Looking to 2011 and Beyond: “Who You Gonna Call?” Will it be to HR?

This time of year always brings out the crystal ball for psychics, bloggers, writers, and thought leaders in every profession. Well, maybe not in that order. 

I remember when I was growing up, I would always read the predictions of the psychics. I would literally keep track of who was right and who was wrong by the end of the year. The vast majority of time they were wrong, but that did not stop them from coming out the next year with a new and bold list.

Lately I have read about the changes coming in 2011 concerning social media, technology, human capital, talent management, strategic HR and the list goes on. Everyone has their take. In 2009, I wrote a piece for a career magazine on my thoughts on 2010 titled “Try to Put 2009 Behind Us, Making the Most of 2010.”

I recently reread that article and it could still stand the test of time.

Reports worth reading

In our HR space today, there has been excellent research this year that would have a psychic salivating. We don’t really need the predictions unless we have been blinded by the turmoil and stress.
Here are my favorites reports for the year:

How to Set Goals for New Employees

This article is based on a recent interview with Inc.com on setting goals for new employees.  Reprinted from Inc.com (Inc. Magazine)

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Effectively setting goals for new hires—both short and long-term—can be the difference between a successful and happy new hire or someone likely to leave the company quickly. Here’s how to do it right.

As companies attain quick success, they also face the struggle of hiring new employees, bringing them up to speed on company policy, and setting realistic goals for the new contributors. Defining goals starts before the new hire is even in the building with the human resources manager collaborating with the manager of the new employee, but it extends further than that and is a process that needs to evolve continuously.

“To me, there is no such thing as setting goals too early in the hiring process,” notes Ron Thomas, human resources strategy consultant and blogger at StrategyFocusedHR who developed a highly successful talent management strategy while at Martha Stewart Living and IBM. “It should be done almost as soon as you identify the need for a new hire and defined by anyone that will be working with the new employee. From there, the goals should evolve accordingly with the candidates and once the new person is brought in.”

How to Make an Employee's First 90 Days Successful

This article is based on an interview that I recently did with Inc.com on the importance on Onboarding New Employees.
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The process of onboarding is vital to the success of the new employee and the business itself. Here are specific steps you can take to make an employee's first three months successful.

When a new employee reports to their first day on the job, the feeling is quite similar to those first day of the school year jitters we all had as kids. And while it's a challenge for the employee to familiarize him or herself quickly with the office, the job responsibilities, new co-workers and more, it's just as important and stressful for their managers. Making a new hire feel comfortable and a part of the team from day one is imperative to make the employee a successful and productive member of your business.

Job Descriptions: It’s All About Where the Job is Headed, Not Where it is Now

My normal routine is this:

Up at 4:30. Make the coffee. Check e-mail. Listen to Bloomberg TV for the business news update, get dressed in my workout gear and into the gym by 6. My workout is over and I am walking out of the door around 7 and headed into New York.

My workout is a like a retreat. Those 45 minutes are the best part of my day. I get all my heavy thinking done, review my upcoming day and week, review the previous day, and, make adjustments accordingly. In other words (as my wife said), I spend time “thinking about my life”

This normal routine was shattered last week. On my way to the gym, I heard a news report about the uproar over the appointment of Cathie Black for Schools Chancellor in New York City. While this appointment had been made a few weeks prior, it has now gotten more heated. The main objection was that she did not have a “Masters” in education.

Stressing Out Over Performance Reviews? Here’s a Way to Fix That

Sometimes when I am thinking about writing a blog post, my thought process can be all over the place. Often times, my thoughts run to what either someone said or something I recently read.

Over the past few weeks, I reached out to a friend to ask her to intercede with another friend (and executive) who was looking to make a career transition into her domain. She readily agreed and I connected them. (On a side note, I believe we all should reach out to folks that are suffering from what I call careeer-itis. There, but for the grace of God, go I, as my mother always taught me).

My mission was accomplished, or at least I thought it was, until the day of their proposed conversation. Then I received a call from my friend that this executive never called or e-mailed. That sounded strange, so I sent her a quick note and never heard back. After a few days, I called her and left a message.

When she got back to me she apologized and suggested they talk this week. I immediately forwarded the e-mail over to my friend. As would happen, the day of the meeting she never called.