HRComatrix

A lot has been said about Millennials. There are you tube videos , articles , blogs , research and polls... Most of them trying to help us understand this new generation. They appear as aggressive, daring, intimidating,  careless, smart, fast, clueless, in sum "different," regardless on who sees them. They certainly have many faces. Turning a New Leaf With Millennials © 2013 AR_HRCom-Millennials Those of us who have been working side by side with them have most likely experienced mixed feelings. It is basically turning a new leaf. Let's move toward greener fields! These young  partners can be exuberant and very lively and their concerns about professional or personal life can feel overwhelming. Often times you get what you see and hear. Does it make your assessment easier? I doubt. To me the challenge in assessment comes from the necessity to distance oneself from the individual. The ability to intellectualize things in this matter is a real gift. I can dea...

© 2013 AR_HRCom - HolidaysGlobal HOLIDAY PARTIES : A SURVEY COMPARISON In acknowledgment to one feedback on my posting on holiday parties last year, I would like to make a small interlude on the millennial lessons short series . The following are results of SHRM polls over the last three years:  In  2010 , slightly one half ( 61%) of organizations were planning to hold an end-of-year/holiday party for their employees. According to the 2011 poll, 68% of organizations would have held a 2011 end of year/holiday party for employees . Traditionally 61% of those organizations would hold their party location off-site. In 2012 , more organizations ( 72%) were to  hold holiday parties . Also, 68% of the parties were to be held  off site. Only 7% were to hold the parties  on-site to save money. Basically, about 25% of employers were to continue their  practice of holding on-site holiday parties. This showed a decrease in this practice. This ...

BE LIKE A CAT! ©AC_HRComatrix_BLithe There is so much going on out there and being surrounded by Millennials brings several essays on the subject , as well as put things in a different perspective. Why not taking some lessons from them? Hear this: "Be like a Cat!" I frowned. I am not very fond of cats. I love dogs: they are straightforward and  they are loyal. But this Millennial's view of a cat is quite different from mine! Hear this exchange about organizations: TJ: - Be lithe! Me: - Lithe? TJ: - Yes, cats are lithe! Organizations need to be flexible. Well,... why not listen to the suggestions? We are after all at the crossroads and do not always know what is the best route to take. And, once upon a time I was that young "miss" in her early twenties who had a team of mid-aged men and one close to retirement as direct reports. We were all "Millennials" in our own times and we all learnt, one way or another that, yes, partnershi...

HR: Needed vs. NOT Needed ©AR_HRComatrix_HRDebate It is one the these things: you plan something and end up doing something else. My planned posting was inspired by a Millenial and was to be on Communication. And yesterday, I came across this big buzz generated by Best-Selling Author Bernard Marr,  in his LinkedIn posting on " Why We No Longer Need HR Departments ." At the time on this writing, it has generated 4,645 readings and over 3,000 comments. Talk about a buzz!! It is interesting to see how people are passionate about HR. There are those who disagree, such as Josh Bersin , with Besin by Deloitte , and who spell out why HR is still quite relevant . The article, " Why We Do Need the HR Department "  is scooped by Andrée Laforge in "Mesurer le Capital Humain," and has culminated to 24,789 views at this precise time! Wow!! The power of communication!   And of course, there are those who think that HR is redundant. Those are mostly the ...

Metrics Need to Matter! ©AR_HRComatrix_Passion           PASSIONATE  EMPLOYEES AND MARKET CHANGES One advantage of being neutral and respected is that you hear from quite a few people in the organization, in one way or another. Of course, there are the few who have a big ego or a low self-esteem (the manifestation is the same) who are going to try to antagonize whoever crosses their paths, but overall people feel comfortable talking to you, or even confiding in you because you are approachable to them.    Through many encounters, most of them casual, I could see, discern and feel how people care about their jobs and working environment. I often hear "I just want to do my job and go home but..." and the "but" is followed by unanswered questions on why and how things are done or not meeting certain standards. Questions are raised about scores and goals: whys and hows...Those ARE the passionate one...

So, breaking barriers is all about a balancing act of communication....a balancing act of managing people and communication...It is also about getting people business-centered, interested, engaged, together. Have you looked at a salad? You need to get the correct mix of ingredients, measure it in a bowl, balance the taste, make it and keep it appealing, engaging! And afterwards, people's satisfaction is the measure of your success. Engagement: Measure, Mix, Input, Get Your Metrics Results image by www.freeimageslive.co.uk/free_stock_image/salad-nicoise-plate-jpg There, is the so famous word: engagement! We talk so much about engagement these days, but in all objectivity, it is nothing new. Employers have made every effort to keep their employees engaged throughout times, even before the industrial revolution. What is engagement, anyway? It is what makes your employee coming back in the morning with a smile, a good disposition, a happy heart and light footsteps...Should I...

Contaminated Marketplace : Fear, Anxiety, Paranoia ©AR_HRComatrix_BreakingBarriers It is amazing how morale can be affected by the mode of internal communication. And the reverse is true: internal communication defines employees' morale. The less employees know, or the more filtered the information they receive, the more distorted that information is going to be. People do not hear any longer. They "hear" themselves, they "hear" their own thoughts and fears, and they are going to think it out loud to the next co-worker, the next customer, and maybe their family members and friends. Worse, they could post it on Facebook and Glassdoor. You could fire them, if you please, but the damage will be done. Actually firing them might be a bad idea if one of your supervisors has sought the information on their Facebook page. And there, down goes your organization. So, all programs for boosting engagement is a waste of effort. It could be a temporary bandag...