Nope!  Not a picture of me.  Better balance than karate kid? 

Children went back to school this week and we returned to our Friday ritual of going out to breakfast on the way to school.  I think we have been doing this for about 5-6 years now.  While it is a bit chaotic getting us out the door at home in time to eat and still make it to school on time I really look forward to each Friday.

Usually, while waiting in line to order our bagels, muffins etc. I take a quick glance at my phone to see or remind me what the day has in store.  I was reminded and amazed this past Friday of  how many emails and communications I receive from HR Professionals well after hours.  I am not talking automated emails that we all receive.  I am talking about actual correspondence.  It is clear that the work/family balance is out of whack.  While we all go through this from time to time as projects and responsibilities hit critical mass I think many instances can be avoided.  An automated HRIS System could take away many of the tasks that consume an HR professional during the day ending the late night follow up communcations allowing me to focus on the bagel and muffin order and who wants chocolate milk versus orange juice.  www.simplifyyourlife

So, it is clearly obvious that we have all been yelled at here at Achievant for not blogging enough if at all.  Like so many times in life we are being punished for the actions of a few.  Well!  I am that few, or at least a member of a very small group (like no more than 2).  Big picture, I sort of get the blog idea but I am one of those individuals that if I can't see some pretty immediate and measurable gain I am less likely to move it up on my priority list.  Being brutally honest, everythng seems to be a priority!  This is not a new phenomena but one that always intrigues me. I think we would all agree that not everything is a priority and if it is then we better settle for a heavy dose of status quo and mediocre results.

Same holds true for the many organizations we talk to on a daily basis.  We/They get so stuck in the tactical day to day that you can never get out in front of things that are the "supposed" priorities.  Examples would include but not be limited to conversations that should sound very familiar and and usually start out something like; "My top priority is...", "The top project we need to deliver on is...", "The results of our 4 column process (strategy session) reveals we need...",  now insert the priority:

....to improve and automate Applicant Tracking
....to streamline our HRIS System
....to create a consistent Learning Management approach
....to train leadership on the essence of Performance Management
....to automate Time and Attendance 
 

I think you get the picture!  If we continue through the conversation and go out several weeks if not months I would submit that very few of these priorities would actually still qualify or would not be that much farther down the path of completion.  The biggest obstacle is nothing went on the back burner or yielded to the priority.  Sound familiar?  

Speaking of looking out several weeks or months, I am expected (priority) to deliver several more blogs, as in one a week.  Let's see if I can break the cycle.  Wish me luck! 
  

Hopefully a recent conversation I had with an organization was unique but I fear not.  Organization of approximately 250 employees was looking at solutions to streamline their HR processes.  Current environment had some automation; Payroll and web-based time and attendance.  The pain points were no automation and process regarding Applicant Tracking, Benefits Enrollment, Training and Performance Management.  Compounding the pain was significant dual entry and a lotus notes environment that required multiple and ongoing patches to maintain somewhat of a pulse to support the organization.  Having automated part of the processes over the past year the next logical step was to continue if not complete the HR system upgrade and avoid future quickly outdated enhancements and time eaters for both HR and IT departments.  

Surprisingly the final decision was a “penny wise pound foolish approach.”  Lacking budget approval to continue automation the organization elected to purchase off the shelf software and load to meet their demands.  While a less expensive route in the short term, this approach is more costly over the long haul.  In no time at all they will find themselves right back to their original pain.  Assuming they can dedicate the time and resources to build out the software to meet their specifications it will soon be outdated and they will be back to the drawing board of building patches and work arounds in order to maintain and keep up.  “Time is money” is cliché but accurate.  Analyzing the total need and taking budget into consideration a stair step approach to improving efficiency is a much better approach. 

Joe Barrett
Achievant

The HR department is working frantically to finish all of the various requirements to close out 2007 and piled on top of those tasks are items that need to be initiated for 2008.   Already the department starts out in the hole or behind.  Analyzing or identifying trends from 2007 is always a want or goal but as usual it now becomes a distant wish or priority as the basic tactical day to day demands are all consuming.  Sorting through the various piles that are coming in from multiple departments from previous year need to be checked and rechecked then submitted for final report and formatted to fit the homegrown excel report.  If one could look across the department as a whole, you see this process repeated again and again.  Regardless of the project; W-2’s for the year, Open Enrollment, Merit/Salary Increases, Vacation Plans, Performance Reviews, Succession Management, Applicant Tracking etc, etc, the list seems endless and the process is antiquated.

This same HR department swore that this year would be different.  In those brief moments, last year when they had a chance to breathe, to see beyond the task at hand, they saw and discussed how much better things could be.  The group talked about getting out in front, becoming proactive, earning a seat at the leadership table.  For the HR group, as it is for so many others it is not about working harder it’s about working smarter.  But for now to them it feels like the movie “Ground Hog Day,” same thing over and over and over again.   

