January 20, 2012

HR Fact Friday: Know What Works in Performance Management

Filed under: Performance Management,Performance Pro — Paul @ 6:00 am

What is it about the start of a new year that triggers a wave of online banter from one expert or another regarding what does or does not work in regard to annual performance evaluations? Why do we have them? They are a waste of time! Performance reviews are an outdated, antiquated fossil from the “dare I say it” Baby Boomer generation. Manager/mentor coaching is more effective. Social performance collaboration is the new black! Social, Social, Social!

It is part of my job to stay abreast of industry trends in the area of performance and talent management. I enjoy this research and have been doing it for quite a number of years so I feel I am somewhat qualified to throw my two cents into the ring every now and again.

Number 1: I understand marketing and I understand the HR services and technology industry. I have seen the performance management competitive marketplace grow from 5 primary competitors in as recently as 2004 to what now numbers by my best estimate, and inclusive of the many mergers and acquisitions in the industry, approximately 30—each trying to differentiate themselves and sell their service in a very crowded marketplace as unique, effective and innovative.

The plain facts are—and what any performance management program worth its salt must do, and do very well are:

  (more…)

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December 12, 2011

Are you Modifying your Executive’s Incentive-Based Compensation Program?

Filed under: Compease,Compensation,Executive Compensation,General HR Buzz,HR Consulting,Management Practices — Joyce @ 7:00 am

If so, you are not alone.  According to an article from WorldatWork, corporate executives can expect moderate salary increases and tougher performance hurdles in 2012.  This information was gathered from a survey conducted by Pearl Meyer & Partners, a leading provider of compensation consulting services and survey data.

So what are the key components from the survey participants? 

  • Linking pay to performance is absolutely essential
  • Incorporate a metric that is more closely tied to creation of shareholder value
  • Stock options remain very popular among smaller companies and in certain sectors
  • Need to validate alignment of relative pay and performance was ranked as the top priority for compensation programs in 2012
  • Prepare for new SEC disclosure and governance requirements, including explanation to shareholders the link between CEO pay and company financial performance and compute the ratio of CEO pay to “median” employee pay

Executive salaries are expected to realize a relatively modest growth in 2012, marking a continued break from the annual 4% pay growth of most of the past two decades.  A total of 59% of participants projected a 2% to 4% salary increase, and 10% anticipate a salary freeze or decrease next year.

The survey is available for download on Pearl Meyer & Partners website.

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November 7, 2011

Earthquakes and Other Unexpected Events

Filed under: Compliance,Employment Law,General HR Buzz,HR Consulting,HRN News,Management Practices — Joyce @ 11:28 am

This past Saturday night I experienced a natural phenomenon that was much unexpected, especially in the Midwest.  I experienced my first earthquake.  Technically, it was probably an aftershock of an earthquake, but whatever it was I felt my home shake and it was a freaky and uncomfortable encounter.  Living in Kansas, we know all about tornados.  We know what weather conditions to look for and we know where to go for safety taking our precious belongings and family members (including pets) to ride out the storm.  But I was unprepared to know what to do in the case of an earthquake.  I didn’t know whether to sit still, bracing myself for more shaking moments, or start grabbing things that might break or fall.

Many times in the world of human resources, unexpected events pop up.  Are we prepared to address and handle the harassment claim an employee brings to your attention?  Do we have policies in place regarding social media?  The very thing that makes human resources so appealing and exciting – “something new every day” – can also be quite daunting in terms of being prepared for most any situation.

As the end of the year draws near, it might be a good time to complete an HR audit.  By doing so, you may find gaps where you don’t have policies in place to address unexpected events.  Or you may find the laws have changed and items need to be updated.  There are many forms and tools available that walk you through the process, along with third-party resources that can provide an objective viewpoint.  In any case, it’s always better to address items on a proactive basis rather than reactive.  Because you never know when the next earthquake may hit.

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October 25, 2011

The Secret Weapon in Your HR Arsenal

Filed under: Compliance,Employment Law,HRN News — Tags: , — Olivia @ 6:30 am

ADA, Title VII, ERISA, FMLA… One thing is certain in HR: as soon as you have a handle on the latest laws and best practices, something changes.  How do you manage these changes?  You can’t afford to let anything slip through the cracks (not to mention the cost of a potential lawsuit).

Enter HR Suite, your organization’s complete solution for compliance.  HR Suite is a customizable policy manual and employee handbook that employees will actually read and understand.  HR Suite includes a library of over 200 forms and information-packed articles that empower you and offer support for the decisions you have to make every day.  HR Suite is a ticket to a subscriber-only monthly newsletter.

We continually monitor changes in employment law and HR best practices and deliver these changes to our subscribers on a semi-annual basis.  When we see an issue quickly moving to the forefront, we provide ad hoc updates as well.  The latest semi-annual update of HR Suite included changes in several major policies and the addition of new forms.

Highlights of the 2011 Semi-Annual Update

  • ADAAA compliance – reasonable accommodations
  • GINA compliance – medical conditions and privacy of health information
  • NLRB ruling – communication, computer use, confidentiality, conflicts of interest policies to comply with recent changes
  • Safe vehicle operation – changed to address distracted driving concerns
  • Social networking policies

HR Suite is a simple, customizable, cost-effective solution to your business needs.  You can explore an online demo by going to www.hrnonline.com and click the link for HR Suite.  At a cost of $595 for the first year, HR Suite is one of the best values around.  Through December 31, 2011, you can receive a 10% savings on the cost!  To receive more information and claim your discount, you must mention this promotion when you contact us.

