The HR Workaholic’s Guide to Getting Organized & Recharging: 5 Tips to Maintain Both Sanity & Productivity

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It’s no secret that workplace stress is on the rise. Industry competition is high, stakes are even higher, and humans are human: it doesn’t take long for anxiety to take hold.

From sharing information about EAPs for personal stressors, to bringing massages into the office to loosen up team members, to painting walls to lighten the mood, HR and employers are ideating around the clock to alleviate stress for their team members. With a calling in a field that focuses on satisfaction and productivity of everyone around them, it’s easy for HR professionals to forget that they’re people who need to unplug, too.

But how? We know the stats, and while we spend hours coaching leaders and managers on how to manage their careers and time, we often find ourselves feeling behind. Emails pile up, team members wait on responses, projects simmer in the flames and on the backburner: time is a valuable resource we can’t seem to get ahold of ourselves. We accept it as our reality and we charge on: at least we’re doing what we love, after all.

While we’re passionate about our work, giving in to chaos and disregarding our own mental health is risky. Not only is recharging crucial for our employees, but it’s imperative for us. If your work drives you, that’s great! Setting a routine that allows you to relax but still feel on top of your priorities is possible. While the “perfect” routine will vary from person to person, below are a few tips to get you started if you’re looking for a change!

  1. Throughout the week, write stuff down. Whether you like to email notes to yourself, block your calendar, or use apps like Reminders or Todoist (highly recommend that second one), putting all of your priorities and tasks in writing allows you to see what lies ahead, and takes loads of stressful weight off your shoulders. Helpful hint: don’t use 3 or 4 different apps or methods to do this, it only causes you to have to check multiple resources and can further overwhelm you.
  2. Before the weekend starts, set aside time to prepare for the week ahead. The last 30-45 minutes of each Friday – or your last workday of the week – view what remains on your to do list, glance at your calendar of the week ahead, and close out time-sensitive items that must be dealt with that week, or reschedule the rest as needed. This allows you to enter your weekend relieved that everything pending will be handled, so you can focus on the present moment and truly regroup.
  3. Speaking of focusing on the present moment, practice mindfulness to bring closure to your workweek and enter your weekend with a sense of purpose. While trying to clear your mind may seem to be an act of futility at first, with too many thoughts whirling, stick with it: countless studies tout the benefits of mindfulness on our productivity and mental clarity, which yields benefits both at home and work. Whether you prefer to journal, take a fitness class, or meditate (another recommendation: Calm is a helpful app for beginners), taking this time for yourself will allow you to step out of a haze and see your own work in a new light. Both you and your employees will win!
  4. Step away. Get outdoors, work out, or spend work-free time with friends and/or family. While it’s hard to ignore emails or unplug as HR (emergencies do happen), you can give yourself designated time to check or neglect your inbox during the weekend. Whether this means logging in only once in the morning or evening to browse for truly urgent needs, taking the email app off your phone, or turning off push notifications, make it easier to focus on personal time by making it more difficult for work tasks to pop onto your radar. While it may feel more chaotic at first, like mindfulness, it eventually allows you to return to your tasks refreshed and with new insight.
  5. Own Sunday nights (or Monday mornings). If you’re stressed about your workweek coming around: ask yourself “why?” and go from there. Anxious about an overflowing inbox? Take 30 minutes the night before or that morning to scan and organize your emails, so you aren’t surprised when you get into the office. Deadline looming? Take 5 to map out a plan to tackle it step-by-step throughout the week. The key here is that work-life balance looks different to everyone: if ignoring the elephant in the room makes life worse for you, take some time to address it so you can feel better and move on.

Again, while the above works for me, the thing to remember is: “You run the day, or the day runs you.” – Jim Rohn. How we spend our time is our choice, even if it doesn’t always feel that way. Dedicating time to yourself, getting organized, and recharging are crucial and attainable, and there are multiple ways to get there! & don’t forget, if your anxiety is more than a few routine tweaks can tackle, you can use your company’s Employee Assistance Plan, too. From conversations with mental health professionals to free articles and webinars and more, there are ways to get more help and support, from people who are happy to help you.

