In 2014, Human Capital Media is hosting Workforce Live! events in 6 cities across the US featuring 50+ speakers in the Human Resources/ Talent Management field. Workforce Live! NYC took place on June 3, 2014 with a lineup of nine speakers who presented on HR matters in a fast-moving, TED-talk style. The following is Part I of a brief recap of the event.
About Human Capital Media
“Human Capital Media Group (HCM) publishes Chief Learning Officer, Diversity Executive and Talent Management magazines. HCM also operates several widely referenced online industry resources. Human Capital Media leverages its award-winning editorial content with innovative integrated media products, including targeted e-newsletters, webinars, interactive websites, special print and online supplements, industry research and benchmarking, and conferences that bring together international audiences to network and discuss leading-edge strategy and best practices in the industry. Human Capital Media partners with recognized industry experts and provides thought-provoking feature articles, news, opinions and insights through its award-winning publications, events and e-media. Each Human Capital Media product gives readers the business intelligence and knowledge they need to succeed in new and changing markets.”1
A Total Rewards Rethink
Karen Astarita, Global Vice President Rewards & Talent at Unilever
After providing some background on Unilever, Ms. Astarita focused on the three drivers of engagement: Reward + Environment + Purpose.
Reward: Implemented a Total Reward System giving employees access to a personalized portal that provides a complete picture of the employees complete annual package in terms of pay, benefits, and incentives. A second system was set up to allow employees to recognize each other and provide visibility of recognition at an enterprise level.
Environment: Implemented an Agile framework that addressed working practices, workspaces, and technology to allow employees flexibility in how and where they worked while still allowing them to feel connected to coworkers and the company. Managers are a focus and pulse surveys are used to gain feedback on employee needs.
Purpose: Sustainable and Social. How does the company address its impact on the environment? How does it connect with customers and communities?
Become a Talent Magnet!
Jan Sysmans, Senior Director Product Marketing at Saba
Mr. Sysmans began by providing an overview of recent reports on talent business challenges. He then defines a Talent Magnet as a company that attracts and retains top talent.
How do you attract talent? Develop a strong and relevant employment brand, enable employees to be brand ambassadors, tap into social talent networks, and use innovative hiring practices.
Retention begins with meaningful, exciting & flexible work environments, facilitation of talent mobility, encouraging career and skill development, and transforming performance assessments into continuous coaching and capability development.
Start With An Employee Centric Culture. Understand how HR is perceived: Controller, Server, Enabler, or Driver. Don’t boil the ocean. Don’t use technology just for technology’s sake. The goal is to become a Talent Magnet which will provide a significant advantage over your competitors.
Capturing Work-Life Well-Being in a High-Performance Era
Cali Williams Yost
Ms. Yost addressed the default beliefs and new reality of Work-Like Well-Being. While managers are the primary focus of most companies when it comes to addressing flexible work arrangements, employees need to be trained as well. Employees need to learn how to have the conversation about flexible work arrangements and how they will impact all parties. Together, the manager and the employee can work through the day-to-day issues and leverage flexibility.
How to Boost Talent Empowerment and Creativity
Anat Lechner, Clinical Associate Professor of Management and Organizations at NYU Stern
Change is a big part of our lives. With pressure toward innovation we are saying a long goodbye to simplicity. Change begins with you and how you react to it.
From a talent retention standpoint, there will always be sexier companies offering alternatives to what you offer. There are 5 points that relate to this:
- From a customer standpoint, we can make anything we want, i.e., the 3-D printing revolution that will put the economy in hands of entrepreneurs.
- Markets are open. We can sell wherever we want, i.e., emerging country and internet economies.
- Resources allow us to work around the system more and more, i.e., crowd sourcing/ lending platforms.
- Relationships are no longer bounded, i.e., the internet of things, age is no longer a factor in innovation.
- Technology handles more a more of the work, i.e., instant access to goods and information
These points will cause companies to approach talent differently. They will have to move from their command and control systems to ones that offer collaboration and creativity.
Work will focus around three activities: I, You and I, and We. Workplaces will need to be user-centric:
- Focused & Collaborative: fun, flexible co-creation spaces
- Well-Being incorporated into daily routines
- Home away from home
- Responsive
- En-smart: make us smarter
- Humanize
- Comfortable
Part II of this post will recap the following presentations:
A Chat with Wall Street Journal Reporter Lauren Weber
Improving the Candidate Experience in 2014
From Data Management to Information Craftsmanship
Creating a Culture Imperative
Beyond Once Upon A Time: Storytelling in HR
The Spring Edition of Workforce Live! is now available for FREE online. By registering you will gain access to the New York City, Boston, and Washington, DC event presentations: http://live.workforce.com/#online-edition Workforce Live! will be holding the remaining events in San Francisco, Dallas, and Chicago in September.
1“About Us.” Human Capital Media. n.p., n.d. Web. 18 June 2014. <http://humancapitalmedia.com>.
P.S. First time here? Welcome to the Agent In Engagement site. Thanks for taking the time to stop by! I hope you’ll explore the rest of the site.Let me know what employee engagement topics interest you.
Other recent Agent in Engagement articles by Gregory F Simpson:
- Employee Engagement Recap for Week of June 9 – 13, 2014
- These Trying Times Should be “Try-ing” Times
- Key Learnings from Thrive: The Third Metric to Redefining Success and Creating a Life of Well-Being, Wisdom, and Wonder
- Employee Engagement: Your Résumé vs. Your Eulogy
- Are Your New Managers Positioned for Success?
- A Reference for Employee Engagement Reports, Studies, and Surveys
- 7 Phases of Engagement
Let’s Engage!
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