Noticed this early this morning at a coffee run. Is this the best way to recruit hourly workers in 2007? Do you think so?
Submit your favorite recruiting locations in action...Camera phones are great!
Another infusion of knowledge (?) ...
Knowledge Infuser : May 2007
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The Human Capitalist has asked the Infuser what our thoughts are on the Ceridian sale to private equity this morning. Here are a few thoughts that all Ceridian customers should be pondering this morning:
Dont panic; these types of transactions rarely result in immediate and/or drastic change. * Ceridian still has a very strong and large customer base that private equity firms will want to protect. * Work on creating your overall HRMS strategy as soon as possible. Our bet is that Ceridian will continue to focus on the BPO space and not focus on the talent management space nearly as much as is needed by its customer base. We may be wrong about this, but just a bet. Plan on what talent management suites you can add on to Ceridian as soon as possible. Contact [mailto:info@knowledge-infusion] for help on our jumpstart service. * Work with your Ceridian account leader and ask for briefings as soon as possible related to management changes and plans.
Ceridian Employer Services has a rich heritage in this space and knows what its customers need and are looking for. As in any acquisition, time works to solidify direction and we recommend you give this a bit of time to work itself out.
The acquisition continues to demonstrate the changes in the market. No single document, analyst report or opinion works for all organizations. Each organization around the world is different in their needs around core HRMS, talent management, hosted/on-premise, etc.
It all points back to strategy and why Knowledge Infusion was created. This market will continue to change at a pace faster than today and the more prepared you are to be agile with your solutions and choices, the better prepared you will be when your boss comes to you this morning and says:
"Now what"
This morning your response should be, lets see what happens over the next few weeks and not panic and going forward, we will create a comprehensive strategy for solutions into the future.
Another infusion of knowledge...Human Capitalist, agree? disagree? Any other tips?
Another infusion of knowledge...
Ceridian's payroll processing and human resource solutions serve 25 million employees and 110,000 companies in more than 130 countries worldwide, including more than 50% of the Fortune Global 500 and the Fortune 100.
What does this mean to 25 million employees? 110,000 companies? Stay tuned as the industry continues to change and change rapidly. Human Capitalist, what do you think??
These moves make it even more important to have a solid HR technology strategy in place for all HRMS and talent management solutions. We have seen many of these in the last 3 months with more on the way. Your thoughts??
Another infusion of knowledge...
Link to Ceridian Agrees to Be Sold for $5.3B - Forbes.com
Interesting article in today's Financial Post out of Canada on a new report from Deloitte and the Economist Intelligence Unit. This is all consistent with the work Knowledge Infusion is doing globally with clients as we work to transform HR and talent management strategies and the technologies that enable these strategies.
A few highlights (or lowlights):
"When business executives talk about HR, they focus on things like benefits, performance evaluations, and HR operating efficiency. But when those same executives talk about people issues, they focus on strategic challenges, such as talent management, workforce productivity, and leadership development - and in many cases the HR function isn't even mentioned." * The study of 531 HR and non-HR executives - five per cent of whom were Canadian - revealed more than 85 per cent believe people are vital to organizational performance, rising to 90 per cent when looking three to five years ahead. But business executives are not sure HR is ready for the challenge, with just 23 per cent saying HR "plays a crucial role in strategy formulation and operational success," the study said * More than half, or 52 per cent, of companies do not have a chief human resources officer or other senior executive dedicated to people issues, but 68 per cent expect to have such a position in three to five years. * The majority (82 per cent) of respondents expect HR to be perceived as a strategic, value-adding function, not just a cost centre, over the next three to five years, the study said. HR organizations are also becoming more strategic and shifting administrative transactions and other non-strategic activities to shared service centres or an outsourcing vendor, the study added.
Very interesting study and read. We are living this every day. Insure your HR technology strategy including plans for HRMS, talent management technology and Workforce Information Management (Analytics) are in line.
Another infusion of knowledge..
Link to Execs and HR not effective partners: report
Chief Executive Magazine in April posed an interesting question about a workforce that many of the organizations that Knowledge Infusion is working with are starting to call upon, HOBBYISTS. What is a hobbyist?
Someone who doesn't need to work but is bored with retirement* Someone who wants to continue to work but was bored with their career job* Real example: A widow who had nothing to do once their spouse passed* Usually over 55 years old* Usually not working for money* Usually not working for benefits* Almost always working for someone younger than them
How do we manage this type of workforce? What types of HR and talent management technologies make sense? What if we manage them in the same way we manage a lot of our workforce today?
