HR and finance managers should take control of their working life, and make sure they are in the driving seat and maintain focus with regard to their career development, according to marathon swimming champion Shelley Taylor-Smith
HR manager recently ranked as the fourth best job according to the US Money magazine and Salary.com list of 50 best jobs in America. Based on a list of more than 200 jobs, the key HR job rated well in flexibility, overall compensation, opportunity for growth and level of stress. Susan Meisinger, CEO of the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), said the profession is rapidly evolving where HR executives are playing a much larger role in determining the overall direction of their organisation. “These developments add to the vibrancy of the profession as more organisations look to HR for strategies to align their workforce with the goals of the business.”
Government agencies must win war for talent
“To win the war on terror, US government agencies must win the war for talent. And to do that, government executives must employ private sector recruiting practices to attract the best and brightest to government service.”So wrote Bill Trahant, national leader of Watson Wyatt’s Government Consulting Services Practice, in a recent issue of Homeland Defense Journal, a US-based newsmagazine that focuses on defense, intelligence and national security issues. Trahant noted that the Departments of Defense and Homeland Security expect to hire more than 150,000 people in the next two years, most of them as part of enhancing the nation’s security and fighting the war on terrorism.
Cutthroat CEOs, or a cultural hallucination?
Leaders are still operating in isolation from the people they lead, with little real regard for the longevity of the businesses and no regard for the people affected by their decisions, such as staff, suppliers, contractors and customers. Leadership development consultant, Fabian Dattner, recently said employees often feel powerless to influence decisions and perhaps shape their own behaviour around what they feel the standards are in their organisation. “But the real question is, is this just a cultural hallucination where this cutthroat, valueless, greedy behaviour is a result of a few irresponsibly paid executives or is this just the norm in Australia?” she asked.
Dilbert is right: survey
Uncomfortable work environments do make for disgruntled employees, according to a recent survey. The less satisfied employees are with the physical setting of their work environment, such as the acoustics, ventilation or visual surroundings, the more likely they are to be dissatisfied with their jobs, as most people would attest. The Gallup Management Journal recently surveyed US employees to discover the truth behind the Dilbert humour, and found 55 per cent of employees were more likely to be engaged in their work if they were are able to personalise their workspace to make it feel like their own.
Go ergonomic in the workplace
Office workers are spending more time in front of the computer than ever before, with many spending 5.8 hours per day in front of a desktop computer, according to research. In an environment where every increase in workforce productivity has an important impact on the bottom line, Jeremy Hinton, hardware product marketing manager for Microsoft Australia said well-designed workstations including ergonomically designed keyboards and mice can go a long way toward helping employees succeed and businesses thrive. He encouraged companies to implement an effective ergonomics program to boost employee morale and health, and bolster their bottom line in the process.
HR and finance managers in the driving seat
HR and finance managers should take control of their working life, and make sure they are in the driving seat and maintain focus with regard to their career development, according to marathon swimming champion Shelley Taylor-Smith. Speaking at a Robert Half International breakfast, she said that by recognising, confronting and embracing obstacles standing in the way of success, they could be turned into positives. She also attributed her success to her passion, commitment, determination and self-belief and said success is attainable in any field with these qualities if you are prepared to do whatever it takes.