What about you, #HRTribe? What are your favorite recharge tricks? Always excited to learn more and try new things, and I hope this helped some of you, too!

Encouraging Employees through the Holidays: Tips for When Times Aren’t Merry or Bright

pexels-photo-255377‘Tis the season! For many of us, December means travel to winter wonderlands in celebration of traditions with loved ones. Flurries of ice, red fingertips under gloves, and phones on Silent as we focus on those around us. For others, however, the holidays can serve as a chaotic stressor, and a painful reminder of emptiness, mental strife, or loss. From the first gathering without a recently passed family member, to unpacked boxes in an entryway that signal a complicated but fresh start, the lives those around us are living through are endlessly different and complicated from our own. And though it isn’t always apparent in the workplace, nearly 18% of people in the US are depressed, or report symptoms of depression that hinder them from completing their day to day tasks.

While many of us are trained to avoid conversations around health and mental health, these numbers are staggering and they are impacting our employees daily, especially now. So, what does that mean for us from our unique perspective as HR? How do we bridge the gap between law and humanity? It’s a tall order, but there are a few small ways we can reach the 1 in 5 employees who are currently struggling through this season alongside us.

  • We don’t always have to veer far from the classics: if your company’s holiday party is an inclusive hit, keep it going! It may be the only party some get invited to each year; even if that isn’t the case, the bonding that happens outside of the typical workday can allow for friendships and boosted morale that last long after the new year begins.
    • Additional step: Include your Employee Assistance Program (EAP) on the back (paper) or bottom (email) of your holiday party or gathering invitation. Post it up in breakrooms. Send it to the masses outside of Open Enrollment, so people know help is here for them, and that you care. Remind everyone that it is free, and that they can share this with their teammates or peers if you’re unable to reach them.
  • Take notice, and take care. Pay attention to your people: is someone who is typically bubbly in a newfound slump? A reliable employee calling in late unexpectedly for multiple days in a row? Aside from the usual process around FMLA or applying for leave, pop in just to see if they’re feeling OK, and offer support when possible.
    • Additional step: You aren’t on an island. Keep your managers in the loop: they see their team members and their patterns every day. Remind them that they’re often the first person a team member will talk to when stressed. Make sure they have your EAP information, they know it’s OK to share it, and that they also know when it’s important to report concerns and recommend an employee seek outside help. Building trusting work relationships with, and coaching, your managers will expand the reach of support.
  • Promote and encourage mental wellness across the organization’s practices and environment. Promote use of PTO for Mental Health days to simultaneously encourage self-care and the removal of stigmas. Partner with your benefits provider or broker to share clips and videos to meditations, desk exercises, and community resources on a monthly basis. Work with your benefits and/or legal teams to design training or informal processes that encourage employees to notice when a team member may be struggling, and to take caring and responsible steps forward to help them.
    • Additional step: Consider bringing in massages, counselors, or other vendors that work for your location/population/resources during the holidays, but also throughout the year. Many of our employees work long hours and don’t take the time they need to check in on themselves. Bringing care to them, even in small ways, will do more good than we can quantify.
  • Get out of your lens and ask employees what causes and gestures are dear to them. Consider encouraging volunteer days or company partnership events throughout the year to give back to a cause that is meaningful to those outside of the corporate office. Further, ask them what would make them feel most valued as people. Send a survey, check in with managers, or use whatever assessment process works for your organization to see what would make them feel best this season and throughout the year. Use that feedback to customize what you can on both small and large scales, and to show your people that they and their input matter.
    • Additional step: Remember that it isn’t always about the employee’s situation. Many people have family members dealing with addiction, discrimination, harassment, health problems, abuse, school bullying, or poverty. They are stuck and they don’t know how to help. Provide information, resources, and community connections for them, too.

Of course, historically and understandably, the reason employers and HR don’t get too involved in the health of their employees is because of various laws, and the liability and the risk it can cause for others and the company. My view is that it’s almost 2019, and the mental health crisis isn’t going anywhere without everyone’s support. While we shouldn’t inadvertently do more harm than good by acting like counselors, violating HIPAA or other laws, or putting anyone at risk by not handling a situation appropriately, we can surely and simply extend a hand or listening ear to someone who is clearly in need. Our employees are fellow human beings, above all else. Make sure you aren’t violating a law and let integrity guide you; you should be OK.

