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 by Mike Kent (originally published December 2009)
Filesize: 0.07 Mb Many of the HR professionals I speak with on a regular basis, tell me that their organizations can’t possibly afford to do any serious, formal change management programs now... |
 by Mike Kent (originally published October 2009)
Filesize: 0.05 Mb There’s a term I like to use in discussions over the years with staff, colleagues and clients about change in work and in life: Permanent White Water. Although it took on a different connotation during the investigation of the Clintons’ real estate dealings, both before and since that episode, it resonated with audiences of all types who were trying to deal with the realities of business and life today. |
 by Mike Kent (originally published September 2009)
Filesize: 0.20 Mb In prior issues, we looked at Stages 1 and 2 of the Jeitosa Comprehensive Change Model (CCM) in some detail. This month, we’ll look at the third and final stage of the model. Stage 3 is the Detect Stage as depicted below. Like the other stages, it consists of four steps and each step contains several actions. In this stage, we measure progress and accomplishments, evaluate the impact and results, tweak the process based on what has been learned so far and celebrate our successes. |
 by Mike Kent (originally published August 2009)
Filesize: 0.19 Mb Last edition, we started to look at the Jeitosa Comprehensive Change (CCM) model in some detail. I wrote about the steps in Stage 1 and what they entail. This month, we'll look at the second stage of the model. Stage 2 is the Develop Stage. Like the other stages, it consists of four steps and each step contains several actions. In this stage, we develop the information, tools and plans needed to implement a comprehensive, effective change management plan. |
 by Mike Kent (originally published June 2009)
Filesize: 0.23 Mb In prior columns, I wrote about the need to use a comprehensive model to insure that no essential element is forgotten or overlooked. As I mentioned, depending on the scope of the change and the culture of the organization, some tasks may be affirmatively curtailed or deleted. Each task, however, should be carefully considered before deletion. The failure to use a model is cited in several surveys as a major contributor to change efforts not achieving their full desired results. |
 by Mike Kent (originally published May 2009)
Filesize: 0.85 Mb Last month’s column talked about the need to have a comprehensive model for change management. Having a model that is used consistently throughout your organization insures that important steps are not overlooked in any change effort. Certainly, you may affirmatively decide to minimize or eliminate some tasks, especially if a particular change effort is small-scale or short-lived, but you would not want to overlook a particular task just because you failed to consider whether it was necessary. |
 by Mike Kent (originally published April 2009)
Filesize: 0.49 Mb Jeitosa’s Comprehensive Change Management Model is comprised of three key stages: DISCOVERY of the causes of change and planning the transition, DEVELOPMENT of the change implementation strategies, and DEPLOYMENT and measurement of the outcomes. The first thing that strikes you when you look at the graphic below is the obvious drop in productivity during the development stage. |
 by Michael Kent (originally published March 2009)
Filesize: 0.20 Mb In this first edition of the newsletter, let’s start this column by defining what we mean by change management, since there are lots of definitions out there. When we talk about it, we mean the process by which any significant business change is affirmatively planned, communicated, monitored, implemented and measured. I say affirmatively because, in reality, any change incorporates these steps, but in many cases they are done informally, privately, reactively and even accidentally. The problem with that, except in the case of the most trivial changes, is that the chances of a quick and effective implementation are minimized. If all affected parties are not involved and kept informed, their acceptance will be slow or incomplete. They may even react to the point of subverting the change. Certainly the results will not be as envisioned and measures of success, if any, will not achieve planned levels. |
 by Don Harris (originally published February 2010)
Filesize: 0.07 Mb The FTC, in responding to a comment received on the proposed settlement reached with one of the six companies recently found to have let its Safe Harbor certification |
 by Don Harris (originally published December 2009)
Filesize: 0.07 Mb Massachusetts Finalizes Data Security Regulations: On November 4th the Massachusetts Office of Consumer Affairs and Business Regulation announced... |
 by Don Harris (originally published October 2009)
Filesize: 0.06 Mb The International Scene |
 by Don Harris (originally published September 2009)
Filesize: 0.06 Mb FTC Takes Enforcement Action over Safe Harbor |
 by Don Harris (originally published August 2009)
Filesize: 0.06 Mb Commissioner Finds Facebook Violates Canadian Privacy Law |
 by Don Harris (originally published June 2009)
