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On the plane and headed West to San Diego.  One of my favorite places to spend a few days, although there won’t be a lot of down time this week.

Today marks the kick off of the SHRM Annual Conference & Exposition, the largest and most significant gathering of the Human Resources industry.  If you are a progressive HR practitioner or support the practice of ‘people strategy’ its likely you’ll be in San Diego this week (or you are missing out on a great opportunity to connect, listen, learn and develop)!

I believe this is an important time for the practice of HR.  Never has there been a better opportunity for the progressive, strategic HR Practitioner to shine.  In a slow growth cycle where so many industries have become commoditized and are increasingly re-inventing for a better competitive advantage TALENT is moving to the forefront.  Simply stated, The Best Talent Wins and those HR Leaders that embrace the role of Talent Ambassador and Culture Crusader will differentiate themselves and add increasingly more value to the business.

I’ll talk about these trends and the transformation inherent to the practice of HR in my session at 4 pm Monday afternoon:  HR 2.0:  Talent, Technology & Transformation.

And we’ll likely continue the conversation at the SHRM Tweet Up Monday night and the rooftop at the Hard Rock Hotel following!  Join us! Have a feeling a few of my ‘HR Famous’ friends will be there and who knows maybe @mwbuckingham or @algore will stop by…

It should be a great week and from a content perspective SHRM has once again assembled an All Star lineup of keynote speakers including one of my all time personal favorites to close the conference on Wednesday, Marcus Buckingham. Simply stated, SHRM does a conference right.

I look forward to catching up with old friends, making new connections and leaving San Diego a little more knowledgeable about the practice of people.

This week I had the distinct pleasure of hosting the world’s leading authority on Employer Branding, EBI CEO Brett Minchington.  On the second year of his 20 country/30 city Employer Brand Global Tour,  Brett (who occasionally resides in Australia) is about to publish his 2nd book on the subject, Employer Brand Leadership:  A Global Perspective.  While I have enjoyed our conversations and alliance specific to the Consulting, Brand & Communication Strategy work we are both doing what I have found most enlightening about Brett’s contribution to the industry and our time together is his unique world view.   Shaped by experiences working with the world’s leading consultants and industry practitioners  Brett offers a real global perspective.  Prior to his 30 hour journey back to the land down under I invited him to share some of it here.  What follows is a message from Employer Brand International Chairman and Author Brett Minchington.

I find around the world people are looking for similar propositions in their employment experience. Whilst there is some variance based on their stage in the employment lifecycle, people needs can be grouped into five key areas. Employees are seeking:

Fair pay for fair work – there is an imbalance of this in developed v developing nations and my concern is that developed nations have built their business models reliant upon continued access to lower wages in developing nations. We are seeing wage increases in countries such as China and India which are forcing companies to re-think their labor allocations and practices or face increasing pressure on margins.

Recognition for performance – relationships play a key role in how performance is rewarded – it’s not always a case based on merit! My concern is that workplaces around the world are becoming much more self-centered as a result and this will make it increasingly difficult for companies to build employee loyalty to drive employer brand equity,

Personal development – employees want to leave in a better stage of personal and professional development than when they arrived,

Respect- no matter the industry type or nature of work, employees want respect from managers and fellow workers, and

Friendly working environment- for many people around the world they spend more time at work than with family and friends which they care most about! So if leaders can somehow create a working environment which contributes to an employee’s sense of belonging that is good for employers and good for society!

The key differences I find in the USA compared to other regions I travel around the world can be grouped into 3 key areas:

Connectedness – Americans have been quick to embrace technology and trends such as social media to the point where I feel they have one of the most (if not the most!) collegiate workforces in the world, they are on 24/7! The challenge will be how to balance this speed with productivity and employee and customer engagement.