What do the rest of you do to promote mental health and encourage people through the holidays? What are your biggest reservations on this topic? Your highest aspirations? What can we all do to get there? I would love to hear from you, too! The more ideas, the merrier.

And if you are struggling, I am here to listen, and to support you, too. Please reach out any time. The amazing volunteers and staff at the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline are also here for you, your peers, and your loved ones, 24/7: https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/ and 1-800-273-8255. It’s confidential and around the clock listening, guiding, or whatever you need. If you’re in distress or know someone who is, they are a quick phone call away, and they have many resources online, too.

My genuine hope for each of you is a season and life of wellness and happiness, in whatever way is most meaningful to you. Happy Holidays, everyone!

Warmly,

Sam

From Surviving to Thriving in HR: How to Pave Your Way to Leadership Buy-In

As HR professionals, we’ve heard the phrase “find your seat at the table” ad nauseam. To take it a step further, we’ve rallied not only to sit at the table with our organizations’ leadership, but to stand and model what we want to see – and rightly so (#HROnPurpose shout-out)! But for many HR team members, especially those on both ends of the spectrum in departments of one or the more oversaturated teams, often HR is left out of the collaborative party altogether. Not only do we not know that a change or update is about to occur, but we didn’t know that a roundtable discussion happened in the first place. So, what now? How do you get to the table when you aren’t even asked to be in the room? How do you support a united front if other members of your company’s leadership team don’t share the information or access you need to succeed and drive results? What if it isn’t intentional, but stems from a lack of organizational cohesion? & finally, how can you fix something that nobody else thinks is broken, or trusts you to “fix?”

It isn’t easy, and it requires patience. But in many cases, it can be done if you take a step back, temper your ego, identify your allies, and assess the situation. If this is new territory for you, or if you’re going through it now, you can start with the below!

When you need to earn trust and show your value add:

  • First, identify the true problems, not just the symptoms. If we’re honest with ourselves, HR has a reputation for not being business-savvy. Whether it’s true or not, we’re seen as policy pushers, and haven’t always been as analytical or business-driven as we are today. To bust past stereotypes and to show your skills to your current leaders, start with a fresh perspective. Take a few days or weeks, depending on the scenario, to see where the company’s pain points are actually coming from. Is it hard to access information due to system or software restrictions? Are the gaps limited to a specific department, or departments, not sharing information? Are you in the middle of a cultural shift and unable to navigate the winds of change? Whatever is going on, you can’t fix anything until you have your problem statement, so take some time to observe and chat with trusted stakeholders to understand 2-3 opportunities you really need to address, and why you need to address them.
  • Next, figure out what your solutions look like. Assuming you’ve pinpointed a few key areas for improvement, pretend the status quo and your current limitations don’t exist. If you could wave a magic wand and emerge in a productive, engaging environment where you’re able to thrive, what would that look like in these key areas? Is it simply attending a weekly meeting or getting copied into emails a few days before fresh content goes to constituents? Is it a more elaborate removal of silos across teams? Can you create a collaborative communication plan and flow for future updates or program implementations? Whatever it is, figure out what success looks like, why you don’t have it, and work backwards from there to identify at least 2 proposed “fixes” for every challenge. Jot them down into crisp notes or a couple of slides, as these will become the basis for a proposal you can share with the right people, at the right time. (The rationale behind more than 1 “fix” and this proposal will be elaborated upon below!)
  • Run your initial thoughts by a trusted advisor. Whether it’s an external mentor or your go-to within your company, it never hurts to have an extra set of eyes and ears on your proposed challenges and solutions. Can they help you? Can they provide more information or networking know-how that will eliminate or support some of your ideas? Take some time to hear from them, gain valuable context, and adjust your proposal as necessary.
  • Polish your thoughts into a proposal to share with your leadership team. Rule of thumb when presenting to people with limited time and a lot on their plates: keep it crisp and relevant to the bigger picture. Pop your concerns and solutions into a few slides or an executive summary. Stick to a synopsis of the challenges and their cost/people/morale/efficiency impact, varying ways they can be resolved, the  potential positive impact of their resolution, and recommended next steps + collaborators. This illustrates thoughtfulness in your problem-solving and connects the dots for them, which removes the burden that they have to think through “your” problem for you.
  • Follow through with what you say you’re going to do, and track the results. Your results should speak for themselves, and in healthy environments, or environments that are on their way to a healthier state, data and transparency earn trust among leaders. Moving forward, you should find yourself better equipped to strategically engage in your role, and to collaborate with leadership and others in your organization.

