Victor Assad Strategic Human Resources Consulting
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That was the best training I ever had for team leadership, the director told me, after a half-day employee engagement training. The objective of the program was to improve the relationship building skills of leaders with each of their team members—and employee retention. The director went on to explain that he always achieved his goals,… Read More
Are you ready for the disruptive spirit of HR? If you have never experienced a DisruptHR event, expect high energy, fast pace, fresh and leading content like you have never heard before. Food, wine, and beer. The audience is encouraged to holler, text and tweet. DisruptHR is an information exchange of 12 speakers presenting fresh… Read More
Every time I hear a presentation from a Silicon Valley based human resources organization about its Big Data analysis of the workforce, I remember Peter Cappelli’s article in the Harvard Business Review, “There’s No Such Thing as Big Data in HR.” Most organizations, Cappelli observes, have thousands of employees, not millions. And the documented performance… Read More
The traditional approaches to diversity and inclusion are not moving the needle. Whether its “the letter” at Google or sensational headlines about bad behavior at companies such as Uber or Fox News, diversity and inclusion remain a hot topic. Can Artificial Intelligence help? Artificial intelligence (AI) is gaining wide acceptance for Customer Relationship Management (CRM)… Read More
I have long felt that nothing is worse than a big company that can’t grow organically. So, writes retiring GE CEO, Jeff Immelt in a piece for the Harvard Business Review on the eve of the transition of GE’s leadership. What a difference the Internet of Everything and a CEO make! I remember his predecessor,… Read More
The implementation of Human Resources digital technology “is about the relationship.” I was delighted to hear these words from Charlene Li, Principal Analyst at Altimeter. She is the author of five books, including The New York Times best seller Groundswell and her latest, The Engaged Leader. Ms. Li advocates that CEOs and Human Resources leaders… Read More
The goal was to double the sales force of a medical device company that was launching a game-changing product, by hiring more than 100 sales representatives across the U.S. We needed to accomplish this in roughly six months. And, by the way, the new sales reps had to have technical skills our current sales force… Read More
The new general manager of a recently acquired, innovative global business asked me if his new staff, which spanned seven countries and four continents, could understand English. “Yes, they can,” I responded with a smile. “But it doesn’t mean they can understand you, or will follow your direction.” They had all learned English, as taught… Read More
“I hate Human Resources,” the CEO began. “When I worked at Sun Microsoft, Human Resources was always getting in the way, with its bureaucracy and rules.” The sneer on his face suggested that he not only hated Human Resources policies and procedures, but also the people in HR. “Why am I here?” I asked. “You… Read More
No Amazon chatbots, virtual reality, or Artificial Intelligence recruiting screens? Amazon is using old fashioned, face-to-face job fairs! What gives? They work! And Amazon is not alone in turning to older, but reliable, recruiting methods in this tight labor market. Across The Pond in Sweden, high technology company Ericsson recently held a full day “Swarm… Read More
After giving a presentation about the return on investment of smart recruiting strategies, I was asked to consult with a couple of human resources departments. I began by asking them to tell me about their organization’s business strategies, their recruiting strategies to support those business strategies, the obstacles they faced, and the insights from their… Read More
One of the biggest influences in my young life was a baseball coach in junior high who spent extra time with me, not the best athlete by any measure. He helped me work on my batting technique, especially, bunting. It paid off, when we needed a bunt during a playoff game to score the winning… Read More
A recruiter complained to me recently about Millennials, “I have so many Millennials who do not show up for their interviews. Once they are hired, our managers have a hard time motivating them, and their turnover is high. It’s not like when we were young.” “Maybe it is,” I countered. I reminded her of the… Read More
“She is a good candidate, but I want to bring her in at 75% of our market value. That salary will give her a 12% increase, and it saves my budget. She will take it.” “Not so fast. Our minimum is 90% of market value.” After reviewing the resume, application and interview notes for this… Read More
I was seated at an innovation conference for lunch, when the Research and Development leader of a major U.S. active sportswear maker told me he had a confession. His organization was successful at creating new ideas, selecting the best ones to advance, and project- managing those ideas, but their innovations often stalled because the organization’s… Read More
Do you want to have faster time-to-full productivity for your new hires? Improved retention? Higher employee engagement? Have your new hires be your best new hire referral source? Who doesn’t? So, what is your company doing to have an awesome onboarding program? The Aberdeen Group, in a 2009 study, found that companies with effective onboarding… Read More
Are you looking for that new disruptive innovation and business model? Awesome! In your hot pursuit of disruptive innovation, it is important to remember that the demise of many once innovative, or even long-standing brands hasn’t been a bad financial quarter. Instead, it has been disclosed unethical behavior. Enron and Tyco immediately come to mind.… Read More