Pace - the rate of innovation and change – I find American companies are very focused on innovation and growth to drive increasing shareholder returns, sometimes at the expense of their most valuable asset, their people! This is at odds with how value is created in companies today – it’s the intangibles such as brand, people, IP, etc which contribute most to company value and if companies can’t keep employees engaged, they’re at risk of having a workforce which is not fully optimised.

Competitiveness – I find America is by far the most competitive country on the planet, it’s win at all costs. The U.S has a reputation outside its borders as being focused on hard, rational performance measures with less focus on intangibles such as people. My concern is this focus may continue to drive innovation where people are replaced by robots leading to a whole range of social and health issues.

I thoroughly enjoy my visits to America and connections with my American colleagues. Their approach to business is refreshing and they always seem to find a way to overcome adversity.  American patriotism is a wonderful part of its character!

This article contribution from Susan Borowski, SPHR was originally published in the June issue of Bottom Line HR, a J.J. Keller & Associates, Inc. publication.

The world has changed with the explosion of social media. Consider these statistics: Reports show that it took radio 38 years to reach 50 million users; for TV, 13 years; the Internet, 4 years; and the iPod, 3 years. Facebook added 100 million users in less than 9 months; and iPhone applications reached 1 billion in 9 months.

Social media affects business in several ways. It affects a company’s brand, its transparency, its customer service, and how the world perceives the organization.

Social media and branding

Not long ago, business defined and strengthened their brand and made sure it was perceived as they wanted it to be. Branding was a “top-down” phenomenon. Enter social media, which is in a position to affect a business’s brand globally – and not necessarily in a positive way. Do you know what is being said about your business in the Blogoshpere? The Twittersphere? You should. A recent poll of Human Resources practitioners showed that only eight percent were using Twitter.

Ryan Estis, Professional Speaker, Business Performance Consultant, and expert on HR and social media, says that a company’s brand used to be what the company said it was. Today, it’s what everybody says it is. “Everyone has a megaphone, a platform, and a media outlet. Companies no longer control their brand – they only influence it. Where branding used to be a monologue, now it’s a conversation – a conversation that companies can’t control.”

Where decisions are made

In 2009, a global Nielsen study reported that recommendations from friends and acquaintances as well as opinions posted by consumers online were the most trusted forms of advertising – not a company’s PR department, and not its website. This being the case, if consumers are reading on social media about the poor customer service someone received from your company, it won’t matter what you say to promote your brand – consumers will tend to believe the individual who received poor customer service and blogged or tweeted about it. Anyone who is researching a company to make a decision whether to buy its products or services and who finds several reports of negative consumer experiences is likely to look elsewhere for those products and services.

Google search results now include tweets, which aren’t necessarily filtered, so negative tweets about your company could come up in a search, as well as rants on blogs or websites such as Job Vent. This site allows individuals to rant about their place of employment and ranks companies based on the comments it receives.

How social media is changing

If you believe Twitter consists only of people talking about what they had for lunch or what they just bought, you are not alone. However, what occurred after the June 2009 Iranian presidential election serves to demonstrate the true power and ubiquity of social media. After the presidential election results were announced, many citizens who believed the process was rigged took to the streets in protest in Tehran and other cities. The government censored the media so the world wouldn’t see the protests. But the word got out anyway, primarily through Twitter. The effect was so powerful and so striking that this historical event has been called the “Twitter Revolution.” Our global society is as interconnected as it has ever been, and is becoming more connected each day.

Estis says, “HR must realize that social media has gone from a novelty to a functional business tool. “ According to Estis, only 26 percent of companies have a social media policy; of those that do, 50 percent ban access to social media at work. Nevertheless, even if banned on employees’ computers, social media comes to work on employees’ smartphones. So the question, according to Estis, is not whether to allow social media into the workplace, but how best to channel it for positive results. Because HR connects stakeholders to organizational culture, HR can take the lead on using social media to the organization’s advantage.