Filesize: 0.06 Mb On the national scene, the US Supreme Court issued the most significant Fourth Amendment decision in decades, ruling in Arizona v. Gant that police may not automatically search a vehicle when arresting an occupant. Data breaches were top stories in May, with the National Archives and Records Administration reporting the loss of an external hard drive with personally identifiable information from the office of President Clinton and an extortionist demanding $10 million for eight million prescription drug records hacked from a state government website in Virginia. |
 by Donald Harris (originally published May 2009)
Filesize: 0.05 Mb Three More EU Member States Join BCR Mutual Recognition Club |
 by Donald Harris (originally published April 2009)
Filesize: 0.05 Mb EEOC Issues Draft Regulations for GINA. The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has proposed new rules to implement the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (GINA) that prohibit discrimination on the basis of "genetic information" by insurers and employers. |
 by Donald Harris (originally published March 2009)
Filesize: 0.28 Mb Internationally, a European court expanded privacy rights in relation to photographs, while the European Commission disbanded a panel of privacy experts judged to be too American in its composition. Surveillance societies around the world, in the US and the UK in particular, came under blistering attacks, while a scandal over corporate surveillance of employees rocked Germany. A draft of a proposed new international data privacy standard advanced in Spain, while DPAs in Austria and Switzerland acted on issues relating to whistle-blowing hotlines and background checks. |
 by John Macy (originally published February 2010)
Filesize: 0.07 Mb It is very safe to say that Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) is here to stay. It is no longer viewed with skepticism as a possible hyped up marketing strategy. It has established its credentials as a cost effective delivery mechanism that benefits everyone associated with business application development, deployment and usage. The total cost of ownership models can now be verified with use case examples. Hence now is the right time to evaluate what’s next and our focus shifts to Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS). Let’s examine potential of PaaS for HCM. |
 by John Macy (originally published January 2010)
Filesize: 0.06 Mb As the first decade of the 21st century closes, it could be interesting to take a look at what may be in store for the next decade. We can even make up some names for |
 by John Macy (originally published December 2009)
Filesize: 0.07 Mb The ambition of every HR department is to be seen as a strategic partner within the organization: yet, if executive leadership does not view HR as administratively efficient, then they are strategically irrelevant... |
 by John Macy (originally published October 2009)
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In a room full of technology visionaries you would not get much of an argument if you stated that ERP vendors have given up trying to be the best in every HR functional area, software integration was the focus of most R&D budgets, that Software-as-a-Service was the most popular delivery platform, that cloud computing as a development platform was becoming the preferred option, and mashups or composite applications are the best way to extend a business application. We have seen companies implement all of these strategies over the last couple of years but what they lack is a means of integrating everything into a cohesive operational platform. |
 by John Macy (originally published September 2009)
Filesize: 0.05 Mb Every modern city is building a tunnel or an overpass or some wide expressway to get traffic flowing faster. Unfortunately, increased speed often contributes to the motorists arriving at the traffic jam quicker than before. Where once traffic moved very slowly five miles from the city, they now go quickly to two miles out and then come to a grinding halt. It is often the same with software implementations: everyone wants a return on investment, and the faster the systems are implemented, the sooner they start paying back the investment and everyone is happy -- providing they work as expected. |
 by John Macy (originally published August 2009)
Filesize: 0.05 Mb A solution for application integration and the exchange of data between external systems has long eluded the software development community. Information transmitted between recruitment, benefits and payroll components and core systems of record has used many different techniques, none of which were particularly successful. When it came to compliance reporting companies often resorted to manual processes to ensure the information arrived in the right place, in the right format, and at the right time. The emergence of Web services and the extensible markup language (XML) opened up new opportunities for companies to exchange data in a more structured way. |
 by John Macy (originally published June 2009)
Filesize: 0.09 Mb Technology to support the human resource business practice has always held a low priority in corporate information technology investment portfolios. Human resource information systems (HRIS) or human capital management (HCM) technology suites were not seen as mission critical and played a back-seat role to investments in operational and marketing technology. In the eyes of the executive team, if payroll wasn’t bundled up with an HRIS or HCM it would be very hard to win a business case over any investment that promised increased revenue. |
 by John Macy (originally published May 2009)
