Tag: Education

HUMAN CAPITALIST: THE KEY TO GREAT HR TECH? NOT BIG DATA — GOOD DATA

Like every business department these days, HR is awash in Big Data. But, as Carol Anderson, a leading human resources expert, writes on Human Capitalist, the analytics HR teams are using aren\’t all that useful.

\”Time and again,\” she writes, \”I have watched HR professionals spend an inordinate amount of time defending their data to leaders and employees who don\’t believe that the data is credible.\”

Anderson\’s advice? Stop obsessing about Big Data, and start focusing on Good Data. Here\’s how:

Ask End-User Questions at the Beginning

“An excellent place to start is, as usual, at the end. Key questions to consider: What data do leaders and executives need to understand organizational performance and leadership strength? How useful is the current data being provided? How accurate?”

Review Current Data

“Now, armed with the knowledge of what is important, it’s time for a candid review of the current state of data. Who inputs the data and how is the integrity of the data ensured? Where are there inconsistencies in the data? Why do they exist (you may need to push beyond the \’because we need it\’)? Can we provide the data that the leaders need in a timely and accurate manner? If we find gaps, what data is the priority to address?”

Employ Teams to Get the Job Done

“Pull together small cross-functional teams to complete the analysis and revise the data processes. Break the work into small chunks, and give the teams the challenge to eliminate inconsistencies, and recommend a process to ensure data quality.”
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCzOJDJZHoBttdHAjJsnN9w?sub_confirmation=1

6 BEST PRACTICES FOR MONITORING EMPLOYEES\’ PERSONAL SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS

The use of social media at the office is a tricky one. Some employers draw clear lines around postings to corporate accounts on Twitter, Facebook and other social media sites. But what about the Likes, photos and miscellaneous commentary employees regularly post on their personal accounts? It\’s a tricky issue.

For starters, the law on whether employers have the right to monitor activity on personal social media accounts is unclear. Can employers discipline an employee for a late-night Facebook rant against a boss? Or is the employee protected by free speech? Some 12 states have enacted laws that expressly bar employers from gaining access to the social media accounts of either workers or prospective employees. Courts, too, are grappling with the issue.

For now, there are six basic steps that companies can safely take to regulate their employees\’ social media use — and avoid a full-blown PR crisis:

1. Encourage employees to maintain separate accounts for personal and professional use. Mixing accounts is risky. Warns Tom Petrocelli, a senior analyst at Enterprise Strategy Group: “It’s even okay if you maintain an account for business messaging that is under your control to further your personal brand and include some corporate messages with it, especially as they relate to you. Just keep business in one place and personal in another and don’t blend them together.”

2. Remind employees that disclosing insider information is a no-no — under any circumstance. Companies should make clear that divulging company secrets is against company policy and they should routinely refer to the diktat as a reminder.

3. Create an open — and safe — environment for employees to admit online mishaps. Encouraging employees to confess when they\’ve posted an inappropriate comment on social media can help minimize any fallout. Acknowledging a mistake is better for both the employee and employer because it creates a culture of honesty and trust, writes Heather Huhman, founder and president of consulting firm Come Recommended, on BBC.

4. Don’t ask employees to promote the company on their personal accounts. Some companies are asking employees to change their cover photos on their personal Facebook profiles to promote the company. Yet, employers don’t have to look much farther than the Facebook terms of service to find out that using personal timelines for commercial gain is prohibited. If employees want to promote the company by posting pictures of them at the annual summer picnic, more power to them, notes lawyer Ruth Carter of Carter Law Firm. The key takeaway: let them make the choice.

5. Clearly set out when personal social media accounts are accessible by employers. There\’s only one scenario in which employers have a fairly clear right to access employees\’ social media accounts: workplace investigations. Although an employee claiming discrimination or sexual harassment is likely to volunteer supporting evidence, employers in most states are allowed to request account credentials in cases of alleged wrongdoing, says employment lawyer Eric Meyer.