Social media as a business tool

Estis suggests that companies begin with the end in mind. What’s the business objective? Connecting international groups? Using social media for customer service? Once your objective is defined, he suggests that you learn about the various tools (Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, LinkedIn, Flickr, FriendFeed, etc.) and how they can help you achieve that objective.

Expecting social media savvy

Estis says that some companies are encouraging employees to use social media to further the business. At EMC², social media savvy is expected. Employees blog, tweet, produce podcasts and YouTube videos, share information on forums, and more. Granted, it’s an IT company, but IT companies are not the only ones using social media technology.

Best Buy has developed a service on Twitter called “Twelpforce,” through which the company interfaces with customers (and potential customers) in real time. Through this service, the company encourages employees to answer questions about products, proved customer service, assistance, and ideas. The service helps drum up business by answering their questions or helping them find a solution. Employees’ tweets are not hidden, but posted publicly on Best Buy’s website. It doesn’t get more transparent than that. Says Estis, “transparency equals trust.”

The future of social media

What does the future hold in this rapidly-changing arena? Estis sees more companies turning to geo targeting, which involves knowing the physical location of a web visitor and delivering marketing content to that web visitor based on his or her location (i.e., suggesting stores, products, and services, based on what’s available in the area). This targeted approach is improving click-through rates for internet marketing.

The next level of social media involves location-sharing services like Foursquare and Gowalla. These are used on a mobile phone, and allow users to combine their address book, Facebook, and Twitter accounts to find out if any friends are nearby. Users check in based on their GPS location, then leave tips on deals, meals, and experiences they have in that area. They can check out tips from friends and other users, get suggestions on where to go, and find recommendations for things to do.

Foursquare also adds a competitive gaming aspect by encouraging users to earn points and unlock badges. Location-sharing services like Foursquare add an opportunity for retail-based businesses to tap into a new network by providing deals only to those using the application – and some businesses are doing just that. Foursquare has grown so much in popularity since it was introduced last year that it has been called “next year’s Twitter” by CNN.

Finally, to those who would say that Twitter is a passing fad (remember MySpace?), Estis points out that the specific tool is not what’s important; being in the domain is. “Participation drives relevancy,” he affirms.

Social media has become an extremely powerful tool, and it’s not going away. Social media can impact customer relations, your reputation, your message, and your brand. Savvy businesses will recognize the power of social media and use it to their advantage.

I am excited to get back on the road this week and spend time with my favorite Association (and client): SHRM…

I head to Madison, WI on Tuesday to deliver my a keynote on winning with corporate culture, Passion on Purpose at the HR NEXT Conference with GMA SHRM. Madison is a great college town and HR Community clearly focused on the evolving trend line in the practice of people. I’ll be followed Tuesday by a keynote from Andrea Gappmayer, speaking on The Carrot Principle who will deliver what I am sure will be a powerful message on leadership effectiveness and the importance of recognition. At an HR event appropriately titled NEXT we’ll both have the opportunity to talk about the current shift in our workplaces and the steps and strategic considerations that are necessary for HR to build more meaning and engagement into the work experience to accelerate performance.

On Thursday I’ll be at the awesome Samoset Resort providing the morning keynote, Employment Branding 2.0, at the Maine State SHRM Conference as part of an outstanding speaker lineup. We’ll spend a little time on the importance and evolution of communication, collaboration, connections and community in our workplace at the appropriately themed event:  If HR Ruled the World.

What if HR Ruled the World? Well, a lofty objective perhaps…although I have some friends that I am sure would agree that the world would be a better place!  While rule the world may be a stretch, it is absolutely time for HR to rule the workplace. TALENT is emerging as the only long term, sustainable competitive advantage in the new economy. There simply has never been a better time for HR to rise to the occasion and significantly impact the strategic considerations and outcomes of the business. Technology, competition, markets and innovation aren’t the ultimate throttle on business growth and success…….it’s people…..the right people….in the right jobs….aligned and delivering on the mission – vision – values and elevating the customer experience that propel a business forward. HR can deliver the talent strategy and workforce readiness that moves the business. Rule the World? Why not….why not now?!

