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Human capital consulting when you need it.
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Mark Bennett at Oracle and one of the contributors to the TalentedApps blog, recently published a great piece on employee engagement and how one organization, Zappos.com uses engagement to drive its business model.  How does Zappos test employee engagement, Mark writes


*Zappos offers new employees in their call center the pay that they are owed + $1000 to quit. Why? Zappos wants to really know if the employee is truly engaged and this provides a relatively inexpensive way to find out sooner rather than later. In addition, the $1000 option can be (and has been) adjusted as needed (it has grown from $100 to $500 to $1000). This offers a clear, tangible demonstration of the level (and value) of employee engagement (which is typically thought of as very intangible) and how it can be arrived at through measurements like this vs. relying solely on surveys, etc.*

This is a great story to share in your organization as a true test of engagement.  It is a small example, but a great one to think about and expand the horizons of how the business can truly understand the engagement of its talent today and how HR can "come to the table" with new, unique and transformative ideas around driving true business results.  Knowledge Infusion works daily with organizations around the world helping solve business issues that engagement is often a key leverage point.  There MUST be a way to measure engagement and do something about it, and Zappos has done just that.

 

In Mark's post, he also mentions how Zappos is using Web 2.0 technologies or Digital HR as we call it at Knowledge Infusion, to assist with employee engagement as well.  A very good read.

 

 

 

 

Thanks Mark for sharing this great example.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Another infusion of knowledge....

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Link to Mark's post

 

 

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After a quick read this morning of the article below from InformationWeek discussing the 50% growth in Windows Mobile licenses over the next 2 years; a quick thought came to mind that I wanted to open a discussion about. 

 

 

 

"Do you think HR and Talent Management processes will be truly executed by the workforce on mobile devices?  If so, when?"

 

 

 

This whole concept is a big piece of the Knowledge Infusion Digital HR StrategyMap that we offer to organizations around the world.  The question, how do we align our existing technology investments with the direction that technology is moving and with the generational changes occuring in the workforce?

 

 

 

Take a read of the article and let me know your thoughts?  Mobile HR?  Security?

 

 

 

We need to rethink a few things....

 

 

 

Another infusion of knowledge...

 

 

 

Link to article

 

 

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Hiring the Web 2.0 Way

Posted by Jason Averbook May 21, 2008

 

 

Knowledge Infusion continues to work with organizations as part of their Digital HR strategy to understand how new technologies are being used in the marketplace today.

 

I had the opportunity to recently keynote an event in Chicago speaking of how organizations are using Web 2.0 technologies in the enterprise, I also had an opportunity to speak to many customers about the fears within Web 2.0 in their organization.

 

The attached article about how recruiters and hiring professionals are using technology would come into play in a large way.  A few of the highlights of the article include:

 

  • Background research

  • Networking

  • Interviews

  • Global Hiring (Reaching the world with a single click)

 

Take a read and use as an educational process to ensure you are leveraging the web in all of the aspects possible to drive success.  Your competitors are doing it, are you?

 

Start today...

 

Another of infusion of knowledge...

 

Click here for link to posting

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What is a mom worth on the job market?  PRICELESS in my opinion  , but if one had to put a value on it - $117,000.

 

Thank you Salary.com for paying attention to one of the most important if not the most important jobs in the world, that of a Mom!

 

A quick excerpt from the study reads:

 

The biggest driver of a mom's theoretical salary is the amount of overtime pay she'd receive for working more than 40 hours a week. The 18,000 moms surveyed about their typical week reported working 94.4 hours - meaning they'd be spending more than half their working hours on overtime. Working moms reported an average 54.6 hour "mom work week" besides the hours they spent at paying jobs.

 

At Knowledge Infusion, part of our culture is to enforce a work-life balance, even though sometimes may not seem like it.  A large commitment is made to allow parents to focus on the family as well as continue to advance their career in a rewarding, fast-paced and ever changing environment. 

 

We are very proud of our MOM's within Knowledge Infusion and I publically want to thank them for all that they do.

 

 

Another infusion of knowledge (and thanks)...

 

 

 

Click here for article

 

 

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Click below for a great post and VIDEO from CNET demonstrating Oracle's use of Web 2.0 with business applications.  I have to give Oracle a ton of credit for continuing to push the envelope and developing integrated uses of Web 2.0 with functions that businesses perform daily.  This is also being done by SAP, Lawson and many others in the space; but Oracle seems to really get it and this demonstration continues to prove that.  While not a HR example, fun to think about the possibilities.

 

 

From a Knowldege Infusion standpoint, the response to our Digital HR launch and services has been tremendous.  It is more clear to me than ever that Digital HR will change HR and talent management technology forever and organizations will need a clear strategy around the future of online interactions with the entire workforce.

 

 

What do you think the possibilities are?  If you had to develop a Web 2.0 application for HR, what would it do?

 

 

Another infusion of knowledge...

 

 

Link to CNET blog post and video

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Look, Learn and Listen!!

 

 

 

This morning we hear news of Taleo acquiring Vurv to create a combined company that will continue to be a major player in the talent management technology space now and into the future.  This is a good move for the industry when it comes to innovation and customer satisfaction as we continue to watch vendors focus on "what is in the best interest of the customer - now and into the future."

 

 

 

Knowledge Infusion has many, many clients that have either Taleo or Vurv or both.  This posting is directed at them but even more directed to the entire market at large.  While market consolidation drives many acquisitions, this acquisition has the potential to create the worlds largest (if not already - depending on definition) and best talent management vendor in the space.  What does this mean to you?

 

 

 

  • The combined company will have greater strengths than each of the companies standing on their own.  This means that if you are a Taleo customer or a Vurv customer / or prospect; in the long term you will see great benefit from this move.

  • An acquisition of this size takes time to happen, think through, and create a unified set of products and services to take to market.  Taleo has an excellent leadership team to make this happen, and we expect nothing less from them into the near future.

  • The products that you are already using will not change anytime soon.  What this means is "DON'T PANIC" and start a bunch of vendor evaluations to leave the combined company.  You are part of a new family and it will take a few months before you start to hear and see the combined synergies of the companies either become very positive or not to your liking.  Either way, it is WAY TOO early to do anything such as think of switching vendors.  That hurts our market and reputation as HR professionals more then anything.

  • The talent management marketplace is still VERY new in the world.  There will be more consolidations such as this and many more new entrants into the space.  What is important is that you look back TODAY at your HR and Talent Management technology strategy and realize that if created correctly, this move has zero impact and could in the long term have very positive impacts on truly being able to measure the value of human capital in your organization.

 

 

Nonetheless, acquisitions cause turmoil in the short term.   From a Knowledge Infusion standpoint, we are here to help you understand the market, the choices and how to make the best choice for your organization long-term.  If you have specific questions or just want to talk through the issues, please do not hesitate to call me directly and I will make sure you are directed to someone who can Look, Learn and Listen AND THEN help you make strategic, long term decisions and not short term, tactical decisions.

 

 

 

 

 

Jason Averbook (jason.averbook@knowledge-infusion.com)

 

 

 

Chief Executive Officer, Knowledge Infusion, (925-922-2266)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Another infusion of knowledge...

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From a Knowledge Infusion standpoint, we are on pace to conduct a record number of software evaluations during 2008.  I would this article to be very interesting and got me thinking about the future of our space.

 

 

Will the software ever be free?  What are your thoughts?   Please respond, remain anonymous if you desire.

 

 

Another infusion of knowledge...

 

 

Link to article