by Janine Nicole Dennis | Sep 4, 2014 | Featured, HR Technology, HR Technology Trends and Tips, Human Resources
It’s a very exciting time in HR Technology. In fact, a June 2014 article by Aliah Wright on SHRM.org, indicates an increase in both company interest and spending for HR Technology. The article goes on to state that 30% of respondents in a Towers Watson study say they will spend a substantial amount of HR spending on technology. Finally, after years of resisting the technological movement, companies are starting to realize the efficiencies and value that come with investing in the right technology.
The three areas of greatest concern according to :
- Data and Analytics
- Mobile Optimization and Capabilities
- Saas
In my opinion, we are seeing a highly saturated market where you will find tried and maybe not-so-true players in the ATS arena that are holding steady; followed by lots of marginally improved replicas or in some cases “knockoffs”. Full scope talent management systems are intriguing to businesses who no longer have the gumption to try to make separate systems speak to one another in an effort to have fully integrated systems and accurate outputs. Yet still, we have our pick of aggregators, video interviewing platforms, assessment platforms and the list goes on and on.
How does the HR practitioner make sense of all of this?
The first step is understanding what problem you want the technology to solve. The second step is understanding that technology is unlikely to solve all of your inefficiency issues. Inefficiency is first resolved by having sound processes and practices, no system can replace that. Third, once you have considered your HR Technology needs, you need to adequately research and identify appropriate vendors.
Don’t just think about your needs right now, but anticipate how you see the company growing five or even ten years down the line. This will also mean that you will have to pay attention to the bandwidth and scalability of potential systems; a common pitfall of buyers.
There are tools to suit almost every company need. The hard part is taking the time to do the research to find the diamonds in the ruff.
That said…
Those that have been following me for sometime know that every September I celebrate my blog anniversary with a month-long HR Technology series. I do this every year to commemorate my first post which was on called ” To Automate or Not To Automate…That Is The Question”. This year I have coined my series ” I am Revolutionizing HR”. I am highlighting 1-2 HR Technology start-ups per week to open your eyes to vendors that are uniquely solving HR problems.
In doing the research to find what is out there, I was extremely impressed to find vendors solving HR issues in a practical and unique way. None of them are replicas or knockoffs, but they all have a sincere desire to help the everyday HR practitioner work more efficiently.
The first HR Technology start-up will be showcased on Monday, September 8th. Please stay tuned the entire month to get the scoop on some innovative and cool players on the HR Technology scene.
I hope you find each of them helpful.
by Janine Nicole Dennis | Aug 20, 2014 | Diversity & Inclusion, Featured, Life, Talent Management
As we continue to discuss diversity and inclusion concerns, it is important that companies that are serious about attracting, retaining and promoting diverse candidates understand how we think about our value in the workplace.
From a child, it was drilled into me that my skin color was not a roadblock, but an opportunity often seen as a threat. I was warned that I would have to work a gazillion times harder than any of my Caucasian counterparts to achieve success. To round out my coaching on getting ahead, I was advised to keep my head on, study hard, keep things formal on the job, work hard and it would all pay off.
More than a decade into my career, I see that my cultural and familial coaching has served me fairly well. In speaking to other minority colleagues over the years, I know that they were also told many of the same things growing up and have also found success in those tidbits. It might be sobering to read, but a person’s only barometer for how life works is experience. Having emigrated to the U.S. from the West Indies and South America in and around the 70’s, I don’t have to tell you what it was like for my parents and grandparents to assimilate into the “American way”; let alone garner gainful employment.
The disconnect between what I was taught and my real life experience is and has been startling. For one, I have found that most employers have no clue that their minority employees are carrying all of this. It is like the worst, best-kept secret. Subconsciously, minorities often believe that employers see them as less of a value. That perception has caused me to over-compensate with efforts that have had no real correlation to my success.
When your message as a company is simply “we are an equal opportunity employer” this appears to be more employer semantics that really says nothing more than “we will hire you, because we must”. Furthermore, if minority representation at all levels is scarce; I have more proof that you aren’t truly dedicated to promoting a diverse workforce. All things validating what I have been told.