Recent headlines proclaimed that many IBM departments have ditched the company’s long-standing and successful remote work program. Despite the attention those headlines garnered, empirical evidence shows that teleworking is on the upswing with many companies because it improves productivity, and it is one of the most popular non-monetary attractions to employees. If you are recruiting,… Read More
In April, I had the privilege of sponsoring and speaking at DisruptHR in the San Francisco Bay Area. DisruptHR calls out to the rebellious spirit of the CEOs and transformative minds in human resources and technology who want to shake things up – not only in human resources, but also in how the 21st century… Read More
Why are some companies continually coming up with new, dynamic products and services, technologies and business models? And, why are others always late to the party? Why do some companies lead with one innovation, and then falter before developing the next? We believe we have some answers for you. At InnovationOne, we have just completed… Read More
The speakers for the San Francisco Bay Area’s first DisruptHR include CEOs, technologists, artificial intelligence experts, human resources thought leaders and others ready to disrupt HR. Are you tired of the same old approach to Human Resources? Are you ready to start talking about talent and technology in a whole new way? Then DisruptHR is for… Read More
Many CEOs will tell you that their workforce is their strongest asset. They write mission statements and hang their carefully crafted values on the walls of their entrance lobbies and conference rooms. They profess their commitment to hiring the best employees and offering them great careers. While all this may be great, it’s often just… Read More
How do you avoid groupthink, or what psychologists call “functional bias?” My friends in the “big data” and artificial intelligence industry believe the solution is the algorithm. Executive teams often decide whether to accept the “big data” solution to a problem, based on analyzing very large volumes of a wide variety of data, or do… Read More
After being a leader in telecommuting, IBM is calling it quits, due to declining revenues. At least, it’s calling it quits in its marketing organizations in the US and Europe. It feels like a Marissa Mayer step backwards – it is sure to increase turnover, as well as lower morale and productivity. There is a… Read More
Many teams, and especially teams loaded with smart and highly educated people, fail because management and team members do not understand the fundamental differences in communication styles among employees. I learned this lesson up close and personal, working with research and development (R&D) teams in the Aerospace industry. The head of R&D was frustrated with… Read More
DisruptHR is coming to the San Francisco Bay Area. Join me on the evening of April 27th at Domenico’s Winery in San Carlos for the rebellious spirit of HR. DisruptHR is an informal exchange designed to energize and inform business and human resources leaders. Are you tired of the same old approach to Human Resources?… Read More
The top strategies to improve retention will probably astonish you. More and more companies are struggling with employee retention in the face of an eight-year recovery, low unemployment, and labor shortages. Human Resources can drive company value by implementing retention strategies. First, understand that employee retention requires a talent mindset and takes a comprehensive approach.… Read More
Human Resources can make significant contributions toward improving a company’s innovation, especially with mature or fast-growth post start-up companies. Human Resources can engineer the organization’s talent management and culture so that it is more innovative, while also maintaining the excellence and reliability of its current operations. They all are needed to drive today’s profitability. We… Read More
InnovationOne Founder and Managing Partner, C. Brooke Dobni, Ph.D., will speak and present a workshop at ISPIM’s (The International Society for Professional Innovation Management) Innovation Forum in Toronto, Canada, March 19th to 22nd, 2017. During his Innovation Leadership presentation on Tuesday afternoon, Dr. Dobni (Brooke) will disclose the organizational dimensions of innovation effectiveness and the 12 most… Read More
Are your workers struggling with long commutes that cut into the workday, drain productivity, and drive up costs for your business and for them? There is a better way. Los Angeles has the worst traffic in the world, based on a study by the transportation analytics firm, INRIX. Last year, the average LA driver wasted… Read More
Many companies are jumping through hoops to come up with quirky benefits to attract skilled millennials. Give it a rest. According to a study published by the Employee Benefits Research Institute, rather than trendy benefits, here is what millennials prefer:[i] Training and Development. Millennials prefer real learning opportunities related to their positions, and they want… Read More
When should a company use ambitious, stretch goals (sometimes called “Big, Hairy, Audacious Goals” or “BHAGs”), and when is it better to improve incrementally? New research on goal setting is providing important guidance that can significantly improve a company’s bottom line, increase innovation, and perhaps save its very existence. Let’s be clear, goal setting improves… Read More
Researchers, such as Gallop, have demonstrated the economic benefits of improving employee engagement, including higher productivity, better quality products and increased profitability.[i] Since the early 2000s, however, the empirical evidence has shown that the overall level of employee engagement in the United States, and around the world, has not increased. While many leaders believe in… Read More
