so easy to remember.

Nonprofit HR Take-Aways

Nonprofits have much in common with any other business:  The downturn in the economy and all it brings. Consumer and employee fear. Impending layoffs. Employees feeling like disposable commodities per Gallup research. Increasing percentages of disengaged staff. The manager vs. HR tension. Generational differences. The struggle to find and employ performance management systems that actually work. The increasing call for more flexibility and work/life balance.

Nonprofits also have some advantages, such as work that is often inherently meaningful. The fact that employees come through the door already aligned with your mission. For-profit entities “would kill for that kind of alignment,” claimed one of the presenters. (I think it was Michael Watson, Senior VP of HR and Diversity  at Girl Scouts of America. But if I am wrong, please forgive and correct me.)  “So what are you doing with this advantage?” he challenged. “How are you putting it to use?”

Nonprofits have some distinct disadvantages:  Lean margins even in good times. A frequent lack of basic systems such as well-thought-out and well-articulated compensation structures (Slope Resources Principal Joe Brown and others mentioned this) and comprehensive leadership development programs. A frequent lack of data, much less sophisticated data analysis. Cultures so lackadaisical they may verge on the unprofessional. A general reluctance to hold employees accountable for results, whether positive or negative.  A tendency toward an entitlement mentality and equity-based compensation versus pay for performance.

To help us weather current storms and emerge in a strong position to thrive long-term, many nonprofits may need to take a very hard look at the realities of their workplaces and consider needed enhancements of workplace culture (including organizational strengths, competencies and performance, all facets of talent management)  strategic goals. In addition, there is a need for nonprofits to work toward closing the knowledge, practice and personal production/accountability gap that exist between us and the corporate world.

Social Media

I loved the Nonprofit Solutions HR Conference, but I didn’t agree with everything I heard. In particular, one session drew me like a moth to a flame, despite a sense of impending doom: The In and Outs of Social Media. Sure enough, the attorney outlined all the case law, all the reasons why organizations should be scared of social media, create a policy and (presumably) run the other way.  Although social media is increasingly the way that many of us connect, communicate, learn, and stay in touch in both or professional and our personal lives–not to mention one of the best and most cost-effective ways for nonprofits to connect with potential funders, clients, donors, volunteers, applicants, patrons, partners, information and resources–all we heard is what is wrong and scary, and what organizations can do to keep themselves safe.

This was disappointing. I’d love to challenge HR conference planners to present a more well-rounded view of social media. When talking about social networking, how about including a PR/communications person and a recruiter who successfully use social media to advance their organization’s goals, in addition to the attorney, if you feel you have to keep him/her?  HR is so much more than compliance, after all.

But the social media session was a smart blip in an otherwise exciting and energizing two days. Kudos to Lisa Brown Morton and her staff for putting on such a fabulous conference!

Sitting on the fence

Several times in the last year, candidates or new hires have bailed at the last minute, leaving my organization and its clients in the lurch. The job they really actually wanted came through at the last minute, so they apologize and give lavish explanations about how they need to take care of themselves and their families, have more perfect working conditions, pay back their student loans. They explain, often at length, sometimes contradicting what they told us in their interviews. (It’s your passion to save the flying squirrels? Hey, I’m all for wildlife, but I don’t remember that coming out in our earlier conversation. When we met, you were all about helping people with developmental disabilities.)

So people change their minds, and that’s fine, I guess. People certainly have the right to quit their jobs at any time for any reason.

But just because you have the right to do something doesn’t make it the right thing to do.

To add some perspective, let’s think about how job-seekers would respond if I were to rescind a candidate’s’ employment offer at the last minute because a better prospect came along. “I am so sorry, Ms. Brown,” I would say. “Forgive me, but the person we really wanted all along just happened to apply  yesterday!  She lives right down the street, she’s already covered on her husband’s health insurance, and she’s willing to work for $10,000 less! Honestly, it would be irresponsible not to proceed with her. I’m sorry, but I’m sure you understand.”

Can you imagine the scathing tweets and blog posts we would read?

Okay, I’m being a little facetious and I understand that there is a power differential in the employer/potential employee relationship, and so I can’t pretend it’s an equivalent scenario when I turn the tables.

But still, I hope I’ve made my point.

Photo by Tambako the Jaguar

Yesterday, my teenager and I went out to buy him Freakonomics by Stephen D. Levitt for high school English class. (Can I digress and say that  is a much  cooler, more interesting book than I was assigned back in the day?)  On the way to the bookstore, we passed a retail establishment that reminded me of Victorio Milian. I told Justin about meeting Victorio at HRevolution. “He’s so smart,” I said. “And so nice!”

“Isn’t everyone in HR nice?” my son asked, obviously a little confused. “Isn’t it a part of the job?”

Oh, my sweet, innocent child.  How do I answer?

My innocent child, how I wish you were right. And I wish I could shield you from the harsh realities of the world.

But NO, not all HR people are nice. I wish they were. Telling the truth and HR and the business world is almost as awkward and painful as a holding a frank conversation about the birds and the bees!

Not that I think any other professional skill or competency should be compromised in favor of the elusive nice gene. But who says it needs to be an either/or proposition?

This week, I just can’t find anything to wear. Maybe it’s the change of season and I just need to go out and do some Fall shopping.

So it got me thinking: have you ever called in sick because you couldn’t find anything you wanted to wear? Come on, be honest; someone out there has! Or if not you, then someone you know.

While we’re on this subject, what is the most creative or unbelievable excuse you’ve ever heard for missing work?  Mine: An employee couldn’t come in because he was locked in his garage.

Also, where you live, is it calling in, calling out, or calling off? Around here, it’s all the same; I guess any preposition will do when you don’t want to go to work.

Photo by Jen’s Stream

p.s. Let me clarify, I am going to the office today, and I’m not advocating abandoning work for frivolous reasons!

A couple weeks ago, I was received a surprise package from Verizon and tore it open to find a black t-shirt, men’s size XL, emblazoned with the Droid logo.

(What is that thing anyway, a red, alien eyeball?)

The shirt was Verizon’s way of thanking me for my recent phone purchase.

If you’ve met me, you know that I am 5’3″ and a women’s small would fit much better. Thanks for the gesture, Verizon, but what do I do with this? My son would have loved it several years ago when he was into dark, tent-sized t-shirts that covered baggy jeans worn low, low down on his hips.  But now he wears clothes that actually fit, so the Droid shirt will probably find a home at the thrift store.

This got me thinking, wondering how often we as managers or HR pros spend precious time and resources giving people what they don’t want or need. Whether benefits, policies, events (Annual Family Fun Day!), Employee of the Month-type programs or anything else, we could all think more about whether what we’re well-intentionally dishing out is what people actually prefer to eat.

How do you ensure that dollars are well spent rewarding and supporting your employees? How do you ask for input and feedback, and how do you make changes and corrections to the course you’ve taken? Let me know with your comments.