6. Establish guidelines for those who own the company\’s social media accounts from the beginning of employment. \”The line between a personal and professional social media account can be blurry,\” writes employment lawyer Renee Jackson on Forbes, \”so if this ownership issue is not hashed out at the beginning of employment, the employer and the employee may both believe the account is theirs.\” Management should create the accounts under the company’s name, manage the logins, and oversee the content posted, recommends Jackson. Specify account ownership and acceptable content in formal job descriptions or offer letters.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCzOJDJZHoBttdHAjJsnN9w?sub_confirmation=1

6 BEST PRACTICES FOR MONITORING EMPLOYEES\’ PERSONAL SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS

The use of social media at the office is a tricky one. Some employers draw clear lines around postings to corporate accounts on Twitter, Facebook and other social media sites. But what about the Likes, photos and miscellaneous commentary employees regularly post on their personal accounts? It\’s a tricky issue.

For starters, the law on whether employers have the right to monitor activity on personal social media accounts is unclear. Can employers discipline an employee for a late-night Facebook rant against a boss? Or is the employee protected by free speech? Some 12 states have enacted laws that expressly bar employers from gaining access to the social media accounts of either workers or prospective employees. Courts, too, are grappling with the issue.

For now, there are six basic steps that companies can safely take to regulate their employees\’ social media use — and avoid a full-blown PR crisis:

1. Encourage employees to maintain separate accounts for personal and professional use. Mixing accounts is risky. Warns Tom Petrocelli, a senior analyst at Enterprise Strategy Group: “It’s even okay if you maintain an account for business messaging that is under your control to further your personal brand and include some corporate messages with it, especially as they relate to you. Just keep business in one place and personal in another and don’t blend them together.”

2. Remind employees that disclosing insider information is a no-no — under any circumstance. Companies should make clear that divulging company secrets is against company policy and they should routinely refer to the diktat as a reminder.

3. Create an open — and safe — environment for employees to admit online mishaps. Encouraging employees to confess when they\’ve posted an inappropriate comment on social media can help minimize any fallout. Acknowledging a mistake is better for both the employee and employer because it creates a culture of honesty and trust, writes Heather Huhman, founder and president of consulting firm Come Recommended, on BBC.

4. Don’t ask employees to promote the company on their personal accounts. Some companies are asking employees to change their cover photos on their personal Facebook profiles to promote the company. Yet, employers don’t have to look much farther than the Facebook terms of service to find out that using personal timelines for commercial gain is prohibited. If employees want to promote the company by posting pictures of them at the annual summer picnic, more power to them, notes lawyer Ruth Carter of Carter Law Firm. The key takeaway: let them make the choice.

5. Clearly set out when personal social media accounts are accessible by employers. There\’s only one scenario in which employers have a fairly clear right to access employees\’ social media accounts: workplace investigations. Although an employee claiming discrimination or sexual harassment is likely to volunteer supporting evidence, employers in most states are allowed to request account credentials in cases of alleged wrongdoing, says employment lawyer Eric Meyer.

6. Establish guidelines for those who own the company\’s social media accounts from the beginning of employment. \”The line between a personal and professional social media account can be blurry,\” writes employment lawyer Renee Jackson on Forbes, \”so if this ownership issue is not hashed out at the beginning of employment, the employer and the employee may both believe the account is theirs.\” Management should create the accounts under the company’s name, manage the logins, and oversee the content posted, recommends Jackson. Specify account ownership and acceptable content in formal job descriptions or offer letters.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCzOJDJZHoBttdHAjJsnN9w?sub_confirmation=1

6 BEST PRACTICES FOR MONITORING EMPLOYEES\’ PERSONAL SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS

The use of social media at the office is a tricky one. Some employers draw clear lines around postings to corporate accounts on Twitter, Facebook and other social media sites. But what about the Likes, photos and miscellaneous commentary employees regularly post on their personal accounts? It\’s a tricky issue.

For starters, the law on whether employers have the right to monitor activity on personal social media accounts is unclear. Can employers discipline an employee for a late-night Facebook rant against a boss? Or is the employee protected by free speech? Some 12 states have enacted laws that expressly bar employers from gaining access to the social media accounts of either workers or prospective employees. Courts, too, are grappling with the issue.

For now, there are six basic steps that companies can safely take to regulate their employees\’ social media use — and avoid a full-blown PR crisis:

1. Encourage employees to maintain separate accounts for personal and professional use. Mixing accounts is risky. Warns Tom Petrocelli, a senior analyst at Enterprise Strategy Group: “It’s even okay if you maintain an account for business messaging that is under your control to further your personal brand and include some corporate messages with it, especially as they relate to you. Just keep business in one place and personal in another and don’t blend them together.”