You didn't do a good job today: THEY WILL LEAVE AND NOT COME BACK IN SOME CASES* You will get a 3% increase if you do a good job: REMEMBER, THEY DO NOT CARE ABOUT MONEY* You need to complete your goals online using a portal and employee self-service: WHAT? I DONT KNOW WHAT THOSE THINGS ARE
In the words of the CEO of one of our large retail organizations to me last week:
"I would rather have a hobbyist and figure out how to manage and motivate them then a punk 18 year old who wont stop texting his friend"
This is a VERY important part of the workforce that all organizations will need to think about in their audience demographic when creating and deploying a HR strategy along with technology to support that strategy over the next 10-15 years. Read about the HOBBYISTS below. Will you be one? Do you know one? Ask them how they feel and what they expect. Ask them what motivates them. Is it a yearly performance appraisal? Is it a 3% increase?
Another infusion of knowledge...
From the road, in an executive meeting this week with a client; the following quote was heard that had to be broadcast to the world through this medium:
We continue to try to figure out how to align HR to the business and what we need to do is show how HR is the business in our organization
This statement hit home hard in a way that business leaders often never quite realize. Here is a business leader saying that to make his business successful (a distribution facility), that it is required to show business leaders how people ARE the most important piece of that center and without them (the right people, the right skills, the right communication, the right alignment); they have nothing.
Lets recap:
As HR continues to look for ways to make business cases for HRMS, HCM and talent management technology solutions that support the business or for many we see, only support their department; this hasn't worked well and continues not to work.
Knowledge Infusion will continue to work with businesses worldwide to show that HR systems are not meant to be only back office, support and cost saving tools; they are meant to be mission critical to the business. The thought that payroll is the only mission critical application in the technology stack is becoming more obsolete every day. Where are you in this amazing transformation of business that is occurring?
Another infusion of knowledge..FROM THE ROAD
Over the past few days I wanted to call out some amazing customer service interactions that truly drive revenue for organizations. Not all customer service heroics are acts that can be taught as part of organizational development, but talent management technologies can play a key role in the attracting of people, developing and managing performance of people and compensating people like I am about to talk about. Don't take customer service for granted. Let us know your experiences as well here if you want and how you feel they have made you a more loyal customer to that brand.
On a trip from a Florida client to a client in Idaho, summer storms stopped us from being able to land in Chicago to allow a connection. This is always a tense situation when you see lighning out of the airplane window, but you usually make it (with just a few frayed nerves). We ended up having to divert to Ft. Wayne, Indiana; a place I never thought to be visiting last week but a place I would go back to in a heart beat based on the people.
United Airlines, not always the best, has the most talented group of individuals on the ground in Ft. Wayne that I have ever experienced. From the individual that had to meet our plane unexpedetly, to the baggage personnel that were called in from home, to the counter agents who were simply amazing - there is no way I could say enough. Based on what I watched, the training around customer service, their pride in their company and their focus on calming individuals was second to none. I will choose United over other airlines which will drive their revenue because of this. This cannot all be taught, but through great talent management processes and technologies, this type of person can be groomed for future leadership (which is sadly needed in the customer service world).
The taxi driver in Ft Wayne cared enough to ask where I needed to stop since I didnt have luggage. Not your typical taxi driver who might be on the cell phone the whole time or be blowing smoke in your face, but the taxi driver who cared and wanted to make me feel comfortable in his town. I booked him the next day for a return trip to the airport, once again, people driving revenue for a company.
Finally, the Hilton in Ft Wayne (not my usual brand). I arrive as a distressed passenger and I might as well have been Paris Hilton herself. From what do I need, to anything we can do, to complimentary room service for what I was put through, to the front desk person stepping out from behind the desk to show me where the elevators were (WHAT?). Once again, Hilton employees in this case went above and beyond, and I am staying in a Hilton this week because of it. More revenue for Hilton based on their employees.
Some in the world say it is the product, which I admit, plays a key role in where people spend money BUT in the world of customer NO-service, here are just a few examples that happened in 2 hours that truly generated more revenue for the companies I mentioned.
Another infusion of knowledge..
