Attention, Advertisment! For a more dynamic HR-work

Translated from Jannis Tsalikis’ blog entry: Achtung, Werbung! Für mehr Dynamik bei der Personalarbeit ...

It seems they still exist, the dusty HR's. Isn't it horrible actually?

Not unreasoned I am happily working as HR in the media industry for the longest. I hardly can imagine working in a different industry Why? In the communication and media branch reigns a special kind of dynamic which exists in its daily HR-work as well. More frequent personnel change, young, hungry employees, continuesly changing business aso.. It is just never getting boring. The opposite! Challenges are mastered and the next ones are waiting already. Great! Aint it?!

After wild 13 years I can say, just do it too and...

1. keep your curiousity: Every now and then, I unfortunately met HR's who rested on their success. Time runs differently now though. Who doesn't think further, keeps moving and stays curious about what happens in the world does not only miss out but misses the connection. Stay tuned! Sit with the trainees at the canteen. Talk with the colleagues from other divisions or with HR's from other companies (i.e. at HR BarCamp ;) Be open for and to the new digital world.

2. stay courageous: When new tasks approach your HR-Division, just say, "YES, we can!" - even if at first you have no clue how to solve the new problem. Or even better, when knowing there are a couple of things which have to be changed, just start! Without being asked by the boss!

3. accept criticism: God, it is the most difficult. The more experience and knowledge you collect, the harder it is to allow and accept criticism. Who is bold enough to admit being a fool?! No, me neither. But, the ability of self-criticism is truely turning us into a better HR. Doesn't it?

Why don't you let yourself be inspired by my words and do it like the dude in the picture. No matter where you are, get up, pose like a winner and shout out "YEAH, today is going to be an awesome day!". Then clean your table and innovatively solve a problem or task which was bugging for weeks already. YES!

Jannis

5 Questions to HR - Becoming a true Business Partner

Strategic work in HR seldom gets the appreciation as many still may connect HR to be the great task of hoarding personnel files, being a meany to applicants and not caring what employees feel and think about. Today I would like to introduce to you a dear colleague of mine: 

Nathalie works at MSLGROUP in Paris and is always on the bus when it comes to strategic change in personnel work within the global network. Personally, I admire her for her straight forwardness and positivity no matter how slow and agonizing a task or the process within a worldwide network is.

I asked her five questions about her work and how she views HR. Check it out and be inspired.

1.) Five words to describe your field/job/tasks?
Employee Engagement & Employer Branding

2.) How do you help your co-workers turning a frown upside down?
I have experienced that passion and enthusiasm is communicative, so this is how I'm trying to energize people who are working with me. If you keep a positive attitude, positive things will happen.


3.) Is there a task in HR which you dislike? 
Not really!


4.) Do your friends ask you to redact their résumés? 
HR has always been my passion even before it became a real job for me. I was on Monster and then LinkedIn long before I graduated. I've also been through so many student jobs that I have quite an extensive experience of applications and job interviews! Hence my friends have always came to me spontaneously for advice. I have never written anyone's applications though, I think it doesn't help the applicant nor the recruiter at the end of it! 

5.) What does or should HR stand for? 
I think there has never been a more interesting time to work in HR. With more and more admin issues dealt with externally, we can really focus on the Strategic Part of the job. Also, with employees jumping regularly from one company to another, the relation you have with Talent has changed drastically. On the Employee side it means making sure people are constantly inspired and energized in their work. On the Company side, it means becoming a true Business Partner to your Managers to help them navigate this change and build the best teams that will eventually deliver great business results. It's a win-win situation!

Thank you Nathalie. It was a great pleasure. 

Employer Branding and Social Media - still a long way to go

Translated from Ralf Junge's blog entry: "Employer Branding und Social Media – ein weiter Weg."

How does Social Media support the Employer Branding at YOUR company? This is the question of one's master theses I was allowed to read the other day. The subject is quite exciting. After all Social Media has not arrived in HR works completely yet. Very exciting especially with this study is, predominantly only Employer Branding Referents from middle class companies have been asked. 