Filesize: 0.05 Mb Software as a Service (SaaS) was doing well before the global recession. The new delivery method was redefining the HR software industry and changing the way companies viewed their technology acquisitions and deployment strategies. The business case for renting rather than purchasing technology appealed to just about everyone in the organization. Advances in the way applications were designed and delivered meant new economies of scale could be introduced to make software much cheaper to operate. Initiatives such as multi-tenant architecture meant hardware could be hosted by a third party and infrastructure cost avoidance could be achieved with no loss of service quality or security concern. |
 by John Macy (originally published April 2009)
Filesize: 0.05 Mb Evaluating HRMS software products to find the right solution for an organization has always been time consuming and difficult. Often the users were uncertain of what they really wanted, the scope of the project was global and regions were excluded from the process, the infrastructure limitations were not well understood and the requirements obtained by well-intended but inexperienced internal staff. |
 by John Macy (originally published March 2009)
Filesize: 1.10 Mb As the digital age accelerates, the traditional software landscape is fading away. Legacy systems are being replaced by modern, agile software components that can be combined and consolidated into best-fit, best-of-breed solutions to meet companies' specific business needs. The emerging world of open standards, cloud computing, Service-Oriented Architecture (SOA), and Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) are changing the nature of application software selection in multiple ways. |
 by Karen Beaman (originally published February 2010)
Filesize: 0.07 Mb The choice of Shared Services over any other approach to service delivery is essentially an exercise in “right-placing” -- performing functions in the place where they can be done best and most efficiently, simultaneously freeing other “places” (i.e., businesses) in the company to make the best use of their resources. This is a company-internal example of the long-recognized economic principle of Comparative Advantage |
 by Karen Beaman (originally published January 2010)
Filesize: 0.06 Mb The beginning of a new year is always a time to look back and reflect on what we accomplished (or didn't!) last year and look forward to what will be different (we hope!) in the coming year. So here are three things that I think have changed for HR and HR systems during this rough, recessionary year -- the worse economic year for business since the Great Depression |
 by Karen Beaman (originally published December 2009)
Filesize: 0.10 Mb We have just completed the preliminary analysis of our second annual Going Global Readiness Survey. Over 100 global organizations responded to the survey with companies ranging from 500 employees to over 200,000 employees and covering a broad range of industries. Three-quarters of the organizations are North American multinationals and 14% are based in Europe, Middle East and Africa... MORE |
 by Karen Beaman (originally published October 2009)
Filesize: 0.31 Mb “Best practices” is an expression we hear regularly in the press, presentations, brochures, and white papers by vendors, consultants, and analysts who want to “sell” the world their point of view. But what is “best” in one person’s opinion may not necessarily be the “best” for everyone based on each organization’s unique history, culture, industry, vision, leadership, strategy, and business goals. Hence, it is more appropriate to talk about “leading practices”-- that is, widely recognized business practices that, when implemented correctly, bring enhanced business value to the organization. |
 by Karen Beaman (originally published September 2009)
Filesize: 0.24 Mb I am often asked about solutions for global payroll and of course there’s no easy answer -- no silver bullet -- as Christian Adlung my colleague in Europe wrote about in the March issue of Jeitosa’s HRInsights. What most companies mean by “global payroll” is the ability to handle payroll processing “in countries other than their home country.” The platform is not as important to most as is assurance that the payroll is on-time, accurate, and locally compliant (e.g., taxes, legislation, reporting). The reason that global payroll is such a complex problem is that there are many countries to cover and many options to consider. The graphic depicts four different organizational, processing, and technology structures that must be considered with determining your path forward with global payroll. |
 by Karen Beaman (originally published August 2009)
Filesize: 0.14 Mb I’ve recently had the pleasure to work with my friend and colleague Lexy Martin from CedarCrestone to investigate how different types of global organizations leverage HR technology to support their business goals. Those of you who are familiar with my work know how I have adopted the Bartlett and Ghoshal typology for classifying global organizations and their level of maturity along the globalization journey. |
 by Karen Beaman (originally published June 2009)
Filesize: 0.22 Mb Pankaj Ghemawat, global strategist and Harvard professor says too many people are spouting off about the flattening of the world, the death of distance, and the disappearance of differences across countries. He calls such rantings “globaloney” -- the illusion of a borderless, flat world and hence the tendency to overestimate the extent of and process of globalization. Ghemawat maintains that the world is NOT flat: the fact is that most economic activity, including direct investment, tourism, and communication, happens locally, not internationally. Ghemawat considers the world "semi-globalized." |
