Horizon Point Consulting

Category: Human Resources

We know HR. Read our Human Resources blog archives for stories and best practices from our work with real clients and personal experiences in the world of HR.

  • Innovations in #CareerAdvice and Recruiting

    Innovations in #CareerAdvice and Recruiting

    Unemployment rates in Alabama are slowly falling and are on track to reach numbers from the pre-pandemic job boom. In the Huntsville/Madison area, there are more jobs than there are people to fill them. As a result of a volatile job market and the workplace changes in the last year, recruiters are working through some innovative ideas for 2021.

    Would you be surprised to learn that videos with the hashtag #careeradvice have reached over 80 million views since the start of 2021? TikTok has evolved into a recruiting marketplace, where job seekers and potential employers connect in a creative way. Businesses are turning to TikTok for brand visibility and as a way to reach a broader candidate pool. 

    Organizations are also working internally to redesign jobs to be more adaptable and allow for built-in upskilling and cross-training. According to a Deloitte study, “41% of executives said that building workforce capability through upskilling, reskilling, and mobility is one of the most important actions they are taking to transform work”. Looking for some resources for upskilling and reskilling? Here are three:  

    Forbes – Why Employee Upskilling And Reskilling Is So Important Right Now

    theHRDIRECTOR – Why Upskilling and Reskilling is essential to business survival

    Indeed – Upskilling Your Employees: A Guide for Managers

    We see these two questions as critical components of innovation for recruiters and organizations this year: 

    • How can we introduce new brand visibility and recruiting strategies to reach a larger candidate pool?
    • How can we reimagine our organization chart, job descriptions, and talent management strategies to build in upskilling and reskilling? 

     

    We are currently working with an organization that found itself with fewer applicants and a low applicant-to-hire ratio. We looked closely at the hiring process, we looked at job descriptions, we looked at hiring best practices in the local market, and only then did we start to ask these same questions above. 

    You can get started now by mapping out your current strategy, reach, and impact. What’s working? What worked pre-pandemic, but doesn’t work now? How can you and your team innovate recruiting practices? Dig deep, then take the leap!

  • 3 Ways to Boost Intercultural Competence

    3 Ways to Boost Intercultural Competence

    Here’s what we know (and have known for a long, long time): a diverse, equitable, and inclusive workforce drives exponential business growth, organizational development, and continuous improvement. Intercultural competence can serve as both a critical performance management dimension for employees and a meaningful competitive advantage for the organization. 

    What we don’t always know is how to act on this understanding. In 2021, our team has locked in on the mantra, “Be impatient for action and patient for outcomes”. Here are 3 actions we’ve taken that you can take today to boost your intercultural competence: 

    1. Understand yourself and your organization first. Consider these questions: 
      1. What is our preference for problem-solving, delegating, motivating, or managing time?
      2. How do we view relationships, laws, and leisure time?

    2. Learn from others whose preferences and perspectives are different from yours. Interact “… with people who are different from yourself, who do not share your interests, or who think differently than you do. …Find out more about them. … Concentrate on appreciating and showing respect for others…” (Cultural Competency Doesn’t Happen Overnight)

    3. Search for and acknowledge shared values and respect and acknowledge differences. A boost in intercultural sensitivity and competence can only happen with authentic engagement, learning, and understanding of commonalities and differences. 

    The Society for Human Resource Management provides an important distinction between intercultural sensitivity and intercultural competence: 

    Intercultural sensitivity is about appreciating the deeper impact of cultural differences on how we interact with other people and the effect this has on one’s own perceptions of other people. Intercultural competence is a measure of one’s effectiveness in such interactions with other people.

    These concepts apply equally to individuals, teams, and entire organizations.

    The relevance of intercultural sensitivity to interactions with people from different parts of the world tends to be clear to many people. The relevance to working effectively with people down the hall from your office may be less clear.

    What actions are you taking today to boost intercultural sensitivity and competence for yourself and your organization? 

     

    Looking for more content related to intercultural sensitivity and competence? 

    Join Horizon Point and the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at the University of Alabama at Huntsville on Tuesday, April 20, 2021, for a virtual workshop on Intercultural Competence: Creating a Culture of Awareness, Acceptance, and Respect. Learn more and register here. 

  • What the New Administration Means for HR

    What the New Administration Means for HR

    I often hear HR professionals and business leaders alike comment on how hard it is to keep up with the constant changes in labor and employment laws. HR is an ever-changing world and even more so when a new administration takes office. Many employers have questions and concerns about what this new administration will mean for their businesses and changes they will need to make in how they manage HR.  