“. . .Sure,” you say. “The above is all well and good if the people we partner with are pragmatic and open to change. What if my office just isn’t ready?”

Here’s where it can get tricky, but it’s still salveageable – for you, at least.

  • If you don’t have another HR pro or leader to lean on, seek external support. You can do this through professional organizations like SHRM, mentors or previous managers and leaders from your past, and even HRNet and LinkedIn connections, where countless, passionate experts volunteer their time to provide on-the-fly guidance and ideas to those who seek it. Your growth doesn’t ALL have to come from within your own organization; in fact, it’s beneficial to shake it up!
  • Identify your allies. Should HR be “friends” with non-HR coworkers? The short answer is: yes. Just be selective. You are a person and can seek sanity and solace with other people, as long as you don’t violate your responsibilities of course. If you find a peer or person willing to support you, hear you out, and help you remove obstacles, it’s more than OK to let them in!
  • Pick your battles. The important stuff involves integrity, our people, and our business. When you’re trying to build trust, it’s important not to “culture shock” everyone by unleashing your ideas like a firehose. Sit back, observe what small steps will make the largest impact for the most people, and start there. It can start to give you motivation and confidence as you cultivate relationships. Those little wins are important!
  • Assess what you’re up against and whether or not it’s a fit for you. If you reflect and you find you’re consistently people and business-driven, and are simultaneously going nowhere despite your most logical and earnest efforts over appropriate lengths of time, ask yourself, “Do I want to be here?” An environment that wants nothing to do with HR, or intentionally disregards any functional department, could be a symptom of toxicity issues that are out of your hands. Organizations are made of people, and people – as we all know – can’t change unless they really want to. Don’t forget that you can thrive in or out of your current organization, and if you need help updating your resume, many of us are here for you! Myself, @HRJazzy, and @_strclaire will be happy to start you off on the right foot, for starters 🙂

Obviously the scenarios and environments are endless, and there are many more solutions than what were summarized above! On that note, what are your thoughts, fellow #HR pros and #HRTribe? How have you earned trust and your place among leadership, if you weren’t in a leadership position? What worked, what crashed and burned? When did you decide it was time to leave, if it got to that point?

Until next time, stay true to yourself and you can’t go wrong! Can’t wait to hear from you!

Can’t Make it to #SHRM18? Turn That FOMO Frown Upside Down & Map Out Your Options!

Most of us who have been to a SHRM conference are all too familiar with the high that comes with such a meeting of the minds: the expos and freebies, the strangers-become-friends who nerd out over payroll, employee engagement, and their craziest HR stories; the rows of books and merch – it’s the perfect place to collaborate, make new friends, bond with our teams (if you’ve got one!), and show the world we’re proud of our inner-HR nerd!

As we all know, #SHRM18 has just kicked off in Chicago! For those of you who couldn’t make it to SHRM for whatever reason, and are watching the tweets and excitement from your home (raises hand), don’t lament! There are plenty of ways you can still get involved with (or without) SHRM, mingle and collaborate with other HR pros and friends, and develop your career.

