HR TRends In 2018 Good business means putting employees, culture first - Squarespace
←
→
Page content transcription
If your browser does not render page correctly, please read the page content below
01. 2018
Vol.6 No.01
PRESENTED BY
HR Trends In 2018
Good business means putting
employees, culture first
Jewell Parkinson
FEATURED RESEARCH
Workforce 2020: Building
today’s talent to meet
tomorrow’s needs
Exclusive HR.com research sponsored by
Pandexio - Page 27-38
PRESENTED BY
What are the HR Strategy and Planning
Excellence Essentials Products and
Services?
HR Strategy and Planning Excellence Essentials - Monthly Interactive Learning Journal
Watch as this monthly interactive learning experience captures key metrics and actionable
items and keeps you focused on your HR strategy and planning goals and solutions.
Workforce Planning and Analytics Certificate Program (5 hours)
A Certificate in Workforce Planning and Analytics with the Institute for Human Resources
(IHR) makes you credible, marketable, and shows your dedication to your profession.
Workforce Planning and Analytics Expert Certification Program (40 hours)
Work towards the ultimate credential for education. Showcase your expertise with Expert Certification in the Workforce
Planning and Analytics domain and learn how to bring strategic planning programs into your organization and make
them impactful. The program offers credit courses on the business process for ensuring that an organization has
suitable access to talent to help guarantee future business success.
Workforce Planning and Analytics Community
Join almost 70,000 HR.com members with a similar interest and focus on workforce planning and analytics. Share
content and download white papers, blogs, and articles, network, and “follow” peers and have them “follow” you
in a social network platform to communicate regularly and stay on top of the latest updates. The well established
Workforce Planning and Analytics Community is an invaluable resource for any HR staffing professional or manager.
Workforce Planning and Analytics Weekly eNewsletter
Available to HR.com’s Workforce Planning and Analytics eNewsletter subscribers, this weekly opt-in email contains
all the relevant news and targeted content specific to planning strategy and analytics.
Use these resources today! Contact us now to inquire about
organizational customization and pricing!
CONNECTING HR EXPERTS GLOBALLY For more information phone: 1.877.472.6648 | email: sales@hr.com | www.hr.com
01. 2018 Vol.6 No.01
PRESENTED BY
Index Features
08
HR Leadership Trends 2018
ON THE COVER More voluntary benefits. More
technology. More mobile.
HR Trends In 2018 David Reid
Good business means putting employees,
culture first
11
In 2018, we will see continued focus on Don’t Fall Behind In The
Evolving Workplace
the importance of culture, reputation
Five ways the gig economy will
and socially responsible technology change in 2018
engagement. Marion McGovern
Jewell Parkinson PG.05
15
Handle With Care
How to mindfully address a
Articles sexual harassment claim
Leah Weiss
06 How Far Have We Come? 21 Is 2018 The Year AI Will Build Our
The state of strategic HR Best Teams?
19
Brian Anderson Say goodbye to your low-tech excel Get Ready For The Workplace
spreadsheets Of 2018
09 Digital Transformation And HR Phil Alexander Top 10 predictions
What does it mean and why should you Kevin Sheridan
pay attention? 22 Alexa - Can You Manage My HR?
Bill Donoghue Will AI make HR professionals redundant
or resilient?
13 How Technology Helps In Making Mehul Pandya
HR A Strategic Partner
The changing role of HR 25 How An Integrated Contingent FEATURED RESEARCH
Gunjan Bhatia Workforce Model Helps Companies
Get Peak Value
17 Human Resources: Leading Mergers Five key ways this approach will help
& Acquisitions businesses
How to put people, integration and Ted Sergott
communication first
Judy Collister
Workforce 2020: Building
today’s talent to meet
tomorrow’s needs
Exclusive HR.com research sponsored by
Pandexio - Page 27-38
Vol.6 Issue. 01
Editorial Purpose:
Our mission is to promote personal and
organizational leadership based on
constructive values, sound ethics, and
timeless principles.
HR Strategy and Planning Excellence
Essentials is published monthly by
HR.com Limited
56 Malone Road
Jacksons Point, Ontario
L0E 1L0
Submissions & Correspondence:
Please send any correspondence, articles,
letters to the editor, and requests to
reprint, republish, or excerpt articles to
ePubEditors@hr.com
Customer Service/Circulation:
you make sure that an employee’s harassment For customer service, or information on
Editor’s Note claim is handled carefully, with mindfulness and
compassion? Read Leah Weiss’ article, Handle
With Careto know how to get it right.
products and services call
1-877-472-6648
Y
Website: www.hr.com
Gone are the days when HR used to merely
ear 2017 saw many changes in the busi- manage administrative tasks and play a support- For Advertising Opportunities, email:
ness space, which directly or indirectly affected ing role in the business. For more insights on sales@hr.com
the HR industry. From Trump’s workplace poli- HR becoming a strategic partner, read Gunjan HR Strategy and Planning Excellence
cies to overtime rule, cyber security threats to Bhatia›s article, How Technology Helps In Essentials Publishing:
the #me too campaign, there were too many Making HR A Strategic Partner. Debbie McGrath, CEO, HR.com - Publisher
tasks for the HR department to handle. In Will AI eliminate human from Human Re- Shelley Marsland-Beard - VP of Sales
brief, 2017 was a hectic and transformative year sources? Mehul Pandya throws some light on this Babitha Balakrishnan - Editor
Savitha Malar - Design and Layout
for the entire HR industry. What’s in store for most debated topic of 2017 in his article, Alexa
HR in 2018? - Can You Manage My HR? Copyright © 2018 HR.com
Read top HR predictions for 2018 by HR We are also excited to include featured Publishing. No part of this publication may
experts in this issue of the magazine. Jewel Par- research on Workforce 2020 in this issue. be reproduced or transmitted in any form
kinson’s article, HR Trends In 2018 focuses on Workforces today have had a hard time keeping without written permission from the
publisher. Quotations must be credited.
why corporate culture matters.According to her, pace with the digital disruptions. It is with this
in 2018, we will see continued focus on the threat in mind that HR.com partnered with
importance of culture, reputation and socially Pandexio to create survey research intended to SUBSCRIBE NOW FOR $99/YEAR
responsible technology engagement. investigate how prepared today’s workforce is
In his article, Is 2018 The Year AI Will Build to meet the challenges of the near future. The And get this magazine delivered to your
inbox every month
Our Best Teams, Phil Alexander says that new whitepaper not only contains the findings from OR
team-building technology will fully take root in the survey but also the implications of those Become a Member Today to get it FREE!
