Author: Sheri Mazurek

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The Paper Trail

An-organization-manager-meeting-with-the-HR-manager

A common misconception with employees and managers is that of the “paper trail.” It is believed that in order to make a termination decision, a manager must create this “paper trail” of documentations until they have enough evidence to satisfy the Human Resource (HR) Department. Unfortunately, this very notion typically brings great frustration to everyone involved including the employee. However, behaviors of both managers and HR professionals can continue to reinforce the thought process that leads to this fallacy. For example, let’s look at the following fictitious dialogue.

Manager – Hey HR person, I need to speak to you about an employee issue. I think it is time to let Bob go.

HR Manager- Okay Manager, what is the issue?

Manager-Well, Bob just can’t seem to meet the department goals.

HR Manager- What type of documentation do you have?

Manager-I’ve talked to him a hundred times and no matter what I try, it doesn’t help. Bob just can’t grasp the concept. He’s bringing down the whole team’s numbers, and now I am getting in trouble.

HR Manager-Ok. What type of documentation do you have?

Manager-I haven’t written up anything yet.

After this dialogue the HR manager thinks, “How many times do I have to tell them ….”

The manager thinks, “HR always gets in the way of me doing my job. They just don’t understand…”

And the cycle continues…

The cycle is able to continue in many organizations because there has been a failure to create a performance culture where there is a constant flow of feedback to employees at every level on performance.

What ideas do you have to create this culture? What has worked in your organizations? I look forward to hearing your thoughts as we continue to explore this topic in future posts.

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For more resources, See the Human Resources library.

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Sheri Mazurek is a training and human resource professional with over 16 years of management experience, and is skilled in all areas of employee management and human resource functions, with a specialty in learning and development. She is currently employed as the Human Resource Manager at EmployeeScreenIQ, a global leader in pre-employment background screening.

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Seven Ways to Build Credibility

Credibility: Trust written on wooden blocks.

Current competency models in the field of Human Resources (HR) share common themes. Among them is the necessity of the HR professional to serve as a credible activist. This becomes even more important to the HR professional who is in an organization that still sees HR as the party planner or the corporate police. Below are some tips on building credibility in the workplace.

1. Learn the Business. As mentioned in my previous post, learning the business of business is essential in gaining credibility. Understanding how the activities of the HR department impact the goals of the organization will help you speak the language of the organization. If you are in a high sales culture, learn what HR activities impact sales revenue and create measures to prove it.

2. Keep Commitments and Meet Deadlines. Doing what you say you are going to do and meeting deadlines builds reliability. If something prevents you from doing so, be sure to keep others informed with updates.

3. Own Your Mistakes. If you make a mistake, don’t try to hide it or place blame on others. Admit when you are wrong. If necessary, ask for feedback on how you can improve or share what you have learned from the mistake. If an apology is in order, apologize.

4. Learn to Ask and Listen. Listening is often one of the most difficult of the communication skills. However, failing to ask the right questions and then listening to understand could result in the wrong message being communicated out.

5. Explain the Reasons and Help Find Alternatives. There are going to be times that the HR professional in the building has to say no. Being charged with the responsibility of mitigating risk is essential to the role. Keep in mind that managers sometimes have the perceptions that HR is there to be the police and find ways to say no. Instead, find ways to say yes by helping managers find alternative solutions. This is where the ask and listen skill becomes critical.

6. Use Empathy and Keep Emotions In Check. Showing empathy to others does not mean that you agree, it simply means that you understand the emotion they are feeling. Not acknowledging this emotion sends the message that you are not listening or do not care.

Further, be careful with emotions. While positive emotions can fuel our success, negative emotions can destroy our credibility. Emotions and logic do not always work together well. For example, it is human nature to become defensive when one feels attacked; however, letting emotion take over for logic in this case increases your risk of saying things that you will later regret. Find a tactic that works for you in keeping your emotions in check. One tactic is to count silently for a few seconds before responding. Regardless of the tactic you choose, remember that objective judgment is another essential competency in the HR profession.

7. Give Credit where Credit is Due. Acknowledge the good work of others especially those who work under you. People feel threatened and lack trust for leaders who try to take credit for their ideas and work.

What else can you add to this list? Your thoughts, comments and questions are always encouraged!

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For more resources, See the Human Resources library.

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If you want a seat at the table, learn the business

In my previous post, I mentioned the evolution of the HR professional into a strategic business partner and the necessity of this evolution for successful business. However, in many companies HR does not occupy a seat at the strategic planning table. Who’s to blame?

The answer to this question is hotly debated and often clear lines are drawn between those in HR and those in other functions. Many HR professionals blame the leaders for not seeing the value of their function to the organization, while some managers see HR as the roadblock to doing what needs to be done.

In a 2005 article written by Fast Company Magazine’s Keith Hammonds, Keith purports all the reasons “Why We Hate HR.” If the title itself isn’t enough to put a HR professional on the defense, then providing the declaration that “HR people aren’t the sharpest tacks in the box” as the first reason certainly will. His assertion in the article is that those who enter the HR field are not business people and are ill-equipped to understand business. He quotes a Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) study that identified which coursework HR professionals found most beneficial to their success in the field to support his message that the majority of those working in the field do not see understanding business as necessary to their success. The results showed that coursework in communications, business law, and ethics were most beneficial.

A recently released SHRM survey of HR leaders indicates the same finding. The respondents in the U.S. indicated that strategic thinking is one of the top five competencies needed for senior HR leaders; however, business knowledge was not listed. While the lineage of the field of HR coupled with the introduction of legislation to protect employers may have contributed to stereotypes that exist in the field about the HR profession, our failure as HR professionals to recognize that we are business people charged with the company’s most valuable assets will certainly continue to harbor those stereotypes we so emotionally defend. If you want a seat at the table, learn the business of business and speak the language of the executive team.

As always, your thoughts and questions are encouraged.
http://www.shrm.org/RESEARCH/Pages/default.aspx
http://www.fastcompany.com/magazine/97/open_hr.html

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For more resources, See the Human Resources library.

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21st Century Human Resources

HR-manger-having-a-handshake-with-a-female-employee.

What does Human Resources look like in the 21st century?

Human Resources (HR) is a term used to describe the human capital in organizations as well as describing the department charged with developing programs and strategies to manage that capital. Today’s human resource department has evolved over the past century from the administrative role of early nineteenth century welfare managers and mid-century personnel managers into the role of a strategic business partner. While the leap from administrator to strategic partner may not be evident in all organizations, the current competency models available for the human resources professional and recent research indicate that making this leap is necessary to the success of business.

A review of the competency models provided by the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), International Personnel Management Association (IPMA), and the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) shows that today’s human resource professional must not only be a technical expert in the HR field, but also must understand business. In addition to this knowledge, HR Professionals are expected to be competent leaders, consultants, and change agents.

In this blog we will discuss current and relevant topics and issues important to those working in or with individuals in a human resources role. Current competency models and traditional human resource roles will serve as a guide. Additionally, current topics in the news and your suggestions will further guide the content of this blog. Feel free to ask questions and answer those posted by others.

Also, your comments are always encouraged!

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For more resources, See the Human Resources library.

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Welcome to the Human Resources blog!

Human resource manager shaking hand of applicant in office

I’m Sheri Mazurek and I’m the host of this blog. You can read more about me next to my picture in the sidebar. This blog will be about various aspects of human resources, and will focus especially on practical tips and tools, and will include posts from guest writers. You can learn more about this blog by clicking on the About link just under the header.

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Welcome!

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For more resources, See the Human Resources library.

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