  • Not sure where to start? Try your local SHRM chapter (find out where your chapter is here: SHRM Chapters). Not only is the local chapter better on your budget, but it’s a nice baby step into SHRM, your HR community, and local events that can help you network and get your name and ideas out there. If you’re not sure how much money, time, or energy you can commit, but you’re still dedicated to expanding your thoughts and network, this is a great step.
  • SHRM not for you? To each their own. Then take a peek at a few other HR conferences in your area, based on your specialty or area of interest. Some industry favorites are the Association for Talent Development (TD.org), Human Capital Institute (hci.org), LinkedIn Talent Connect (LinkedIn Talent Connect), and the International Foundation of Employee Benefits Plans (IFEBP.org). Whether you’re more focused on engagement, recognition, recruiting, or benefits, you’ll find something that suits your fancy!
  • Been to so many conferences that you’ve seen it all, you’re over the status quo, and need some inspiration? Try DisruptHR (disrupthr.co)! With a presence in around 40 cities across multiple countries (and growing), the “Rebellious Future of HR” tagline, and access to passionate, informed talks about how we can overhaul our mindset and practices to catch up with the evolving world of work, you’re sure to find at least a few new ideas to reignite your spark.
  • Not interested in networking or seeing people in large groups? I hear you: you’re “on” all day, and rubbing elbows with strangers isn’t your jam. Consider joining an HR book club (if I may make a recommendation, you can always start here: http://laurieruettimann.com/hr-book-club/) and connecting with your peers over social media. You get to learn from literature and others, all without leaving the comfort of your own home. It’s a win-win!

While I can’t compliment SHRM’s conferences enough, and highly recommend attending at least one in your HR lifetime, it’s OK that life gets in the way! Whether you’re new to HR, new to your job, have company budget restrictions, or simply couldn’t make the timing work, don’t beat yourself up too much when you can’t make the big events. There are always other options, and there’s always time to plan for #SHRM19, to boot!

Do any of you have other ideas that have helped you connect and collaborate with fellow HR pros in your cities? What are you go-to tips in and out of SHRM? We’d all love to hear from you! In the meantime, for those of you who are in Chi-town, enjoy #SHRM18, and please have some deep dish pizza for us!

 

All Roads Lead to Communication

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It doesn’t matter who you are or what industry you’re in: if you’re struggling at work, the odds are, your communication needs a fix.

“No way!” you think, “We’re struggling because we’re not hiring the right people.” This means you haven’t assessed or communicated what you truly need to your managers, your recruiters, or your candidates.

“Nay!” you say, “It’s because our employees have lost their passion.” This means you haven’t ironed out, effectively shared, and/or gained buy-in for your vision and purpose. Or, you haven’t hired the right people for your vision. See point one above!

“Never!” you yell, “It’s the economy.” This is one of my personal favorites because “the economy” is “happening” to everyone, and everyone is not flailing. What this means is that you haven’t showed or told your team members that you care enough to recognize and compensate them in non-monetary, meaningful ways when times are tight. & if your times are tighter than usual and it really is a deviation, you can simply . . .tell everyone what’s going on and give them the option of staying to pitch in, or beginning their search in a non-hostile environment before they find themselves jobless. Loyalty will go a long way there, too, but you’ve got to open up a little!

We could give more examples, but in my experience, no matter the scenario, it all boils down to what we say to, and show, our people. If you disagree, or know you’re killing it with your communication and culture, that’s awesome! Please comment what you’re doing and help out the rest of us 🙂 If you reflected and realized your communication approach could use a little work, what’s next? How can we take steps to improve our communication throughout our work day, when our jobs as HR and/or leaders can be so sensitive? We can start with a small list, and go from there!