2018. He puts forth three biggest HR changes findings along with valuable takeaways.
we will see in 2018. Kevin Sheridan also lists Also included are interesting articles on work-
SIGN UP
his top 10 predictions for the 2018 workplace. force planning and HR trends in this issue. As
David Reid in his article, HR Leadership we are all set to embark on a great journey in
Trends 2018, talks about top trends that will 2018, we hope our magazine will help create
have an impact on HR leadership this year. a better experience for your workforce in your
The ABC News poll that sparked the #MeToo organization.
movement found that 33 million US women Wishing you a great year ahead!
have endured some form of sexual harassment
at work. With 95% of poll respondents finding Have a say ?
that perpetrators usually go unpunished, HR Write to the Editor.
managers play a vital role in helping eliminate
sexual harassment in the workplace. How can
Debbie Mcgrath Babitha Balakrishnan
Publisher, HR.com Editor,
HR Strategy and
Planning Excellence
Essentials
COVER Article
HR Trends In 2018
Good business means putting employees, culture first
By Jewell Parkinson
If 2017 showed us anything, it is that corporate culture matters. they’re building cultures that are part of the solution.
Employees are and will always be a company’s most valuable asset – yet Over the past few months, many companies have publicly com-
headlines showed that the collective business community still has a mitted to increasing diversity and creating the cultural environment
lot to do to ensure a fair and balanced workplace. rooted in respect and inclusivity to serve as the catalyst to innovation
The good news, however, is that many companies – often led by and success. In 2018, we will see companies measure what matters
their HR functions - have demonstrated that they are deeply com- and provide increased transparency into these efforts; additionally,
mitted to building a strong culture that emphasizes diversity and they’ll employ new technologies to weed out and eradicate disparity
inclusion and supports the needs of employees throughout the entire and bias in an effort to sustain a culture of inclusion.
employment lifecycle. Whether it is through innovative new benefits, Companies Will Embrace a Tailored Performance Dialogue to
an increase in opportunities for diverse candidates, or the addition of Fit Their Needs
programs to help employees where they need it most, there is much In 2018, companies will encourage managers to help their direct
to be proud of in 2017. reports identify new ways to learn and grow and perform successfully.
As we look ahead at 2018, one thing is clear. Organizations that However, it won’t be a one-size-fits-all approach, as some companies
breed a toxic culture will be held to greater public scrutiny than ever will adopt a continuous performance feedback model and others will
before. On the flipside, we will see companies double down on making continue to review performance more traditionally.
existing HR programs stronger and enacting new procedures and Whichever model is used, we expect that this year companies will
technologies to build a better future for employees across industries. veer away from rigid performance models to allow for greater agility,
Here are four HR trends that we are watching carefully in 2018 personalized, dialogue-based performance interactions–focused on
and beyond: providing timely and holistic feedback to drive future focused per-
Doing Good Business is Good Business formance outcomes.
In 2018, we will see continued focus on the importance of culture, Health and Wellness Will be Customizable for Employee Needs
reputation and socially responsible technology engagement. Data and In 2017, companies embraced the idea that corporate benefits go
information ethicists will become new stewards of corporate culture. beyond the walls of the organization itself. Companies began redefining
The digitization of data – and the increasing amount available to their approach to benefits to take care of the employee in all aspects of
companies every day – is giving leaders a new lens through which his/her life – particularly geared at maximizing the health and wellness.
to manage projects and teams, while at the same time adding a new And that’s just a start. In 2018, we’ll see companies building on their
layer of complexity when it comes to decisions around data that are commitment to employee wellness through a more inclusive approach
responsible, ethical, compliant and in keeping with cultural norms. to benefits, customizable for the individual needs of a diverse workforce.
But what 2017 has shown us is the need for a dedicated focus joining This includes more services for working parents, and for employees of
forces with other key stakeholders such as CEO, CTO, CIO, CHRO all ages to take better control of their health and well-being.
across the enterprise operating as the key cultural safeguard for organi- Organizations will look to deliver on the physical, mental and
zations of all sizes and industries – from startup to mature enterprise. lifestyle needs of every employee, through various lenses. As technol-
In 2018, expect to see more companies focusing on ethical data ogy continues to simplify personal health management, so too will
mining methods and anonymization practices to both safeguard companies look for meaningful ways to benefit their employees – in
privacy as well as ensure ethical use of insights. This will be occupied part through access to tools like Livongo for diabetes tracking and
by those with a skillset that bridges technical skills, privacy expertise real-time management, Color for genetic testing for cancer, and Milk
and an understanding of human behavior and sound understanding Stork for road warriors to ship breast milk. As well, increase focus
of legal and regulatory implications. These individuals will collabo- on practices such as mindfulness, which has various beneficial effects
rate across c-suite leadership, legal, compliance, human resource and on well-being. S&P
operations departments to ensure the organization is complying with
all standards, while reinforcing a workplace culture that is increasingly Jewell Parkinson is the Head of Human Resources at SAP North America.
Connect Jewell Parkinson
yearning for greater transparency, insight, inclusion and intolerant of
unethical behavior which goes against culture.
Companies Will Double Down on Eliminating Bias in the Workplace
Corporate headlines in 2017 painted a clear picture: Gender inequal-
ity remains a hot issue everywhere from Silicon Valley to the silver
screen. The conversation these stories sparked has raised awareness Would you like to comment?
for change – and in 2018, companies will take proactive measures
to demonstrate greater transparency to show, rather than tell, how
HR Strategy and Planning Excellence Essentials presented by HR.com | 01.2018 Submit your Articles 5
How Far Have We Come?
