You are replacable

Never underestimate the power of cross training. As much as we all like to think we are the best thing to happen to a company - let's face it, as soon as we announce our resignation, the recruiting to replace us begins.

As a manger or an HR professional, it is our responsibility to ensure that there is a not a day of work lost because someone leaves our organization. Enter cross training. Every position at your organization should have at least one other person who can perform someone else's duties. Not only does cross training help when people leave or take vacation days, but it also helps develop your staff. For all you know, your payroll clerk is interested in benefits management- no better way to teach then hands on experience!

Why companies need an HR presence

I am in a state of shock!

I just got off the phone with a very nice woman who works as an office manager for a small company in PA. Her husband (lets call him Dan) is a regional sales representative for a marble and tile company. She called me looking for advice. Dan has been the sales representative for PA, NY & NJ for 25 years, and he is EXCEPTIONAL at his job. The clients love him and his income proves the point. At the beginning of 2010, the company decided to take NJ out of Dan's territory. Hard pill to swallow. NJ makes up 1/3 of his income, but OK - he'd rather have a job then not. Last week the company received a letter from one of Dan's former clients in NJ asking after Dan. The client was disappointed that Dan was no longer their contact. They wanted to know why this happened. The client received a letter back from the company stating "Dan will no longer be your sales contact as we are managing him towards retirement."

WHAT!?!?!? Am I the only in a state of shock? Let me know your thoughts!

High School Principal or HR Professional?

As an HR professional, I am finding it to be challenging that some professionals are forgetting that we are a resource for HUMANS.

I am a member of a few HR networking and educational groups and I recently attended a meeting and discovered that I was disappointed in my colleagues - a majority of the meeting was spent talking about how important saving money and following the rules is. Everyone was talking about money and focussing on the bottom line; making sure the employees were signing forms and not asking too many "silly" questions. I was silent - and quite honestly shocked.

Ummm . . .what about the people?

Don't get me wrong, I fully believe rules are important (and keep companies legal), and saving money is great too, as a matter of fact, when we HR professionals do it, we feel like we are finally being heard by the rest of the staff . . . but companies can't exist without people!

Yes, the bottom line is important. Yes, rules are in place for a reason, but as HR professionals, we aren't the high school principal. I find the most important aspect of my profession is to retain staff and to make sure they enjoy their job. I am well aware that people don't stay in one job forever, and I want everyone who leaves a company where I was the HR professional to refer others to work there, and tell people "this was an amazing company that really cared about it's people!"

As HR professionals, it is a challenge to do it all: keep companies compliant, help manage poor performers, train staff, interview, make sure payroll is error free - every time, manage benefits, retain staff, save the company money, have a seat at the table, I can go on for pages . . .but let's not forget the best and most important resource we have is the humans!

Six degrees of Kevin Bacon

I truly believe that I am six degrees from Kevin Bacon. One summer during college, I worked on a movie set with Joe Mantegna. He was in Queen's Logic with Kevin Bacon. OK, now all I need is for Joe Mantegna to introduce me to Kevin Bacon. Yeah, right. Enter . . . networking. If I wanted to pursue a career in the movie industry, I never would let that connection go. I would network until I got a meeting with someone who could help me start out in the movie world.

I have had many people ask me how to network (believe me I am no guru), and I find it is hard for me to "teach" good networking. The best I can do is offer some tips. Networking is like a job interview, only the relationship will last MUCH longer then the one you will have with a hiring manager. So . . . here goes:

Follow Up:

When you are reaching out to someone (because you want to meet them, learn from them, meet someone with whom they work) don't reach out just once. It is not someone else's responsibility to make sure you get connected.

Quid Pro Quo:

I would love to believe that there are people out there who are genuinely big hearted and want to help just out of the kindness of their heart (aside from my husband, I really don't know many people like this) so, when you are networking, remember - KARMA! Help someone now, you may need them in 1 month, 6 months, 5 years, and vice-a-versa; someone helping you now may reach out to you at some point for assistance. Don't mess with your network, reputation is powerful!

Be Prepared:

Don't reach out to someone for an introduction; for information about a company; help of any kind; without being prepared. Enter the conversation with a list of questions. Pet peeve of mine: someone calls me, says "Kevin Bacon suggested I get in touch with you" and then S I L E N C E.

Talk:

Social networking IS NOT the last step in networking - it is the first! Email, tweeting, facebook status DOES NOT replace human interaction. Yes, start with following someone on twitter; friend them on facebook; connect on linkedin - but then talk. This is the only way that people can get to know you. To understand your personality. Pick up the phone, go out for coffee, remember the afore mentioned tip and do a little research on the person you are meeting. Don't leave your chat without at least 2 other contacts.

Say Thank You:

Remember Quid Pro Quo? Thank the person for taking the time to meet with you, you never know when they will remember you and recommend you for something.

Everyone has a network, you need to know how to use it. Interested in politics? Don't you have a friend who has a friend that works on the hill? Ask for an intro! Want to be a journalist? Doesn't your sister's boyfriend's roommate work for the Arlington Gazette? Take him out for coffee!

See, it's not that hard to network, you just have to sit down and think about who you know . . . and who they know. Hey, you may be six degrees from Kevin Bacon!

New Year . . .New Thoughts

I NEVER thought I would be a person who sat down and wrote my random thoughts for others to read (or not), but today I met someone who convinced me otherwise. If nothing else, this is a great place to put it all in writing, makes me feel more accountable.

After much thought; tears; discussions with my husband; thought; and tears; I have decided to bite the bullet and make 2010 a year to remember! I have decided to hang my own shingle and start my own consulting/coaching biz.

I find that the hardest thing I have ever done in my life is have children. Don't get me wrong, this is also the best thing I have ever done in my life; but I was not at all prepared to have to re-adjust my life for these amazing little people who turn to me for everything. I tell you this, because it brought me to the decision to start my own business. I want to make my schedule. I want to work, be a mom, be a wife, be a friend, go on field trips, attend class holiday parties and still contribute financially to my family.

I love working with people, speaking my mind, giving my (not always asked for) opinion, so I figured I will try to make a living out of these talents - enter the birth of Seamless HR Solutions. I am still trying to wrap my head around what this business will grow into, but for now I would like to be the HR ear for small businesses and associations. I want to help keep organizations compliant, help with their HR needs, but most importantly, be there for Executive Directors and CEOs. Be the problem solver, the outside observer, the person on the other end of the bat phone.

So, here in this new decade, I am putting myself out there in hopes that what I have been doing professionally for the past almost 15 years will be useful to small businesses and associations. If nothing else, this blogging is a great exercise in free therapy.

Until next time . . .