An auditor arrived for an ambush audit. He asked to speak with the individual who oversees HR–the receptionist called me. Minutes later I entered the conference room where I had her seat him. I extended my hand and said, “Hi I’m William Wiggins, I’m in charge of HR here, what can I do for you today?” He looked at my …
Call Me! The Lost Art of Picking Up The Phone.
Gen X version: “Call me (call me) on the line Call me, call me any, anytime“ Millennial version: “Hey, I just met you, And this is crazy, But here’s my number, So call me, maybe!” Aside from the observation that Millennials are much coyer in their request for a call (“So call me, maybe!”) and those of us who identify …
The Killer HR App – Your Face
Almost 20 years ago I read a book that made me want to see around corners and over the horizon. That book was called “Unleashing the Killer App.” Far from a perfect book – but for me at the time, with my background and exposure to technology – it was an eye-opening read. It really reinforced the need to constantly …
Giving a Christmas Bonus So Employees Don’t End Up Feeling Like Clark Griswold
The more holiday seasons I work, the more I feel like Clark Griswold. If the name doesn’t ring a bell, the character certainly will. It’s the role Chevy Chase played numerous times, but most memorably in National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation. A major plot point was how Clark was anxiously waiting to hear how large his Christmas Bonus was going to …
Best Places to Work Isn’t Real, but…
Any of the best places to work lists are basically just a marketing gimmick. We all know this, right? RIGHT!? (Let’s be clear, I’m not actually talking about the specific company ‘Best Places’, but the concept of awards that say you’re better than another employer, etc.) If you make the list, great, good for you, you have resources to jump …
5 Hard Lessons I’ve Learned About Being a Better Manager and Boss
I’m a sucker for anything that tries to answer a question that I almost never hear anyone ask, much less answer: How can you be a good boss? Notice that I say anything that “tries” to answer because I usually find that most advice on how to better manage people usually goes one of two ways — it’s either very …
3 Ways to Ensure Your Work Communications Show Kindness
Work communications are always a barrel of laughs. Usually, when I have gotten in trouble either at work or with a pal, it involved me snapping off in an email. I don’t do it often, but when I do, I spend the next days downing an entire, full-fat version of humble pie, second-guessing my instincts, and generally feeling pretty s**ty. …
Walk This Way: What the #GoogleWalkout Means for HR Leaders
The irony of the Aerosmith reference in my title is not lost on me in the wake of the #GoogleWalkout over sexual harassment, gender and pay equality, and transparency in reporting. Check the lyrics if you were born in the ’90’s. What struck me as I was reading about this protest wasn’t necessarily the fact that Google paid executives to …
Give Me What I Want or I’ll Ruin Your Career (Assertiveness)
When was the last time you blew up at someone at work? When was the last time somebody got all over you to hold you accountable or get what they wanted? In either situation, the person doing the damage (you or the other person) might have a reputation for this type of thing. That type of reputation comes with a …
Numbers Don’t Lie: Smartphone Addiction Is Taking Over Your Workplace
Your workers are in denial about their smartphone addiction. OK, it’s not just YOUR workers who are in denial about this, but everyone’s workers, everywhere. This is what I take from a recent survey from KDM Engineering titled Smartphone Etiquette that hit my email last week, and as I read the findings, all I kept thinking was, “Yep, this doesn’t …