The state of strategic HR
By Brian Anderson
A recent study by BambooHR shows companies know strategic HR
HR is important. 1. Help plan the implementation of strategic business decisions
They just aren’t doing it. 2. Identify strategic business options (e.g. cost and types of benefits,
Strategic HR means managing HR in a way that supports the com- benchmarking of culture market, etc.)
pany’s long-term business goals and outcomes. In essence, it goes far 3. Assess the organization’s readiness to implement strategic options
beyond the administrative duties HR has been known for and applies 4. Design strategic options (e.g., benefits package plan)
HR principles and practices to overall business strategy—both now 5. Obtain buy-in for the strategic business options
and in the future. However, while HR professionals recognize the Non-HR Management
importance of strategic HR, a recent study shows that not nearly as 1. Design strategic options (e.g., benefits package plan)
many HR professionals actually practice it. 2. Obtain buy-in for the strategic business options
According to a survey of more than 1000 current business leaders 3. Assess the organization’s readiness to implement strategic options
(HR and non-HR) in the U.S., the majority of respondents feel 4. Help plan the implementation of strategic business decisions
that it is either important or very important to implement strategic 5. Analyze and oversee the financial and business impact of strategic
HR practices. However, more than 72 percent of HR professionals business decisions
revise and adapt their HR strategy reactively instead of proactively, Reassuringly for HR, however, management agrees they provide HR
indicating a significant lack of strategic HR. After all, it is difficult departments with less support and fewer resources than they need to
to be thinking ahead when you are being reactive. In fact, a major- be strategic in their efforts. Only 13 percent of non-HR management
ity (as much as 60 percent) spend more time in administrative and agrees that HR is given all the support they need.
maintenance tasks than they spend in strategic tasks like developing If we want HR departments to consistently be seen as strategic
HR processes and practices. partners, there is still some work to do. However, it can be done, and
So, what is keeping HR professionals from proactively creating a the future looks bright! HR can begin by better communicating how
strategy to support long-term business goals and outcomes? It turns the activities they perform contribute to the overall business strategy.
out there are a few factors: Slow executive buy-in, lack of resources They must also align those activities with the activities management
(e.g. budget and tools), and administrative demands that limit time. thinks are most helpful in reaching business goals and initiatives.
While there’s no easy way to bring about strategic excellence in HR, In addition, HR can maximize the value of their available resources
the deeper we dig into the data, the more lessons we learn that will through improved data management and automated processes. This
pave the way for HR to become strategic partners. will not only free up more time to focus on strategy, but it will also
Key Results justify an increase in the amount of resources HR receives. As HR does
While 85 percent of HR professionals polled believe it is either all this consistently over time, business leaders and executive teams
important or very important to practice strategic HR, only 67 percent will better recognize them as strategic business partners and empower
of non-HR management feels the same. Only 27 percent of HR them to make a lasting impact going forward. S&P
professionals work with the corporate board on business strategy.
Brian Anderson is Creative Copywriter at BambooHR. He has written content
While only 70 percent of HR professionals say they actively identify, on several aspects of productivity improvement for BambooHR and Franklin-
evaluate and implement HR best practices in their organizations, Planner.com.
Visit www.bamboohr.com
even fewer (50 percent) non-HR management members say HR is Connect Brian Anderson
implementing best practices.
Of the 67 percent of non-HR management who feel that it is
either important or very important to practice strategic HR, only 46
percent say that their HR team is either involved or very involved in Would you like to comment?
the strategic business planning of the company.
ACCESS THE FULL INFOGRAPHIC HERE
HR and non-HR management have very different ideas of how
HR contributes in strategic business activities.
They ranked the ways HR contribute most in strategic business
activities very differently:
6 Submit your Articles HR Strategy and Planning Excellence Essentials presented by HR.com | 01.2018
STRATEGIC HR IS
OUR MISSION
With the right tools, HR can become the strategic partner every organization needs.
BambooHR streamlines hiring with award-winning applicant tracking, centralizes
and safeguards all your data, empowers employees with easy mobile and desktop
dashboards, and handles operational tasks that stand in the way of what really
matters: creating a workplace where talented people can exceed expectations.
We set you free to do great work.
bamboohr.com
FEATURE
HR Leadership Trends 2018
More voluntary benefits. More technology. More mobile.
By David Reid
As we embark on a new year, we tend to look ahead to predict work with to build a more engaged, highly skilled and knowledge-
what might be in store for us, both personally and professionally. On able workforce. These applications also enable HR leaders to meet the
the personal side, we may foresee events that are truly life changing, or relentless pressure they face to do more for their organizations. Part
to borrow from current parlance, disruptive – a new home, a new baby, of the increasing role that technology will play will be on the analyt-
a new job. When we think about what changes are expected from the ics side, with applications that will help HR leadership more readily
professional landscape, what’s new is seldom startlingly, disruptively identify the initiatives that offer an optimal return on investment.
new, but rather a continuation of trends that have been emerging Smaller organizations, especially those with limited IT resources, may
over time. With this in mind, here’s what I see on the horizon that have concerns about becoming too reliant on technology that they are
will have an impact on HR leadership during 2018. not able to support. The good news is that the increasingly prevalent
Recruitment and retention strategies will evolve to include more cloud-based or software-as-a-service platforms allow organizations
voluntary benefits. With continued low unemployment and high to adopt new applications without having to devote constrained IT
demand for employees with advanced skill sets, there’s increasing pres- resources to manage and support them.
sure on HR managers to devise recruitment and retention strategies Millennials at work will continue to demand mobile access to
that will set their organizations apart from the competition. One-way everything. With the baby boomers retiring, the millennial genera-
HR leadership will improve their organization’s recruitment and reten- tion makes up a growing part of the workforce. Even if you aren’t a
tion game is by creating a more interesting set of voluntary benefits part of this dynamic cohort, or don’t have one in your family to keep
to complement the basics (health coverage and PTO). Voluntary (or reminding you just how out of it you are, or you’ve never stood in line
optional) benefits may be 100% funded by the employee, funded behind a millennial coffee-drinker when they used their phone to pay
in part by the employer, or covered by an amount set aside by the for their latte, it cannot have escaped the notice of HR leaders that
employer for each employee to use as they see fit. (If the employees millennials rely on their mobile devices to manage pretty much every
are covering all the costs themselves, the reasons for working through aspect of their personal and professional lives. So, while technology
their company are convenience and the fact that the company can will be playing an increasing role in helping HR get the job done,
often secure a discounted rate for a benefit.) you can’t overlook the importance of mobile access to any employee-
Voluntary benefits cover a very broad range. There are insurance- facing application, including those providing benefits information.
