This week in HR

This week’s roundup brings you five articles with the latest tips, insight and advice for HR professionals.

5 HR Skills That Are Now Trending Forbes: ”Big picture thinking. The great HR pros know they don’t exist in a vacuum. They’re part of an organization and they have to stay (at least) one step ahead of where the organization is going. When you see a future need, prepare to fill it with the right talent. That way when the opening becomes official, you can hit the ground running. Analyze your organization’s short- and long-terms needs, and plan accordingly.”

The beginner’s guide to HR and Big Data HRMorning: ”Why would companies need Big Data? After all, most HR pros and hiring managers have been at the helm long enough to know a good candidate from a bad candidate one and to take steps not to discriminate. But Peck says that ‘our biases are mostly unconscious, and they can run surprisingly deep.’ Proof: In the 1970s and 1980s, professional orchestras began holding ‘blind’ auditions for orchestra seats, according to Malcolm Gladwell in his book Blink.The result: The number of women who gained seats in orchestras increased fivefold – especially in positions that typically went to men.”

Where is HR? Toolbox for HR: “Now if your employees ever ask, ‘Where is HR?’ you have a big problem. Having a department that appears to be MIA (Missing In Action) is one thing, having your Human Resources Department appear to be MIA (Missing In Action) is catastrophic. Once you have a reputation for not being around, visible, or available on a consistent basis, you lose your credibility. You have to be available to the employees. Be visible and consistent, the employees need stability. Establish an ‘Open Door Policy’ you can set the hours daily so you can meet with employees. Let them know you are always available in an urgent/emergency situation 24/7. “

3 Things HR Should Stop Doing Today American Management Association: “HR too often plays the role of caretaker in the organization. Andy Porter, Vice-President of HR at Merrimack Pharmaceuticals and blogger at Fistful of Talent, has something to say about that: ‘HR groups fall into the trap of being the people who solve all problems. People come to me and say ‘This is going on with this person. Now it’s your problem.’ My answer is: ‘What do you want me to do? You’re a grown man.’ I’ll help people think through how to have the conversation. I’ll even sit with them while they do it. But my job isn’t to be the principal.”

The 3 Components of Corporate Culture – Ask HR Bartender HR Bartender: “Organizational culture is defined as the ‘behavior of humans who are part of an organization and the meanings that people attach to their actions.’ But I think culture is about more than just what people do. It also includes what they ‘say’ about themselves. That’s when those disconnects in corporate culture begin. For instance, the company says they value work/life balance but, in practice, they really don’t.”