Getting Ahead of the Talent Shortage

by Sunny Ackerman, Vice President/ General Manager, Mountain Central US, Manpower

The struggle to find the right talent with the skills needed for business success has been building over the last several years.  Unfortunately, this struggle shows no signs of ending.  So what do we do?  We certainly can’t accept unfilled positions and lost productivity as normal.

The people that you employ are what drive your business success and give you a competitive edge.  We need to prepare for the future by anticipating talent shortages, and being aware of skills gaps and other human resources issues. Human resources executives can lead their companies to success by aligning workforce strategies with their organization’s business strategies. This alignment will separate companies that survive from companies that win and grow.  

What is a workforce strategy? It’s a complete assessment of your company’s business plan, the long-term talent needs of the organization and an approach toward managing the supply and demand of talent.  A good workforce strategy does more than fill positions – it drives a business forward.  There are three steps to creating a workforce strategy:  

1. Determine the current and future talent needs of the business, making sure to consider changing business conditions and emerging technologies.
2. Assess the available supply of talent whether it is in the immediate area, or stretches outside the area you would typically recruit.
3. Develop solutions to fill the potential gaps between needs and the available talent.

You’ll begin to see that when you anticipate a talent shortage you can address it more easily.  As a result, you can move from relying on what talent comes your way to manufacturing the talent you need when you need it.  Examples of these solutions can include:

• Apply the Teachable Fit. Expand your talent pool by recruiting for certain skills that are hard to train.  Then train for the skills that are easy to learn. You can find people willing to change careers (they may even already be in your company) and new graduates with basic degrees. You’ll end up investing in valuable individuals and build loyal employees.
• Hyperspecialization. Remove tasks that workers end up performing as part of daily duties. Free up your workers to focus on what they’re best at it, resulting in improved final products. This can save you money in the long run.
• Explore Untapped Talent Markets. Youth is a largely untapped talent market. Consider supporting career guidance programs. Developing a pipeline of inexpensive and energetic young labor can be a great window of opportunity.  It can also have the added benefit of injecting fresh thinking into an organization. Some of the most innovative companies have workforces with high concentration of young talent.
• Expand Talent Markets. Take a second look at candidates that you once thought were unsuitable.  Consider using job success profiles to describe a role within the company instead of a conventional job description. Job descriptions explain responsibilities and requirements. A job success profile focuses on the core competencies to deliver the required outcomes. 

Employers that are not concerned about the impact of unfulfilled positions on their bottom line put themselves at a disadvantage.  It’s the people you employ that will set you apart.

According to the most recent Manpower Employment Outlook Survey, Austin area employers expect to hire at an active pace during the second quarter of 2013. From April to June, 23% of the companies interviewed plan to hire more employees.  This means your race to find good talent won’t be getting any easier.  How do you plan to prepare?  Join us on May 23rd to discuss the importance of strong talent pipelines. 

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Our many thanks to Sunny Ackerman for her contribution to AHRMA and "We Are Austin HR."

If you want to learn more about the importance of building a strong talent pipeline within our businesses and communities, please come hear Sunny Ackerman speak live on May 23 at 9:00am during AHRMA's Workforce Readiness Day.  

Click HERE to register.

May is Asian-American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month

Asian-American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month celebrates the culture, traditions, and history of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in the U.S.

First observed in 1978 as a week-long celebration, the first week of May was chosen to commemorate two significant anniversaries: The arrival of the first Japanese immigrants on May 7, 1843, and the completion of the transcontinental railroad (which many Chinese laborers contributed to) on May 10, 1869. It was designated as a month-long celebration May 1992.

You can also read more on IWD here: http://asianpacificheritage.gov/index.html

*ACTION! How does your company celebrate the various national holidays, national ____month, and other celebrations throughout the year? We want to know! Please share with us how your company celebrates (no minimum or maximum length, just your own words), at vpdiversity@austinhumanresource.org. Send pictures, links, videos, a written summary - anything you'd like to share.We look forward to hearing from you, and we are excited for what the year will bring!Your AHRMA Diversity and Inclusion Committee

-submitted by AHRMA Diversity & Inclusion committee member, Jami Mozaffari

Thoughts on Technology Talent Development

By Matt Genovese

http://MattGenovese.net

http://www.linkedin.com/in/mgenovese

Traditional Talent Development roles often fall under the umbrella of a company’s Human Resource organization, and are primarily focused on assessing individual and group performance, and addressing any behavioral or technical skill gaps through targeted learning opportunities aligned with the business goals.  Such initiatives benefit the organization through gaining a competitive advantage in the marketplace, as well as aiding both the attraction of new talent and retention of existing talent.