2. Remind employees that disclosing insider information is a no-no — under any circumstance. Companies should make clear that divulging company secrets is against company policy and they should routinely refer to the diktat as a reminder.

3. Create an open — and safe — environment for employees to admit online mishaps. Encouraging employees to confess when they\’ve posted an inappropriate comment on social media can help minimize any fallout. Acknowledging a mistake is better for both the employee and employer because it creates a culture of honesty and trust, writes Heather Huhman, founder and president of consulting firm Come Recommended, on BBC.

4. Don’t ask employees to promote the company on their personal accounts. Some companies are asking employees to change their cover photos on their personal Facebook profiles to promote the company. Yet, employers don’t have to look much farther than the Facebook terms of service to find out that using personal timelines for commercial gain is prohibited. If employees want to promote the company by posting pictures of them at the annual summer picnic, more power to them, notes lawyer Ruth Carter of Carter Law Firm. The key takeaway: let them make the choice.

5. Clearly set out when personal social media accounts are accessible by employers. There\’s only one scenario in which employers have a fairly clear right to access employees\’ social media accounts: workplace investigations. Although an employee claiming discrimination or sexual harassment is likely to volunteer supporting evidence, employers in most states are allowed to request account credentials in cases of alleged wrongdoing, says employment lawyer Eric Meyer.

6. Establish guidelines for those who own the company\’s social media accounts from the beginning of employment. \”The line between a personal and professional social media account can be blurry,\” writes employment lawyer Renee Jackson on Forbes, \”so if this ownership issue is not hashed out at the beginning of employment, the employer and the employee may both believe the account is theirs.\” Management should create the accounts under the company’s name, manage the logins, and oversee the content posted, recommends Jackson. Specify account ownership and acceptable content in formal job descriptions or offer letters.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCzOJDJZHoBttdHAjJsnN9w?sub_confirmation=1

HOW TO GET CEOS TO PLAY TO THEIR STRENGTHS

New CEOs tend to talk a big game about getting involved in day-to-day engagement with employees and teams, but many tend to fade back into the C-suite after a honeymoon phase — not because they aren\’t involved, but typically because higher-level management duties tend to crowd out lower priorities. So how can the top exec remain an integral member of the team while running the company? Human Capitalist\’s Jay Forte suggests it\’s easier than most people think.
As a workplace coach, Forte spends much of his time focusing on how CEOs can use their strengths and passions to define day-to-day work that may include delegation of tasks, setting strategy, and holding lines with employees. 
\”In today’s workplace, few roles are static,\” Forte writes. \”Most jobs require organizations to staff wisely and then augment employees’ roles and performance but sculpting the role around their additional abilities. The CEO position is the same. Though a CEO may be hired to handle core chief executive tasks, each CEO brings his or her own combination of skills that should be integrated into the role.\”

3 Questions for New CEOs

Forte suggests asking 3 questions CEOs should ask of themselves to determine how and where they can get more involved:
  1. What am I good at?
  2. What am I passionate about?
  3. What are the high value areas of the business that fit my interests and abilities? 
\”The next step is to list the CEO’s current responsibilities. Circle the ones that fit the CEO based on the answers above,\” Forte writes. \”Review the remaining responsibilities and delegate them accordingly (with the proper training and authority-level, of course). Any duties that cannot be reassigned remain with the CEO. This creates a customized role for the CEO in the same way strong workplaces customize roles for their employees to ensure great fit, engagement and performance.\”
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCzOJDJZHoBttdHAjJsnN9w?sub_confirmation=1

NEW ONLINE HIRING TOOLS FOR RECRUITERS (HINT: LINKEDIN ISN\’T ONE OF THEM)

The unemployment rate has been steadily falling (not always a good sign), but many recruiters will tell you that finding the right employees for job openings is as hard as ever. Josh Bersin, founder of Bersin by Deloitte, identifies on Forbes the hot new trends in online recruiting. Here are five of them:

1. Track a Candidate\’s Social Footprint

Forget LinkedIn. \”A whole barrage of exciting tools have been created to help companies better find and source key candidates,\” writes Bersin. \”These companies mine your personal code postings and other social information to create a profile and actual \’competency ratings\’ based on your social data.\”