Put your people first…profits follow!

We’ll talk about it all this week and I look forward to being part of the conversation and making new and meaningful connections at these SOLD OUT SHRM events!

And if your SHRM Chapter is looking for relevant professional development and continuing education ask us about our SHRM Discount. Our keynotes and workshops are HRCI STRATEGIC credit approved!

I had coffee this week with one of the strongest practitioners in the Employment Branding space, Heather Polivka at UnitedHealth Group. Heather is a great example of the Marketing meets HR competency needed to get effective Employment Brand strategy the top down support and traction necessary to have some significant long term impact on the business. What kind of impact?

-Increase in hew hire satisfaction
-Increase in Hiring Manager satisfaction
-Significant reduction in recruitment marketing spend
-Dynamic and growing talent networks through the recently launched social media strategy

The foundation of this  2 year journey was based on a significant research and discovery initiative to determine the unique, differentiated and compelling EVP that now serves as a foundation for all of the tactical deployment and communication both inside and outside the organization.  Driving consistency across such a large and complex organization is both a significant undertaking and accomplishment.

Her extraordinary work effort and contribution to her own employer is being recognized by Electronic Recruiting Exchange where UHG is a finalist for Best Employment Brand (winner to be announced during the upcoming Spring ERE Expo).

I am sorry I won’t be in San Diego to witness the well deserved recognition firsthand but enjoyed Heather’s insights and perspective this morning around how she has achieved success, the recently deployed UHG social strategy and what is coming next!  Her words of wisdom follow:

I typically don’t walk away from conversations about Employment Branding and Employee Engagement blown away.  I have a pretty decent perspective on the industry and its evolution.  Friday’s conversation with Polly Pearson, VP of Employment Brand and Strategy Engagement for EMC was the exception.

Polly is a progressive communications executive with vision for the impact EB initiatives can have on culture.  She is a no BS, brand from the inside out thought leader and our conversation confirmed for me the impact and significance having the right leader in the EB role can have on business outcomes.

We talked a bit about the misconception that EB was a strategy specific to talent acquisition.  From her perspective, that is the easy stuff.  The hard part is “winning over the hearts and minds of their people.” Banking on the idea that people inherently want to be successful and contribute in meaningful ways to meaningful work at some level it means simply removing the barriers that inhibit potential – and just getting out of the way.  It also means being forward thinking enough to let people do more of what they love and not being confined to the limitations of job titles, policies and procedure.

EMC is clearly winning with a culture of “collaboration and connection”…..and you can learn more about how she drives this initiative and her ideas for 2010 at her blog Building and Branding Careers, Culture and Cool (and yes, they are hiring!).

Employment Branding isn’t all about image.  It’s about execution and experience. Polly delivers and provides keen insight and best practices that other organizations can learn from and leverage to make some real progress in the talent engagement arena.

If you get the chance she is definitely a webinar or conference keynote worth watching!

Remember the movie, Meet the Parents?  Where Gaylord Faucker was hopelessly left outside his soon to be father in law’s magic circle of trust despite his every effort and very best of intentions. Once he was outside the circle it took quite the herculean effort to get back inside.

TRUST is a major issue in the workplace today.  Employee engagement has waned and the prevailing feeling in so many organizations can only be described as anxious and trapped.  It matters little whether the marketplace is talent rich, if the talent on the team isn’t aligned to the objectives and invested in the outcomes.  And invested just enough not to get fired doesn’t count.  I know a lot of passive jobs seekers, working and waiting for something better to come their way.

Sales and Marketing have a Circle of Trust with their customers.  So does Recruiting and Leadership with their employees. And trust and engagement are never higher than the moment someone says YES!  Once the big decision is made the trust should solidify and escalate into endearing loyalty and evangelism.  But it usually doesn’t.  The circle breaks down.