While some companies choose to actively staff Talent Development initiatives, fewer appear to devote resources to a mission I label Technology Talent Development.  As an engineer myself, I am persuaded that employees working in engineering capacities have unique needs that warrant distinct attention and initiatives within the technology organization.  Here’s why:

1. Strategic Investment:  Engineering talent is a core company resource.  In fact, a rule of thumb by some angel investors is that each engineer adds $1M in a start-up’s valuation.  It stands to reason that ongoing investment in the development of internal engineering talent should be a strategic mission that yields future rewards for the entire company.
2. Focus on Creativity:  Engineering as a discipline is interwoven with creativity.  While certain skill gap assessments remain valid for engineers, I believe creativity itself cannot be treated as a skill, nor will it necessarily show up directly as a skill gap.  Creativity is inspired, and though that very statement sounds nebulous and intangible, it can be purposefully fostered.
3. Depth and Breadth:  Over time, an engineer may become a specialist, acquiring a depth in a specific knowledge area.  While recognition as a practice expert is attractive, stagnation may become side effect, both in terms of the engineer’s ongoing interest level (leading to boredom), as well as his/her ability to devise unique solutions to ongoing problems.  With a breadth of knowledge in adjacent areas of practice, new approaches to certain problems may stem from analogies of solutions applied in other areas.
4. Staying Technical:  While some engineers aspire to ascend the managerial ladder, others may wish to remain as engineers without management responsibility.  Traditional Talent Development initiatives often serve managerial-bound employees (engineers included), and those engineers wishing to remain individual contributors should be afforded relevant and equally proactive development initiatives.

While the above reasoning highlights some obvious benefits, other benefits of Technology Talent Development include cooperation with academic research institutions, which in turn can positively affect the graduate pipeline into the company.  Couple that with strategic involvement in the local technology community and professional organizations, and this technology role now possesses exciting HR fringe benefits.

Interestingly, when speaking with some companies about creating Technology Talent Development roles, the most common pushback argument I’ve heard is that investing in engineers’ development would make them more marketable, and thus more apt to leave the company.  Without sounding too brash, I find that argument as inspiring as a parent who would refuse to invest in their children’s education because one day they’ll leave to live on their own.  I’ll go out on a limb and assert that employees who are unhappy will eventually leave, and ironically an investment in Technology Talent Development can positively impact both employee retention and recruiting.

My hope is that companies will see Technology Talent Development as a role worthy of investment as they desire for their engineers to help the company innovate their way ahead of the competition.

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NOTE:  Matt is continuing on the Painpoint Report hiring survey to assess the critical needs in Austin's software industry.  Shortly he will be sending out the Q2 hiring survey to local employers.  All who complete the survey will receive a complimentary copy of the final report.  

The link is here:  http://www.painpointreport.com/survey-request

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Our many thanks to Matt Genovese for his contribution to AHRMA and "We Are Austin HR."

If you want to learn more about the importance of building a strong talent pipeline within our businesses and communities, please come hear Matt Genovese speak live on May 23 at 9:00am during AHRMA's Workforce Readiness Day.  

Click HERE to register.

Building Good Work Ethics and Habits

by Alan Miller
Executive Director, Workforce Solutions Capital Area Workforce Board


The most common complaint from employers in regards to job applicants is the lack of good “work ethics and habits.”  Countless times we’ve heard an employer say “just send me someone who knows how to show up to work, follows instructions, and is willing to learn and we’ll train them.”

Work Ready Austin is a joint initiative of AHRMA and Workforce Solutions Capital Area to address this basic need.  Work Ready Austin provides skill development in the areas of foundational skills (reading and math) and basic work skills (attitude, teamwork, problem-solving, interpersonal relations, communication, etc.).  Upon successful completion of the program, participants earn a certificate signifying that they have met required competency levels in all areas of learning.

Work Ready Austin isn’t the panacea or cure-all for this malady of un-prepared workers, but it is a step in the right direction.  The certification, while not a guarantee, at least lets an employer know that the individual has gone through training and has been assessed as meeting minimal standards.

A growing number of area employers are using the Work Ready Austin certification as part of their hiring process.  Job seekers possessing the certification have an edge over those who do not.  The jury on its effectiveness is still out, put it is a promising practice and a step in the right direction.

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Our many thanks to Alan Miller for his contribution to AHRMA and "We Are Austin HR."

