A senior human resources executive emailed me to ask whether I still see the term “personnel” floating about in today’s market.  She found the term to be a bit demeaning and old school, feeling it reflected an era of lesser value than today’s current HR function.  Which begs the question - is there really a difference?

University of Manchester graduate student Marco Koster took a stab at differentiation in his 2002 thesis, aptly titled Human Resource Management versus Personnel Management.  Says Marco:

“The view that there are more similarities than differences between personnel and HR management is shared by a number of authors. Legge, for instance, is tempted to say that there are “not a lot” (1989: 27) [of] differences between the two approaches, but nevertheless manages to detect some diverging aspects. These however cannot be qualified as substantial differences, but are rather a matter of emphasis and meaning (Legge 1995: 74). Torrington regards personnel management as a continuing process of evolution and growth, in which more and more fields of expertise are acquired and assimilated. Within this evolutionary process HRM is only adding “a further dimension to a multi-faceted role” (1989: 66), and is not at all a revolutionary concept. However, the effect of HRM should not be underestimated. Armstrong (1987: 34) maintains that although the procedures and techniques strongly resemble those of personnel management, the strategic and philosophical context of HRM makes them appear more purposeful, relevant, and consequently, more effective.

On the other side, authors like Storey regard HRM as a “radically different philosophy and approach to the management of people at work” (1989: 4). In this view, HRM provides a completely new form of managing personnel and can therefore be regarded as a “departure from [the] orthodoxy” (Storey 1989: of traditional personnel management.” (pg. 3)

The pundits at WiseGeek take a slightly different approach, whereby personnel management may be subsumed by the broader and more strategic focus of HR:

“When a difference between personnel management and human resources is recognized, human resources is described as much broader in scope than personnel management. Human resources is said to incorporate and develop personnel management tasks, while seeking to create and develop teams of workers for the benefit of the organization. A primary goal of human resources is to enable employees to work to a maximum level of efficiency.”

Confused yet?  Many state governments have managed to adopt a coexistence strategy, with the “State Personnel Director” running the Department of Human Resources Management.  The real question may be, does it really matter what we call the function?  The good folks at PersonnelToday.com tackled this dilemma in their May 2007 issue:

“By all accounts, in many circles the term ‘human resources’ is no longer in mode. When we published our union research earlier this year (Personnel Today, 30 January) - where unions bemoaned the demise of the personnel function, and complained that the term ‘human resources’ was too impersonal, implying that people were just a resource to be exploited - we were deluged with responses from readers in passionate defence of the term ‘personnel’.

But why this obsession with titles in HR? Other departments such as finance and operations don’t waste their time wringing their hands and wondering what title will get them more credibility in the business. At the end of the day, does it really matter what outfit the HR profession is dressed in?”

So what do you think -  Is Personnel making a comeback?  Should everyone move to Human Resources?  Does it even matter?  Stir the pot if you so choose or we’ll simply put the issue on the back burner.  

Let’s keep the conversation going.

Cupcakes.  Georgetown Cupcakes, to be precise.  The story was on the Today Show, chronicling how people were willing to stand in long lines for their favorite foodstuffs.  In this case, a choice of 20 frosting-laden varieties that may cost you an hour or more of your life.  And with the economy causing some to reassess their financial futures, perhaps we should not be surprised to find a burgeoning job market in “line standing”. 

The ad could read - “Are you either too lazy or self-important to support your own body weight?  If yes, operators are standing by with comfortable shoes and a waterproof parka.”  

Take this story from last fall’s Washington Post.  It seems that lobbyists have been hiring hourly workers to secure them the choicest seats in congressional hearing rooms.  Said the article:

“Washington has a lot of bizarre practices, and it often takes an outsider to recognize them. Line-standing has been around for 15 years, and by now people on the Hill hardly see it anymore — hardly see the people with folding chairs and blankets waiting outside congressional office buildings in the middle of the night, then lining up to shuffle into the building in the mornings, and setting up camp again outside hearing rooms, where they nap and talk (sometimes to themselves) and wait for their clients to arrive. And when the clients come, perky and caffeinated, having slept all night in real beds, they relieve the line-standers and nab seats in the hearing rooms — the closer to the dais of power, the better.”

But it’s not limited to our nation’s capitol.  We saw examples with the release of the iPhone last summer, an entrepreneur cashing on at the Vancouver passport office and even Comcast’s hiring of the homeless for a net neutrality hearing.  Heck, if you live in San Diego and are “reliable”, you can still earn $150 helping out a Comic Con fanatic who needs his beauty sleep.   

Not to deprive those in need of job opportunities, but in a time of war, a housing crisis and the rising costs of basic goods and services, it’s hard to believe that we citizens can afford to pour our hard-earned money into the simplest of activities - the line.  But don’t worry about my seemingly nonsensical rant…I’m not a cutter.