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September 29, 2011

Visit HRN at Booth 952 at HR Technology Conference & Expo

Filed under: HRN News — Tags: , , — Paul @ 9:17 am

HRN is pleased to be an exhibitor at the upcoming HR Technology Conference Oct. 3-5 in Las Vegas, NV at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center. If you are attending this premier HR technology showcase event please stop by Booth 952 to visit HRN staff and receive information on Performance Pro, Compease, Incentease and a wide variety of HR consulting services.

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August 4, 2011

HRN to Be Exhibitor at Upcoming HR Technology Conference

Filed under: HRN News — Paul @ 10:19 am

HRN will be exhibiting in booth 952 at the upcoming 14th Annual HR Technology Conference taking place in Las Vegas, NV on October 3-4, 2011.

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April 11, 2011

IT Staff Pay Expected to Rise in 2011

Filed under: Compease,Compensation,General HR Buzz,Salaries & Pay — Joyce @ 10:37 am

According to a recent survey by TEKsystems, nearly 60% of companies expect to increase IT staff salaries in 2011.  The highest salary increases are expected for Project Managers, Security Managers, Database Administrators, and Enterprise Architects. 

The survey also reported that the majority of IT decision makers expect project needs to increase during the first half of 2011.  Almost half of survey respondents also indicate that permanent hiring needs will be increasing over the next six months, which seems to go hand in hand with the anticipated increase in IT salaries.  The results suggest that companies are aware of increased competition for specialized skills and that they are willing to invest to retain top talent.

The list below contains the top IT projects on the plate for the next 12 months:

IT Project

% of Companies Planning to Implement in 2011
Mobile Applications

54%
Business Intelligence

45%
Virtual Desktop

42%
Unified Communications

38%
Software as a Service (SaaS)

38%

In order to complete these initiatives, survey participants indicate a mix of training current staff vs. hiring contract workers.  The entire report is available online at http://www.teksystems.com/downloads/IT_ExecOutlookSurvey_Q1_SecondPressRelease_F1.pdf.

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March 14, 2011

Good News for 2011 College Graduates

Filed under: Compease,Compensation,Salaries & Pay — Joyce @ 7:52 am

Some good news to report for 2011 college graduates!  A survey conducted by the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) shows a 3.5%  increase in the average starting salary, reported as $50,034,  as compared to 2010.   The following career areas were reported to be top in terms of growth:

  • Public and private accounting
  • Consulting
  • Financial / treasury analysis
  • Sales
  • Investment banking
  • Management trainee positions

Additionally, employers ranked the top candidate skills and qualities they are looking for.  Not surprisingly, communication tops the list: 

  1. Verbal communication
  2. Strong work ethic
  3. Teamwork skills
  4. Analytical skills
  5. Initiative

 

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February 28, 2011

HRN Performance Solutions Name Change

Filed under: HRN News — Paul @ 10:20 am

Effective March 7, 2011 HRN Management Group will change its name to HRN Performance Solutions.

The new name, HRN Performance Solutions, preserves the strong heritage and market recognition of the HRN brand while conveying our long-term commitment to world class HR solutions and services that ultimately improve HR practitioner, employee, workforce and company bottom line performance.

Along with the name change the HRN logo has been redesigned to reflect the new company name. The timing of the name change coincides with much anticipated release of HRN’s newest version of Performance Pro – the company’s popular and effective online employee performance management solution.

The company name HRN Management Group has served us very well for over 21 years. During this time HRN has grown exponentially from a small HR consulting startup into a worldwide HR technology and consulting services company. HRN now has an operational footprint in six states and provides services to over 2000 clients covering all fifty states and seven countries.

While the logo and name have changed, rest assured that HRN remains as dedicated as ever to earning and maintaining the long-term trust and satisfaction of each and every client. Through product excellence, best-in-class customer support, and a passion for performance management, compensation administration and HR consulting services we will continue to evolve and improve to best serve the human resource development and administrative needs of our growing and successful clientele.

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December 9, 2010

News Release: HRN Announces Performance Pro Upgrade Release

Filed under: HRN News,Performance Pro — Tags: , , , — Paul @ 1:49 pm

 

SALT LAKE CITY, UT (December 9, 2010) — HRN Management Group, a provider of human resource products and consulting services today announced that the much anticipated update to its popular Performance Pro online employee performance management solution is now available.

In addition to all of the standard features and content already included in Performance Pro the new release incorporates a wide array of new features and tools.

  • Completely redesigned user interface
  • Customizable user dashboard with alerts, status, and graphical reports
  • Integrated and categorized employee development goal library
  • Assign two appraisers to each employee as standard feature
  • Assign up to 20 appraisers to each employee with completely re-engineered, optional multi-appraiser module
  • Unlimited automated routing approval paths

Michele Lindsay, Executive Vice President of HRN commented, “This release represents a significant accomplishment that will benefit our clients and the talent management marketplace as a whole. We have completely rebuilt Performance Pro from the ground up to give us a more flexible and robust platform. In addition to a completely updated user interface, Performance Pro now has powerful new features and even more built in talent management content such as a new goal library. Performance Pro continues to represent the best all around performance management solution value in the market.”

For more information, to register for an online demo, or request a no-obligation 30 day free trial go to: www.hrnonline.com or call 1-800-940-7522.

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