21st Century HR

How HR Can Lead and Evolve Through Uncertainty

If we only had a crystal ball to tell us we needed to prepare for a global pandemic and its impact on the workplace and the world. That all business planning and forecasting plans would be thwarted.

The coronavirus pandemic saw us all getting into crisis mode and was an immediate reminder of how “VUCA” the future is and will inevitability continue to be.

The last few months have been tumultuous for HR, to say the least. With no blueprint for responding to a global pandemic like COVID-19, HR managed: large-scale layoffs, pivoting a remote work environment, keeping abreast with developing regulations, maintaining morale for those who were still on the job and working on the business continuity plan.

Of the myriad of challenges, navigating a remote work environment is admittedly one of the greatest ones faced by companies ill-equipped for this phenomenon. So is managing the uncertainty and volatility that this crisis has created. HR’s role has unequivocally been vital to organizations during this pandemic and will continue to evolve into a true strategic business partner in the foreseeable future.

Here are some practices HR can employ to build agility and resilience during a period of ongoing uncertainty:

Lead With Agility

Agility has become something of a word-of-the-day during this pandemic. When we speak of business agility, we speak of a businesses’ ability to adapt and evolve with speed when dealing with complexity, change, and uncertainty. HR leaders have been at the forefront of this crisis and are probably in the best position to partner with senior leadership and offer a tactical perspective on leadership agility, communication, and collaboration across all departmental functions. HR can set up focus groups that anticipate future challenges and needs while offering a fresh perspective on leading through a crisis. This pandemic has taught us that agility is the conduit to building resilience in a time of crisis.

Communicate

Unfortunately, many businesses follow the less is more principle. The problem with this approach is that we invite speculation. Uncertainty and lack of communication can seed doubt among employees about the future during a global crisis. To build trust in a climate of such, transparency is necessary. How can HR help? HR leaders must be at the forefront where communication is concerned. HR must be visible! HR can work with the respective leadership teams to develop a robust, proactive communication plan to disseminate timely information. HR can determine the medium for communicating and frequency at which information is shared. There is no such thing as overcommunicating during a crisis. Clear, concise communication with employees can alleviate their concerns, reduce anxiety, and help them cope during a crisis. This is also a perfect opportunity to reinforce your commitment to the company’s raison d’etre and course-correct.

Systemize and Innovate

Succeeding in a VUCA world requires systemization and the leveraging of technology. If we’ve learned one thing, it’s that antiquated systems and processes can impede agility during a crisis.

Systemization and using technology to improve some HR and business functions will allow for faster decision making. The future of remote work is here, and HR can steer the setting up of infrastructure to support the remote workforce. HR, Compliance, and IT must work together to evaluate and create a new risk profile for the virtual work environment. Separate from the infrastructure, HR will have to work with leaders to redesign a system for ensuring accountability, engagement, and wellness for this workforce.

This period has had a huge transformative impact on how HR as a function has evolved and how it should move forward.

Begin With the End in Mind

Envisaging future challenges that we will face as leaders may be difficult to do at this time, but it does not negate the need to continue planning for the future. It isn’t easy to look ahead when you’ve stumbled into survival mode and planning for the next day is a challenge in of itself because we’re still trying to adapt to our new realities. But as leaders in HR, we know “Whack – a – Mole management style is a recipe for disaster. Having a rapid-response strategy for complex issues especially human capital needs requires strategic planning and foresight.

Although the COVID-19 pandemic threw us all into survival mode, HR must think beyond crisis management and prepare for the future and evolving environments. Leadership agility will help with in the moment decisions, but foresight will future-proof the company.

Stay Ahead of the Curve

Without a doubt, we have seen and will continue to see the transformation of the workforce brought on by this pandemic. HR professionals have lived through this one-in-a generation pandemic that will serve as a blueprint for building a resilient post COVID-19 human capital structure and workforce.

HR must keep the momentum by working synergistically with the senior leadership team to stay ahead of the curve. “Embrace the long view. Resilient leaders stay focused on the horizon, anticipating the new business models that are likely to emerge and sparking the innovations that will define tomorrow.”(Punit Renjen, The heart of resilient leadership: Responding to COVID-19).

