posted by Nicolette Beard @ 9:44 AM
This video likens the “Social Media Revolution” to the “Industrial Revolution” in terms of its sheer transformational quality. Consider
- YouTube is the 2nd largest search engine.
- 1 out of 8 married couples married in the U.S. last year met via social media.
- If Facebook were a country it would rank as the world’s 4th largest.
If you’re struggling with getting upper management buy-in and budget to support an online content strategy, then this is a must see.
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2.09.2010
posted by Nicolette Beard @ 4:33 PM
How does a CEO or business leader create an engaged and productive workforce in times of unparalleled change? Worldwide, we are experiencing a cultural transformation not seen since the Industrial Revolution. At that time in history, people only had to deal with changes in the means of production.
Today, we’re experiencing change on every level: technological, generational, financial. Many organizations are forced to embrace the “new normal” for survival, yet have no clear road map to navigate these choppy waters.
Ken Blanchard, who transformed American business in the 80s with his classic, The One Minute Manager, suggests in a recent newsletter that senior management start by asking, “What are the behaviors I want to see from a perspective of productivity, performance and values?”
By identifying what you are looking for, you are closer to clarifying your company culture. When you clarify your culture, you will begin to attract those individuals who see your vision and embrace your goals. Those within your company who were content to “go along to get along” may no longer fit. As with any dynamic system, those people will leave through natural attrition.
You won’t necessarily be able to set a timetable for cultural change to become part of your corporate DNA. But you can set measurable goals based on behaviors you’ve identified that meet the requirements of a global economy and a multicultural and multi-generational workforce.
Perhaps it’s time to put the “human” back into Human Resources. View our Employee Communications Portfolio to see what that could look like.
Source: “Survey: Job satisfaction lowest in two decades.” The Business Journal of Milwaukee, (Tuesday, January 5, 2010).
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9.17.2008
posted by Bethany Haley @ 9:32 AM
I just got off of a 30-person conference call – have you ever tried one? Very difficult but at least I know everyone is connected and that everyone is ok. Ike has hit and this town is a disaster – the big question, how did you prepare your company, your staff, your clients for a full week (and maybe longer) without power? Without gas?
Many companies have crisis communications plans in place for issues like plant explosions, accidental deaths, etc. But how about when the entire company can’t get to work? Luckily technology is on our side as long as it is thought about in advance… The obvious ones are conference call lines, group texts, and even setting up online group chats (we use iChat). However, there are also some very simple, reliable content management systems that make employee communications sites, or even client extranets easy to set up in advance for whenever they are needed. These can be password protected and allow for a constant stream of communications. The important thing is that these sites can offer several different channels for outreach and communications – not only can you manage group e-blasts and texts, some even allow site administrators to send out group voicemails.
Hopefully after this last storm, we will all be thinking more proactively about how to best manage these situations and be prepared for the next!
(JP Morgan Chase Tower after Hurricane Ike passed through Houston September 13, 2008. Photo credit to Mark Wilson/Getty Images)
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8.25.2008
posted by Robin Tooms @ 10:21 PM
I’ve always been a fan of Kodak (and collect quite a few cameras), but recently have been very interested in them for a different reason: the way they’ve had to deal with change. It’s no secret that most photography is now digital, but you can imagine what this meant for a company like Kodak. Steeped in history and traditional structures, they’ve had to change not only the strategy of the company, but also their internal organizations and cultural norms.
According to this East Bay Business Times article “Sixty percent of the people at Kodak today weren’t part of the company four years ago.” This is more than a transformation of the workforce, it’s an overhaul. But if you think about it, a company whose business had changed so dramatically in the past four years would need an internal change to match.
Kodak does continues to honor the “social” aspects of photo sharing, as it did even in the days of film. If anything, technology has made this practice more prevalent. Both customers and employees alike share how they live the brand through the photos they post.
(It’s also interesting that Kodak is one of only a few Fortune 500 companies to embrace the concept of a “Corporate Blogger” (to much debate). Jenny just finished up a great wrap-up of the 2008 Olympics.)
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7.07.2008
posted by Robin Tooms @ 9:54 PM
HR.BLR.com, a comprehensive resource site for Human Resources information, is featuring a whitepaper on HR Branding using information from Savage’s HR Branding Field Guide.
Many HR pros, especially in small- to medium-sized companies, might say, “Oh, we don’t have an HR brand.” They may think they have yet to develop one. But that’s a misconception. Want it or not, you already have an HR brand. Is it a good one? Is it aligned with your business and recruiting strategies? Let’s look at what’s involved, according to Bethany Haley, president of Savage Branding & Corporate Design.
“HR Branding: A Field Guide” is the title of a booklet created by Savage to help organizations identify the essence of what they are as a place to work–a combination of culture, reputation, benefits, and internal relationships. As the booklet says, HR branding “is an emotional attachment that makes employees long-term partners in achieving your company’s goals.” In addition, the partnership only succeeds when the brand “rings true and is reinforced across all touch points that the employee encounters at your company.”
A strong HR Brand is essential for every aspect of the employee lifecycle: recruit and retain the best, create long-term loyalty, empower your people as ambassadors (both during and post-employment) and leverage their knowledge for the next generation. What’s your next step? Read the full whitepaper for tips on how to enhance your HR brand, or visit the our HR Branding site to see if your HR Brand is up to par.