To further test the validity of what I have been told over the years, here has been my reality:
1) For over 50% of my career, I have been the only black woman either on my team, in the region or in the company I worked for.
2) I have traditionally made less in compensation than most of my Caucasian counterparts. How do I know? People like to talk about what they make, especially when they make a lot of money- so there’s that.
3) More than once, I have resigned from a job because I was overlooked, overshadowed and underutilized in my job. This was in stark contrast to the applause for other Caucasian employees that were not nearly as productive or useful as I was.
4) I went to college, possess several certifications pertinent to my field as well as Master’s credits and have been managed three or more times by Caucasian women and men who not only possess less education than me, but have benefited from my efforts.
5) Lastly, I have had to fight for simple luxuries and leniency that was afforded to my Caucasian co-workers with no contest.
For the most part, minorities have been urged out of necessity to be better than everyone else to get ahead. To some extent, it is great advice. However, it becomes disheartening when being better isn’t the standard for everyone else and doesn’t result in the desired outcomes. It would help companies to market themselves and attract diverse candidates-if they understood how we approach our work in thought and practice. Once you understand, you have to have a genuine willingness for changing these cemented impressions, realities and perceptions.
The end game of diversity and inclusion has to be understanding and execution. If you don’t get that ‘diverse’ isn’t just a buzzword but a broader meaning for different- you aren’t ready to have a discussion about diversity. Companies have to be willing to identify, understand, and embrace the differences that exist among employees before they endeavor inclusion initiatives.
The truth is I have always navigated my career in excellence, because that is my standard. I have done this despite the unfair circumstances I have been met with. I’m not a fan of pulling the race card, but if it walks like a duck, quacks like a duck…you know the rest. Also, when my knowledge, skills, abilities, and efforts are shelved for the purposes of rewarding other people’s mediocre efforts; it is hard not to see the truth in what I have been told.
As you consider you own diversity and inclusion efforts, how will you ensure that your diverse employees are fairly and equitably supported and recognized for their efforts?
by Janine Nicole Dennis | Jul 15, 2014 | Business, Featured, HR Innovation, Human Resources
Photo by: ASIFTHEBES
Perhaps I could end this post with the title alone because it’s a poignant question. If you work in HR or make money off of HR- have you asked yourself lately why you are here?
Most will say they work in HR because they “love to work with people” or they “like making a difference in organizations”. The funny thing is the more you work in HR you find that the relationship you have with your employees is a bit of a sordid tale and making a difference is a periodic win that graces you with its presence maybe every solar eclipse.
So again I ask..why are you in HR?
Do you know? I can tell you why I’m still here. I used to be one of those rose-colored glasses kinds of practitioners and then my first job out of school shattered my perception of the discipline. Every job thereafter wore down this notion of HR as an altruistic discipline. Suddenly, I had to find new meaning in the value I provided, because otherwise I was working for a check and behaving like a robot programmed to do something just because.
So here it is…
I am in HR because here in the U.S. we spend more time in our workplaces than we do with our own families. This is not by choice but out of necessity to do something viable that garners some remuneration to sustain ourselves and the people we love. Some of us are in love with what we do, but many of us our in total disdain of our work lives because the work and/or environment or both are dreadful. Having been that person who dreaded showing up to work in a discipline that is supposed to love working with people and allegedly holds the all-spark of organizational inspiration- I decided I would become the change.
I make a conscious decision to not just complain and write the obituary for Human Resources but to treat the employees with the care and kindness that was not shown to me. I insist upon implementing the initiatives and programs that I know will make a difference and a more desirable place for employees to spend 60-80% of their time. Ultimately, I have this crazy idea in my head that if I help organizations refocus on their talent and place them in top priority by providing meaningful and tailored work experiences along with fair and equitable compensation rewarding a job well done; there will be happier employees-which will lead to more productive workplaces and perhaps a happier society.
Too much big picture?