If you lead a global company with demanding customers that is fast paced, facing frequent change, and requiring innovation, you need more discomfort and conflict. For that, you need a diverse, global and inclusive workforce. Studies show that type of workforce is worth the investment. (More on that below). The diversity movement in corporations, however,… Read More
MIT researchers found that there are three characteristics that allow virtual teams to outperform co-located teams. The three characteristics are: having team members who communicate effectively, participate equally, and are good at reading emotions. They also found that having women on teams helps because women, on average, are better than men at reading facial expressions,… Read More
Although it has obvious benefits for aligning, motivating and developing an organization’s workforce, performance management is the most hated of human resource processes. If not done well, it interferes with the relationships between managers and employees. Performance management is often bureaucratic and time consuming, with long forms to complete and 360-degree feedback to collect. In… Read More
Over the past decade, the HR industry has seen big changes in performance management. HR professionals no longer abide by the philosophy of “up or out.” This outdated philosophy calls for the removal of the bottom 10% of employees annually then focusing development and rewards on a company’s high potentials. Instead, companies are moving to… Read More
Companies operating in the United States face a tight labor market. Having strategies in place to retain employees is vital. If you believe you can provide a counter offer to an employee on the day she or he presents you with a resignation letter, that is a big mistake. It is already too late! Research… Read More
When I met with my former Italian human resources director, which often was over dinner, he would frequently tell me, “In Italia, dinner is about the relationship. Not the food.” I responded, “You have me fooled. This food and wine are great!” He was right, of course. When food and wine are extraordinary, as they… Read More
The one step that all leaders can take to drive results is supported by mom and empirical research. It is simple and straight forward. Even a five-year-old can do it. Say “thank you.” When employees are recognized and thanked by their leaders, it significantly raises their sense of achievement, engages them, and reinforces the behavior… Read More
I have worked with new leaders for over 25 years. Some make smooth transitions to leadership, but for many others, it is a rocky transition. Here are seven mistakes new leaders make and how to overcome them: Keep on doing exactly what got them there. Wrong. Most employees are first noticed as leaders by being… Read More
Many companies ignore an awesome opportunity to dramatically improve employee performance and engagement, as well as contributions to the bottom line, during the first week of their employment. While many companies provide a comprehensive overview of the company’s mission and strategies and use human resources technology platforms to gather payroll and compliance information and enroll… Read More
Companies often contact us at InnovationOne because their long-range financial forecasts are on a southbound train. Or, they are facing fierce competition from industry disruptors that have a new technology, newly applied technology in their industry, or a better business model. Sometimes their innovation projects have not produced tangible results. Or, they tried a new,… Read More
I have turned around the recruiting functions of several organizations in my career, and then rapidly hired hundreds of workers. While branding, interviewing skills, career fairs, astute competency identification, assessments, wise use of social media, and skill/ job matching software were all important, they weren’t the real secret of my success. My success was due… Read More
Many studies, including ones conducted by the manufacturers that sell office furniture used for open offices, have shown that open floor plans hurt productivity and dampen employee morale. And, contrary to what was first thought, they are not the panacea for promoting collaboration. The pitfalls of open office spaces have been known for some time… Read More
Wells Fargo’s CEO, John Stumpf, defiantly told congressional investigators that, despite a multi-year scandal and $185 million fine, the bank did not have a culture problem.[i] But, when 5,300 employees are fired for a five-year pattern of stealing private records, you have more than a culture problem. You have a problem with executive leadership. You… Read More
Over the past decade, we have seen big changes in performance management. The trend continues. Out is the philosophy of “up or out,” take out the bottom 10% of employees annually, and only focus development and rewards on your high potentials. Instead, companies are moving to the philosophy of constant performance and development feedback. They… Read More
If you read the business press, you might believe that only start-ups can be innovative. Start-ups certainly have the advantage of agility, focus and speed. Without the burden of ongoing operations, customer relations, and Wall Street investors to manage, they can focus all of their attention on innovation. Large companies can also be extraordinarily successful… Read More
Employers who want to get higher levels of discretionary effort from their employees and all the awesome side effects that come along with it, such as higher morale, loyalty, productivity and innovation, need to face reality. Achieving higher employee effort doesn’t come from doing the same old, same old, or what has become habit. Instead,… Read More
Gallup’s insightful State of the Global Workforce reports have galvanized interest among executives about the value of employee engagement. Ever since Gallup began to measure employee engagement in 2000, however, the needle hasn’t moved much. Starting with Gallup’s first report, actively engaged employee scores have ranged from 13% to 20% and disengaged employee scores have… Read More
