The HR Hub

I have been to sooooo many presentations where the presenter says "and this will increase retention!!!" as a selling feature for their product or initiative. But will it? Actually, it might if it improves management quality. This was the main point of my conversation with Cara Silletto, Chief Retention Officer of Magnet Culture. She wrote a book called "Staying Power" and helps companies address retention. She said: 🤑 Too many leaders conveniently attribute employee departures to the character flaws of their employees: "They just want a buck more an hour!" Sorry. Not true. Their own behaviour has a much bigger impact than they want to believe. 👂 Leaders need to listen to their employees. Ask questions and don't defend. ✈️ Your new employees have the highest flight risk especially in low-pay positions. Retention efforts here may have a big impact! 🗑️ TRY not to give new employees the crap work and crap equipment. Find Cara at https://www.magnetculture.com/ Find Andrea for HR consulting in Western Canada at www.thehrhub.ca

In this video, I dive into a topic that is often discussed but not always fully understood: executive presence. You might want to get promoted! And As gatekeepers of talent and culture, HR plays a pivotal role in identifying and developing leaders who have this quality. We can also help others develop it because it's a competency (or a collection of competencies). This was the focus of my conversation with Stephan Weidner, CEO of Noomi and Zarango. With his team, they have developed a way of measuring it and then helping leaders develop it. I discovered I have an image in mind when it comes to executive presence and it's someone who is tall, white, and male. So I appreciated having my horizons expanded: 3️⃣ Executive presence is based on three characteristics and anyone can possess them 🥼Most leaders rely on their expertise to lead but that is limiting 💪You need to flex your various 'muscles' that help you have executive presence depending on the situation. 💉We talk about attractiveness, but you don't need botox. Find Stephan on LinkedIn or at Zarango https://www.linkedin.com/in/swiedner/ zarango.com Find Andrea for HR consulting at www.thehrhub.ca

No. Agile HR is not agile project management OR piloting by another name. But what exactly is it, and how can it help you? During my discussion with Elissa Lok, HR Consultant, she says that, at its core, Agile HR is all about flexibility, collaboration, and continuous improvement. Rather than relying on rigid, slow, top-down management, agile HR empowers employees to take ownership and collaborate with their colleagues to achieve common goals. Some of the key principles of Agile HR include: - Rapid iteration: Agile HR processes are flexible and adaptable, allowing teams to quickly test and refine new ideas. - Continuous feedback: Regular check-ins and feedback loops help employees and managers make changes as they go. - Collaborative decision-making: Agile HR encourages cross-functional collaboration when it brings together people from across an organization who have a say. It doesn't work for everything but I am curious to give it a shot! Find Elissa at elissa@hrwest.ca or at Spacemakers Canada https://www.spacemakersgroup.ca/ Reach out to Andrea for HR consulting at andrea@thehrhub.ca

As an HR person, you may find yourself in a difficult situation where you need to coach a leader who is not performing well in all parts of their role. Usually we, in HR, hear about the people parts. And we are often tempted to label them as a "problem," it would be better to provide help and support. I was asked to do this episode and I invited Heather Dranitsaris-Hilliard and her mother, Dr. Anne Dranitsaris, back to help me. Their company, Caliber Leadership Systems, specializes in organization dysfunction so it made sense to bring them back! And I enjoy talking to them! Some of their points: 🐦 We can't pigeon-hole leaders as problems. A label is easy, but it's the behaviour you're concerned about. If they are interested, it can change. 😬 If you feel intimidated, remember they are just a person - albeit one playing a key role who needs help. 💪 Muster up some courage, it's probably your job. ❌ While people can develop, there is a point where we need to terminate.

This episode on decolonizing HR and indigenous inclusion was by request! I was totally on board. I recently took the Indigenous Canada MOOC (massive open online course) and it was fascinating and inspiring. So I reached out to Gillian Hynes who works for Rise, an indigenous-owned consulting group advancing reconciliation and indigenous inclusion. Here are a few highlights: - Decolonization is about inclusion and truth through reconciliation and relationships. - It starts with the individual. - There are many colonial practices in HR. For example, many benefits are based on Western medicine, and our definition of "family" for bereavement leave is often narrow. - A lot of the changes will benefit all employees - especially as we get more diverse overall. - HR has the power to make a difference by helping decide what the problem is and what the solution might be. It's fascinating and challenging stuff. But I didn't find it overwhelming - hopefully you don't either. Find Gillian at http://www.riseconsultingltd.ca/ Find Andrea at http://www.thehrhub.ca