I don’t think so. You see the job is a means to an end. If we all won the lottery today we could call it quits and stop all of this ruminating about HR and what it’s not doing for us. What we do in HR and in business is always about the people. They drive your business more than you are willing to recognize. In HR, it is our call-to-action to see that they have the tools, resources and toxin-free head and workspace to get the job done. My obligation is a societal and human one. You treat people well and pay them their due sans the politics, games, bureaucracy, discrimination etc.; you will have a happier ecosystem of people roaming the earth. That means there is importance in every step of the HR process. From making sure qualified candidates get a shot at the jobs they apply for instead of allowing a system to tell you whether they are qualified or not to ensuring that you are never late on processing payroll- always be sure to do right by your employees.
I created my company to fix more than HR. I am vowing to fix a system that is broken and that sorely needs a human solution.
So I leave you with the initial question? Why are you in HR? The answer doesn’t have to be as elaborate as mine, but you may want to assess whether this is right for you. Especially, if you aren’t willing to be the change you want to see in HR.
Ready for a change? Contact us here.
by Janine Nicole Dennis | Apr 2, 2014 | Conference sessions, Conferences, Diversity & Inclusion, Featured, OFCCP, Snippets, Speaking engagements
In just a few days, I will descend upon Baton Rouge, Louisiana as a speaker for the Louisiana SHRM State Conference. My session is entitled: Get Real About Your Good Faith Efforts- What The OFCCP Really Expects From Employers. Some of the most significant changes in OFCCP guidance will take place this year. Federal contractors everywhere are frantically watching every webinar, attending every breakfast meeting and are quite handsomely paying employment lawyers to help them comply with the new regulations.
I could have addressed the new regulations and spelled them out in plain English to the best of my ability, but you all know by now I don’t do the status quo.
My hope for this session is much bigger and broader.
Yes, the new regulations are onerous, but have you asked yourself why? I have heard so many practitioners carrying on about how these new regulations are not achievable and how the federal money they receive in return may or may not be worth the hassle for what the government wants from us.
Newsflash: There is a rich history of how all of these regulations came to be. Each of them delegated out as executive orders by the presidents of the time due mostly to the injustices being experienced by women and minorities in the workforce. These new regulations- are yet another instance where regulation was needed to decrease the numbers of differently-abled and veteran applicants that have recently been discounted, ignored or outcast by employers in recent years.
It amazes me- that until now, most federal contractors and even regular companies slap an EEO tagline on their website and put up a few stock photos of an Asian, African-American , someone in a wheelchair etc. all for the value of giving the appearance that they value diversity. I say if you truly value diversity, let me see your C-suite makeup. Let me see your employee ecosystem; more importantly- let me see your outreach efforts also known as “good faith efforts”. Some other considerations, are you paying everyone based on a consistent and logical model? How about hiring? How far do you go to ensure a diverse applicant pool?
I suspect that the OFCCP and government are just as tired as I am of companies doing the bare minimum to appear compliant. They are essentially saying to each of us federal contractors- don’t talk about diversity; show me diversity.
I present on Monday, April 7th from 10:30-11:45 am. Attendees will leave my session with an alternate way of approaching these guidelines, good faith efforts and hopefully diversity within their organizations.
I’m looking forward to a spirited conversation on this topic- as well as engaging with all of the attendees. If you cannot make it, please follow the #RealGFE session hashtag on Twitter. Also, don’t forget to check out the #Czarinatravels hashtag to keep up with my travel adventures.
Want more hashtag craziness? Follow #PICHR, #ePIC, #LASHRM14 and #goodfaith to follow the conference and all associated events.
by Janine Nicole Dennis | Mar 21, 2014 | Featured, HR Technology, Life, Sponsored Post, Talent Acquisition
FTC Disclosure: I received compensation for writing this product review listed below as one of the services I offer my clients. I only work with companies I feel have great products, services and offerings. In accordance with my blog disclosure statement, I will only work with and showcase products and/or companies I believe my readers will benefit from. iCims is an ATS provider and I have either reviewed or used their product personally. I have not made any absolute statements about its functionality but endorse the capabilities I have personally observed. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commissions 16 CFR, Part 255: Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.