2. Use \’Pre-hire\’ Evaluations

\”Today, driven largely by the power of the cloud, there seems to be an explosion of new assessment tools.\”

3. Limit Recruiters to Sourcing

\”The highest-performing companies are now pushing more and more responsibility onto the shoulders of hiring managers (training them how to interview) and letting recruiters focus on high-powered sourcing and initial screening.\”

4. Build & Communicate Your \’Talent\’ Brand

\”Today’s high-powered recruiters work directly with the SVP of Marketing to create a research-based, authentic employment brand and promote it on the front page of the company website (not only in the \’careers section\’).\”

5. Make the Most of Big Data

\”Our research shows that the most advanced thinkers in HR analytics start by measuring recruiting.  Do you know where your most effective candidates come from?  What backgrounds and experiences make the best sales people? Which sourcing or advertising channels are most effective and efficient?\”
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCzOJDJZHoBttdHAjJsnN9w?sub_confirmation=1

NEW ONLINE HIRING TOOLS FOR RECRUITERS (HINT: LINKEDIN ISN\’T ONE OF THEM)

The unemployment rate has been steadily falling (not always a good sign), but many recruiters will tell you that finding the right employees for job openings is as hard as ever. Josh Bersin, founder of Bersin by Deloitte, identifies on Forbes the hot new trends in online recruiting. Here are five of them:

1. Track a Candidate\’s Social Footprint

Forget LinkedIn. \”A whole barrage of exciting tools have been created to help companies better find and source key candidates,\” writes Bersin. \”These companies mine your personal code postings and other social information to create a profile and actual \’competency ratings\’ based on your social data.\”

2. Use \’Pre-hire\’ Evaluations

\”Today, driven largely by the power of the cloud, there seems to be an explosion of new assessment tools.\”

3. Limit Recruiters to Sourcing

\”The highest-performing companies are now pushing more and more responsibility onto the shoulders of hiring managers (training them how to interview) and letting recruiters focus on high-powered sourcing and initial screening.\”

4. Build & Communicate Your \’Talent\’ Brand

\”Today’s high-powered recruiters work directly with the SVP of Marketing to create a research-based, authentic employment brand and promote it on the front page of the company website (not only in the \’careers section\’).\”

5. Make the Most of Big Data

\”Our research shows that the most advanced thinkers in HR analytics start by measuring recruiting.  Do you know where your most effective candidates come from?  What backgrounds and experiences make the best sales people? Which sourcing or advertising channels are most effective and efficient?\”
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCzOJDJZHoBttdHAjJsnN9w?sub_confirmation=1

NEW ONLINE HIRING TOOLS FOR RECRUITERS (HINT: LINKEDIN ISN\’T ONE OF THEM)

The unemployment rate has been steadily falling (not always a good sign), but many recruiters will tell you that finding the right employees for job openings is as hard as ever. Josh Bersin, founder of Bersin by Deloitte, identifies on Forbes the hot new trends in online recruiting. Here are five of them:

1. Track a Candidate\’s Social Footprint

Forget LinkedIn. \”A whole barrage of exciting tools have been created to help companies better find and source key candidates,\” writes Bersin. \”These companies mine your personal code postings and other social information to create a profile and actual \’competency ratings\’ based on your social data.\”

2. Use \’Pre-hire\’ Evaluations

\”Today, driven largely by the power of the cloud, there seems to be an explosion of new assessment tools.\”

3. Limit Recruiters to Sourcing

\”The highest-performing companies are now pushing more and more responsibility onto the shoulders of hiring managers (training them how to interview) and letting recruiters focus on high-powered sourcing and initial screening.\”

4. Build & Communicate Your \’Talent\’ Brand

\”Today’s high-powered recruiters work directly with the SVP of Marketing to create a research-based, authentic employment brand and promote it on the front page of the company website (not only in the \’careers section\’).\”

5. Make the Most of Big Data

\”Our research shows that the most advanced thinkers in HR analytics start by measuring recruiting.  Do you know where your most effective candidates come from?  What backgrounds and experiences make the best sales people? Which sourcing or advertising channels are most effective and efficient?\”
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCzOJDJZHoBttdHAjJsnN9w?sub_confirmation=1

