Knowing about HR is just one side of the story. To truly be great in the field you have to understand business!

In looking at new homes you can see how much more of a seller’s market there is out there. This also shows if you’re trying to obtain a loan for any type of credit. Hooray for many of you who are vying for loans. Unfortunately, the low rates have shamelessly low returns on savings accounts.

The low rates can affect a businesses ability – especially that of small business –  to invest in new capitol, maintain current operations, maintain stock, and maintain/increase it’s payroll [brutal evidence in the current slow decrease in the nations unemployment rate at 9.2% (compared to Ohio's 8.6)- see specifics at BLS.gov].

While the Federal Reserve officially concludes that the overall rates will not be raised anytime soon, there is an argument around the importance in raising rates now.

Thomas Hoenig, President of the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City, argues a sensible case for the increase in rates in an interview with NPR.

“I ask the question what good, what service, what transaction can take place at a price of zero… none is the right answer and that applies to credit…”

Over the last week I have been hearing many stories regarding unemployment benefits. How these benefits affect our current short and long-term unemployed, the negatives and postives that this issue brings to the economy and current budget shortfall.

I wrote about this yesterday in a story at TLNT.com. Very delighted to be included but I am even more apt to help people drive the conversation around issues of work and talent. In order to make wise choices you have to have information on both sides of the argument. Some opinion is helpful but the truth is what gets us closer to a solution. I offer a little of both. So feel free to check out the story:

TLNT: The Clock is Ticking: 99 Weeks of Unemployment are Almost Up

Let me know your thoughts.

The long periods of drought

Here in Ohio we have seen a record heat for the summer. This heat has brought with it long periods with no rain. The implication is that my grass is not so green. In fact it is dry and short. Brown spots are all over my yard with a few green patches here and there. The neighbors are also experiencing the same thing. Water hoses go off every once in awhile but not often enough. While I’m happy that these periods of mild drought have kept me out of the heat and mowing the lawn (all welcome I might add) it doesn’t make the lawn look any better. Well there is that one guy that has the automatic sprinklers… his yard is green and pristine! Jerk…

Tuesday night, on the way home from work, there was a short period of rain. It was really more of a drizzle. About 10 minutes worth of small drops. Showers that as quickly as they begin, stopped. Very meloncholoy feeling. It wasn’t enough. While I enjoyed it for a moment, this was not enough to water my lawn. Not enough to make the grass any less dry. Not enough for my neighbors. Except for that one guy. Jerk!

Is there a point to the ‘drizzle’

This short period of sprinkles made me feel the following:
“What’s the point of the 10 minutes of rain when it has no affect on my yard”

Like many scenerios this short period of rain made me analogize it to the current job market and those seeking the jobs that are few and far between! You see, when you are looking you get little sprinkles here and there. Calls for initial interviews and call backs. Some may be short discussions and others may be a little longer. The best feeling is when you get those green patches. There is some traction and growth in the search. You feel you are getting closer to actually gaining the green, not only in salary but also growth for the future. But until you are selected… until you obtain that job after a long drought, those drizzles will not be enough. It sometimes makes you feel as if “what’s the point of that little bit of rain, it doesn’t last?”

The grass is always greener

Oh and then there’s that one guy. The jerk down the block where there yard just doesn’t seem affected by the dry weather. They are ok. They have a job. Everything is good. There grass is greener from your “other-side” view. You may love them. You may hate them. You may envy them, but regardless your yard is not going through the same situation. It’s not that he is a Jerk. It’s just that we all want what he has. A nice yard in a land of dry spots.

Despite the opinions, most of us want to have work

The HR Examiner had a recent article on Structural Unemployment in HR. How, just as any other industry is facing needs in updated technical skill and knowledge so is HR. Regardless of or professional focus, unemployment is not cool!  You don’t have to have a traditional job, you just want work to help you make money. I really don’t care what anyone has to say like reports from Wall Street Journal that some firms still struggle to fill jobs despite high unemployment or those of representative John Linder beliefs that unemployment benefits keep people from looking for work. While this may be true for some, there are a vast majority of people that cannot afford to “keep from looking.” I am happy I am no longer in a dry spot as far as work. But many people still are. I am sure there is someone that is thinking, not in a negative way, that I am a lucky jerk. I understand. It doesn’t rain for all of us at the same time. But it will rain for everyone at one time or another.