Rebecca Vieira Cox

EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE IS KEY TO NAVIGATING THE NUANCES OF A MULTIGENERATIONAL WORKFORCE

Today, we have four generations working together. These include the Baby Boomers, Generation X Millennials, and Generation Z. All with different intrinsic motivation preferences, making it all more difficult for managers to figure out how to respond to diverse needs.

Moreover, organizations around the world have recognized the importance of adapting to the evolving leadership trends. One such is the drive to put the human back in leadership and cultivating emotional intelligence in leaders.

It’s undisputed that emotional intelligence is a skill that is becoming critically important for today’s young professionals. EQ helps young leaders to build resilience in evolving times and manage the complexities of a diverse workforce.

Developing this skill and awareness to deliver human focus at work is one of the critical challenges facing the new generation. Young professionals need to master their emotional intelligence or risk limiting their potential to influence and make an impact.

Watch my Interview on How to Make Sure Your Resume Stands Out in a Crowd” on YouTube

HR Practices for the 21st Century

HR Practices Every HR Professional Should Adopt.

“HR best practices” have been around for a long time and have served as the principles that guide every HR professional in the industry. These refer to conventionally accepted HR principles that provide companies with improved business performance within any organization or industry. But, do these principles deliver the said results? Do they contribute to the company’s improved performance or help achieve company goals? This has been the subject of controversy in business circles for many years, and I can’t help but agree that some of these universally accepted HR principles may be, in some sense, outdated.

One thing is sure; the world is evolving. The forces shaping the future of society are impacting more than just how we live. They are impacting how we work too. The 21st-century business climate requires a different approach to managing human resources that the fundamental HR practices can’t deliver. This is where you, as an HR professional, must step up and build a business case for a futuristic approach to managing human capital. If you want to manage the human capital of your company effectively, boost performance, and achieve set out goals, then there are specific, say, unconventional HR practices that you need to adopt.

I’ve put together a list of these HR practices that will make you a more effective HR professional. So, what are these HR practices? Let me walk you through them.

Be the Inspiration

A good HR leader does more than manage people; they also inspire others to do better. HR must must champion this philosophy! When employees put in their best, you can expect excellent results at the end of the day. You need to connect with other people to truly understand how to inspire them to be better, basic HR principles won’t tell you how to do this, but you can find that connection by finding out what others want from the organization.

Be Accessible

A lot of people dread going to the HR’s office because, well, let’s face it, you are the villains most of the time. But you can change that perception of HR by being accessible to your employees. The more employees see you, the more comfortable they get around you. And the more comfortable they get around you, the easier it becomes to share ideas or inputs, ask questions, get answers and develop trust in the company. This helps create a comfortable, safe, and healthy work environment for your employees. This also guarantees that your employees are less likely to leave the organization unexpectedly or within a short time.

Possess Excellent Communication Skills

As an HR, you will be required to manage crisis, which is why it is necessary to have good communication skills. But more than just resolving crisis, you are the voice of your company’s corporate culture. This also means standing up for others or helping them effectively communicate at events, meetings, or presentations. As an HR leader, you are an advocate for the people who work with you and must possess the communication skills to effectively manage and defend them when the occasion requires you to.

Interact with the Staff More

Trust me; you don’t want to be that HR that is notoriously known to show up at meetings once-in-a-blue-moon. You may not know this, but working closely with members of the staff can help give you the insight needed to strategize better and come up with more effective plans tailored to solve the company’s problems. Be part of every activity as much as you can and you will instantly see a difference in staff performance and efficiency. Work with department heads individually and you will be able to discover the pain points and strengths of each department, and use these to the advantage of the company.

Be Ready to Learn

You are an HR expert, so you probably think you know it all. You don’t. Being the best HR you can mean going out of your way to learn, unlearn and relearn things. Find time to explore and learn about things you don’t know that can help you become a better HR leader. This could be online, training or workshops. Always invest in yourself; a knowledgeable HR is a better HR. After learning this new knowledge, be ready to practice them, even if it means implementing new HR plans, trying out new ideas or generating new strategies. The world is changing and HR strategies should too.