Image courtesy of stockphotosforfree.com
When we speak about Applicant Tracking Software (ATS) capabilities, we often overlook its impact on the spectrum of users and instead focus on the bells and whistles that tend to be non-essential or less relevant to its primary recruitment function. After all, the purpose of an ATS is to automate and streamline recruitment, hiring and onboarding processes so that it saves time, resources and energy.
The question is: who is really saving the time? Has ATS technology to date been too heavily focused on the recruiter and hiring manager experience?
The gap in ATS technology has been the lack of emphasis on the candidate experience.
2014 is the “Year of the Candidate” at iCIMS. With this initiative, they are refocusing their intentions out of both necessity and utility to better serve the candidate from a technology standpoint. Today’s candidate is on-the-go, always looking for the next opportunity and an easier way of reaching you the employer. With the increased influence of social networks, mobile capabilities and the flattening groups of passive, active and non-active jobseekers, it is only right that iCIMS look at ways of improving candidate engagement.
iCIMS is taking the lead on reengaging the workforce by revamping and developing technology that encourages the candidate to engage with companies and seek out opportunity rather than deter them from the hiring process. In January 2014, The International Labour Organization (ILO) reported a dismal outlook on economic recovery and job creation. In this report, they state that, 23 million people globally have left the labor market due to difficulties in finding suitable employment. Slower job creation can be blamed for that statistic, but I’m sure we can also agree that finding the jobs that do exist has become increasingly onerous as well.
The mobile advantage
Two in five candidates say that their perception of a company is hurt if a company career website is not optimized for mobile. iCIMS has created an extremely responsive career portal that is optimized for candidates to utilize on mobile devices and tablets of all screen sizes. The clean and simple look and feel of the career portal is enhanced with intuitive navigation, making it easily accessible for candidates-on- the move.
Candidates that have embraced using “the cloud” for document storage, will find ease of use in being able to upload their resumes from their Google Drive or Dropbox accounts. In addition, the more social candidate can reap the benefits of iCIMS social integrations which allow candidates to submit their resume for a job with their social accounts like LinkedIn, Facebook, or Google+. Social capabilities also ensure that candidate applications that reach recruiters are as up to date as the news feed on their social networks.
Another convenient capability is the location based job search tool which uses GPS technology to search for positions within a specific radius of the candidate’s location. The ideal situation for any candidate is pursuing a job within a reasonable commute. This technology allows candidates to focus on opportunities in their area. This also benefits employers as it allows them to target candidates looking specifically for opportunities in the markets where the business is located. The “Year of the Candidate” is all about connecting the dots and creating a “fit” for both the candidate and employer.
Video as the rule
Video is no longer the exception, but rather the rule. Increased time constraints, diminishing budgets for travel reimbursement or coverage for out-of-state candidates, coupled with a glocal (global +local) candidate ecosystem makes video not only cost-effective, but practical. Video is the shining star across the iCIMS Talent Platform whether it is as a branding initiative on the careers page or part of the real-time Skype integration for interviewing candidates remotely.
Their newest and most exciting feature is the video cover letter. The video cover letter is one of iCIMS newest candidate screening tools that allows the candidate to showcase their skills above and beyond the parameters of what a normal resume can tell the employer. The candidate can record a short video to be submitted for consideration with their application from a computer webcam or mobile device. Rather than submit the same old cover letter that recruiters have seen for years, they get to truly understand from the candidates’ point of view why they believe they are qualified- while gaining an opportunity to assess how they communicate orally.
HR technology takes the guessing out of recruitment; while reallocating power to the candidate, in an effort to allow them to put their best foot forward as they pursue new opportunities with you. Start simplifying recruitment today and make 2014 the “Year of the Candidate”
Company Bio
iCIMS, is a leading provider of innovative Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) talent acquisition solutions, is an Inc. 500 and Software Satisfaction honoree focused on solving corporate business issues through the implementation of easy-to-use, scalable solutions that are backed by our award-winning iCARE Customer Support.
