Tag: Human Resources

In the midst of companies like Yahoo and Best Buy re-evaluating their remote work plans and calling some workers back into the office, Cornell University is only planning on expanding their remote and flexible work plans, including them in a multitude of programs and plans across campus.

In the past 25 years, Cornell University has really shifted from looking at flexible work as a means to accommodate working families to really starting to treat it as part of our organizational business strategy. And I think that this is very evident in our 2010-2015 University Strategic Plan. It’s very specific in stating that we will sustain and expand flexible work arrangements whenever feasible. So I think that the attention is certainly placed on that as a means to driving our university forward.

Another plan that was recently created in 2012 is called Toward New Destinations. And the emphasis of that plan is really addressing diversity and inclusion in our workplace and in our student bodies. You may think that flexible work arrangements won’t have a home in addressing diversity and inclusion, but really the way that we look at diversity issues is that we want to create, foster, support a very diverse workplace environment for all kinds of employees and personal life experiences. And flexible work is just one tool in a large basket of work life programs that can do as such.

A third Cornell University plan, the Cornell Climate Action Plan, really takes a look at reducing carbon footprint, the amount of traffic that we have coming to campus, and the demands that we have on our parking infrastructure. Obviously, remote work among other types of flexible work arrangements like compressed  work is a means to being able to support those goals and those priorities.

And, lastly, I would add that even the federal government is taking a look at flexible work arrangements as a means to creating a very diverse workforce and using it as a tool to address issues like emergency planning and really just trying to have the most diverse and engaged workforce as possible.

Here’s a time-saving hack for HR pros: read this 8-point synopsis before you fully commit to reading the entire Deloitte survey: Transformative Technologies Driving Human Resource Organizations to ‘Leap Ahead’ in 2012.

This report focuses on 8 human capital trends you need to understand in order to deliver top-notch HR  in 2012.

1. In 2012, growth is job#1: As the economy sloooowly recovers, growth is the word on everyone’s lips. Innovation, emerging markets and mergers and acquisitions all play a major role in the growth strategy. Capitalize on opportunities by informing and shaping the growth agenda from the HR seat, identifying places where HR will have to “step-up” to make a growth strategy happen smoothly.
2. Operation globalization: Global integration models of doing business are on the rise. Your company’s home market becomes one in a pool of markets you serve, as opposed to the “top-dog” position it traditionally held. HR operations will have to be prepared for global people management and change management, designing global operating models for the HR side of business.
3. Fast track to the top: AKA the development of high-potential employees to meet the demands of emerging markets and growth opportunities.
4. People risk is risky business: In the world of “black swans” (Not the crazy ballet dancer from the movie of the same name but the low-probability event that has far-reaching ramifications), HR’s role in managing risk becomes stronger and more expansive. Risk-management becomes a day-to-day responsibility.
5. Seeing around corners: Using workforce reporting and analytics to manage uncertainty and look for patterns in an increasingly complex workforce-management world. Are you using the data you gather, or is it siloed somewhere far away from the heart of the business?
6. #social #mobile@work: Social Media and mobile devices create opportunities for HR to reach out to recruits and help internal customers, not just spy on people’s FB pages. Communities of practice and other great tools for your workforce spring from these exciting platforms.
7. Clouds in the forecast: Cloud services are changing the way business operates, and HR has a key role in helping organizations adapt. HR’s role as an early adopter of many cloud-based services makes it a “no-brainer” as the de facto leader in organizational change around the cloud.
8. Stay in front with an effective sales force: Multichannel sales require different skill sets and tools for the sales team. HR’s talent management, learning and development all must review current practices and make changes to benefit from this new model.

Warning: trying to implement all 8 at the same time may cause your head to explode. Select the relevant items that support the c-suite strategic agenda and crank them up. Then sit back and revel in the accolades. Good job!