Like many of the other times it has rained over the last two months, that rain Tuesday was short. But it was rain. No matter how short or long. It was rain! While your yard may not have benefited from it, there are others yards that have.

HR-The New Cool Kids

Recently, I came across an article from Fast Company written in 2007 entitled “Why We Hate HR” stating many reasons why Human Resources functions are ineffective at driving ethics, business strategy and the culture of an organization. Some points raised that were proof of this: HR people, at a Las Vegas HR conference, held education in communication at a higher value then Law, Business and Strategy. Even stating that the function did what was organizationally expedient rather then what actions were more valuable to the business. While there were many statements that were listed, one quote summarized many of the points in the article best by saying, “most HR organizations have ghettoized themselves literally to the brink of obsolescence…” ouch. A Big Lebowski ouch.

So here we are almost three years later and what has changed about the function or the people within it. I think a lot. At least from what I am seeing. While this article and those within other areas of business may find HR obsolete. I believe that this is a time where HR, HRD, OD and all the other acronyms you can list has started to see a rise in the times. In my personal opinion, I feel that HR has never been given it’s just do. But you have to get over that and suck it up because; as Tom Hanks would say there’s no crying in baseball.

Even while many of us within are doing what is needed to provide value and access, I believe that in the past, the business world has never allowed or given permission for us to be effective. It may be as if it has subconsciously set HR up for failure. Even with this past, I feel that we have the potential to be needed now more than ever. Here are some of the reasons why:

1. Building the Company Brand – An employee experiences all of HR. They are often interviewed, on-boarded; take part in performance reviews and disciplinary hearings with us present. There is no doubt that with as many people that are unemployed there will be damage to a company’s brand during the off-boarding process as well. You see this person being let go is not just an employee but may have been customer and referrer of your products and services. The negative feelings at departure could turn into negativity towards the company and a severely bad attitude toward its reputation as well. When I hear negative comments about a company, I most often times hear it in context or in direct connection to HR. While HR may not have been the cause of that employee’s unemployment, they are definitely a part of that employees experience at departure. We can be the next big game-changer of the perception of that employee and all in the future. If anything, there is a possibility that we can help turn around that person’s idea and perception of the company.
2. Re-Acquisition and Retention of Talent – “Gatekeeper” is often a word closely associated with HR. Within the recruiting cycle we source, attract and can even grant entrance to key positions within the company. With the unemployment rate reaching 9.5% as of October 2009 there are more people, talented and educated, that have been downsized. Many of these individuals are not only looking for security, but also the opportunity to help create value to the bottom line within the company. Regardless of industry, we are positioned to help the business and its managers understand who is out there and how to attract them. We, as HR, also have the potential to help management understand what it takes to develop and retain this talent so they can become a dedicated force that helps to build commitment to the company and marketers of its products and services.
3. Strategy, New Ideas and Approaches – Just under the surface, a new crop of HR professionals are molding and changing the landscape as we know it. All across the landscape in articles, un-conferences, on internet radio, blogs, tweets and in the marketing of HR, professionals are speaking up, being open and honest about the direction of the field and where we need to be as it relates to the effectiveness of the employees.
4. Law and Benefits – Let’s face it, who knows better about how new employment law, benefits and legislation changes affect the employee and business. They need us in order to assess and evaluate what options are best available. Well maybe they don’t but maybe they do!
5. Good HR can improve performance – Read the article!

SUPER HR

With the economics of today, more candidates understand the importance of contributing to a company. Yet at the same time more and more individuals are not only wanting a great career with growth opportunities, but also a work life balance with the knowledge that a company will not only let them be a functioning employee but also a fully functioning individual. When it comes down to it, good HR is good business. These are just a few of the many reasons why I know Human Resource people are the new cool kids in town. Let’s not just show everyone how cool we are; let’s make them all see just how cool of an asset have been and will be in the future.