related offerings: Dental, vision, life, disability, critical illness, and Providing mobile access meets an important requirement for millen-
even homeowners or automobile insurance; offerings that provide nials, and demonstrating that your organization is responsive to this
long-term security (a 401 K plan, with matching contributions from requirement, and is current and tech-savvy, can help with recruiting
the employer); and education-related benefits: Tuition assistance or and retaining members of this key workplace cohort.
student loan repayment. Some companies provide employees with More voluntary benefits. More technology. More mobile. These
the opportunity to receive legal assistance (e.g., creating a will) or are the top three trends I see impacting HR leadership during 2018?
financial counseling. There are also many softer benefits, like allowing What do you see on the horizon? S&P
employees paid time off to dedicate to volunteer initiatives, and off-beat
benefits – pet insurance, sabbatical leaves, and delocation (helping David Reid is the Founder & CEO of EaseCentral. He has over 30 years of
employees move to a new location where they’ll work remotely, an experience in the employee benefits and group insurance industry and was one
of the earliest adopters of technology as an integral strategy for employers in the
especially attractive benefit when the company is in an area with a late 1990s. Reid started his career as a group sales representative in 1986 with
high cost of living). John Alden Life, and after a short period with Lincoln National Corporation,
and then became a consultant and agent for Unison Benefits Management, a
Technology will play an increasing role in enabling core HR leading provider in the Minneapolis/St. Paul marketplace. In 2012, Reid co-
processes. Whether benefits are basic or voluntary, they can all, of founded EaseCentral, to create a small group solution that provides the robust
eligibility management features previously limited to enterprise solutions used
course, be handled the old-fashioned way: via paper information by large employers.
flows and manual data entry. However, the old-fashioned way is Connect David Reid
time-consuming, cumbersome, and error-prone. There are applica-
tions available that automate many benefits-related tasks: Employee Would you like to comment?
education about benefits, benefits enrollment, and PTO requests.
Many applications help manage other HR tasks including recruitment,
onboarding, performance reviews, and payroll. What these applications
have in common is that they help improve HR productivity, freeing
HR professionals to focus on the more high-value and creative aspects
of their work, such as collaborating with the business groups they
8 Submit your Articles HR Strategy and Planning Excellence Essentials presented by HR.com | 01.2018
Digital Transformation And HR
What does it mean and why should you pay attention?
By Bill Donoghue
The business world is abuzz with the concept of “Digital Transfor- HR should also align closely with leadership to understand how
mation.” The rise of trends like the Internet of Things (IoT), mobility to structure the organization during its digital transformation. Tra-
and artificial intelligence (AI) have C-level executives questioning ditional roles and departments might blend with technology that is
their teams’ digital savviness and access to data. They are struggling more conventional or IT, meaning that leadership should be clear
to understand how to roll out a formal digital transformation strategy about and the organization’s direction and requirements for success.
and where it will have the biggest impact on business operations and According to Skillsoft research, there is still a lack of clarity about what
management. These are big ideas that require big changes, and we’re C-level position should “own” the transformation. For instance, 34
only beginning to understand what digital transformation will demand percent of survey respondents said the chief technology or information
of organizations and their workforces. HR must play a significant officer should oversee the project, while 17 percent responded that it
role in defining those changes, while ensuring that employees at all should be the role of the chief executive officer. Further, 11 percent of
levels, in all functions have the skills and tools necessary to deliver respondents suggested the chief learning officer and others indicated
on those new goals. a chief digital officer, chief operations officer or chief strategy officer
What is Digital Transformation? might be a good candidate. Ultimately, the executive team will make
Digital transformation is the realignment of, or new investment the decision, but HR will help them execute on that vision with
in, technology, business models and processes to drive new value advanced and continuous learning.
and experiences for customers and employees, and more effectively
“
compete in an ever-changing digital economy. It is arguably the fourth
industrial revolution, after mechanical production in the 1780s, mass
production in the 1870s and automated production (electronics and Digital transformation is impacting every country and
computers) in the 1970s. Digital transformation is impacting every
every industry at an exponential pace. Organization
country and every industry at an exponential pace. Organization leaders
in all industries are using digital advances like analytics, mobility, IoT, leaders in all industries are using digital advances
social media and smart embedded devices, and both new technologies like analytics, mobility, IoT, social media and smart
and traditional technologies to change customer relationships, internal
embedded devices, and both new technologies
processes, business models and value propositions.
Recent research shows that companies that embrace digital trans- and traditional technologies to change customer
formation have 16 percent higher revenues, generate 26 percent more relationships, internal processes, business models
profit and have 12 percent higher market valuations. Despite those
and value propositions”
positive numbers, only 46 percent of companies have begun to invest
in skills to prepare their workforce for digital transformation.
So how do companies begin to make the transition to digital trans-
formation and reap the rewards of improved business processes? At the A company’s digital transformation affects every level of the or-
heart of this shift is the need to reskill employees at all levels so they ganization. There isn’t a single employee who won’t be affected. As
can use new digital tools and incorporate them into their traditional procedures, technologies, teams, roles and goals change, the HR
roles. Primary research from Skillsoft shows that more than two-thirds team remains a beacon of information, learning and accountability.
of all organizations believe that they do not have the right leadership Organizations are in this transformation for the long haul. Smart HR
skills or competencies to adapt at this time. leaders will insert themselves early in the journey to provide teams
Incorporating Training from the Ground Up with the necessary tools and resources that will create a roadmap for
Training must occur across the organization, including marketing the workforce and enable long-term success. S&P
and sales, which are increasingly employing analytics to better record
and improve performance, and the C-suite, which should apply digital Bill Donoghue is the Chairman and CEO of the Skillsoft Group.
Connect Bill Donoghue
skills to enhance product offerings and build out organization pipeline.
HR managers can support the organization’s digital transformation
by giving employees access to digital skills tools and training with
courses on topics like data science, business intelligence, digital design,
marketing and virtual collaboration. By offering continuous learning
for employees, especially in a digital format, HR managers can keep Would you like to comment?
up with their changing job demands, help the organization upskill,
reskill, and find new talent within the existing workforce.