One of the services that KI spends much time delivering is that of a Workforce Information Management strategy. I had the opportunity to work with one of the worlds best retailers on a strategy today. What is this WIM?
Workforce Information Management (WIM) is:
*The use of workforce data, statistical and quantitative analysis, and predictive modeling to drive actions that lead to desired *business outcomes
This may seem like basic HR reporting or HR analytics, but it is much more of a embedded, systematic use of information tied directly to prescribed business outcomes.
Workforce Information Management is the future for HR, HRMS, HCM and Talent Management professionals. We have the data, now what do we do with it to make it real.
The link below discusses Microsoft and Business Objects as they continue to evolve tools for all employees in an enterprise, not just analysts or executives.
Make sure you are creating your Workforce Information Management strategy today. Without it, you will continue to spend endless money on tools without the ROI that the business is looking for.
Another infusion of knowledge..
To all of the KI community of HR, HCM, Talent Management leaders in the world:
I wanted to take a minute to wish you and your family a Happy Mothers Day 2007. As you are aware, one of the company philosophies around KI is celebration, and today is truly a day for that.
One of my favorite topics to talk about when it comes to the role of parenting and mothers is the role of preparedness. To me, this is one of the most important things that a mother can do in the world is prepare their children and others in their life for the REAL WORLD they are about to enter. If we look at the definition of preparedness, it reads something like:
*+_To be properly expectant, organized, or equipped_</</b>
On this truly extraordinary day, take a minute out of food, gift giving and hopefully quality family time to think about what you are doing in your role of mother, parent or mentor to think about preparedness and the amazing opportunity we each have on a daily basis to give this gift to children and others in our lives. The more we can leverage each of our amazing life experiences and teach, not tell, how those precious experiences will impact others for the remainder of their lives, the more we do to play our role in the future.
Mothers are truly special. They love, care, support and understand unconditionally; which is something that we don���t often find in life. Whether your mother is close or far, living or watching from some other place; take time to thank them for bringing you into this world and give back to the world by preparing someone for the future. A specific thank you to the mothers that make up Knowledge Infusion and the mothers of those that are part of this special community; you make our world a better place each day.
Have a great day and Happy Mothers Day!!
Another infusion of knowledge...
What to measure? How to measure? Who to deliver information to? What to do with it?
Some of the recent announcements from Cognos and Business Objects will continue to change the game in the workforce and talent intelligence spaces.
Knowledge Infusion believes that a mandatory part of any HR, HRMS, HCM, talent management technology deployment is intelligence. The delivery of information to BlackBerry and mobile devices is just another step in insuring that anytime, anywhere access to information is possible.
The more accessible information is, the more acceptance it will get. Keep this in mind as you build or work with KI to build your HR technology strategies.
Another infusion of knowledge...
When it comes to human capital management and talent management, new CEO's entering organizations are looking for plans.
In the last three weeks, we have had the opportunity to work with 3 new CEO's who have asked us this very question:
How prepared is our organization for the talent needs that we will have into the future.
These new CEO's know far to well that this is a business responsibility to understand talent, but look to HR for this answer. Here are some tips and a timely article link below that might assist.
��� First impressions count. Most CEO's make decisions about people within the first 60 days, so you have to present yourself well from the beginning. "The danger of being pushed out is real," write Coyne and Coyne. "But so are the opportunities -- if you swiftly establish your value when the new chief arrives."
FOR HR AND HR TECHNOLOGY, THIS MEANS HAVE YOUR DATA, SCORECARDS AND METRICS READY!!
��� Set up face time. Secure a meeting with the new boss, and let him or her know about your responsibilities and how you can help achieve the vision. Without cues from you, your new CEO will be left to draw his or her own conclusions.
THE MORE PROACTIVE THE HR FUNCTION IS, THE MORE THE RESPECT IS IMMEDIATELY GAINED. DONT WAIT TO BE ASKED FOR INFORMATION.
��� Understand the CEO's style and agenda. Don't be afraid to ask your CEO directly about his or her style and the agenda for the future. You'll get the best information from the source and also demonstrate that you care about what the boss thinks.
UNDERSTAND WHAT HAS DRIVEN THE CEO IN THE PAST AND THEIR BACKGROUND. MOST CEO's TODAY ENTER WITH EXPECTATIONS OF DATA TO MAKE DECISIONS. UNDERSTAND THEIR SIX-SIGMA BACKGROUND, UNDERSTANDING OF MANUFACTURING ECONOMIES VS. KNOWLEDGE ECONOMIES AND BE PREPARED. LOOK FOR CUES IN THEIR LANGUAGE IN THE FIRST FEW WEEKS AND ATTACH THERE.