When interest is elevated and engagement is high its a violation if the ‘experience’ doesn’t meet the ‘expectation’.  Brands (and employer brands) that can deliver an experience, that exceed expectations consistently (exceed once and fail twice and you’ll drive people crazy and right into the hands of the competition) build loyalty and have the opportunity to drive evangelism.

Transparency and Authenticity are the new mandate.  You better BE what you SAY.  I read a great quote about this on the Edelman site last night.

“Audiences expect companies to interact with authenticity and transparency. Companies need engagement. Both will only achieve these if driven by compelling content that courts, plays and engages with credibility and professionalism. As Peter Whitehead wrote in the Financial Times, Web 2.0 is a world in which anyone can have a go at generating content; Web 3.0 is where professionals take the lead in shaping that content.  And those professionals are the production experts and the multichannel, multimedia engagement experts. A new world, needing a new marketing offer. It’s all for the taking.”

Content is everywhere.  Quality is another matter entirely.  And better communication inside and outside the company is imperative.  And experience is what really counts.

Authentic, Sincere, Transparent, Timely and Relevant Communication builds TRUST. With employees and customers.

How is your company doing?  Are they inside your circle?

An outstanding week followed by a miserable weekend offered some interesting considerations for the work I do.

I attended HR Connect, a networking event co-sponsored by SHRM, SmartBrief and RecruitingBlogs.  The event and a few meetings around it provided an outstanding opportunity to catch up with clients, colleagues and friends who are passionate about HR and Recruiting.  The ‘Tweet-Up’ (my 2nd official happy hour focused on people connected on Twitter meeting up) affirmed the real desire that people have to connect face to face, with other people, who share a passion for their profession (I wasn’t the only one who got on a plane and flew in for the event).  Using social media makes events like this more rewarding for me and strengthens my network.  But the secret to social media is really all about the relationship.  And its clear to me the conference/event model is far from dead.  To the contrary, people have a deep need and desire to connect live, in person and learn, share and grow.  So, while formats may evolve, good conferences with progressive content aren’t going to be extinct anytime soon.  Social media is simply an accelerator.

I attend a lot of HR conferences.  Often, I am speaking.  Always, I am interested in meeting new people and having meaningful conversations. And while so many of the conferences provide valuable content and connections the HR event circuit can be a bit insular.  And its valuable to gain outside perspective specific to the work you do.  I attended a non HR workshop/event in my hometown a couple weeks ago.  The focus was on social media for business and the audience was comprised of mostly business professionals.  Marketers, Entrepreneurs, Consultants etc. looking to learn more about leveraging new tools/technology.  And part of the workshop general discussion the topic of recruiting and social media was raised.  I was a bit surprised by what happened next.

A gentleman in the audience stood up (not required as part of the discussion format), looked around at the 200 or so people in the room, and in an elevated tone suggested that, “Recruiting is absolutely the most disrespectful business process…..ever.”  He had my attention now. And went on to explain how it was simply unconscionable for companies to treat candidates the way they do during the job search.  Some of it was what you might expect.  Lack of communication.  No feedback.  Minimal, if any human contact.  Horrendous turnaround time.  He was angry to be certain.  And had it stopped there, you could write it off as one disgruntled person having a hard time with a job search.  But it didn’t.  What it did was open the dialogue, all affirming stories acknowledging the problem.  The snowball could have turned into an avalanche had we not had facilitation and the discussion was closed on the story from the candidate, who 30 days after he was hired and started working for his new employer, received an automated email from the recruiting organization updating him on the status of his resume.  Oops.

Sometimes it pays to get perspective outside of your profession.  And it was clear to me this snapshot of dialogue offered some indication that companies have a long way to go with respect to how they respect candidates during the recruiting process.  Some of it comes right down to bedside manner.  And I think some recruiting organizations could learn a lot from Dr. Black.