Joe Barrett
Vice President Sales
Achievant

This time of year made me think about all of the hoops employees, leaders and organizations are going
through right now regarding Performance Management.  Let's be honest more times than not it is seen as a "check the box" annual process.  Rarely or certainly in the minority is it a living, breathing process called on and discussed throughout the year.  Why is that?  At a very early age we were not conditioned this way.  Quite the contrary.  One thing all of us have in common is that at some point we were all students.  We were conditioned as students to be expected to be evaluted and held accountable on a regular basis.  The report card.  I have often wondered why this basic and long standing approach tends to wane in the workplace.  As students we knew almost immediately the goals, how we were going to be measured, how often and by whom.  We often even knew the punishment in advance from leaderhip (teachers-nuns in my case and parents)
as well as the rewards.  Still, even in our early academic days I am sure you can recall instances where even then some leaders had the check the box attitude.  Remember the time(s) when you worked feverishly to get that homework done or that report turned in on time?  Only to have the teacher forget to check or do a quick assessment as to who did it but not truly looking at the body of work.  Remember that "why should I bother" feeling?  Okay admittedly there
were also those occasions that brought about a big "whoosh," where you lived to fight another day.  Imagine if that check the box approach had been the norm in our academic years. 
Think about the water cooler conversations we have heard of (or maybe even a part of) regarding Performance Management.  At the beginning of the year it's all about getting it ready knowing it will be seldom discussed through out the year.  The end of the year brings a "where is that file" discussion or blowing off the dust for a quick discussion or submission with no discussion at all.  Presto! Box checked ready for another year.  Feel good?  Obviously not.  Look at any Voice of the Employee Survey or Leadership Surveys and the data and sentiments reflect both approaches.  Underperforming organizations often do not clearly articulate goals/expectations and the measurement of performance. Feedback often
reflects confusion on priorities and the "why bother"attitude.  Strong performing organizations communicate expectations early and often with performance tied directly to rewards.  Individuals are engaged and know what is expected of them.  Maybe it's me but a simple straight forward report card, that I know is coming is a much better approach than some rubics cube, disconnected, rarely visited
PM review process. 

Joe Barrett
VP of Sales
Achievant

Well we did it!  We made it through to the end of the year having just finished putting a wrap on the last HR item for 2007.  As I look around everyone is exhausted, grumpy, spent, sleep deprived etc.  You name it they are feeling it.  It is like we just survived (barely) the storm.  Team feels the effects of the storm and the office shows the storms path.  We exit 2007 running home for a brief holiday respite swearing 2008 will be different. 

Sound familiar?  I have often said that HR departments should get a couple of extra days off for the end of the year holidays.  Think about it.  It seems as though all other departments hit cruise control well before the end of the year if not throttle back altoghether compared to HR.  HR personnel meanwhile are running around as if they are trying to herd cats.  Gathering Performance Reviews, requesting compensation decisions, finalizing open enrollment etc. etc. Spending way to much time trying to corral the notorious stragglers and handholding countless others who don't know the various processes because they have not looked at, or thought about for 364 days.  Now their problem or procastination has become HR's priority.  Reality right? 

In the employees defense (Leaders and Individual Contributors) the pieces of the process do not make sense and/or are not clearly connected, not easy.  You pick the verbiage you've heard them all.  Their right!  From Human Resources point of view you are frantically pulling and pasting from various reports paper or otherwise to compile yet another report for leadership to look at trends(although it is probably too late to make a difference) and make decisions. HR is the keeper of the great "personnel funnel."

How often do organizations really stop and look at the inefficiency and wasted time and money from this organized chaotic approach?  But how many times do organizations say they will (usually this time of year) seek improvements?  My experience has been while many organizations will say it few actually get it done. 

Hoping the best for you in 2008!


Happy New Year,

Joe

Joe Barrett
VP of Sales
Achievant

 So why do I get the privilege of blogging about HR systems or Human Capital Management?  I guess it's one of the advantages/disadvantages that comes with being around for awhile.  Allow me to explain by way of my background.  For the past 15 years I have worked for two fortune 100 companies, Abbott Laboratories and Eli Lilly & Company in a variety of areas; Sales, HR, Recruiting, Training, Operations and Leadership.  Regardless of the company, or the area of focus the goal was always the same.  Improve process by streamlining and/or connecting activities.  Regardless of whether you were focused on Sales, Communication, Performance and yes HR systems the goal was/is always to simplify, connect, be overt.  The reality is that too often the outcome is anything but.  

Focusing on Human Capital Management I will be discussing these same goals in areas such as; Recruiting, Applicant Tracking, Onboarding, Performance Management,  and Training.  As we all know there is learning in every situation.  Sharing best practices will include successes as well as those failures that we have all had but more importantly we hope not to duplicate.

In my overall experience on the "needs improvement" side of HR systems, making decisions based on "pain" at a given point in time seems to be the area I see most often repeated.  On the positive side starting with the "end in mind" is a best practice I have seen and we will celebrate and communicate those as well.  Too often I have seen both sides of the equaiton and it continues to amuse me.  When something goes right I see leaders run and get as close to it as they can saying "see what I did."  Conversely when organizations are looking for the root cause of failure these same leaders run as far away as they can screaming, "I had nothing to do with it."

Interestingly I think a lot of these professional decisions and discussions also play out in our personal lives as well.  For me being a husband and a father I can look and find these same mistakes and successes. The only exception I see from the personal side of this analogy is as a parent you can't run and hide.  You have to take both the good and bad.

Joe Barrett

VP Sales

Achievant