When I contracted a new EAP vendor, I manufactured a reason to schedule several counseling appointments. Okay, so I admit it. With my crazy life, it wasn’t that hard to find an excuse. When we started our first Health Reimbursement Account, I enrolled even though my husband’s plan was cheaper. Why? HR metrics and measures abound, but sometimes there’s no substitute for what we learn from a little personal experience with the programs and processes we inflict on create for others
We are unwrapping some posts from the Women of HR archives for you this holiday season. Relax, enjoy and let us know if there is a favorite of yours you’d like to see unwrapped and run again.
Women of HR were asked, “If you were CEO for a day, what would (or did) you focus on to improve an organization’s productivity, employee engagement or ability to recruit?” This is the fourth post in the series of responses.
Do you remember when you were a kid and played a game with friends, asking each other: what would you change if you suddenly, magically became the President? As I recall, our responses ran along the lines of: outlaw homework. Buy every homeless person a house. Give every kid a bike or a pony, whichever they prefer. Pass a law that dessert comes first. Ship all our extra food to poor people in Africa.
I fondly remember those sweet, innocent answers as I accept the challenge to write about being CEO for a day.
Two years ago, my oldest sister turned 50. I think I was more traumatized than she was. Since then, I’ve given a lot of reflection to growing older. My sister hitting that milestone first was actually a blessing because it affords me plenty of time to think about my life, my work and getting older. I have the luxury of time on my side as I adjust to the reality of reaching the half century mark myself.
One of my pet peeves is when we HR pros hide behind our mothers’ skirts and we’re seen as administrators, guardians, hall monitors, pencil pushers, police. Colleagues would take us much more seriously–and, heck, like us more–if we would grow some cojones and act boldly based on our skill, knowledge, values and principles, rather than falling back on policies, procedures and regulations..
There are a lot of qualities you must have or attain if you want to succeed in HR. But to last in HR, you may need a few more. Most of the lists of essential HR professional traits I see don’t include traits that, after 15 years in HR, seem to me to be integral to most HR professional’s long-term staying power (not to mention mental and emotional health)
What hoops do your leave policies require employees to jump through just to take a sick or vacation day?
With a few notable exceptions, HR professionals are frumpy and dress without confidence or inspiration.
If we had a crystal ball, life would be grand. But, because we don’t, we often find ourselves at the mercy of hindsight. Hindsight being 20/20, what is one setback you faced in your career that ended up being a blessing in disguise?
This post is painful because it requires soul-bearing. Out of respect for parties involved, some details are disguised. Read this knowing that even wrenching setbacks can be a blessing in disguise.
Can you imagine trying to work without a computer or access to the Internet? It was done once. And I did it.