 by Karen Beaman (originally published May 2009)
Filesize: 0.13 Mb The tides are shifting on the age-old question for Human Capital Management (HCM): Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) Suite versus Best-of-Breed (BOB). The 1980’s movement toward a single vendor, single platform ERP system is altering its course toward modern, agile, single function, fully integrated systems. This change is being enabled with the growth of Web 2.0 – the method of software and service delivery via the Internet that is now penetrating all aspects of our work and personal lives. |
 by Karen Beaman (originally published April 2009)
Filesize: 0.08 Mb We are in the midst of the most tumultuous and precarious business times of our careers. Looking to others for advice and guidance is one way to shed some light on our dilemmas. Few luminaries are more often quoted than Albert Einstein, the 20th century German mathematician and theoretical physicist. And much of what he said 75 years ago still rings true today. Here are a few of Einstein’s most illuminating observations and how they can be applied to the modern world of human resources. |
 by Karen Beaman (originally published March 2009)
Filesize: 0.23 Mb “Think strategic, act tactical” a former boss used to tell me – and I can’t think of any better advice than this for HR leaders in today’s turbulent times. Maintaining a long-term, strategic focus while working on short-term, concrete activities is one strategy for results. There is no question that this is hard to do when we’re under increasing pressure to do more with less. But the only way to do more with less is to take a smarter approach. |
 by Martin Stockton (originally published February 2010)
Filesize: 0.06 Mb Expanding into new markets can result in significant competitive advantages. Yet the roadmap to global expansion is not without challenges... |
 by Sandee Pierce (originally published February 2010)
Filesize: 0.07 Mb This article is the second in a two-part series on project success factors and builds upon those factors explored last month. While I have not provided an all-inclusive list... |
 by Sandee Pierce (originally published January 2010)
Filesize: 0.11 Mb In today’s world of emerging markets and global partnerships, international, multi-country, distributed projects are becoming the norm. Due to the global nature |
 by Jim Pettit (originally published August 2009)
Filesize: 0.05 Mb Consistent with the distributed nature of the SaaS (Software-as-a-Service model, the requirement to recruit specialized skills and the desire to minimize deployment costs with tight travel budgets, SaaS deployment projects are good candiates for remote and virtual teams. |
 by Jim Pettit (originally published June 2009)
Filesize: 0.09 Mb As a SaaS application deployment project manager the most frequently asked and often toughest question to answer is how long will this take? This question is a critical consideration to all internal and external project stakeholders from those setting proper expectations during the sales cycle, framing appropriate change management strategies, and establishing infrastructure support systems to those who are responsible for project deliverables. |
 "HRinsights Project Management: A Smorgasbord of Resources - Options are Plentiful at the SaaS Buffet" link
by James Pettit (originally published May 2009)
Filesize: 0.05 Mb Finding qualified resources to deploy a new SaaS (software-as-a-service) system has never been easier and more cost effective. As with anything, today’s economy comes with its share of silver linings, and staffing SaaS system implementations might just fall in that category. For those companies that are taking advantage of the current economic environment by implementing cost-effective, business differentiating SaaS systems, the quality and quantity of available resources has never been greater at any time in our history. |
 "HRinsights Project Management: Managing Scope in a SaaS Implementation Doesn’t Have to Be Like Nailing Jello to a Tree" link
by Jim Pettit (originally published April 2009)
Filesize: 0.05 Mb Imagine nailing a target to a tree so you could take aim at the bull’s eye while practicing your archery skills. Now imagine that the target is made out of jello. Defining project scope and making sure all stakeholders are aware of the bull’s eye has always been a challenge with implementing systems. Many stakeholders with many wants and needs require alignment within the limitations of the software. Now we have SaaS applications with their promise of constant and real time evolution. |
 by James Pettit (originally published March 2009)
Filesize: 0.23 Mb Don’t let new technology fool you into thinking that strong project management fundamentals have changed. The move towards SaaS solutions is the latest technology tidal wave cascading upon our workstations, laptops, and hand-held communication devices promising better business decisions across the corporate landscape. And while the reasons to migrate to a SaaS solution can be a logical business choice, the idea that the implementation of these applications throughout the corporate community is “different” or “easier” than previous technology solutions is leading many companies down a primed-rose path of disappointment. |