Let’s keep the conversation going (in an orderly fashion). 

I’m a big fan of many (but not all) business school teachings.  Many of my closest colleagues are graduates of some of the best B-schools in the nation, and as a result I’m always looking for gems that many in the market might otherwise miss.  

Such is the case with price sensitivity, a mainstay of most curricula and the forefront of concern among today’s business leaders.  Harvard Business School professor John Quelch recently published an HBS Working Knowledge piece entitled, “Seven Tips for Managing Price Increases” in which he offers advice to marketers on how to cope with inflation and sticker stock.  I think these same principles should be applied to how HR manages today’s highly diverse and fragmented employee population:

1. Understand Your Customers - Take the time to recognize that a disproportionate focus on one segment of your population may cause a demand spike in another.  Reward individuality over conformity and complacency.
2. Invest in Market Research - Get out of the office, walk the halls and talk to employees directly about their challenges and concerns.  Capture high level survey data but recognize that many are reluctant to honestly share for fear of retribution.
3. Redefine Value - Reverse engineer programs that are widely successful to identify the core elements which may be replicated through other HR deliverables.
4. Use Promotions - In this case, literally.  Clearly communicate the values and performance metrics which result in opportunities for leadership development via a well organized and transparent talent management strategy.
5. Unbundle - Recognize that no two employees are the same, and therefore be prepared to dynamically assemble those benefits and programs which meet the unique needs of the individual.
6. Monitor Trade Terms - Watch your population “inventory” closely and be prepared for large spikes and dips in talent acquisition.  Remain constantly educated on those in direct industry and geographic proximity.
7. Increase Relevance - This goes without saying…

If you pay close attention, you’ll find that all around us are lessons that can help the HR professional bring systemic improvement to their organization.

Let’s keep the conversation going.

Nothing beats an economic crisis to stir the creative juices of the masses, and the continued spike in gas prices is no exception.  Each day we turn on the news to a deluge of reports on how organizations are luring clients with the promise of free gas.  (My favorite was a reference to a brothel in Nevada offering free gas cards to all customers.  Too bad they’re not including penicillin…)

Workforces are no exception.  This Thursday, the Houston Independent School District (HISD) will vote on a measure that would offer its lowest paid employees a one-time $250 bonus for gas.  Over 10,000 employees would be eligible, nearly one-third of the district’s workforce.  However, there was no mention of the tax consequences of the bonus, which could effectively trim 15-25% off the cash value.  

And employers continue to jump on the free gas bandwagon, ranging from Indian Tribes and nutritional supplement firms to those asking employees to turn their cars into rolling billboards.  What I like even better are benefits that reward employees for cutting their emissions, such as Clif Bar’s program that pays up to $1,000 for energy efficient appliances at your home and using bicycles to commute to work.

These offers can be great and some are innovative, but what we have yet to see is the “Moon Shot” equivalent of fundamentally changing the way in which we work and commute.  This requires a new paradigm of thinking, which we will discuss tomorrow.

Let’s keep the conversation going. 

The other day over dinner, a friend of mine was describing a problem she was having at the office.  It seems that every time someone she worked with did or said something stupid, her left eyebrow would rise like a hockey stick.  It was completely involuntary, and based on some unusual feedback she had received questioning her professionalism in the office, she was worried that her well-coifed little friend was causing her some real problems.  She then posed a reasonable question:

 ”So how do I stop my ****ing eyebrow from moving??”

In his 1991 bestseller Body Language in the Workplace, author Julius Fast describes this problem as subtext:

“In any exchange between two people or within a group, messages are communicated not only through what is said, but also through the underlying dynamics of what is not said: the subtext.  Subtext is the kind of covert language that may add to the spoken text, reinforcing it or strengthening it; or may contradict the text, canceling out any promises or agreements.” (pg. 12)

Most of us know what subtext means and that body language is a critical component to conveying a proper message, but what I liked about Fast’s definition was the bit about “canceling out any promises or agreements”.  This betrayal of the spoken word occurs all around us, when one parting glance quickly dismisses an hour’s worth of seemingly progressive discussions.  It occurs when that positive performance review is tainted by an ill-timed smirk, a glance downward, a dour looking mouth or a meaningless at-a-boy pat on the back.  

I cannot quantify the amount of time that is spent by employees diagnosing and analyzing the intent behind each of the 5,000+ facial expressions conveyed by those around them, but I do know that intensive interpretation occurs among fellow workers during the executive brown bag lunch, the internal product launch, the corporate event and thousands of other interactions that occur every single day.  I can also tell you this - it matters to people.  It matters a great deal and sometimes we wish it didn’t matter at all.  