Think Out of the Box

Becoming an effective HR goes beyond aligning with the company’s goals but also, involves learning and implementing the best policies and strategies to achieving these goals. This may also require you thinking out of the box to come up with the most effective strategies. Never be afraid to come up with what many may term “absurd” ideas, as long as you are positive it will deliver the needed results.

Upgrade Your Tech Skills

Earlier, I told you the world is changing, and HR practices also have to. One of the major advances in the world is the use of technology, as an HR leader, you can incorporate technology into HR processes and activities. Using technology can help you achieve a wide range of HR and company goals effectively and with ease.

Conclusion

Becoming an effective HR goes beyond just adhering to the strict principles that guide HR practices but also involves coming up with innovative ways to create a better work culture and effectively achieve the set-out goals.

Leading with Transparency and Authenticity

Have you ever had a direct report say, “If you ever leave this company, I’m coming with you”? That statement is the ultimate proclamation of success and brings a sense of gratification to leaders. But what traits must a leader possess to harness that degree of loyalty?

A leader’s actions and behavior produce a climate that fosters trust and loyalty. There are lots of literature out there describing strategies organization can use to harness engagement and transparency. Though those tools are essential, you cannot attain a culture of openness unless you have leaders who consistently demonstrate the qualities needed to create such a culture.

Here are a few things that leaders can do to foster a culture of transparency and authenticity

1) Be Sincere. At work, the unspoken desire of employees is knowing that their managers genuinely care about them as a person. Research suggests that the more valued and appreciated employees feel, the more engaged they are. Sincerity and authenticity in leading yields loyalty in employees. Leaders must purposefully create an emotional culture among their direct reports; one that ensures employees believe that their best interest is always a priority.

2) Be authentic and vulnerable. As a leader, we sometimes forget that we are also “human” and often think that vulnerability is akin to weakness. Contrary to this belief, most employees actually value a leader who is authentic, i.e., they show their humanness. Being authentic and vulnerable shows sincerity and cultivates loyalty. However, leaders must have the ability to discern what can be shared and gauge the ability of employees to interpret their intention accurately.

Leaders who are not afraid to ask for feedback from their direct reports about their performance have demonstrated their ability to be vulnerable. Leaders should pay attention to how others perceive them as well as this can allow them to strategically adjust their approach when it comes to aligning their intentions to build a culture of authenticity.

3) Be radically candid. If you want to lead a high-performance team, you have to be brutally honest! This means that you cannot practice ruinous empathy or ignore the issues and hope they’ll self-resolve. Part of being an authentic and transparent leader means making sure that expectations are clear, and accountability is consistent. It is affirming your commitment to having those tough conversations.

According to Kim Scott, the author of Radical Candor, this approach builds trust and opens the door for the kind of communication that helps you achieve the results. Further, when people trust you and believe you care about them, they are much more likely to 1) accept and act on your praise and criticism; 2) tell you what they really think about what you are doing well and, more importantly, not doing so well; 3) engage in the same behavior with [their peers]; 4) embrace their role on the team; and 5) focus on getting results.

4) Be calm during a crisis. Employees are always observing the emotions and reaction of their leaders, especially during challenging situations. Therefore, it’s important to demonstrate control of the situation by being calm and composed. This approach neutralizes chaos and creates an image of confidence. A leader’s attitude, body language, and presence must exude a sense of calmness at all times.

Employees are more connected and invested in the outcomes when there is transparency in leadership. This means no secrets about performance expectations, goals, and guidelines.

Being authentic and transparent requires consistency; otherwise, you risk the chance of jeopardizing your credibility with your employees. Being open and vulnerable can be challenging at times because leaders fear being judged; however, the value in being authentic supersedes the initial fear or perceived risk.

If leaders wholeheartedly support a culture of authenticity and transparency, this will inevitably build trust, credibility, and loyalty among their employees.