  • Be prepared. When possible, particularly when sharing new information, gather answers to the questions you anticipate before making any kind of announcement or update, so you can share them in real time or in follow-up messaging. If you don’t have all of the information you want, but you tell everyone you’ll follow up to get them answers, then follow through and keep it timely. If you’re just as in the dark as everyone else, take it upon yourself to pull key people into a room to get whatever information you can to guide others. Model what you’d like to see, and do what you can to set the company, & yourself, up for success in times of transition.
  • Keep your managers informed. Managers are our first line of defense: they see most of our employees day in and day out, sit alongside them in the trenches, and ideally know more about them than we ever will. If they know what’s going on and that new initiatives or decisions are in everyone’s best interest, they will gladly diffuse challenges, dispel myths, and settle their teams before rumors have a chance to get out of hand. Yet, I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen information shared with managers and their team members at the same time, or with less than 24 hours to spare. They hear new information while sitting next to the people who report into them, & as human beings, they get confused and then frustrated, too. Next time, whether it’s a less complicated employee relations issue or a full-on transformation, loop them in ahead of time so they can process their own emotions and get their questions and concerns addressed before their teams find out: this can only help you form the united front you’ll surely need.
  • Trust more often than not. Along the same lines as above, trust is crucial for everyone, not just managers. When one of your people is upset or curious about a situation, sit down with them and openly share what you can. Does this mean you should breach confidentiality or alert them that even you feel like the sky is falling? Not necessarily. Can you say, “This might change so I’d like to keep this confidential so as not to cause challenges down the line, but here’s what I understand is happening/can share . . .” Most people will just be happy to be heard and out of the dark, and can at least temporarily go back to being more productive and calm. Can a gossip occasionally slip through the cracks and take what you say out of context? Sure! We’ve all been burned, but don’t let fear stop you from being a light for those who are mature enough for the truth and your trust.
  • Tone matters. Yes, we’re all human beings. While vulnerability is crucial and emotions can be impactful, it isn’t optimal to show disrespect, negative sarcasm, or rudeness. If you find yourself saying, “I’m just blunt,” “They don’t get me,” “They’re too sensitive,” or any variation of this more often than not . . . the problem might be you. Even if your message isn’t negative, assess how you’re delivering it. Although this is hard, it isn’t impossible! In your next potentially upsetting or challenging conversation, take a breath and put yourself in the other person’s shoes before responding. Also, before going into a meeting you know will be challenging, go back to tip number one above and prepare: ask yourself how you’d like to receive new information, and what information would be important to you. Then model that behavior and transparency for more of a win-win.
  • Don’t assume your vision is crystal clear. How many times have you said or heard, “Didn’t I already say this? How does So-and-So not know this is going on?” We’ve all played the game telephone. But we still sit in small meetings and make comments, delegate messages to distracted peers, and assume that the right message made it to the right people as soon as we leave the room. If only it worked this way! Moving forward, make sure you directly send/say/share the information with the intended recipients, or check in with your team to make sure everyone’s on the same page before assuming all is well. Note: this doesn’t mean you have to micromanage or take everything on yourself. This tip is more helpful if you’ve found yourself wondering what’s going on more times than you can count, and need to recalibrate. If you and your team are aligned and this isn’t a problem for you, all the better, and please feel free to share how you got there!
  • Remember that the little stuff counts. Whether you set a calendar reminder that pushes you to send a follow-up announcement to a group, or add “Say ‘thank you’ to a team member” to your to-do list, it only takes 28 days for new behaviors to become a habit! The more you reflect and share, the more relationships and loyalty you build, & the easier transparency becomes across the board.

There’s always more to say when it comes to communication (ha!), but these are a few of my go-tos! & if you need inspiration to get back on track, think of Warren Buffet’s wise words: “Without good communication skills, you won’t be able to convince people to follow you, even though you see over the mountain and they don’t.”

Ultimately, all of our challenges start and end with us, and what we put out there! Whether it’s through our actions or our words, we send a message to people. What do you want yours to say?

What about you? What challenges have you faced or had to overcome with your or your company’s communication? What other tips do you have when it comes to effective communication at work? Thank you for reading, and please feel free to comment or reach out any time! I look forward to hearing your thoughts!

Cultivating Dream Teams of Confident Decision-Makers: An Exercise in Trust

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There’s no secret agenda: in an ever-changing economy, we all want to scale up and improve capabilities, and promote joint accountability, across our organizations. We need ourselves, our own HR teams, leaders, and employees to glide our companies through global disruptions and beyond, but time and again we see confidence slip away, and analysis paralysis take over in the face of transition. Why does this keep happening, and why does it seem to grow more prevalent? There isn’t an easy or a one-size-fits-all answer to this, but we can dive into two common causes that we can swiftly and positively impact.

First, we have a web of pooled knowledge at our fingertips. Our laptops, tablets, and phones bring endless answers to our questions at any moment. When faced with too many options and a lack of hands-on experience, many fear they’ll never know which solution is the “right” one for their situation, and they tend to lock up or slip back into the status quo.  