Back to my friend with the eyebrows.  A colleague quipped that Botox might do the trick, but then we have the problem of the expressionless face, perhaps causing another set of contextual misunderstandings.  Even Google failed me on searching for a proper eyebrow control training system, focusing more on fashion than functional control.  Alas, we may find ourselves in front of the mirror trying to use Pavlovian techniques or age old parlor tricks to stop our bodies from doing any number of things that cause us harm in the workplace, no subtext intended.

Let’s keep the (nonverbal) conversation going.

I know, clowns are scary.  But put your fears aside and embrace the laurels of the “HR Carnival“, a Bedouin blog post that summarizes all the best stories and opinions of over 20 of the best HR bloggers in the world.  Today’s post is #35 in the series and is hosted by Jon Ingham of Strategic Dynamics Consultancy Services in the UK.

There is a lot of great stuff in Jon’s summation, with a main topical thrust on HR bloggers who address the “sexiness” (or lack thereof) of HR:

“The need for HR to become more sexy is explained by Jessica Lee at Fistful of Talent. Jessica lists a number of areas in which development could make us sexier, for example by making more investment in social media. And helping up us gain a better understanding of this area are Larry Dunivan at Perceptive HR Technology, commenting on an earlier post by Jason Corsello, and Janet Walsh at Strategic Thinking.

Still confused by what sexy HR means? Well, some good examples of definitely not sexy HR are provided by HR Wench and Laurie Ruettimann at Team Building is for Suckers and some suggestions for being sexy in the downturn are offered by Frank Roche at KnowHR.”

I’d suggest you take some time to check out some of the links and other HR bloggers.  These are some of the knowledgeable, perceptive, insightful and even grumpy HR professionals producing interesting content on a regular basis.

Let’s keep the conversation going. 

…just take a look at this video:

It’s been questioned whether this is a fake or not, but either way it makes you think twice about how to take down an emotionally unstable cubicle mate.  A big shout-out to Laurie Rueittmann at Punk Rock HR for turning me on to this gem!

Let’s keep the conversation going (and the violence to a minimum).
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How do you feel about Human Resources Professional Organizations? Take Inflexion’s short poll of views now to express your opinion.

Following a recent period of angst and trepidation in the Human Resources Outsourcing (HRO) market, IBM quieted all fears with it’s announcement of a 10-year, $324 million global agreement with Bristol-Myers Squibb.  Big Blue will support BMS’ global HR operations through call centers in the United States, Manilla and Budapest.  The scope of services provided is quite comprehensive:

“Under the agreement, IBM will provide compensation, benefits, recruiting, learning, payroll administration, call center support and related IT systems services to Bristol-Myers Squibb. Additionally, IBM will implement a SAP solution and integrate Bristol-Myers Squibb’s global workforce data into one portal that can be accessed by employees, managers and HR professionals around the globe. The services will support Bristol-Myers Squibb’s operations in the United States, Puerto Rico, United Kingdom, Ireland, France, Germany, Italy, Spain and Belgium, as well as, limited support to 40 of its additional country locations in Asia Pacific, Europe and the Americas.”

Phil Fersht of AMR Research has heralded this agreement in his popular blog Horses for Sources, citing this contract as further validation of the yeomen’s work being performed by leading global outsourcing providers:

“As the global providers become increasingly proficient at deploying offshore resources to support these processes, they will generate more cost-savings and compelling business cases for their customers.”

This contract will have interesting implications in the growing solutions and outsourcing battle between IBM and Hewlett-Packard, with HP’s new beau EDS having been awarded a seven-year, $715 million IT infrastructure outsourcing contract with Bristol-Myers Squibb just this past December.

Let’s keep the conversation going.

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How do you feel about Human Resources Professional Organizations?  Take Inflexion’s short poll of views now to express your opinion. 

A few months ago, Inflexion posed a question about human resources member-based forums, asking “With whom do you associate?”  The response from the HR industry was swift and overwhelming, with hundreds of messages pouring in from all over the globe.  What was immediately clear is that both HR professionals and corporate sponsors are struggling to sort through the value propositions of dozens of competing Human Resources Professional Organizations (HRPOs).  This is confounded by the fact that there are well over 200 such HRPOs in the US alone, ranging from the Corporate Leadership Council (CLC) and Human Resource Planning Society (HRPS) to the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) and WorldatWork.

Inflexion would ask that you take 5 minutes to complete our short poll of views.  We will apply the findings from this survey to our broader research initiative comprising profiles and comparisons of over twenty-five leading HRPOs.  Your voice is critical to the success of this groundbreaking study and we thank you in advance for your participation. 

Should any questions or comments arise, please email us at research@inflexionadvisors.com.  Let’s keep the conversation (and industry innovation) going.