A STARTER GUIDE TO MILLENNIAL RETENTION

Who better embodies the old mantra — \”change is the only constant in life\” — in today\’s workplace than Millennials? The twenty-something demographic, which is projected to make up 36 percent of the American workforce by 2014, tends to baffle their older counterparts: how to talk to them, how to work with them, and how they are transforming everything the workplace has held sacred. Currently on the list of Millennial disruptions? The nine-to-five workday.
According to a recent study (\”The Cost of Millennial Retention\” by Millennial Branding and Beyond.com), Millennials are so against a rigid clock-in, clock-out schedule at work that nearly half (48 percent) of the companies surveyed are focusing heavily on \”workplace flexibility\” in order to retain Gen Y talent. Forbes reports that 45 percent of workforce Millennials would opt for flex-time over higher pay. 
The Millennial theme here is simple: Money means less, culture means more. How much more? Thirty percent of surveyed companies have lost 15 percent or more of their Gen Y employees in the past year. So how can employers find ways to turn those trends around? Here are some insights that may help keep an organization\’s young talent sticking around:

Mentorship Matters

The Millennial Branding study suggests that second to workplace flexibility as a retention tactic, many companies (40 percent of those surveyed) are also investing in mentorship programs. Mentorship is an important factor for Millennials. According to nonprofit career community Net Impact, 87 percent of current college students (as opposed to 78 percent of current workers) say that the ability to learn and grow is very important or essential to their job ideals. It\’s important to note that Millennials aren\’t looking for the traditional (of course) hierarchical type of mentorship, but simply a relationship with a trusted colleague from whom they can learn.
“A lot of mentoring programs have failed as they have tried to put structure to something that is basically a relationship,” writes Jeanne Meister, author of “The 2020 Workplace: How Innovative Companies Attract, Develop, and Keep Tomorrow\’s Employees Today” in InvestmentNews. “Mentoring and coaching is an important form of development.”

Greater Purpose > Great Benefits

If it isn\’t clear by now, make sure this assumption is hard-wired into your HR organization: Traditional benefits are no longer enough to keep Millennials. According to the HR professionals surveyed, just 14 percent of Millennials inquire about healthcare options during the interview process. Money and traditional perks also take a back seat when compared to overall purpose at a job. Nearly three-fourths of students — opposed to roughly half of all workers — report that having “a job where I can make an impact” is essential to their overall happiness. 
“The Millennial generation has learned to be two things during the recession — resilient and nomadic,\” explains Rich Milgram, founder and CEO of Beyond.com. \”As the job market improves, the level of confidence will improve along with it and cause many in this age group to reevaluate their current situation, possibly seeing value in seeking greener pastures.”

Build a Great Social Enterprise, or Else

Millennials don\’t view the \”work-life balance\” debate the same way as Gen X or Boomers. (Not exactly a shocker there.) Why? Their intense interaction with social media has changed the game. Employers who can find ways to embrace and leverage social media in the enterprise will hold significant competitive advantages over competitors that don\’t. Be open with Millennials on social media. And lean into social media platforms to engage: Gen Ys are generally more comfortable (38 percent) making social media introductions than managers (19 percent).
\”Gen Ys are crucial to the development and growth of our economy,\” explains Dan Schawbel, founder of Millennial Branding. \”Yet managers have a negative impression of them and it’s creating workplace drama. Managers should be setting proper expectations, giving them career support and help them develop the skills they will need today and in the future.”
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCzOJDJZHoBttdHAjJsnN9w?sub_confirmation=1

HOW TO WIN OVER THE CLOUD HATERS IN HR

Cloud computing has nothing to do with the weather, yet most people actually believe that storms can cause problems with the technology. It\’s a fair guess that HR managers make up a good chunk of the mis-believers — at least according to William Tincup, who argues on Human Capitalist that fear and ignorance of the cloud is still a major drag on workplace innovation.   
\”In almost every other aspect of our modern life we implicitly trust the cloud,\” Tincup explains. \”Facebook, cloud. Salesforce.com, cloud, LinkedIn, cloud. Almost everything delivered over our \’smart\’ phones touches the cloud. Then why do we question the cloud at work?\”
Institutional fear in HR, Tincup explains, is founded in its longstanding aversion to change. The way out of that jam? Tincup suggests it starts with a few simple lessons. 

