Harness the Benefits of Technology
You'll provide better customer service and free your time for dreaming up new value-added strategies. The impact of an effective Human Resources Information System (HRIS) cannot be overestimated. Need reports about attendance? How about salary reports for your whole organization? Interested in turnover and retention figures? Some of you may not remember what it was like when these calculations were done by hand, but I do.
Providing management-needed information quickly, conveniently, correctly and in useful formats makes you look good and feel good, too. Generally, people are your organization's biggest investment. Tracking their cost carefully makes business sense.
Additionally, the use of an Intranet frees up staff time because employees can enter their own information into the forms. The Intranet provides communication, training and convenient answers and allows you to save your time for more creative, thoughtful, forward thinking tasks - such as developing business strategy.
Recommend Programs for People That Continuously Improve the Business
When you propose new programs or problem solve people issues, recommend solutions that support the accomplishment of business goals. You have reasons for suggesting a new variable pay system such as encouraging managers to accomplish business goals. What's better? The "thank you" card system appears to help employee motivation and productivity or the attendance system has reduced absenteeism by four percent.
Whenever possible, suggest new programs or changes to programs based on measurable objectives that support the business. Then, remember to measure the changes and evaluate whether the new process actually worked. When you offer systems and improvements that measurably improve an aspect of your business, you cement your seat at the executive table.
Learn and Grow Every Day Through Every Possible Method
Use your knowledge of how people develop to do what is necessary to continue your growth curve.
- Seek out a more experienced mentor or sounding board. You need someone you can confide in and learn from.
- Attend professional HR conferences, meetings and events.
- Attend executive leadership and management conferences in addition to your HR professional associations. You seek knowledge that goes beyond the bounds of your discipline and department.
- Attend at least forty hours of training and education every year. Make sure your staff members attend, too. Cover all aspects of the business and running a business.
- Seek out people who will ask you questions and challenge your beliefs so you can continue to grow. I work, currently, with a CEO, who asks me questions. I may not always like them, but the questions challenge me to think things through and to follow issues to their logical conclusion. He asks repeatedly, "How will you know if that is working? Happening? Bringing the results you want?"
There, you have them - my best ideas for what works to earn you a seat at the executive table. Lots of work. Undoubtedly. But, you invest the same number of hours in your work every week anyway. Why not have the hours you invest be as productive, influential and strategic as possible? You'll be happy you did.