 "HRinsights Regional Update Asia Pacific: Employee Record Keeping - Is DNA Profile on the List?" link
by John Macy (originally published February 2010)
Filesize: 0.07 Mb Like the USA, Australia has always made every effort to bring home their soldiers killed in action to ensure they receive a decent burial. It seems time is irrelevant... |
 by John Macy (originally published January 2010)
Filesize: 0.07 Mb According to numerous published reports and statistics, the Asia Pacific region has been a major contributor to greenhouse gas emission. The failure of the... |
 by John Macy (originally published December 2009)
Filesize: 0.07 Mb The ambition of every HR department is to be seen as a strategic partner within the organization: yet, if executive leadership does not view HR as administratively efficient, then they are... |
 by John Macy (originally published October 2009)
Filesize: 0.05 Mb
Not so long ago talent management was the big ticket item: The business community understood the importance of attracting and retaining the best workforce possible. Competition for the most skilled people was intense. Companies sought a competitive edge through offering attractive salary packages and benefits and software vendors quickly developed sophisticated talent management, recruitment and on-boarding software solutions. Then along came the threat of recession. |
 by John Macy (originally published September 2009)
Filesize: 0.06 Mb Only a couple of months ago all the talk in business circles was about a recession and whether the Asia Pacific region along with the rest of the world were going to plummet into economic turmoil. The China driven mineral resource boom had slowed down and everyone was expecting a prolonged recession and maybe even a depression. In Australia, many of the workers who had travelled west to make their fortune in the minefields of West Australia were returning home with limited prospects of finding employment. Things were looking pretty grim. |
 by John Macy (originally published August 2009)
Filesize: 0.05 Mb In 2008 the Australian Government launched an initiative to reduce the red tape associated with compliance reporting to government departments. The vehicle they chose to facilitate reporting was the XBRL (eXtensible Business Reporting Language) and formed an SBR (Standard Business Reporting) working group to look at the number and type of reports that businesses were required to submit to government agencies. HCM software vendors were encouraged to make their products SBR/XBRL enabled. |
 by John Macy (originally published June 2009)
Filesize: 0.11 Mb On the 1st of July 2009 the new Fair Work Bill 2008 will go into effect. The new legislation replaces the current Workplace Relations Act 1996 and fulfils a promise made by the Labor Government during the 2007 election campaign. The Workplace Relations Act was always controversial and issues, such as unfair dismissal, were constantly raised, argued and eventually became an election issue, which many consider was largely responsible for toppling the previous government. It now remains to be seen whether the new legislation will be accepted by employees and employers alike and won’t end up changing every time Australia has a change of government. |
 by John Macy (originally published May 2009)
Filesize: 0.05 Mb Like every country, Australia has announced a stimulus package to revive the economy and avoid a deeper recession. Of course, that comes with a massive amount of debt. The Federal Treasurer has produced a budget aimed at recovering the debt through a series of initiatives that will impact HR and technology solutions. Initiatives like increasing the pension age from 65 to 67, using superannuation (pension) funds for infrastructure projects to avoid borrowing on the open financial market, and taxing employee share ownership schemes in a different way. |
 by John Macy (originally published April 2009)
Filesize: 0.05 Mb How long have we heard the call for HR to be given a seat at the top level of an organization and to be heard at Board level? Well now we have a chance. Recently the Australian Government changed the rules relating to CEO remuneration, or compensation as it is also known. Tired of seeing huge payouts on termination to sometimes non-performing CEOs the Government has acted to bring in legislation restricting the amount of the payout retiring CEOs can receive. |
 by John Macy (originally published March 2009)
Filesize: 0.22 Mb Apart from the southern part of Australia being on fire, the north under deep flood water, the north east being hit by cyclones, the interior being still in the grip of a severe drought, sharks and crocodiles attacking the population with unusual regularity, nothing much is happening down under. Just a normal day at the office: Except for the worst recession we have seen in years, unemployment rising to the worst level in 10 years and some businesses packing up and moving their operations off-shore. Some of the trading partners to the north have problems as well. The mining boom in Australia that fed the growing Chinese economy has slowed considerably. Just as the rest of the world, the APAC region is also feeling the pinch of the global recession. |
 by Christian Adlung (originally published February 2010)
Filesize: 0.10 Mb I think we all agree that the Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) model is a great opportunity for corporations to adopt new HR functionality, such as Performance Management... |