Don\’t Believe the \’Boogie man\’

\”The boogie man uses code words that enable our fears. This just in: the boogie man and other nefarious characters are going to somehow harm us by impinging upon our data. Wait, bad people do bad things — news at 11. That logic is so flawed it’s hard for me to muster up a paragraph about it. Realize that those same bad people could do anything they wanted before the cloud. In some ways it was easier to steal stuff that was client-side.\”

Embrace the Uncertainty

\”Everyone hates change. You, me, the dude at DQ that hustles up my Blizzard… all.of.us. We hate it. Hate with a capital H. And the cloud represents two parts of change that are really difficult for most people…
  1. The status quo oftentimes referred to in a folksy voice, “if it ain’t broke, why fix it”
  2. Learning and/or re-learning stuff is hard.\”

Spread the Word

\”We don’t need to fear the cloud — in any way, shape and/or form. And, those of us that love the cloud have a responsibility to help those around us that might not get it and/or are completely inept (j/k). One of the ways I do this is by pointing out places and instances where the cloud has saved my ass. (Hello Dropbox.) Personalize the cloud experiences as you see fit.\”
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCzOJDJZHoBttdHAjJsnN9w?sub_confirmation=1

HOW TO MANAGE YOUR \’PERMALANCER\’ TALENT

What\’s the hottest job of the future? It might very well be the \”permalancer\” — part-time contractors who can often appear to be regular members of an organization but aren\’t full-time employees.
The population of part-timers in the United States is growing fast, according to recruiters and government statistics: there are 27.4 million part-time jobs in the country, up 10 percent from 2007. By comparison, the number of full-time jobs during the same period has dropped by 4 million, to about 118 million. According to Adecco, a staffing firm, one full-time job will be created for every three or four permalancer positions in the coming year.
But the permalancer trend isn\’t driven just by companies looking to keep costs down and maintain a flexible workforce as business demands change. Many permalancers like the setup, for a multitude of reasons: most like having the freedom to choose when, where and for how long they work. \”Contract work gives [permalancers] exposure to many different companies, work environments and projects,\” Matt Rivera, the director of customer solutions at staffing group Yoh, told The Chicago Tribune. \”While it would seem like there\’s less stability because they\’re not working as a direct employee, for many workers with in-demand skills, it allows them to dictate the types of projects they work on and how much they work.\”
The growing trend poses some challenges for employers. The first one is legal: to prevent employers from exploiting workers, regulations protect independent contractors from being unfairly denied healthcare or other benefits. The second challenge is cultural: the size of the permalancer workforce means they make up a bigger share of a company\’s workforce. With that comes the need to ensure that they fit within the company. Here\’s how a handful of workplace experts recommend striking the right balance:
  • Make them feel included. According to creative consulting firm Cella, it\’s important to make your permalancers feel like they are a part of the team in order to keep and to give them the support they need to succeed. Include them in companywide meetings, celebrations or happy hour — whatever it is. Because of the legal concerns \”many companies take an extreme approach [with respect to how and when part-time workers are included], which can cause the talent to feel like an outsider unnecessarily,\” Cella\’s Laura Berry writes. \”The trick is to understand YOUR company’s specific regulations and communicate them openly.\”
  • Make contractor recruitment part of your hiring strategy. According to freelance network Elance, nearly 70 percent of freelancers claim they are happier and 79 percent are more productive working as a freelancer than as a full-time employee. The study also found that the average freelancer expected to earn 43 percent more in 2013 than they did in 2012. Companies should acknowledge this growing trend in the workforce and make room for it when hiring.
  • Expect they\’ll leave. Sometimes the need for the permalancer is no longer there: maybe the project ends or the budget changes. It is important to give your permalancer proper notice and also establish an understanding that they will do the same with you if and when they decide to move on.
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCzOJDJZHoBttdHAjJsnN9w?sub_confirmation=1