HR Strategy and Planning Excellence Essentials presented by HR.com | 01.2018 Submit your Articles 9
SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH
FEBRUARY 7-8TH, 2018
Create a High Potential
and Passionate Workforce
An HR Conference Dedicated to Leadership Development
Register at LEAD2018.COM
FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT LEAD2018.COMFEATURE
Don’t Fall Behind In The Evolving
Workplace
Five ways the gig economy will change in 2018
By Marion McGovern
Change is the one thing we can count on. That said, sometimes of independent workers. For some, combining forces may make the
it can be radical, and others more evolutionary. In the Gig World, most sense. At the same time though, specialty sites are springing
much of the change I foresee will be the latter. So here are five things up to cater to a very precise expertise niche. These entrepreneurs
to look for in 2018: recognize that complicated projects requirements cannot be easily
The Academic Community Is Getting On Board reconciled with the project engines of a Catalant or Upwork, which
More and more colleges and universities are getting involved with is designed to spec out all sorts of projects. There are also some spe-
the Gig Economy. This is a great development, since many indi- cialty platforms of a more commoditized talent level. For example,
viduals are not prepared to handle the business end of becoming an there is one that was just released for snowplow drivers Expect to see
independent worker. Various segments of the academic community more specialists in 2018.
have taken note of the need to educate this up and coming workforce. The Technology Supply Chain Becomes More Dynamic
The Babson MBA program may have been the first to have a course It was interesting to see Upwork as a vendor at a major staffing
devoted to the gig world, but others are following suit. Udemy, the industry conference this year. Staffing companies are using Upwork,
online education platform, started offering a course called “The Gig one of the largest digital talent platforms, to source candidates for
Economy Preparation Guide”. In the spring a Northern California large clients. Those same clients may use Upwork too, especially
based community college will be launching a course as well. In addi- when they may want to skirt existing procurement procedures. The
tion, government programs aimed at worker retraining are emerging. collaborative coexistence will continue though, since the platform
The city of San Francisco, in association with the not-for-profit, Sa- companies consider themselves technology firms and don’t want to
maSchool, recently launched a free program to help workers succeed identify as human capital firms. Some, like Catalant, are moving into
in the on-demand gig world. The six-class curriculum covers topics the enterprise side with large companies to help them understand the
like personal branding, safety, and expense management. Expect to talent resident within their employee base. It is only a matter of time
see other programs launch to provide independent workers with the before that employee platform links with the external talent platforms.
business skills needed to be successful in the gig world. Innovators Will Continue to Enhance the Gig Community
More Data Will Become Available The private sector has come through where policy makers have not
The Gig economy suffers from having no single source of reliable in many respects. For example, a firm started in 2016, Bunker Insur-
data. The US Government stopped tracking the segment in 2005, ance, has developed a professional liability insurance platform that is
but many others have stepped up to evaluate it. These include think a major enabler of higher end independent work. Similarly, look for
tanks like McKinsey Global Institute, independent research firms, like other programs to be developed. Trezeo, a start-up in Dublin, Ireland
Emergent Research, industry players like MBO Partners or Upwork, is developing a fin tech platform to reduce the income volatility of
and industry suppliers like Freshbooks. Expect to see more players gig works. As Australian financial services firm is launching a pension
enter the fray to gain subject matter expertise credentials in this product in 2018 targeted solely at gig economy workers in Australia.
burgeoning field. In November, the Aspen Institute announced the Expect more savvy entrepreneurs to develop products and services to
creation of a special program for Gig Economy research with Cornell. meet the needs of the Gig Economy. S&P
Similarly, the University of Washington has also just established a new
Marion McGovern, author of Thriving in the Gig Economy, is the co-founder
resource center as part of its MBA program. Building expertise in this and former CEO of M Squared Consulting, one of the first Gig Economy
field offers greater leverage and connection to the growing cohort of talent intermediaries to thrive before the term was even coined. She is also the
founder of Collabrus, a company focused on independent contractor compli-
gig workers, now numbering over 50 million people in the US. The ance. With a tremendous career in the human capital space and with a virtual
increased study will be valuable but with more data, there will be specialty in employment law, McGovern taught in the prestigious School of
Management at the University of San Francisco for seven years.
more data to reconcile as well. Visit http://marionmcgovern.com/
Expect More Consolidation and Specialization Connect Marion McGovern
Some were surprised when Ikea purchased Task Rabbit earlier this
year. Given the need to add a higher value service to the retail world Would you like to comment?
it was a great for Ikea. For the task rabbit folks, it presented the
opportunity for more gigs. That is the opportunity that may driver
more mergers in 2018. As it is, there are more talent platforms in
operation than most people appreciate. Do we really need more than a
dozen platforms for consultants or web designers or…pick a specialty
Many of the more generic sites are trying to attract the same cohort
HR Strategy and Planning Excellence Essentials presented by HR.com | 01.2018 Submit your Articles 11HRCI® & SHRM® For Certified
RECERTIFICATION HR Professionals
RECERTIFICATION PROGRAM
Get Completely
• Unlimited Webcasts Recertified For
ATTENDEE
$200
• Unlimited Virtual Conferences SAVE $50 on any
• Credits per Webcast: HR.com Service
- HRCI® Credit using promo code
- SHRM® Credit
- WorldatWork Credit SHRM2017
USING PROMO CODE RCRT50X
SPECIAL
CHOOSE FROM:
• 5000+ On-Demand HR Webinars
• 400 + Credits (HRCI® & SHRM® )
• 50 + Strategic Credits (SPHR® )
• 15 + Global Credits (GPHR® )
ATTENDEE
Sign up Watch Webinars Submit your Credits
www.hr.com/recertification
SPECIAL Anytime + Earn Credits to HRCI® and/or SHRM®
GET STARTED AT:
In Association with www.hr.com/recertificationHow Technology Helps In
Making HR A Strategic Partner
The changing role of HR
By Gunjan Bhatia
Long gone are the days when HR used to merely manage ad- not just from a talent, but an employer branding perspective too,” as
ministrative tasks and play a supporting role in the business. Over the quoted from a post published by HRKatha.
past few years, HR has transformed itself into a most valuable asset
to the organization. It has increased its credibility by participating in
strategic business functions and sharing insightful opinions to make
company’s strategic decisions.
Since HR leaders are responsible to manage people-related processes,
it gives them better insights to challenges and issues related to the
workforce. Thus, industry experts believe that HR can contribute in
developing best business strategies.
Today, HR is empowered with knowledge, business insights and
tools to be a part of the conversations where future of a business is
determined. Thanks to technology initiatives, HR is largely relieved
from the administrative tasks and can invest more time on strategic
initiatives such as planning workforce capabilities, managing talent
repository and ensuring that talent needs are always met in a proac-
tive manner.