The use of Social Media in regard of Employer Branding has, as expected, become a top priority in recruting new talents for the own company. Secondary,  the respondents stated their perception as employer, the attraction of matching candidates as well as the development of "employer of choice". Nothing new. More interesting, however, are the named hyrdles coming with the introduction of Social Media:

1. The implementation IN the company (culture)
2. The establishing of an authentic Employer Brand
3. The resourcing of relevant content
4. The difficulty of measuring the "success"
5. The integration of the staff
6. The missing personnel resources, and
7. The missing strategy

On further research I came to find more interesting things. According to to the Social Media Index, ASMI, only 16 % of German companies have a Social-Media-Strategy for their Personnel Management. That's the snag! I find this number alarming! Social Media definitely is nothing new anymore. Be silent about its effeciency when used - as proven. And this, especially while the younger target group is available mainly and less complicated via Social Media, also.  I am not wondering anymore why sensible and benefitting use of social networks in terms of Employer Branding are NOT working, after all.

By now, the success of the use of Social Media can be measured by KPI. In terms of the study's goals, prior mentioned, HR's named five important indicators, also: The amount of entered applications because of Social Media Communication is one main indicator for activities functioning. The quantity of applications as well as the interaction with the target group show how the company is perceived. On the other hand, in the quality it (should) show, if relevant talents are addressed (properly). The reputation of the company displays clearly, if social media presence influences candidates choosing the company as employer of choice. It is suggested to involve, and even to embrace, the candidates' feedback, also.

All in all, the master thesis does not show any scandalous or pioneering findings. Nevertheless, it shows clearly that it is a long road ahead for successful use of Social Media in terms of Employer Branding. Companies have to work considerably more than what they already did! I suggest we are going to discuss this at the following HR BarCamp in early March of 2014. Maybe we can come up with some useful tips and tricks for all To-Do's. 

Ralf Junge

World Sensation! Coming Up: Golden Mangel Award! Participate now!

Translated from Jannis Tsalikis's blog entry: Weltsensation! Verleihung der goldenen Runkelrübe! Jetzt mitmachen!

Don't you feel surrounded by weird or bad Recruiting Communication sometimes too often, also? If you do, it is time to deploy public shame! A few entries have reached us already. Yet, we want more! 

Be there when the first Goldene Runkelrübe (Golden Mangel Award) for the best worst Personnel Marketing Mean is given.  (This award will be awarded wether liked or not - the Golden Raspberry of HR ;)










Everybody is allowed to participate and submit! Let it be Company Representatives, Service Provider, Applicants, whatever. Your vote counts. Anonymously of course!

Submit your entry of personal personnel abomination of external HR Communication till 15th November 2013. Following categories are awarded:

• The discouraging job-ad
• The worst or most embarassing career vdeo
• The most unattractive Career Website
• The most failed Social Media-Presence

We are awaiting your submissions at pfuipfuipfui@goldene-runkelruebe.de!

The award show will take place 4th December (ca. 11 P.M.) in Berlin. Stay tuned. It is going to be a blast!


JT

Human Resources loves Public Relations!

Translated from Jannis Tsalikis' blog entry: Human Resources liebt Public Relations! Review der Veranstaltung des lprs Forum

The Leipziger Public Relations Studenten (Public Relations Students of Lepizig) invited for a panel today: "HR vs. PR - Wer hat die Lizenz zur Personalkommunikation?" The students approached precarious questions very conscientiously and seriously as the M16, and assemled TOP-Teams of experts. For those who are having a fair command of German may find this very interesting. We find it to be a great Intro-Film, which the students made and cut for this event specifically:



As you may have noticed in the preview already, I was featured also.  I was allowed to contribute a prolog to this discussion and feed students with info to the topic Personnel Communication since it was pretty unknown to most. And I made it clear:  HR loves PR!

Versus why versus?! Of course, it were meant the specialty departments and the alleged fight about the "honey pots" ( translated quote: Twitter, Jeannette Gusko @JeanneRaffut). While this panel, however, it becomes clear, PR and HR (can) go together only. Yet it is an open end to wether which party, HR or PR, is    ruling the roost. Here the audience was at variance till the very end.

For a lot of students who attended it was quite an illumiative evening. If you wanna practice some more German you can follow up with the thread of the debate on Storify:

From Human Resources to Human Relations

Translated from Ralf Junge's blog entry: Von Human Resources zu Human Relations

From Human Resources to Human Relations – How will the work look like in the future? This subject was discussed in a debating at this last weeks annual re:publica in Berlin. Participants of this debate were Joachim Hasebrook, Teresa Bücker, Anke Domscheit-Berg, Stefan Sell and Sue Reindtke. At the evening the conclusion was:

Employers do not put any effort in it anymore, neglecting the relation to their employées. Those have defend themeselves and network in order to bind powers and force.