HOW TO MANAGE YOUR \’PERMALANCER\’ TALENT

What\’s the hottest job of the future? It might very well be the \”permalancer\” — part-time contractors who can often appear to be regular members of an organization but aren\’t full-time employees.
The population of part-timers in the United States is growing fast, according to recruiters and government statistics: there are 27.4 million part-time jobs in the country, up 10 percent from 2007. By comparison, the number of full-time jobs during the same period has dropped by 4 million, to about 118 million. According to Adecco, a staffing firm, one full-time job will be created for every three or four permalancer positions in the coming year.
But the permalancer trend isn\’t driven just by companies looking to keep costs down and maintain a flexible workforce as business demands change. Many permalancers like the setup, for a multitude of reasons: most like having the freedom to choose when, where and for how long they work. \”Contract work gives [permalancers] exposure to many different companies, work environments and projects,\” Matt Rivera, the director of customer solutions at staffing group Yoh, told The Chicago Tribune. \”While it would seem like there\’s less stability because they\’re not working as a direct employee, for many workers with in-demand skills, it allows them to dictate the types of projects they work on and how much they work.\”
The growing trend poses some challenges for employers. The first one is legal: to prevent employers from exploiting workers, regulations protect independent contractors from being unfairly denied healthcare or other benefits. The second challenge is cultural: the size of the permalancer workforce means they make up a bigger share of a company\’s workforce. With that comes the need to ensure that they fit within the company. Here\’s how a handful of workplace experts recommend striking the right balance:
  • Make them feel included. According to creative consulting firm Cella, it\’s important to make your permalancers feel like they are a part of the team in order to keep and to give them the support they need to succeed. Include them in companywide meetings, celebrations or happy hour — whatever it is. Because of the legal concerns \”many companies take an extreme approach [with respect to how and when part-time workers are included], which can cause the talent to feel like an outsider unnecessarily,\” Cella\’s Laura Berry writes. \”The trick is to understand YOUR company’s specific regulations and communicate them openly.\”
  • Make contractor recruitment part of your hiring strategy. According to freelance network Elance, nearly 70 percent of freelancers claim they are happier and 79 percent are more productive working as a freelancer than as a full-time employee. The study also found that the average freelancer expected to earn 43 percent more in 2013 than they did in 2012. Companies should acknowledge this growing trend in the workforce and make room for it when hiring.
  • Expect they\’ll leave. Sometimes the need for the permalancer is no longer there: maybe the project ends or the budget changes. It is important to give your permalancer proper notice and also establish an understanding that they will do the same with you if and when they decide to move on.
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCzOJDJZHoBttdHAjJsnN9w?sub_confirmation=1

HOW TO MANAGE YOUR \’PERMALANCER\’ TALENT

What\’s the hottest job of the future? It might very well be the \”permalancer\” — part-time contractors who can often appear to be regular members of an organization but aren\’t full-time employees.
The population of part-timers in the United States is growing fast, according to recruiters and government statistics: there are 27.4 million part-time jobs in the country, up 10 percent from 2007. By comparison, the number of full-time jobs during the same period has dropped by 4 million, to about 118 million. According to Adecco, a staffing firm, one full-time job will be created for every three or four permalancer positions in the coming year.
But the permalancer trend isn\’t driven just by companies looking to keep costs down and maintain a flexible workforce as business demands change. Many permalancers like the setup, for a multitude of reasons: most like having the freedom to choose when, where and for how long they work. \”Contract work gives [permalancers] exposure to many different companies, work environments and projects,\” Matt Rivera, the director of customer solutions at staffing group Yoh, told The Chicago Tribune. \”While it would seem like there\’s less stability because they\’re not working as a direct employee, for many workers with in-demand skills, it allows them to dictate the types of projects they work on and how much they work.\”
The growing trend poses some challenges for employers. The first one is legal: to prevent employers from exploiting workers, regulations protect independent contractors from being unfairly denied healthcare or other benefits. The second challenge is cultural: the size of the permalancer workforce means they make up a bigger share of a company\’s workforce. With that comes the need to ensure that they fit within the company. Here\’s how a handful of workplace experts recommend striking the right balance:
  • Make them feel included. According to creative consulting firm Cella, it\’s important to make your permalancers feel like they are a part of the team in order to keep and to give them the support they need to succeed. Include them in companywide meetings, celebrations or happy hour — whatever it is. Because of the legal concerns \”many companies take an extreme approach [with respect to how and when part-time workers are included], which can cause the talent to feel like an outsider unnecessarily,\” Cella\’s Laura Berry writes. \”The trick is to understand YOUR company’s specific regulations and communicate them openly.\”
  • Make contractor recruitment part of your hiring strategy. According to freelance network Elance, nearly 70 percent of freelancers claim they are happier and 79 percent are more productive working as a freelancer than as a full-time employee. The study also found that the average freelancer expected to earn 43 percent more in 2013 than they did in 2012. Companies should acknowledge this growing trend in the workforce and make room for it when hiring.
  • Expect they\’ll leave. Sometimes the need for the permalancer is no longer there: maybe the project ends or the budget changes. It is important to give your permalancer proper notice and also establish an understanding that they will do the same with you if and when they decide to move on.
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WHY SUCCESSFUL SOCIAL LEARNING REQUIRES STRUCTURE