Characteristics of My Ideal Candidate

Early on in my career, I applied for a job with little to no experience in the field. In my opinion, being shortlisted for an interview was a long shot, but I remained optimistic.
To my surprise, I received a call requesting that I attend an interview. Although I was ecstatic with the prospect of working for a Fortune 500 company, I was intimidated of venturing into a male-dominated field. I was also the only female applicant, and I had no relevant experience, well maybe customer service.

During the interview, the question was asked: What do you know about IBM? My response: it’s a brand of computers. I had no previous knowledge of IT, and no experience in help-desk support. However, I did not deliver on my lack of experience; I sold myself on my ability to learn quickly and rise to any challenge. I demonstrated that I was a fast learner and passionate about learning. A few days later I received a call and was invited for a second interview. My excitement was uncontainable! At the second interview, I did an aptitude test, and the rest was history. I got the job!
I thought to myself for a moment that the hiring managers were crazy for hiring someone with no experience. They weren’t. They saw potential! They saw someone with a zest for knowledge and an insatiable desire to succeed. They saw someone who had GRIT!

During my tenure at IBM, I sought opportunities to deepen my expertise and expand my skill set. To save for a lengthy explanation of my acquired knowledge, I’ll say this much; I was able to deliver first-level support at the time of leaving.

Having prior experience is not necessarily the gauge of a candidate’s ability to be successful. What’s important is to ensure that your candidates possess the GRIT (Guts, Resilience, Initiative, and Tenacity) and critical, non-trainable skills for the job.

Over the years I’ve interviewed hundreds of candidates, and I came up with the following acronym for hiring my definition of the “ideal candidate.”

Passion: Do it with passion or not at all. One of my mandatory interview questions is: What’s your passion? I am moved when candidates readily have a response to this question. When a candidate can transfer the enthusiasm when talking about their passion, it’s an obvious hiring choice for me. The candidate’s passion does not have to be limited to the job; it could be sports, people or anything. The mere fact that they have a sense of purpose and care enough to do something about it shows me that they have passion within and can bring that passion into their work. My philosophy is that talent can be created once there is passion.

Ingenuity: It’s always refreshing when a candidate can demonstrate the ability to improvise and come up with innovative solutions to problem-solving.
I ask specific questions to determine the candidate’s ability to think outside the box. Sometimes it’s as simple as a candidate showing their ability to overcome life challenges through perseverance and persistence — candidates who had developed the stick-to-itive-ness towards their goal, even when the odds were against them.

I vividly recall interviewing a candidate who caused me to experience a multitude of emotions during the interview. Life had thrown her several curve balls, and her feelings were raw and real while expressing the many challenges she encountered. She also related how, amid the obstacles, she refused to give up and failing was never an option. This may not be an example of a work-related accomplishment but a personal life story which demonstrates character and an unwavering ability to persevere.

I found that candidates who are “gritty” demonstrate patterns of lifelong accomplishments. I ask questions which will help to identify this trait in candidates as often as I can.

Coachable: The other trait I look for is humbleness. I attended an HR conference once where the keynote speaker asked, what do you look for in candidates? One of my fellow HR colleagues responded by saying, “no a**holes.” We do no hire a**holes, she declared. It seemed a bit harsh, I thought.
To put it differently, candidates need to demonstrate the humility and willingness to receive feedback. They need to be coachable. We all have egos, but candidates must be willing to accept feedback delivered through constructive criticism and take the necessary steps to improve on the areas of opportunity.

Adaptability: Change is the only constant, as we’ve often been told. We live in a world that is continuously evolving, and inertness can be costly.

I’ve often found that candidates who are more flexible and comfortable with change have little difficulty transitioning and ultimately are more successful. To assess a candidate’s adaptability, I usually ask questions to determine their responsiveness to change, open-mindedness and the likelihood of them working outside of the functional role to achieve the desired results. Candidates who are inflexible especially with small changes, usually become easily frustrated and dissatisfied. It’s important to select candidates, based on the role requirement as some roles may require greater flexibility than others, who can transition quickly, and maintain a positive reaction to changes within the organization.

These hiring characteristics are not exclusive but have undoubtedly been the main characteristics that I look for in all candidates. Feel free to share your thoughts and feedback. I’m also happy to learn about the strategies you incorporate in your hiring process to help find the ideal fit.