Technology Is Increasing HR Effectiveness
A CRANET/ SHRM/CIHRS 2014/15 report demonstrates the
results of a survey where almost 700 HR leaders participated. It was
found that, “83 percent of organizations use online HR management By understanding the business deeply: It is important to under-
systems, with 67 percent using an employee self-service option”. stand all aspects of a business and know how different parts function
Organizations have automated transactional processes that earlier together. Have basic information about: How does the company
used to take major part of an HR’s work day. generate revenue? Who are the competitors? What makes your busi-
A 2017 Paychex Pulse of HR Survey revealed that technology has ness different from competitors? Knowing in and out of a business is
enabled human resources to be more efficient on the job: necessary to create better strategies that can go a long way.
• More than 60 percent of survey respondents believe that By putting analytics to the right use: HR Analytical tools have
technology is very effective to manage payroll, retirement, benefits become important in the recent times. Strategic data insights provided
administration, and time and attendance tracking. by analytics and reports makes HR more informed and objective. These
• More than 95 percent respondents find that technology is tools aid in identifying high potential employees and predicting which
effective to manage variety of HR tasks, including onboarding, employees may be at the risk of leaving the organization. Through
recruitment, performance management, talent management, analytics, employee leave trends can also be found out. Leveraging
training and development and other functions. the accurate data insights put HR in a strong position to voice out
HR being the most valuable resource for an organization, can now opinion at strategic discussions.
spend time on processes that matter the most. Takeaway: HR Technology does help Human Resources in increasing
How Can HR Become A Strategic Partner? its effectiveness and making it a strategic partner by its contribution
By changing the mindset: Though HR is becoming a strategic to business decisions and in achieving organizational goals. S&P
partner by bringing innovative ideas on the table, yet there are com-
Gunjan Bhatia is a Director at Saigun Technologies. She believes that people
panies that don’t believe in the concept. Human resource professionals are the most important asset and by engaging and empowering the people, an
need to change the mindset that the role of human resources is not only organization can see a better tomorrow. She is a result-oriented professional
and ensures impeccable quality of work. Her blogs deal with HR and talent
to manage administration needs, perform transactional operations or management
meet compliance, but it goes beyond. The role of HR is ever evolving. Connect Gunjan Bhatia
Visit www.saigun.com
Francis Padamadan, country director, KellyOCG India said, “For-
ward-looking organisations involve HR in a lot of business-related
decisions as it has a bearing on strategy, people/their roles and in Would you like to comment?
general, the culture of the company. HR is expected to contribute
HR Strategy and Planning Excellence Essentials presented by HR.com | 01.2018 Submit your Articles 13PHR® SHRM-CP®
SPHR® + SHRM-SCP® For Seasoned
EXAM TRAINING HR Professionals
Our HR Certification Courses Average a 93% Pass Rate Among Participants
HR.com Study Program Materials:
• Our program includes the entire set of
materials from HRCP (Human Resources
Certification Preparation)
• Materials include: 6 Study Guides, 100s of
Flashcards, and over 800 online practice
exam questions
• Designed for: PHR®, SPHR®, SHRM-CP®,
and SHRM-SCP®
+
16-WEEK COMPREHENSIVE COURSE SELF PACED ELEARNING COURSE
• 30 hours of live, instructor-led online • 20+ hours of interactive instruction
virtual classroom sessions and tutorials
• 2 classes per week (live, online) • User-friendly learning platform tailored
specifically for HR Certification Exams
• Evening Hours (8PM, 9PM, or 10PM ET)
• Accessible anytime, and anywhere
• Bonus tutorial and review sessions
with internet access
• Personalized coaching and mentoring
• Bonus tutorial and review sessions
• Classes starting every month
• Personalized coaching and mentoring
USING PROMO CODE USING PROMO CODE
SAVE $50 18PREP50X SAVE $50 ELRN50X
GET STARTED AT:
www.hr.com/prepcourseFEATURE
Handle With Care
How to mindfully address a sexual harassment claim
By Leah Weiss
The ABC News poll that sparked the #MeToo movement found 3. Don’t Push. If the offense is new and fresh, an employee might
that 33 million US women have endured some form of sexual harass- be feeling angry, sad, exhausted, or an array of other emotions.
ment at work. With 95% of poll respondents finding that perpetra- While it is important to document the claim, be careful not
tors usually go unpunished, HR managers play a vital role in helping to push too much. Give the employee space, time to speak, and
eliminate sexual harassment in the workplace. the attention they deserve. Some claims may take more than one
day to fully process. Each sexual harassment claim must be
addressed with mindfulness and compassion.
4. Empathize. Sexual harassment comes in various forms, but even
a small quip or comment about someone’s sexuality is justly
classified as harassment if it makes the person feel uncomfort-
able. Take a moment to consider how you would feel if you were
the offended person - and how you would want a HR person
to respond to your claim. Basic mindfulness techniques such as
empathizing with a victim have been proven to help alleviate
the aftermath of a traumatic experience.
5. Act with Discretion. This is the golden rule of HR claims. Keep
claims to yourself and keep your employee’s confidence by not
telling someone else what has happened. Resist the urge to chat
or gossip. Someone’s job, feelings, and safety are at risk - don’t
make matters worse by talking about a claim unless absolutely
necessary.
6. Shut Down Gossip. Corporate culture needs to take a strong
stance on sexual harassment claims and stick with it. Gossip
will happen but it is important to shut it down quickly by ad
dressing the comments, noting what isn’t appropriate about
them, and talking through situations with team members to
address concerns. When employees feel safe to discuss topics
of harassment, questions and concerns can be answered in a
compassionate manner, resulting in de-escalation of a topic.
7. Have a Zero Tolerance Policy. It’s important for everyone
within a culture to understand that sexual harassment of any
kind will not be tolerated. Company policy should be made
clear during the onboarding process and continuously reinforced.
A Culture of Compassion and Safety
Building a culture of compassion and safety begins with leadership.