��� Be honest. Don't paint a too-bright picture or a spell out a less-than-realistic game plan. You want your new CEO to know that you are not going to hide negatives.
USE THIS AS A SELLING OPPORTUNITY AS TO WHAT YOU NEED TO MEET HIS/HER OBJECTIVES. COME TO THE TABLE WITH YOUR TECHNOLOGY PLAN, EXPLAIN WHY NOT THERE TODAY AND WHAT YOU NEED TO GET THERE.
��� Don't emphasize your needs in the beginning. Forget about your own agenda -- your compensation, long-term plans or problems with the company. Ensure that the honeymoon phase with your CEO is just that.
PARTNERSHIP IS A KEY EARLY ON. TOGETHER, YOU AND THE NEW CEO WILL CHAMPION THE HUMAN CAPITAL MANAGEMENT AND TALENT MANAGEMENT CAUSE.
Most see the entrance of a new CEO or leader as another reason to pause and wait. Use this as an opportunity to drive your agenda, prove your productiveness and prepare your organization for long-term success. Create your plan today.
Another infusion of knowledge..
Infused by Andrew Gebavi, Principal Consultant, Knowledge Infusion
There has been much discussion recently in the HCM blogosphere about the wow factor that Web 2.0 is bringing to Talent Management applications. These discussions usually refer to the ���MySpace��� style employee profile pages that some vendors are beginning to offer. While this baseball card approach is a huge step from where Talent Management was just a couple short years ago, it really just scratches the surface of where the real value of employee profiling can go ��� and that is tapping into the ���tacit knowledge��� of individuals and creating true expertise management.
Wikipedia defines tacit knowledge as knowledge that people carry in their minds and is, therefore, difficult to access. Often, people are not aware of the knowledge they possess or how it can be valuable to others. Tacit knowledge is considered more valuable because it provides context for people, places, ideas, and experiences. Effective transfer of tacit knowledge generally requires extensive personal contact and trust.
The ���MySpace��� approach currently offered by application vendors does offer us insight into the knowledge, skills, and abilities that individuals possess. But we all know that the solutions required in the typical fluid business environment usually don���t fit into the neatly predefined categories that these ���baseball cards��� provide. So the question is ���How do we create a profile of people���s tacit knowledge and their social network that could be included in their baseball card as well?���
There���s no easy answer here. I���ve been casually keeping my eye on a Microsoft product called MS Knowledge Network. Knowledge Network trolls through the emails of your organization and classifies the information and relationships it finds by creating a profile for each employee that participates. Yes, sounds like big brother huh? There are privacy concerns. The product allows people to ���opt in��� though, and individuals can identify information they want kept private vs. public. Users can then search a specific topic to see who has the most email communication around that topic. The product also enables social networking by allowing you to view people���s network of contacts from both within and outside your organization, so you can leverage your network of contacts to reach someone who is currently outside of your network. Kind of like a combination of MySpace on steroids and LinkedIn.
The product is still in beta, but think of the possibilities if this approach were used side by side with the ���baseball card��� approach.
Another infusion of knowledge...
When forming Knowledge Infusion and becoming the leading consultancy focusing on strategic human capital management and talent management technology advisory services, we had a vision and a dream. That vision and dream hold true today in everything we do today and what we want the industry to think of Knowledge Infusion as embodying.
We want to insure that we continually are working to evolve the industry to allow both end-users and vendors to become more strategic in HR and Human Capital Management practices. Even more foundational to our vision is to continue to transform HR to focus on its connection to true business outcomes.
All goals, passions and dreams take a vision. The link below is a great article about vision and creating a personal vision of your own.
Knowledge Infusion continues to follow its long-term strategy in driving services to its end user and vendor community. We will be making some exciting new announcements on Monday May 7th that will continue to drive HR to new heights forever into the future.
*The difference between success and mediocrity is rarely glaringly obvious. What is it that distinguishes one person from the next? *Research tells us that EQ plays a big part in creating success. And one of the key components of EQ is the ability to set long-term goals.
Stay tuned..
Another infusion of knowledge...
Link to Creating a personal vision