 by Felipe Carneiro (originally published February 2010)
Filesize: 0.11 Mb Minister of Labor and Employment Shri Mallikarjun Kharge declared that India is making every effort to eliminate child labour. In addition, National Child Labor |
 by Christian Adlung (originally published January 2010)
Filesize: 0.11 Mb Talent Management is a hot topic in Europe. Everybody is talking about Performance Management, Recruiting, Learning, Competencies and all the other areas... |
 by Christian Adlung (originally published December 2009)
Filesize: 0.11 Mb Shouldn’t the holidays be a time when you sit back for awhile, relax, spend some time with your family and think about the year that is almost over? So, why is it that so many European... |
 by Felipe Carneiro (originally published November 2009)
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Located at the southern tip of the African continent, The Republic of South Africa shows one of the world’s most diverse cultures, with many different languages, ethnicities and religious beliefs. The country accomplished a major achievement with the 1994 democratic elections, when it rejoined the Commonwealth of Nations. |
 by Christian Adlung (originally published October 2009)
Filesize: 0.09 Mb Works Councils in Europe are a very powerful part of organizations. The primary duty of the Works Council is to protect the employees and their working rights within the company. In most European countries, it is not the employers who choose to implement a Works Council, but rather the employees. If employees want to have a Works Council, it must be allowed and supported by the employer. |
 "HRinsights Regional Update Europe: How to Harmonize Your Payroll-Vendor-Landscape Across Europe?" link
by Christian Adlung (originally published September 2009)
Filesize: 0.10 Mb In the March issue of our HRinsights, we asked the question “Global Payroll, Dream or Reality?” Even if there is not a real Global Payroll System available, there are a small number of Payroll vendors, who provide a consolidated view to International Payroll data. The main model in that area is to provide a data warehouse for Payroll data and link it to local Payroll gross-to-net provider. Additionally, some of the vendor provides capabilities to enter data centrally into their system and send it to the local Payroll partners. |
 by Christian Adlung (originally published August 2009)
Filesize: 0.09 Mb Are the words of George Gershwin's famous song really true for the summer in Europe? … Actually, I am not sure. |
 by Christian Adlung (originally published June 2009)
Filesize: 0.10 Mb I am often asked by clients and prospects what is the best way to deliver HR services across the Europe, Middle-East and Africa (EMEA) region when employing a shared service center model, either internally or externally. Is an off-shoring or an in-region delivery model better? |
 by Christian Adlung (originally published May 2009)
Filesize: 0.05 Mb Actually, there are two wedding seasons in Europe: the end of December and the full month of May. While the December timeframe is popular for weddings because of the tax benefits that you can gain for the full year, May is a popular month for weddings for the more romantic reasons. While I don’t expect any romantic “business weddings” (better known as Mergers, Acquisitions or Joint Ventures), the market in Europe will see quite an increase in M&A activity in May and in the following months. |
 by Christian Adlung (originally published April 2009)
Filesize: 0.05 Mb April is the month of the changing weather in a lot of Central European countries. At one moment it rains a lot, and at the next moment, the sun shines bright from above. One thing is clear in this month: you cannot count on the weather forecast. There is a saying in Germany: “Im April, da macht das Wetter was es will” – “In April the weather does what it wants.” |
 by Christian Adlung (originally published March 2009)
Filesize: 0.28 Mb What all multinational corporations are looking for especially those in Europe is one truly global payroll system that provides one engine/database for all local and legislative requirements and all standard payroll setups for all countries they operate in. In addition, the solution needs to be cost effective for all different sizes of country populations. Now wouldn’t that be nice? |
 by Felipe Carneiro (originally published December 2009)
Filesize: 0.07 Mb The second largest country in Latin America (the first is Brazil), Argentina declared its independence from Spain on July 9th, 1816, and today is the largest Spanish-speaking country in the world (in terms of land area). |
 by Luiz Oliveira (originally published September 2009)
Filesize: 0.05 Mb The Information Technology (IT) adoption index for Latin America fell by 1.9% year-over-year in 2009, according to the Information Society Indicator (ISI). The ISI study measures IT adoption on a quarterly basis in the region, providing detailed information on Chile, Argentina, Colombia, Brazil, Mexico and Peru. The index measures internet, computer and television usage (ICT). |
 by Felipe Carneiro (originally published August 2009)
Filesize: 0.06 Mb Chile is one of the most developed and well-organized countries in Latin America. The country declared its independence from Spain in 1818, and in 1973 a military coup against President Salvador Allende resulted in 17 years (1973-1990) of military rule under the command of General Augusto Pinochet. With a population of 17 million people, Chile today is a democratic country with Michelle Bachelet as the current president. |
