2. CAUTION – Don’t let his dulcet tones lull you into a comfortable malaise. Mark’s about to make you work. Agenda 2
3. Setting the Stage 3 “The world is a stage, but the play is badly cast.” ~ Oscar Wilde
4. 5 Reasons To Discredit My Presentation We’ve only just met I’m not currently living in the trenches I abandoned Wisconsin as a child It’s easy for me to say, “[insert major issue]” Matt Stollak invited me 4
5. “You Are HR” [Note to self: Show that you understand their pain… and try not to cry, okay?] All joking aside: Our world is increasingly complex We are understaffed and overworked Funding is more difficult to secure There is tremendous pressure to outperform the competition Innovation is critical …. and this is true of every other corporate function!! 5
6. The Morons Have Us On Speed Dial… 6 When no one else can handle the situation, we get the call. “How do I deal with an employee who….” “…talks too loud.” “…smells funny.” “…has a messy cubicle.” “…won’t play well with others.” We are masters of the obvious: “What is our [dress code/holiday schedule/pet insurance policy]?” “How do I [change my address/enroll in benefits/find out my 401(k) balance/use the coffee maker]?”
7. …But So Does The Board 7 When no one else can handle the situation, we get the call. “How do I deal with an employee who….” “…is leaving us for a top competitor.” “…might file a harassment suit.” “….mismanaged his department into turmoil.” “…lacks key skills for the succession plan.” We are masters of the obvious: “What happens if we [freeze bonuses/cease health care coverage/force 401(k) enrollment]?” “How do I [fire someone I don’t like/create the appearance of diversity/get on the Best Companies to Work For]?”
11. 1) Do Nothing – A Real Option 11 You’re understaffed and overwhelmed There’s little financial incentive at play Change is incredibly difficult You don’t have budget to fund a radical overhaul You don’t know where/how to get started What can one person really do?
12. 2) Break It Apart – Accelerate The Trend 12 Outsource all the transactional work Absorb the remainder of the HR service categories across the enterprise This is already happening Payroll controlled by finance Risk and policies management owned by legal Employee health run by medical officer Employer branding run by marketing Employee and managerial contact consolidated under shared services Learning as a separate function Talent management as a separate function
13. 3) Radically Transform – This Won’t Be Easy 13 Change the underlying attributes that attract and define HR professionals Shed all transactional activities as distractions Transfer non-essential activities to sister functions Emphasize a strong business education above all else Make vendor management and governance a core competency Embrace metrics as the driving force of business The moment an alternative is available, exit the health benefits business Make talent your cornerstone
14. The Business Case for Change 14 “When we are no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves.” ~ Victor Frankl
15. 5 Reasons People Change They want to change They want to avoid negative consequences They are incented to change The environment around them changes Discovery that constructive change is possible 15
16. Items We Must Change Immediately 16 Put a bullet in “Seat at the table” No other function laments its influence or position Seriously …just stop it …I’m not joking Retire “Strategic business partner” Fundamentally shift our mentality Declare in both actions and words that HR has arrived Clarify our taxonomy Resist the temptation to embrace vendor-drive squishy terms Stop letting others define what HR is Set a career path Making HR a more appealing destination Explore non-traditional applications of skillsets
17. Why I’m Frustrated 17 Many of the optics haven’t changed Vendors are pushing and driving the evolution of the function The expectation that an organizing body/association will set the path Continued lamentation of the misfortune of HR Little concern for legacy building A lack of recessionary authenticity
18. Why I’m Encouraged 18 We’re having this conversation The opportunity to knowledge share and brainstorm has never been easier We can learn from other functions that have rapidly evolved A growing level of discontent with the status quo We can actually pull it off (if we wanted to)
19. Questions And Answers 19 “The important thing is to not stop questioning. Curiosity has it’s own reason for existing.” ~ Albert Einstein
20. Thank you! Contact Information Mark Stelzner Founder – Inflexion Advisors, New Media Services, JobAngels.org 415-658-7460 mark.stelzner@inflexionadvisors.com http://www.InflexionAdvisors.com http://www.NewMediaServicesllc.com http://www.JobAngels.org 20