Leaders must foster an environment of openness on all levels - from
helping employees understand their purpose within an organization
to handling sexual harassment claims properly. When leadership
How can you make sure that an employee’s harassment claim is sets the right example, they can effectively shape and reinforce their
handled carefully, with mindfulness and compassion? Here’s how to company’s culture and values. S&P
get it right:
Leah Weiss, PhD, is the author of HOW WE WORK: Live Your Purpose,
1. Listen. This might seem like an obvious first step, but we are Reclaim your Sanity and Embrace the Daily Grind (HarperWave, 3/13/18). A
so programmed not to listen that you may not realize you aren’t professor, researcher, and consultant, Weiss teaches courses on compassionate
leadership at the Stanford Graduate School of Business, and is a founder of
fully attentive. Turn your computer screen off, put your phone Stanford’s Compassion Cultivation Program, conceived by the Dalai Lama. She
aside, pull the shades, and sit with the employee one-on-one. also directs Compassion Education and Scholarship at HopeLab, an Omidyar
Group research and development nonprofit focused on resilience.
2. Ask What You Can Do. Was the person harmed? Do they Connect Leah Weiss
need to speak with a therapist? Do they need to go home early
or take a sick day? Are they afraid? Be compassionate and help Would you like to comment?
in any way that you can.
HR Strategy and Planning Excellence Essentials presented by HR.com | 01.2018 Submit your Articles 15aPHR™ For Aspiring
EXAM TRAINING HR Professionals
The Best Way to START Your Career in Human Resources
HR.com Study Program Materials:
• Our preparatory program includes the
HRCP (Human Resources Certification
Preparation) learning system
• Materials include: Study Guide, 100s of
Flashcards, and over 400 online practice
exam questions
• Designed for: aPHR™ (Associate
Professional in HR)
+
10-WEEK COMPREHENSIVE COURSE SELF PACED ELEARNING COURSE
• 20 hours of live, instructor-led online • 12+ hours of interactive instruction
virtual classroom sessions and tutorials
• Accessible anytime, and anywhere
• 2 classes per week (live, online)
with internet access
• Bonus tutorials and review sessions
• User-friendly learning platform tailored
• Personalized coaching and mentoring specifically for the aPHR™ exam
• Evening Hours (8:00 or 9:00 PM ET) • Bonus tutorials and review sessions
• Classes starting throughout the year • Personalized coaching and mentoring
USING PROMO CODE USING PROMO CODE
SAVE $50 HRCI50X SAVE $50 HRCI50X
GET STARTED AT:
www.hr.com/prepcourseHuman Resources: Leading
Mergers & Acquisitions
How to put people, integration and communication first
By Judy Collister
A s companies undergo rapid expansion, HR teams are faced the process. Existing and new employees are going to be concerned
with a unique set of challenges that come with acquisitions. Teams are throughout the process of an M&A deal and try to understand what
tasked with developing and championing holistic plans that promote the M&A will mean for their role within the company. HR teams
the integration of new employees into the company, without sacrific- should take on a people-first approach that is thoughtful with respect
ing the company’s existing culture on both ends. How closely you to impact on all employees, in addition to financial benefits.
work with new team members before, during and after the acquisition The conversations with employees that follow an M&A deal are
project will ultimately determine the value that will be derived from essential to understanding and leveraging individuals and their talents
the acquisition. People, integration and communication are the key within the organization, as well as developing synergies throughout
areas HR professionals can focus on when building out an internal the workplace.
success strategy that incorporates the company’s newest employees. There is a myriad of issues that can potentially halt a deal. Getting
People people on the same page is one way to hedge potential roadblocks.
Most people carefully choose the company they work for and the One best practice is to educate the newly acquired employees on how
company, in turn, carefully chooses them. Once a person has embarked the purchase decision was made and why it makes sense for everyone
on developing a significant relationship, like the one he or she curates involved to build a stronger future together.
with the company they work for, they tend to forget that the dynamic The transaction will affect both previous organizations, not just the
of this relationship can change. acquisition. Sharing and transferring culture is punctuated by how
While all shifts in workplace dynamics might not be as significant members of the existing team behave with additions during this time.
as the impact of an M&A deal, the reality is that these do happen. It Human resources partners with leaders from acquiring and acquired
is important to understand and work with your employees throughout organizations to understand the people, positions, transitions and
HR Strategy and Planning Excellence Essentials presented by HR.com | 01.2018 Submit your Articles 17Human Resources: Leading Mergers & Acquisitions
roles moving forward, while being aware of the resistance that any A dedicated M&A leadership team can also deploy a team of M&A
change can bring. Roles may change, bosses may shift, customers specialists to integration “hot spots.” These specialists can assist in
and demands will grow. It all starts with the employee understanding overloads or manual processes that are necessary to conversions.
why the company is in business and that they are now a part of that These specialists bring expertise in contract management, sales process
company’s everyday promise to its clients. mapping or may specialize in data entry. It lifts some of the burden
Integration on existing staff to take on more when taking on more is expected,
HR teams have to make the decision to invest not only in the especially with successive and global acquisitions. Running the core
upfront M&A and deal work, but also in prioritizing the integration business shouldn’t stop as you onboard another company.
and assimilation of the new employees for the long term. For example, Communication
Park Place Technologies has a small and agile team dedicated to the Our third and equally important practice is intentional, timely, and
entire M&A process from identification to value creation. This team accurate communication. A key to remember is: “Absent information,
works across all functions to drive the integration necessary for pro- people will make up their own!” HR professionals should immediately
ductivity. In this case, Park Place has appointed senior leaders to roles look at what is available to share with employees in order to develop
on this team to maximize capabilities. They apply their knowledge a trust between management and them, so they know the intention
of the deal to the integration plan and their people knowledge to the is to keep them informed. Human nature is to want to know what’s
assimilation work. happening, to predict what’s around the corner and to be in included.
For these M&A teams, people placement should be a priority at A company’s brand promise should be consistently communicated
every step of the process with their respective C-level partners and the throughout the process. A brand promise can include a company’
day-to-day leaders in the business. One of the unexpected benefits story, its brand, its philosophy, vision and values. At Park Place, the
of these senior leaders running an integration team is the breadth of message is consistent in all communication: “We are a high perform-
knowledge they bring from their prior roles. ing organization that strives to be a great place to work and deliver
the very best service and insight everywhere in the world.” Even if
it seems repetitive, reiterating your brand’s promise to employees as
well as clients is critical in developing a cohesive and productive team.
