by Michael Kasper, Market President, Humana-Illinois

Maureen Tarantello, HRMAC Board Chair 2009-2010

The following impressive statistics tell the story of HRMAC's reach in the last year:

·         One full-day Summit with almost 800 participants and a sold-out exhibit hall featuring 90 booths

·         Two days of executive education for 35 participants at our first-ever Leadership Institute, held in partnership with Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Management

·         Three Leadership Series programs with 850 participating across this breakfast session series

·         Four CHRO-only roundtables covering human resources topics relevant to senior HR executives

·         Forty-four free Interest Group programs offered in person and hosted by members

·         More than 200 volunteers across all HRMAC committees and events

·         Twenty-five hundred individuals engaged with HRMAC, either through attendance at a program, volunteering, presenting, or purchasing a product or service

Reaching these numbers required innovation to come up with new and different ways to add value within the oldest human resources association in the United States as it celebrates its 95th year. It required service to engage and utilize HR professionals across every program offered. Finally, these numbers represent a lot of productivity from the lean HRMAC staff and efforts of many volunteers and members who keep HRMAC going. Pat yourselves on the back, HRMAC members; while things may have been tough elsewhere, you had a good year here!

My sincere thanks to the dedicated staff, committed Board of Directors, hard-working volunteers, and loyal members of HRMAC. It has been a privilege and an honor to work with you. I look forward to the future and know that HRMAC will continue to adapt and thrive as the premier resource for advancing workplace strategy and leadership.

Maureen Tarantello

2009-2010 Chair, HRMAC Board of Directors

A beautiful day and a great shot at the HRMAC Golf Outing

Open to HRMAC members and their guests, this annual event features networking, meals, a variety of prizes, and 18 holes of golf on the premier Indian Lakes courses. The day begins with registration at 10:00 a.m., followed by a putting clinic at 10:15 a.m. and tee-off at 11:30 a.m.

Player fees (held steady since 2006!) are $185 per person or $740 per foursome and include golf, cart rental, putting clinic, box lunch, and awards reception. Fees for individuals wishing to attend only the lunch are $25 per person, or $35 per person to attend only the awards reception.

Reserve your individual spot or a whole foursome-only 6 foursomes left!  Register here.

Sponsorship opportunities are available and range from $395 to $2,000 for holes, games, and other golf outing essentials. Showcase your business and connect with potential clients by becoming a Golf Outing sponsor! Contact Pam Marshall at pmarshall@hrmac.org or 312.981.6790 for more details.

On-Boarding as an Ongoing Process

Often we get so excited when a new hire is brought in that we overlook one of the most important processes-on-boarding. On-boarding is the process of assimilating a new hire to the culture of and relationships in the organization. It is a way to help make sure the new hire is successful.

To make on-boarding effective:

·         Someone in the organization must be responsible for the on-boarding process to ensure that all new hires receive the same experience.

·         On-boarding content and timelines must be defined and agreed to by everyone involved in the process.

·         On-boarding activity must be timely. On-boarding starts before the new hire arrives.

·         Don't make on-boarding a top-down process. Help new employees on-board themselves-known as "in-boarding." Give them the resources to answer their own questions. Tailor processes to various learning styles-reading reports, viewing presentations, engaging in computer-based activities, and so forth. Use technology wherever possible.

·         The on-boarding process must be rooted in honesty. Don't give a false impression that everything is perfect if challenges are awaiting the new employee.

·         Group orientation can be helpful. Orientation is often the start of relationships that continue throughout employment.

·         Connecting a new hire with an experienced "buddy" can help the new employee understand the nuances of an organization's culture.

·         Don't neglect existing employees. On-boarding is a must when a current employee changes departments or moves to a new location.

·         Make adjustments for special challenges when on-boarding foreign nationals-assimilating employees to a new country as well as a new job.

Remember that on-boarding is a continuous process of engagement and professional development. It does not end with orientation.

Evaluation of the on-boarding process is essential. Regularly check in with new hires to make sure they're receiving the information and support they need to be successful. Ask them what they need. After 90 days, ask them if their experience matches what they were told during the recruitment/interview process.

-From "Best Practices in Employee On-Boarding"
Talent Acquisition Interest Group, May 7, 2010

Social networking is using technology (social media) to create collaborations and communications between and among people with shared interests. It allows people to connect around the world or around the corner. Within an organization, it can be used to bring employees together. Externally, a company can use it to communicate with customers to market products and services and keep in touch with job candidates and alumni.

Even if your company is not ready to enter the social media frenzy, you need to be aware of what's happening in this arena. Customers and employees are talking about your organization, whether or not you're paying attention. Many companies talk about the risk of engaging people on social media, but perhaps the more important question to ask is "What's the risk of not engaging?"

One place to start is to understand how your company is represented on social media and to control all the aspects of it that you can. Does your organization have a Facebook page? Remember that customers or employees can create a Facebook page about your company without your input. Are you listed on Wikipedia? Are people talking about you on Twitter? Spending a little time searching the Internet can answer a lot of these questions. You can also set up an alert (on Google, MSN, or other search engines) to notify you whenever your company is mentioned in a blog, in the news, on a video, on Twitter, and so forth.

Even if you are not using social media at your company, it is important to have policies in place regarding its use by employees. Good policies prevent problems. In general, your social media policies will be similar to your policies regarding professional conduct (if you wouldn't do it in person, you shouldn't do it online) and the use of company technology (computers, Internet, cell phones, etc.). Many samples of social media policies may be found online; provided below are a few key guidelines you may wish to include in your policy:

·         If you are not officially representing your company, clearly state that in your message or do not reference your employer.

·         Do not discuss confidential information about your company or clients.

·         Do not use social media sites for employment background checks.

·         Do not engage in offensive or harassing behaviors online.

·         Remember that everything posted online leaves a record.

·         Limit the use of social media sites during work time.

Laws governing social media use at work are just now being clarified as cases reach the courts. It is best to consult with your legal counsel to make sure your policies are up to date and enforceable.