Next, we have companies that wobble at tipping points with policies and processes that haven’t caught up with the modern workforce and/or their rapid growth. Established companies also tend to be ripe with lingering, inherent “right” and “wrong” ways to handle different scenarios. Existing leaders who are too engrossed in the culture sometimes can’t see the need or path for change, and new leaders and employees are focused on learning the ropes or trying to climb the ladder. It’s easier and more palatable to put out the fires than to push the norms, so again, long-term problem-solving takes a back seat. 

Now, why is this particularly relevant to the HR field? To start, whether our employees freeze and reach out to us for proactive guidance or for reactive course correction, HR remains in the crosshairs of cultural change and strategic decision-making. This fly-by-the-seat approach is not sustainable, and we all know this. But as HR, how can we be our peers’ trusted advisors, instead of their band-aids and policy pushers after the problems have already emerged? How can we move away from “right” and “wrong,” to foster a company of people who are comfortable with change, on-the-spot decisions, and scale without our guidance every step of the way? It’s a long journey, but we can start by implementing 3 practices. Hint: each of them are related to trust!

  • When someone approaches you for advice, ask them how they think they should handle the situation before you offer your input. This is crucial because when a person comes to us to guide them through a simple question or a crisis, our urge to manage kicks in. More often than not, we want to listen to the scenario, and share our view on how they can address it effectively. It can be instantly gratifying and eliminate stress for both parties, especially when it comes to the policy or process-related scenarios we face in HR each day, where methods are important. The problem with this quick fix is that our views were formed over time and are based on our experiences, and our experiences – both the great and the painful – are what helped us grow. If we tell a leader, manager, or otherwise how we’d handle their plight, we not only become their crutch, but we hinder them from thinking through the challenge themselves. To help them build confidence and capabilities moving forward, be their trusted advisor and allow them to start to form that same trust within themselves: hear them out, support their thought process, and then coach them along as needed so they arrive at an appropriate solution on their own. 
  • Encourage people to accomplish mutual goals as they see fit. From collaborating with another team to revamp an operational process, or partnering with your company’s leaders on a crucial employee program, it’s tempting to micromanage how and when ideas we’re passionate about are met. It can feel like the success of the team and initiative reflect on us and our department: why would we just let it go and hope for the best? Well, there are actually two good reasons to do just that: 1) To build trust in and out of HR. Trust is a give and take, and if we show another person or their team that we trust their expertise to accomplish what they set out to do, it’ll boost their confidence and esteem for us, as well. They’ll return that trust to us in this exercise and, likely, going forward; and 2) To encourage creativity and diverse perspectives throughout our organizations. Periods of ambiguity paired with a sense of mutual purpose across teams are great times to promote innovative and thoughtful solutions to company challenges. So next time, when the situation permits, why not set the goals together and let everyone soar toward the finish line as they want? More often than not, we’ll be pleasantly surprised by some new ideas along the way! & how great does it feel to celebrate a success everyone has a stake in?
  • Embrace failures as a chance to improve. Some of us follow the above tips more often than not! We stay optimistic, we trust our leaders and team members, and we wait for fresh ideas, collaborative efforts, and trust to come right back to us in abundance! & then we are flicked in the face by the harsh reality that will never leave us: the “H” in “HR!” Our interactions humbly remind us we are all just human beings, working with other human beings.  We all make mistakes and we all misstep for too many reasons to count, excuse, or deny in one swoop. When we’re let down in a big or small way, especially with our livelihoods or professional brand on the line, it’s easy to want to finger point, send a scathing email, remove initiatives from someone’s plate, the list goes on. Not only is this not recommended from a professionalism and relationship-building standpoint, but it will also do no good for any of us long-term. Dwelling on the failures of someone else or ourselves once the moment has passed only has toxic effects. It stifles innovation, lowers individual and group confidence, and allows fear of future failures to permeate. Who feels encouraged to critically think or ideate when they are scared of repercussions to come? Nobody. They will seek “approved” answers from other people and departments to avoid accountability, and we, our people, and our companies will suffer as we slip back into “the way we’ve always done it.” Instead of sinking too deep in the face of our next failure, let’s seek to elevate! Elevate others, ourselves, and the situation. Proactively set aside time to focus on what we learned, where we went wrong, and how we can all work together to avoid this happening again moving forward. & then do just that: move forward together.

