31 August 2009

The Trouble with HR

image While writing the first edition of my book way back in 2004, I ripped through it without much of a third eye – meaning, I knew what it was about but I had no idea what it was going to end up being.  When I received copies from my publisher, cracked open one, and finished it, I had a minor epiphany.  “This is really a book about HR.”  Kind of a shock, since I certainly didn’t plan it as such.  I’m one of those creative types, not a Human Resources person.

Since then, diversity has become a mantra.  (If you can have more than one mantra – is there such a thing as mantra multitasking?)  My blog is filled with diversity posts.  Here’s one with links to others:

Diversity = Productivity
image... Scott E. Page, a professor of complex systems, political science and economics at the University of Michigan, is a fresh voice... Rather than ponder moral questions like, “Why can’t we all get along?” Dr. Page asks practical ones like, “How can we all be more productive together?” The answer, he suggests, is in messy, creative organizations and environments with individuals from vastly different backgrounds and life experiences.

Of course, there’s this:

You Know Who's Boss -- Consumers
But Do You Really Know Them Well?
image … But what about consumers who feel disconnected? What about blacks and Asians and Hispanics who feel most brands aren't part of their lives, at least as they are filtered through the power structure of today's advertising business?
It makes all the sense in the world for ad makers (both clients and agencies) to be well-stocked with people who understand consumers, whether young people who fathom the mysteries of cyberspace, a good mixture of people who reflect the ethnic and cultural diversity of our country, and, yes, even older people who understand the vitality and buying power of the great gorge of baby boomers overtaking our land.

Talk about the need for greater diversity in the business largely has fallen on deaf ears. Nobody likes to be told whom they should hire -- unless it can be demonstrated that hiring the right mix of people can improve the bottom line …

A new book by Johnny C. Taylor and Gary M. Stern looks like a good one:

The Trouble with HR: An Insider's Guide to Finding and Keeping the Best People
image Anyone seeking to get the best results for their organization must find and keep great employees. Yet many HR departments are still using cookie-cutter approaches to finding new hires. This book gives readers practical guidance on what they can do to attract, and hang onto, the best and the brightest talent. The book explores the latest thinking in employee relations, compensation and benefits, training, onboarding, and development practices. This is a unique, powerful book no one concerned with finding and retaining the best people should be without.

….  A 2006 study by IOMA found that companies with effective talent management practices retain employees for longer time periods and outperform industry averages by 22 percent. But most HR departments are still using the same old cookie-cutter approach to finding new hires.

And after reading this heartwarming piece by Michael Winerip of The New York Times, the timing is perfect for a book about The Trouble with HR.

Excellent tips from Mr. Taylor:

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