While training and employee development usually brings a big conference room and never-ending lectures to mind, learning doesn’t have to involve a formal setting that employees end up dreading. In fact, 80 percent of learning happens informally, but that doesn’t mean social learning doesn’t need structure or purpose, notes learning expert Bill Cushard on Human Capitalist.
“To implement social learning successfully, HR and other leaders need to be specific and deliberate about how they design it,” Cushard says. “The good news is that a social theory of learning provides a design framework that can guide how to implement social learning in an organization — no matter what technology is in play.”
A social theory of learning involves four trade-offs, says Cushard:

Participation vs. Reification

Conversation and available resources make up the elements essential for successful social learning and provide a balance between participation and reification. “One thing to consider when implementing social learning is to make sure you give people the ability to both participate in conversations and to access, share, and create resources.”

Designed vs. Emergent

“You can design social learning, but participants must have the power to decide where to take things, and management should avoid the impulse to control that.”

Identification vs. Negotiability

“In social learning, people should be able to decide for themselves their level of participation, role they want to play, and what value the social learning topic has for them. Management shouldn’t try to overly define roles and participation levels.”

Local vs. Global

“Users should be able to create private, subject-specific groups in their enterprise social network, but if they start to believe that too many groups outside of the ones they are specifically assigned to are closed to them, the organization won’t likely realize the full benefit of social learning.” 
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WHY RECRUITERS ASK ILLEGAL INTERVIEW QUESTIONS: Q&A WITH CHRIS FIELDS

Recruiting is a balancing act. Hiring managers want to ensure that they select the right person for the right job — but that can mean veering dangerously close to questions that are inappropriate or even illegal. \”Do you have kids?\” or \”Are you married?\” Both questions break the law, notes Chris Fields, an HR consultant and job coach. Here, Fields talks about why these kinds of questions get asked and how candidates should respond.

Are candidates and recruiters generally aware of questions that are off limits?

Often candidates don’t know that these questions are illegal because they come up during small talk. Some employers point out a wedding ring — not because they really want to know but because they want to get the applicant talking. It\’s not so much a question as a conversation starter. But some questions that ask directly about any disabilities or pregnancies are outright illegal. Unfortunately, job candidates don\’t feel like they have a choice because of the competition, so they answer them.

Do some employers have motive for asking appropriate questions?

They’re trying to find out if someone can work their shifts without any personal distractions. When you hire someone, it’s a costly investment so you don’t want to make a poor decision. You can minimize the poor decisions by having metrics, asking relevant questions and vetting with background checks.

How can employers rephrase the questions in a legal way?

Don’t think about the physical attributes you\’re looking for, but what you need someone to do and base questions off the position you’re hiring for. If you need someone to work a holiday schedule, don’t ask if they celebrate Christmas or Hanukkah. Just tell them, “We need coverage during this time period. Is that a problem?” You don’t need to know why that’s problem; all you need to know is whether they can do it — yes or no. When you get into why they can’t do it, that’s when you get into trouble and start making judgments.

Tell us about a scenario when a job candidate was asked something inappropriate.

One woman I talked to had an interview where the interviewer complimented her wedding ring. “Wow,\” he said, \”you must really be loved. What does your husband do?” That’s not necessarily an illegal question, but it made her feel inadequate. She didn’t know if she was going to be judged on her ring.
You don’t want job candidates to come away thinking they did something wrong by wearing a wedding ring or wearing a nice outfit. When a recruiter says, “That looks like an expensive suit you’re wearing,” the candidate wants to know they look nice, but they don\’t want the interviewer to think they don\’t need the job. Also, they don\’t want to work for a company that would judge based on those things.
For an organization, integrity is important. It’s important to provide a good candidate experience because even if you don’t give someone the job, you want the person to have a good view of the company. You don’t want applicants to leave the interview feeling like they’ve been manipulated or compromised in any way.
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