“Our #1 opportunity is to build a competitive advantage, not to build benefit plans for our organization” –VP of HR Cisco I’ve met/ worked for over 100 VP’s of HR and dozens of CEO’s over the last few years and although there are clearly exceptions, I’ve found that CEO’s and …

What Exactly Is A Metric? Metrics are measures of output or results.  While some managers use “words” to describe results, metrics require the use of numbers to more accurately “describe” output or performance. When they are correctly developed, metrics take away all doubt about what was and was not accomplished …

HR as Supporters of "Equal Pay" vs “Differential Pay” Capitalists learn that you must differentiate rewards in order to improve performance.  What is needed is not "reward them all equally" or "reward each according to their need,” but rather reward those that produce the best results.  In contrast, most compensation …

Same situation but different results – An example Let’s start with a basketball analogy. First compare two teams that play in the same league and the same city, the L.A. Lakers and the L.A. Clippers.  If you compare the two teams you will find that both are exactly the same …

HR “work” can be classified into five distinct levels from the basic to the most strategic. Those levels include: Level One –Information Management and Basic Transactions Every HR department must provide basic information, answer employee and manager questions and complete operational level transactions. These most would agree are the oldest …

I) – Factors, activities and events that can harm innovation There are many "corporate events" or actions that can impact a company's culture, processes and ways of doing business.  If HR is to help improve innovation in a corporation, it must identify the corporate events that are likely to have …

Below is a list of potential business issues that may arise as a result of the events:  Potential employee fears and anxiety Employees may fear working in (or even near) tall buildings, especially landmark or symbolic buildings. Employees will likely fear taking commercial airline flights, especially out of major airports. …

There is no catchall answer as to the exact actions corporations should take. Whatever you do, it must fit your culture and situation.  Individual managers and corporations need to allow their people the time and the flexibility they need to reflect, mourn, or just work through any anxiety that might …

Why it's essential to avoid layoffs Laying off thousands of workers is not only embarrassing, it's also expensive. Because the company has invested thousands of dollars in recruiting and training these employees, it makes no sense to release them in large numbers. The negative publicity related to the lay off …

Each of the ten distinct HR models that are outlined above has made a significant impact in some organization because they fit the need at the time. Its important to emphasize that there are no good and bad strategies, just ones that are appropriate for the organization and the goals that it sets.