Dr. Black was my personal weekend Physician.  Heading back from DC Thursday evening I had slight pains in my chest and side.  Writing it off to bad airport pizza I gutted out Friday’s work day with the pain worsening a bit.  By Friday night I knew something was definitely wrong and I ended up in the ER.  EKG, discussion of blod clots, fluid in my chest and lungs, worsening pain and an escalating fever.  No fun. No diagnosis.  Nobody quite sure what exactly is wrong.  Enter Dr. Black.

She offered clear and concise communication with a personal touch.  She explained herself.  Her thoughts about what might be wrong.  What they wanted to rule out and why.  She patiently answered questions.  And stopped back an hour later just to see if I had any more.  And under the circumstances I actually felt so much better having her around.  It wasn’t so much what she said, as the way she said it.  I trusted her.  And because of her I felt good (and still do) about the entire hospital/organization. Dr. Black circled back around and amid my ailment we chatted a bit about work, passion and bedside manner.  I learned that although she had been practicing in this very ER for 11 years she didn’t necessarily think medicine was her true calling.  She is a full time mother and very part time artist.  And would love to have more time to create. We talked about the danger/trap of getting really good at the wrong thing…..and she knew she was good at her job.  Real good.  And her confidence and charisma carried over into a bedside manner that absolutely elevated the patient experience.  Although this might not have been her true passion, her sense of purpose to serve never wavered.  I’ve been to the ER before.  And I have never had a Doctor follow up with 2 phone calls to me personally the next day.  Of course, I wasn’t in the care of Dr. Black.  People make the business.  And the brand.

When you are in the business of saving lives (or starting careers) its easy to put the human element on auto pilot.  But the best in the business don’t.  They remember that it isn’t just what you do, but the way you do it that often makes the difference.  And doing it with elevated communication, care, compassion and consideration make all the difference in the world.

Antibiotics and rest will get me better.  Likely pneumonia or a really bad infection.

Dr. Black’s bedside manner made me feel better when it really mattered.  A great lesson.

Do you need Social Media to be successful?  In your job?  As a business?  The answer is, it depends.

I have a very close personal friend who is extraordinarily successful.  By all accounts.  He owns his own business.  And owns his time.  He is financially independent and works because he loves what he does, not because he has too.  He also chooses who he works with and has built his business with partners, colleagues and clients he counts among his closest friends. He has terrific balance, perspective and never fails to take time to enjoy life and share it with those closest to him.  And he is very generous with his time and resources.

He doesn’t have a Twitter, Facebook or Linked In Account.  He doesn’t need them.  Not in his business.  And not in his personal life.  His secret to success?  Having some insider perspective, I’d say its the quality of his relationships.  He loves the phone and face to face meetings.  He is heavy on email but doesn’t let too much time pass without a real conversation among those in his circle of influence.  Because that builds a much deeper connection than he could with 140 characters.  That doesn’t interest him.  What does is meaningful, trusted relationships that have reciprocal value for years.  A more narrow universe of quality, coveted and nurtured relationships. He doesn’t want to be famous.  He wants to be fulfilled.  For him that is doing what he loves, with people he loves, his own way.

Conversely, I realize value from participating in my expanding social structure everyday.  I am invested because it’s afforded me opportunity, insights and introductions that without participating I otherwise wouldn’t have received.  But the secret to making it successful isn’t all that different.  The secret is still in the relationships.  And personally and professionally I have found tremendous value in and opportunity to expedite relationships that begin online, in my social universe and move beyond.  And certainly for the work I do it keeps me in touch, informed and able to offer my own ideas related to how new tools and technology can impact a business.

Time is a precious resource and determining where to invest will usually impact your outcomes as a company or in your career.  New tools and technology, when leveraged appropriately and efficiently can provide tremendous value.  Every business and every individual needs to determine the opportunity cost of how and where to spend it. And that should get determined by staying aligned to your outcome objective.  Begin with the end in mind.  And that certainly applies for a Social Strategy as well.

The secret is the relationship.