 by Luiz Henrique de Oliveira (originally published June 2009)
Filesize: 0.10 Mb In economics, a recession is a general slowdown in economic activity or a contraction of the business cycle over a sustained period of time. During a recession, many macroeconomic indicators vary in similar ways. Gross Domestic Product (GDP), employment, investment spending, capacity utilization, household income, and business profits – aspects used to measure production – all fall during a recession. Employment, investment spending, and business profits are directly related to human resources business functions and supporting technology applications. |
 by Luiz Henrique de Oliveira (originally published April 2009)
Filesize: 0.05 Mb Why BPO is so hot in Latin America nowadays? Quite simply it is because it increases organizational flexibility and flexibility is critical to achieving effective operations. Business process outsourcing (BPO) is a form of outsourcing that involves the contracting of the operations and responsibilities of a specific business function (or set of processes) to a third-party service provider. Originally this was associated with manufacturing firms, such as Coca Cola who outsourced large segments of its supply chain. |
 by Luiz Henrique de Oliveira (originally published March 2009)
Filesize: 0.24 Mb If you die in Brazil you will be buried within 24 hours. It’s the law. But that’s not the case during Carnival, when people say “I am going to die this Carnival.” Rather, they are trying to say they will devote huge efforts in this celebration of indulgences. So you can see why Carnival might be an explanation as to why business does not kick off in Brazil before March. And this particular year, with the global recession everywhere, business seems to be kicking off even slower than usual. |
 by Mike Kent (originally published February 2010)
Filesize: 0.11 Mb Can you believe it’s a new decade already? That’s how last month’s article started a review of 2009. This month, believing by now that it really is a new year... |
 by North America (originally published January 2010)
Filesize: 0.07 Mb Can you believe it’s a new year already? By the way, is this year two thousand and ten or year twenty ten? Either way, the past year has been an exciting and unusual one by... |
 by Mike Kent (originally published December 2009)
Filesize: 0.07 Mb For our Canadian clients and US-based clients with operations in Canada, here is a summary of some recent legal issues and cases in Canada. They’re probably not news to our Canadian... |
 by Mike Kent (originally published October 2009)
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Recently, I’ve seen several reports about the growing number of free-lancers, contingent workers, and independent contractors. Some reports have the current portion in the U.S. at 30% and growing. One report says that, in the U.S. the proportion will reach as high as 60% by 2012. For me, this raises the interesting question of how these workers will be treated and compensated. In my experience, it’s an issue that many companies have not yet thought seriously about, let alone started to face. |
 by Mike Kent (originally published September 2009)
Filesize: 0.10 Mb As the debate rages on, in increasingly partisan and increasingly strident terms, it is meaningful and timely to take a look at the main issues of the debate. Some background: Virtually every president since Theodore Roosevelt has proposed some form of national health care. It’s important to remember that, depending on the model, universal or national healthcare does not necessarily mean government-run or even government-financed health care. |
 by Sandee Pierce (originally published September 2009)
Filesize: 0.07 Mb In the past the process of hiring new employees required time consuming efforts to solicit and process feedback from candidate references. The effort usually generated limited responses for analyzing a candidate’s “true” value leaving employers with little more than resumes of skills and traits to make the hiring decision. In short, reference checking went through a period when they had to find new ways to get to the truth and put an end to the recruiting staff “going through the motions” with basically no real return on the time invested. |
 "HRinsights Regional Update North America: The Swine Flu Is Coming Whether We're Ready or Not!" link
by Mike Kent (originally published August 2009)
Filesize: 0.08 Mb Even though there has been less media coverage lately, the volume is likely to increase as a second wave of the flu is expected to hit especially hard in North America during the approaching winter months. Some facts you may not know: |
 by Mike Kent (originally published May 2009)
Filesize: 0.05 Mb Last month, I wrote about the first major piece of employment legislation that President Obama signed: the alluringly alliterative Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act. The second major employment law on its way is the Paycheck Fairness Act (PFA). An earlier version was introduced in 2005 and died in committee. Re-introduced in Congress in early January by then Senator Hilary Clinton and Representative Rosa DeLauro, it passed the House by an even bigger margin than Lilly. |
 by Mike Kent (originally published April 2009)
