Leadership Lessons Blog

Human Resource Management

The Free Management Libary Recently published an article regarding Human Resource Management (HRM) and the importance of looking at HRM as a cost saving measure.  In today's difficult economic time, many companies know and understand the importance of having an "expert" manage human resources and talent management.  It is important, that companies protect themselves and their employees.  There are a number of ways to do this, hire a staff or use consulting services with highly skilled resources.  If you are a small to mid-size business owner, it may be more cost effective for you to hire part-time "experts" to help you get your human resource requirements optimized for your company.  

The Free Management Library defines the Human Resources Management (HRM) as: including a variety of activities, and key among them is deciding what staffing needs you have and whether to use independent contractors or hire employees to fill these needs, recruiting and training the best employees, ensuring they are high performers, dealing with performance issues, and ensuring your personnel and management practices conform to various regulations.

Activities also include managing your approach to employee benefits and compensation, employee records and personnel policies. Usually small businesses (for-profit or nonprofit) have to carry out these activities themselves because they can't yet afford part- or full-time help. However, they should always ensure that employees have -- and are aware of -- personnel policies which conform to current regulations. These policies are often in the form of employee manuals, which all employees have.

The HRM function and HRD profession have undergone tremendous change over the past 20-30 years. Many years ago, large organizations looked to the "Personnel Department," mostly to manage the paperwork around hiring and paying people. More recently, organizations consider the "HR Department" as playing a major role in staffing, training and helping to manage people so that people and the organization are performing at maximum capability in a highly fulfilling manner.

Recently, the phrase "talent management" is being used to refer the activities to attract, develop and retain employees. Some people and organizations use the phrase to refer especially to talented and/or high-potential employees.  

CC Consulting LLC has the resources and experts to help you with your Human Resource needs.  Call us today and let us share with you how we can best support your needs in a cost-effective and expert way!

Leadership Lessons: Treating Employees Like Customers

The key to success, according to Senior VP of Human Resources for Wegman's Grocery Stores is to treat employees like customers.  In a recent survey sent out to 37,000 employees, 33,000 employees answered the survey.  When employees were asked, "Does Management Know what it is doing?"  96% of employees responded positively.  For the past 12 consecutive years, Wegman's has been recognized by Fortune as one of the 100 Best Comapnies to Work for, ranking No. 1 in 2005.  One of the key factors in Wegman's success has to do with its mission and vision for the company.  Much of the vision centers around the employee and the employee contribution.  By empowering employees, they feel a closer connection with revenue production and success.  "For example, if a customer desire something not on the shelves, any employee can set about procuring the item for the customer.  As a result, many employees genuinely like their jobs and often speak well of the company." Members of the HR team practice management by walking around and continue to be employee advocates.  Most members of the Wegman's management team make a point of visiting stores and thanking employees for their contributions.  One employee who left the company to pusue a job in the Peace Corp had this to say, "Thank you for all the people who make Wegmans the beautiful place that it is.  I care, and that is partly because of all the people I met at Wegmans...Wegmans has been my anchor, my friend, my teacher."