This video explores the complex nature of managing a crisis at work. Maybe there's a catastrophe, but maybe it's a smaller event that has emotionally impacted many employees. Both are crises. I spoke with John Robertson who wrote Run Toward the Roar and advises on crisis preparation and response. The name of his book is derived from the behavior of lions where the older ones position themselves on one side of the prey and roar, while the younger ones wait on the other side for the prey once they have been spooked. We tend to behave similarly during a crisis - we tend to run from 'noise' creating greater chaos. Instead, John advises the following: 🌪️ A crisis is rarely the event itself like the flood or storm, but rather the impact it has on individuals and organizations. 💔Consider the impact of unexpected and less dramatic events like the loss of a beloved employee. 👂When facing a crisis, it's crucial to listen to the stories of those affected. We all love to hear stories of someone who has come through a crisis, but what about when they're still in the middle of it? 🙂 One of the first steps in managing a crisis is normalizing reactions. I had never thought about the small events as crisis before, but I won't forget now. Find John at john@fortlog.co or www.fortlog.co Find Andrea at www.thehrhub.ca for HR consulting in Western Canada

Trust is KEY to how the organization perceives HR according to a recent presentation I went to by McLean and Company. Specifically they said "non- HR respondents with high trust in their HR Departments are 2.9x more likely to also rate them as highly effective." This made a strong impression on me so I went looking for someone to talk to. Who better than Ila Edgar, the co-host of a podcast called "Trust on Purpose"? Ila is a coach and, in a past life, was a recruiter too so she understands HR. She said: ✅ Trust is an emotion AND a competency. Since it's a competency we can get better at it! 4️⃣ There are four aspects to the competency: competence, sincerity, reliability and care. 🗣️ You can start to build trust by simply engaging someone in a conversation about trust. 🙏 Try: I want to build a strong trusting relationship with you. Here's the things I need to see from you. What do you need to see from me? Since trust is critical to HR (and maybe most relationships), you need to see this. Find Ila at https://www.bigchangeinc.com/ This is her podcast: https://trustonpurpose.buzzsprout.com/ Andrea is an HR consultant in Western Canada. Find her at www.thehrhub.ca

First of all, don't use the word 'fire'. That's the first key rule in terminating someone's employment in a kind and professional manner. Terminating someone's employment is not easy. It's clearly not easy for the employee, but it's not easy for HR or the Manager either. (If it is, find a new job.) If you are like most people and it makes you anxious, this video shows you how to can accomplish this difficult task with empathy and respect. This was the focus of this discussion with Kim Spurgeon. She has worked with LHH Knightsbridge in a variety of roles and, as a career transition specialist, has been present for many terminations. She shared her considerable insight: 3️⃣ In addition to the employee, there should be 2-3 people present during the termination meeting: the direct manager, the HR representative, and, possibly, the career transition specialist 3️⃣ It's the manager's role to advise the employee that their employment is being terminated. The manager's statement should be brief and to the point, taking no more than 2-3 minutes. 🗣️ The HR representative will go through the details of the termination, including any severance pay or benefits the employee may be entitled to. 🙏 Remember to thank the departing employee for their contributions!! Check out the video if you have to do one to ensure that this often difficult meeting is as smooth and respectful as possible. Find LHH Knightsbridge and Kim at www.lhh.com I (Andrea) am an HR Consultant in Western Canada. Find me at www.thehrhub.ca

While diversity is almost a fad for some companies, we also know that having a diverse team adds bottom-line value. As long as diversity is accompanied by inclusivity. The video with Dr. Helen Turnbull CSP highlights that diversity positively impacts the bottom line - but only when everyone feels included and valued. She's been working in the field a long time and did a TEDx in 2013. She says: 😬 It's not enough to simply hire a diverse group of people and pat yourself on the back. You need a culture where everyone feels included and can contribute their unique perspectives and ideas. 🙄 When diversity training elicits an eyeroll... you have an uphill battle. The leader is telegraphing their thoughts and unlikely to foster an inclusive environment. 🥱 But inclusivity does not mean that people should be allowed to monopolize meetings ad nauseum. If they're not adding value... why are they there? Find Dr. Turnbull at www.humanfacets.com (954) 553 2828 Find Andrea, HR Consultant, at www.thehrhub.ca

I read something recently saying that organizations who trust HR are 2.9x more likely to rate them as highly effective. This would make it so much easier to get ALL our work done so I knew I had to do some episodes on trust. I reached out to ILa Edgar who is co-Host of a show called Trust on Purpose with Charles Feltman. She is also a coach and was a recruiter for years, so she has insight into HR: 1) The first thing is we need to care. About the client and the business. 🗣️ Trust building is a skill and one you can discuss directly with clients 👍 Even when there are limitations on us that our client might not appreciate, there are things we can do to maintain trust. 🗣️ When clients talk about HR instead of to HR, there's some mistrust. We can deal with that head on too. Find Ila at https://www.bigchangeinc.com/ This is her podcast: https://trustonpurpose.buzzsprout.com/ Andrea is an HR consultant in Western Canada. Find her at www.thehrhub.ca