If none of the above resonated with you, that’s OK! If you’d like, just remember this key takeaway and address it however you want: the more we model trust in others, the more they learn to trust themselves, their decisions, and eventually, their peers. It enables trust to flow throughout an entire organization. (Sound absurd? Picture a company with a distrustful culture. How do you think they got there? Why can’t the opposite work, too?) Putting the effort into building a climate of trust will allow for risk-taking and innovation, and will cultivate stronger decision-making skills and collaborative efforts across all teams and departments. It takes time, but it will do more good than harm, and really, we have nothing to lose! 

Will these strategies solve all of our workforce challenges in one get-go? Of course not. Can they help us start to chip away at it, step-by-step, if we all actively do our part to model what we want to see? I’m a firm believer!

What about you? I’d love to hear each of your ideas, too. How do you increase the confidence in your peers and collaborative partners who rely on you? What has worked? What hasn’t? Share away, #HRTribe! & Happy Sunday, in the meantime!

Strive Toward Humane HR: One Interaction at a Time

As voracious dreamers, doers, and visionaries, many of us started our HR journeys inspired to make a positive, lifelong impact on our people and organizations. Among our teams, we typically have the drive, emotional intelligence, and field-based backgrounds to guide strategies into 2025 and beyond. Yet, somewhere between the intent and reality, we stall.

All too often, I hear employees say they don’t call HR unless they want to be told “No.” That our cumbersome processes decrease morale faster than our catered lunches and team-building workshops can repair it. That our policies are outdated, and when they ask for data to support why we haven’t increased our own resources or technology in half a decade or more, nobody can find it. That, even when they understand an integral part of our role is to protect our organizations, our slow reaction times and vague, CYA responses to their genuine questions insult some of our most engaged people.

Why is the closure of this gap so low on the priority totem pole? How could our entire functional mission – to uphold the integrity of our companies and guide each one of our employees toward their peak potential – conflict so drastically with the perception on the ground? We set out to be wings, and we became concrete boots. & the reasons we tell ourselves for settling, are only stale excuses.

First, we need to own that we’re part of the challenge. Bam, done, it is what it is. Now that we’ve shone a light on the chasm, it’s time to fire up our creativity and become part of the solution. So, what do we do first? Shake a money tree, update our own technology, craft robust engagement programs, immediately give everyone the comp the market demands, and hire only unicorns who are both skilled and comfortable with conflict? Sounds great 🙂

Ok, fine, we can’t be that quick to pivot. But bear with me for a second, because the great news is that turning it all around really IS easy if we stay true to our vision. All we have to do is get back to basics! It looks a little like this:

  • When someone comes to you with a genuine request, show authentic interest and care in how you approach the solution. Yes, some policies are there for a reason, and at times they truly should be followed. But imagine if an exception is genuinely warranted: they’ll feel taken care of and loyal. & if not, think of the difference you’ll make if you just hear them out, transparently outline what you can and can’t do, and why. Turn the wall of “No” into a dialogue, and allow them feel like a human being, instead of an employee
  • If a team member isn’t doing their best, don’t reach for the write-up. Seek first to understand what’s going on: do they need support? Will a professional development intervention help? Are there goals you can set and work toward together to pull them off of their plateau? Let them be a part of a career conversation, not a byproduct of decisions made behind closed doors
  • No matter the circumstances, keep it professional and respectful. Your job is a noun, an inanimate concept. Your employees are separate entities from your being. They cannot negatively impact you unless you let yourself waver off course from your true purpose: to support. If you’re stressed, it is because of how you’re dealing with whatever is on your plate: not because another noun truly has jurisdiction over you. Don’t let your mood creep into your responses!

Easier said than done? & is there more to it than this? Always! But it’s a start!

What about you? Have you settled into complacency (it beckons us all!)? Are you worried about the cons of this approach? How are you currently working toward your higher vision? Please feel free to leave your comments, I’d love to hear your thoughts, too!

Sam