This statement preceded a discussion about the labor cultur in their companies and the changed working environment. Last named I would like to let float as thesis (opinions are welcomed):

• Employées have hardly any fun working.
• Assurances and securities such as permanent contracted jobs i.e. are gone.
• Workload being concentrated is increasing; more and more employées have to work more.
• Precarizing is increasing, meanwhile deap into the middle-class.

(Graffiti in Berlin. Translated: From the inside a rat race looks like a job ladder.)

As you can see, the radicalizing working conditions were the center of attention at this discussion. As main points of criteria the "Over time - Rat race"  and blindness of one owns situation were named. "You don't know anymore how it feels to relax".  Employer cannot expect his employées to discipline  themselves constantly in regard to working hours, workload, according to Anke Domscheit-Berg. Domscheit-Berg herself decided to be self-employed after having worked at Microsoft and McKinsey. 
Another point of criteria which I have talked about in my blog entry from May 1st, also, is the balance-thinking of companies. Too often numbers are being set as a higher priority rather over human capital.
Right on, Joachim Hasebrook, Professor für Human Capital Management from the Steinbeis Academy Berlin, asks when employer will change. The answer: "When the tail is burning", meaning when this attitute has a negative effect on the balance sheet. Sad, but true.

Panel member were sounding as if  a revolution of employées is going to stirr up, fighting against working conditions named - having the debate title as demand: From Human Resources to Human Relations.

Overall the debate did not give me much new insights or aspects since the precarious working conditions are well known. Unfortunately, no model for a better work in future was introduced, nor developed, although the title suggested such. Nevertheless I found it to be interesting that the criticism became louder and even reached the panels of re:publica. In my opinion this is the first sign indicating that employers WILL have to confront and solve these problems OF (and WITH) their employées in order to have both parties benefiting from a employer-employée relationship in the long run.  The redistribution of workload, the support and relief of overwrought co-workers, will become subject of importance - not only internally but also in regard to the reputation of the own Employer Brand obverse the external target groups.

In the 1930's already, scientific studies and statistics of firms indicated how changed working conditions imply on labor productivity and effectivity. Social group relations and a friendly leadership especially increase such. Taking care of interpersonal relations, the human relations, moved into focus. The Human Relation Movement accrued considering the working human as social being. Maybe we are awaiting a second ripple of this very movement.


RJ

AIDA in Personnel Marketing - Simple rules simply applied?!

Translated from Jannis Tsalikis' blog entry AIDA im Personalmarketing - Einfache Werber-Regeln, einfach mal anwenden?!

Every advertisor (should) have it running in his blood, the rules above all rules for advertising communication: the AIDA principle. Applying the bases of this principle should help developing a (at least halway) good communication mean. It is so simple and nice to apply to to almost anything - of course the in Personnel Marketing, also! Let's apply the rules to the Personnel Marketing. The four bases of AIDA would look like this:
 
Attention
The applicants awareness is attracted. The mean must somehwat surprise, stick out and be visible - it gotta catch an eye or two.

Interest
The applicant starts to be interested in the advertising employer at some point and in some way. The target group should be and feel addressed to.

Desire
Going one step further, the interest in working with the employer is awakened. The wish to get the job advertised is generated and strengthened, convincing the employer.

Action
The applicant applies for the very job finally. At the „Point of Application“ applicants are endorsed applying for the job.
 
Easy, isn't it?
 
We can test this systematic with this simple example following. 
Please look at this poster below and judge by applying the prior explained rules to this very job-ad.
 

Attention? Well, yes. I would say such a big poster is hardly not to be seen. The layout, too, with its uberdimensional exclamation mark and the great combination with the questionmarks. Erm, yeah. Very fine! *cough*

Interest? Does the target group feel addressed? Now, considering in Berlin-Wedding, a district of Berlin with quite a few Teenager, one of them will be attracted to a job-ad as such while walking through the mall out of great boredom. With a lot "good will" we can put a check in the box on Interest.

Desire? Is this statement convincing? Start an apprenticeship as Hair Dresser/ Barber so you won't be bored as the job-ad promises? And appreciation? Appreciation and approval (stated in the ad) with a job that under the TOP-10 of the most unpopular jobs? The convincing reasons to apply for are definitely missing. At least now, Personnel Marketing is failing much. Quite a pity! 

AIDA in Personnel Marketing? It isn't that hard to follow those advertising rules, is it?