If you want to learn more about the joint efforts of AHRMA and Workforce Solutions to launch this system that prepares, assesses and certifies the work readiness skills of entry-level job applicants, please come hear Alan speak live on May 23 at 1:15pm during AHRMA's Workforce Readiness Day.  

Click HERE to register.

Becoming an Human Resource Professional

By Carroll Menasco, MBA/HRM, PHR, Chair Certification Committee, Co-VP Career Development

Established in 1976, the Human Resource Certification Institute (HRCI) is an internationally recognized certifying organization for the HR profession. Today, over 127,000 HR professionals worldwide proudly maintain the HRCI’s credentials as a mark of high professional distinction. Obtaining your certification is a career-long commitment that shows your peers, employers, and your organization that you have mastered the core HR principles and that you are dedicated to staying current in your profession.

HR Certification sets you apart by:

• Making your resume stand out from other job applicants;
• Earning recognition from your organization; and
• Connecting to an elite network of motivated HR professionals around the globe.

Compared with certificate programs, HR certification has three main advantages:

• Typically requires specific experience and education;
• Requires recertification, which makes sure that you stay current in the HR profession through continuing education; and
• Allows you to put the letters after your name – PHR or SPHR.

In other words, certification typically consists of the three “E”s: education, experience, and an exam.

However, in order to qualify to test so that you get to put those initials after your name, one must meet the following criteria:

PHR ELIGIBILITY

1. A minimum of one year of experience in an exempt-level HR position with a master’s degree or higher.
2. A minimum of two years of experience in an exempt-level HR position with a bachelor’s degree.
3. A minimum of four years of experience in an exempt-level HR position with a high school diploma.

SPHR ELIGIBILITY

1. A minimum of four years of experience in an exempt-level HR position with a master’s degree or higher.
2. A minimum of five years of experience in an exempt-level HR position with a bachelor’s degree.
3. A minimum of seven years of experience in an exempt-level HR position with a high school diploma.

Becoming HR certified is not easy.  I won’t lie, the exam is hard and requires dedication and commitment; however, the pride upon seeing that “PASSED” at the end of the exam make all the months and hours of study worth every minute! In order to assist those who desire to become PHR or SPHR certified, AHRMA offers a certification course each fall (August – November) and spring (January – April).  Each class is facilitated by a subject matter expert with years of experience who enhances the information presented in the SHRM Learning Module. AHRMA strives to bring only the best and most qualified instructors in order to augment the study and learning experience. By attending an AHRMA certification class, in addition to studying on your own, you are giving yourself opportunity to learn from experts and to enhance your study and retention skills through group study.

The next AHRMA Certification Study Class for open-enrollment is scheduled for June for the fall class.  Keep a watch on the AHRMA website for open enrollment!  We look forward to seeing you in the next class!

The Path to Workforce Readiness

Our Workforce Readiness Committee is passionately committed to the cause of creating a more work ready workforce for Central Texas. That’s why we have bumped into this topic in so many ways.

At work
Our hiring managers are begging us to bring in talent from abroad, and we can’t. The large corporations are lobbying Congress to expand the numbers of foreign visas. The reason is that we can’t find local talent; our universities are not producing enough graduates with the skillsets we need. They haven’t for quite some time. The universities don’t have enough high school kids who desire those fields where we need them most, whether it is high tech, health care or CPAs. The obstacles start early in middle school.

We have also observed a change in workplace skills when entry level candidates interview with us or start their first jobs. More and more, we need to talk about punctuality, attendance, patience. They are whizzes with technology, but do they teach writing paragraphs in school anymore? LOL – OMG.

We have seen veterans coming back home and struggling to translate their invaluable skills and experience to language that recruiters and hiring managers would appreciate. The least they deserve is a fair chance.

In the community
We have met wonderful community partners who working to plug the holes in the dike. Communities in Schools looks for mentors to work with school kids who didn’t get the greatest start in life, to meet with an adult role model once a week.

We have worked for a long time with Workforce Solutions to develop a certificate for Central Texas area for certify candidates that they have work place skills employers can count on. The WorkReadyAustin certificate program has now been launched with over 400 candidates available!

E3 Alliance works as a catalyst to bring Central Texas education to the level to increase the pipeline of talent for our employers. Our latest project is a Dell grant project to create an online system to bring employers and students together and create more opportunities for work-based learning.

Our latest discovery is Skillpoint Alliance which organizes job training programs and career fairs for critical industries.

You will hear a lot more at our Workforce Readiness Day on May 23. Workforce Readiness is critical for everyone in HR!

Keep Austin Work Ready! If not you, then who? If not now, then when?