    The Biden administration promises a focus that will push for more employee-friendly legislation and a strengthening of policy enforcement. There are a number of areas to keep an eye on this year and in the coming years of this administration, including: 

    • Labor Relations
    • Immigration
    • Retirement Benefits
    • Wage and Hour Regulations
    • Affordable Care Act/Healthcare
    • Paid Leave
    • Discrimination

    So how can employers stay updated on these issues? 

    1. Network: Talk to other business leaders and HR professionals. Join associations that help keep employers informed and help them navigate these changes. Your local Society of Human Resource Management (SHRM) chapter is a good resource as are industry-specific associations. 
    2. Subscribe: There are so many resources out there, including newsletters created by employment attorneys and HR professionals, podcasts, and government publications. You can subscribe to the Horizon Point newsletter here.
    3. Attend: Seek out opportunities to attend workshops on employment and labor law. A few great places to find these workshops are your local SHRM chapter, employment attorneys, industry associations, and your local Chamber of Commerce. 
    4. Contract: Seek out help from the professionals. Consider contracting with an HR Outsourcing/Consulting agency or an employment attorney that can help your organization stay up to date on labor and employment laws and ensure that your organization is compliant. 

    For more information on what to expect from the new administration, join Horizon Point Consulting and Redstone Government Contracting on April 6th for our New Administration, New Rules: Navigating the Workplace in 2021 workshop. 

  • Is It Time For A Workcation?

    Is It Time For A Workcation?

    Research and personal experience tell us that American employees often underutilize or “save up” PTO, sometimes leading to disengagement and burnout. Could the workcation trend be an option for employees who don’t need time off but need a little inspiration and a change of scenery? 

    “Workcation” is the combination of work and vacation, where an employee works remotely from a destination other than home or an office for a short period of time. With the significant expansion of the remote/flexible workforce, are more people taking workcations? How do workcations impact organizations? These questions inspired a research project by Daniela Hodges, which you can read about on The Fit Blog. Here’s an excerpt: 

    I saw mixed reviews from the 135 respondents. Let’s take a look at one respondent’s reason they would not take a workcation: PTO. This respondent was concerned about frivolously using PTO and admitted that they safeguard it for emergencies and then it usually expires before it gets used. This struck me because the point of a workcation is not to use any PTO.

    You can read the full post here. This research has sparked an ongoing conversation about workcations amongst our team. We all work remotely, and we’ve each taken workcations over the years without having a name for what we were doing. In the last six months, I’ve worked from the beach twice. Two big facts about my workcation experiences: 

    1. I am equally – if not more – productive when I’m on a workcation. The change of scenery helps my brain and body feel newly energized. 
    2. I feel a special appreciation for my job, my team, and our organizational purpose when I take a workcation. 

    Workcations are not just for full-time, remote employees. Any employee that is remote-capable, whether or not they typically work in an office, can take a workcation. Even working from the local community park or your favorite coffee shop can provide some new perspective and re-energize employees. So, where are you going for your next workcation? 

     

  • Benefits of Remote Work for Employees

    Benefits of Remote Work for Employees

    Ahh, remote work! Work as we know it will never be the same. At Horizon Point, remote work has always been part of our daily grind, so we definitely know the benefits. 

    Check out these Key Remote Work Statistics (as they relate to employees) from Small Biz Genius.

    • 40% of people feel the greatest benefit of remote work is the flexible schedule.
    • 76% of workers would be more willing to stay with their current employer if they could work flexible hours.
    • People who work remotely at least once a month are 24% more likely to be happy and productive.

     

    Read the entire list & article: The Ultimate List of Remote Work Statistics – 2021 Edition.

    My personal stats: I’m 99% more likely to get everything complete on my work to-do list if I have the flexibility to work from home or from wherever. I do occasionally miss former work besties, but we can always catch up over lunch!

    Here are a few of my favorite benefits of remote work:

    1. I’m present for my family. I love that I can help my kids with virtual assignments if they are schooling from home. 
    2. I can throw in a load of laundry or prep for dinner in between Zoom calls.
    3. I can wear comfy clothes while I plug away at whatever project is a priority for the week.

    Has your employer transitioned staff to remote work? Do you love it or hate it? Stay tuned for more insight on remote work from The Point Blog!

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