By demonstrating your company’s story in a consistent and authen-
tic way, employees are able to easily adapt to align their culture with
their new one. Additionally, it gives the employee the opportunity
to opt out if the new culture is not a fit for them. Brand messaging,
communication of culture, care and concern for employees should be
integrated at the forefront of every communication plan, especially
during the M&A process.
Wrap Up
Integrating new companies globally is a common and challenging
process for any company of any size. HR teams should approach any
M&A with a clearly defined strategy that prioritizes tactics around
people, integration and communication. As your company continues
to grow, the integration process will become more streamlined and
employee trust will continue to grow within the organization and
provide testimony for successive acquisitions. S&P
Judy Collister leads Park Place Technologies’ Human Resources group. She is
accountable for the development and implementation of people and workplace
strategies, including talent acquisition, engagement initiatives, total rewards,
performance management, training, development and compliance. She joined
Park Place in 2010 bringing over 25 years in human resources experience. Judy
has implemented an Employee Value Proposition and Performance Manage-
ment process – both support Park Place’s unique culture and Service First phi-
losophy.
Connect Judy Collister
Would you like to comment?
18 Submit your Articles HR Strategy and Planning Excellence Essentials presented by HR.com | 01.2018FEATURE
Get Ready For The Workplace Of 2018
Top 10 predictions
By Kevin Sheridan
As luck or prescient knowledge would have it, seven of the ten- “Culture eats strategy for breakfast.”
workplace predictions I made last year turned out to be correct. While technology and the associated strategy have great value, their
While I am happy with that outcome, I hope to do even better in return on investment will never exceed that of the culture, values, and
2018. Here are my top 10 predictions for the 2018 workplace: beliefs of an organization and its employees. Organizations continue to
1. Digital workplaces will continue to leverage Artificial Intel- recognize this trend, with numerous organizations recruiting people to
ligence (AI), further promoting “the intelligent workplace.” For fill the role of Director of Employee Experience. Indeed, over the last
2018, AI will likely have a profound effect on both workplace and three years, studies by Gallup, Deloitte (Bersin), and The Conference
culture, continuing to change how everyone works (i.e. the practical Board have all concluded that organizations (and their CEOs) have
flow of how work is accomplished). Specifically, AI will no doubt replace placed much more importance on staff, culture, behaviors, and how
certain workers, as explored in “Meet Your New Coworkers: Robots.” their staff works internally to support their external success.
AI holds immeasurable potential to both compliment worker pro- 7. Intranets will keep improving performance and become fully
ductivity and reduce workplace stress. Better real-time data, logistics, utilized. For both economic and practicality reasons, tailored and
planning, and reduced workplace errors and incidents will all result customized Intranet solutions will continue to attract higher attention
from higher, and better, utilization of AI. in 2018. Ask any IT manager or IT consultant worth their salt, and
2. Digital literacy will become an essential competence in the they will tell you that high-performing, well-designed Intranets are
workplace. Very much related to prediction #1, organizations will still the key application or “window” to the broader digital workplace
not be able to compete successfully without attracting and retaining and collaborative environment mentioned previously.
top talent who possess the proficiencies associated with the digital 8. Younger workers will continue to have a strong desire to
workplace. Leaders lacking digital literacy will struggle mightily, un- demarcate work versus life. One of the oft discussed characteristics
derscoring the importance of placing increased emphasis on retraining of Millennials is their desire to separate work and life, and this is not
and teaching digital literacy. likely to change in 2018. Remember, millennials are not living to
3. People analytics will continue to grow, especially since work- work, as boomers like myself were taught, but rather working to live.
place software will track and monitor us as never before. The broad To successfully retain this younger generation, it is imperative that
range of software tracking and monitoring services will continue to you provide workplace flexibility and not be the “old school” manager
grow in 2018, as will the related concerns that George Orwell’s 1984 who demands that employees be present during set and rigid business
“Big Brother” is afoot in the workplace. Technology advances have hours. To millennials, that is their definition of a workplace prison.
made it possible to track every employee’s electronic moves. Unlike The millennial generation values freedom because they want to
the technology in Orwell’s novel however, the world’s advances are not be in control of their own experience. The secret is hiring the right
focused on sordid or scary uses. Rather, one of the greatest benefits people, so you can trust them and let go. Track their outcomes, not
of the technology is that both productivity and outcomes are better their time in the office. Millennial employees want and appreciate
measured and therefore better managed. being “free range,” and working in an open and flexible environment.
4. Collaboration tools accelerate the shift from individual ego 9. The internal digital workplace will continue to rise in stature.
to collective team contribution. Having been raised in a culture The trend of workplaces recognizing that they cannot be competitive
promoting collaboration and team-based learning, younger workers, externally without effective internal digital systems is more than likely
especially millennials, expect and even demand that shared knowledge to continue. This recalibrating, from external to internal, unleashes
exchange, teamwork, and collaboration will be the central staples of exciting opportunities for digital work teams to set bold new goals
their work environment. Anything else might be labeled as “selfish” and make internal digital investments for the future.
or “ego-driven.” This collaborative mindset will continue to substan- One such example is Workplace by Facebook, which is a place where
tially change workplace culture in the years to come, further focusing workers can share ideas, brainstorm, collaborate, and achieve more
workplaces from individual to team. work together. This relatively new Facebook tool connects and unifies
5. Microsoft will remain the top workplace enterprise platform, employees with their preferred digital and internet tools. Success
despite some recently introduced competition. Yes, competitors such stories of organizations using Workplace abound, especially from such
as Slack, Yammer, Google Suite, and Workplace by Facebook have notable companies as Starbucks, March of Dimes, GoPro, Heineken,
all introduced novel and welcomed new approaches. However, the Domino’s Pizza, and Walmart. Workplace has helped transform those
reality is that Microsoft still reigns as the royalty of workplace enter- cultures by “getting employees out of the dark,” and into the illumi-
prise solutions, and this is unlikely to change for some time to come. nation - of strategic information, culture, beliefs, goals, recognition,
6. There will be a continued shifting from leveraging technology and performance feedback, just to mention a few.
towards changing personal behavior and workplace culture. Even Getting this “Employee Experience” right from a digital workplace
years after his death, the famed management guru Peter Drucker still standpoint is hard work, as already discovered by many organiza-
gets it right: tions. Myriad factors can stand in the way of creating the ideal and
HR Strategy and Planning Excellence Essentials presented by HR.com | 01.2018 Submit your Articles 19You can also read
