A new year – a fresh start, a new leaf, that new resolution - a time when everyone takes a long look back at the time that’s past, and a hopeful look into the future of those things that are yet to come. As HR professionals, it can be an exceptionally busy time, as we’re wrapping up any 2011 initiatives, gathering incoming data to finalize presentations, metrics, etc. for the previous year, as well as kick-starting any new year communications and/or programs, end-of-year reviews, and merit increases. It is also the start of the “unofficial” recruiting season – a fact that many managers will see not only due to increased interviews and new faces, but increased turnover and workload for existing employees.
In the midst of all this, it’s easy to lose sight of January’s biggest HR opportunity – change.
The atmosphere is prime for people to be ready for change, and smart companies will seize that opportunity to re-brand, re-communicate, re-engage, as well as re-position themselves externally in the market for new talent. Utilizing last year’s data, now is the time to make your case for the next big step needed for your workforce.
In order for this to not feel like “the flavor of the month”, you’ll need to do your homework, and depending upon what you’re tackling, that could mean a little or a lot. What really matters most is to separate fact from fiction, and to remain completely unbiased, something that is remarkably hard to find, even in HR. Too often we hear that change needs to come from the top – down, however, when making a massive change, the most successful companies are able to create a grass-roots-like movement, with employees embracing the change faster than the C-Suite. Taking off those rose-colored glasses, we will see that sometimes the best solutions for our everyday use arise somewhere in between – creating momentum in the employee base, while still gaining top management support.
By utilizing the actual data, you will also be able to take on what is really plaguing your workforce, not just what you hear the most complaints on, or what your executives think needs work. You should also try to have data from multiple sources, not just one area; for instance, exit surveys may show employees who are leaving due to certain employment factors, but an engagement surveys may show why those employees who are not leaving are still in the game, and what their concerns are. If you have resounding concerns from both in certain categories, full steam ahead – if not, further study may be needed to find out where to go from here.
Re-branding and re-positioning externally takes looking at your employee value proposition – i.e. what do you offer to potential candidates that your competitors don’t – and how to set yourself in the market of prospective job seekers. As Q1 hiring picks up, you’ll need to be thinking about this, and crafting your recruitment strategy for 2012 to align with it. Again, you will find that data from the previous year(s) will be instrumental in this process, as talent gaps, bench weaknesses, and recruitment support issues will not go away just because the calendar flipped – analyze what is taking place, how it is affecting your business, and what resources are available to you with the appropriate ROI to create a solvent solution.
Remember, there is always something to improve upon, even if it’s minor, to increase productivity, accuracy, customer service, communications, etc., and if you take the appropriate steps to realize these opportunities and seize them when your audience is seasoned for it, you can ensure success (of course, you need to also have an airtight communication plan, business reasoning, etc., but more on that in later months). By taking these minor steps as they come, you can find yourself moving from talking about best practices to accomplishing them.
As always, Be Inspirational!