Written by Liisa Pursiheimo-Marcks, Co-VP Workforce Readiness, Director Talent Management at EZCORP

An Introduction to Diversity

An Introduction to Diversity 

(exerpted from the SHRM: Diversity Disciplines website http://www.shrm.org/hrdisciplines/Diversity/Pages/default.aspx)

Overview

The Diversity Discipline deals with the qualities, experiences and work styles that make individuals unique – age, race, religion, disabilities, ethnicity, etc. – as well as how organizations can leverage those qualities in support of business objectives.  Studies show that teams or organizations with greater diversity tend to have available a richer set of ideas, perspectives, definitions and approaches to a business issue.

Diversity

Diversity has many definitions.  Frequently, organizations will adapt the definition to their specific environment.  Generally, diversity refers to the similarities and differences between individuals accounting for all aspects of one’s personality and individual identity.  The dimensions of diversity typically include, but are not limited to the following:

*  Age	*  Color	*  Disability
*  Education	*  Ethnicity/National origin	*  Family status
*  Gender	*  Gender identity	*  Generation
*  Language	*  Geographic background	*  Life experiences
*  Lifestyle	*  Organization function & level	*  Physical characteristics
*  Race	*  Religion, belief, and spirituality	*  Sexual orientation
*  Thinking patterns

Inclusion

Diversity provides the potential for greater innovation and creativity.  Inclusion is what enables organizations to realize the business benefits of this potential.

Inclusion describes the extent to which each person in an organization feels welcomed, respected, supported and valued as a team member.  Inclusion is a two-way accountability; each person must grant inclusion to others and accept inclusion from others.  In such an environment, every member will tend to feel more engaged and more enabled to fully contribute toward the organization’s business results.  This requires people from diverse backgrounds to communicate and work together, and understand each other’s’ needs and perspectives – in other words, cultural competence.

Intercultural Sensitivity

Intercultural sensitivity and cultural (or intercultural) competence are characterized by sensitivity to differences among, and effectiveness in communicating and working with, people from different cultural backgrounds.  People are similar or different to varying degrees across all dimensions of diversity.  Research shows that people who are substantially alike tend more easily to communicate with and to understand each other.  People who are very different tend to confront more obstacles to effective communication and mutual understanding.  Research also shows that people consistently overestimate their intercultural competence, which poses a particular challenge for HR professionals.

The Business Case for Diversity

The business case for diversity is an organization’s statement of purpose in working on diversity and inclusion.  There are many valid reasons for doing such work.  The most effective reasons for any particular organization are aligned directly with that organization’s key business objectives.  Typically, these are the business objectives on which organizations measure and compensate their senior leadership’s performance.  In for-profit companies, these objectives will relate to factors like sales, market share, profitability, corporate social responsibility and reputation.

Domestic vs Global Scope

An organization’s geographic footprint encompasses the regions in which it and its customers are located.  It may be exclusively domestic or it may be global.  Combined, the primary stakeholders and the organization’s footprint help determine whether the diversity initiative should have a domestic or global scope. 

Compared to most domestic initiatives, global diversity initiatives will be concerned with a richer and more complex set of issues.  This stems from the wider range of cultural norms represented among all the stakeholder groups.  Global initiatives tend to be successful only when they are adapted to and reflect the unique cultural norms and needs of each region or country.  Diversity practitioners need strong intercultural competence regardless of the scope of the initiative.

Pacing the Change

Each organization has a maximum rate at which it can process cultural change.  This depends in part on the organization’s cultural competence and the magnitude of the gap between current situation and the diversity initiative’s objectives.   It is common to start small with an initiative and phase-in the objectives and action plans over time.  Phasing may be done by assigning highest priority to changes with the greatest business impact and by starting with domestic diversity issues and expanding later to address global aspects. 

The Diversity Function and the Diversity Practitioner Role

Effective and sustainable diversity initiatives drive cultural change into and affect almost every aspect of an organization.  Diversity practitioners need partnering relationships with all aspects of HR and with functional areas outside HR, such as media relations, employee communication, R&D, marketing, legal, executive communication, investor relations and the foundation.

The diversity practitioner requires a wide range of knowledge, skills and experience.  Diversity-specific aspects include the field of diversity and inclusion, culture, cultural difference, deep self-awareness and knowledge of self, and an ability to manage one’s own biases and agendas.  Related aspects include EEO, affirmative action, change management, relationship management, communication, and marketing and sales.

Here’s to a diverse perspective!  Lori Rohre, SPHR, Immediate Past President, and 2010 VP Diversity.