Filesize: 0.04 Mb The first major piece of employment legislation that President Obama signed was the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act. Aside from the alluring alliteration of its title, there’s not much to recommend it to employers. To be objective, however, it does remedy some obvious (and some would say unfair) disadvantages suffered by previous litigants in discriminatory pay actions. |
 by Michael Kent (originally published March 2009)
Filesize: 0.11 Mb Of course, the big news in North America, and most of the rest of the world, is the economy. In the U.S. most of that news revolves around what the new administration plans to do about it. For organizations of virtually every size and type, in every location and industry, the question is how to respond. Layoffs, cutbacks, reductions in services and benefits, lowered expectations and general pessimism are the order of the day. The big questions for HR are how to implement reduction programs, how to keep remaining employees motivated, how to do more with fewer resources and how to keep a positive outlook through all of that. |
 by Steve Parker (originally published February 2010)
Filesize: 0.08 Mb In previous articles we have touched on the importance of Service Level Agreements (SLA) and how they can impact customer and employee performance... |
 by Karen Beaman (originally published January 2010)
Filesize: 0.07 Mb Developing Shared Services in a single country presents a familiar range of challenges that are common to any large new initiative: developing cost-benefit... |
 by Steve Parker (originally published December 2009)
Filesize: 0.12 Mb Last month we discussed two typical causes for employee retention problems within HR Shared Service organizations. The first was stress related to the never-ending demands placed upon our... |
 by Steve Parker (originally published November 2009)
Filesize: 0.08 Mb
A problem that often plagues shared services functions is the high rate of employee turnover. Comparative studies have found that retention rates are lower in many shared services groups when compared to other business units, even within the same organization. Why is that?
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 by Steve Parker (originally published August 2009)
Filesize: 0.06 Mb Everyone in today’s business environment is well aware of the pressure on our bottom line. Business is looking into every nook and cranny to find ways to cut overhead, lower operating cost, and improve margins. As shared services professionals we owe it to our businesses and to ourselves to review our operations and look for opportunity to improve our financial performance. But where to look? |
 by Steve Parker (originally published May 2009)
Filesize: 0.06 Mb When I speak with Human Resource Shared Services (HRSS) management teams about how they measure their success, I’m always amazed at the similarity in their answers. Almost everyone talks about how they measure the number of transactions processed, or the number of inquiries answered and resolved, or how many open issues remain at the end of the reporting period. Some even talk about trend metrics; how are they doing over time in these areas. |
 by Steve Parker (originally published April 2009)
Filesize: 0.06 Mb In our last article we discussed the economics of establishing a HR Shared Services (HRSS) function as well as making sure the right business functions were considered for the group. In this installment of HRinsights we’ll dive a little deeper into what factors should be considered when looking at the actual work that should be moved into an HRSS function. |
 by Steve Parker (originally published March 2009)
Filesize: 0.25 Mb As our global economic situation continues to generate headlines and occupy our board room conversations, more organizations are looking into some form of shared services function as a means to reduce cost, do more with less, and try to improve the bottom line. But does moving to a HR Shared Service (HRSS) model produce the desired results? |
 by Jim Pettit (originally published February 2010)
Filesize: 0.22 Mb In previous HRinsights articles we talked about our LIVE/THRIVE/DRIVE methodology, which has become popular in the deployment of SaaS business solutions... |
 by Jim Pettit (originally published January 2010)
Filesize: 0.18 Mb In previous installments of this series I discussed the importance of strong systems as a key foundation for organizations who desire to create market differientiators... |
 by Jim Pettit (originally published December 2009)
Filesize: 0.19 Mb In previous installments of this series I discussed establishing strong system foundations as a key building block for organizations who are looking to create market differentiators... |
 by Jim Pettit (originally published September 2009)
Filesize: 0.05 Mb The LIVE phase of the LIVE-THRIVE-DRIVE approach to SaaS systems deployment focuses on meeting current functionality, integrations, and report requirements while replacing current systems and manual processes used to meet these business needs. This sets the foundation for the THRIVE and DRIVE phases when the emphasis turns to deploying additional features and functionality where business efficiencies can be recognized and ultimately enhance business performance. |
 by Jim Pettit (originally published August 2009)
Filesize: 0.05 Mb In the LIVE phase of the LIVE-THRIVE-DRIVE approach to SaaS (Software-as-a-Service) systems deployment, the focus is on deploying current functionality, needed integrations, and required reports to replace current systems and manual processes to meet critical business needs. The key objective is to set the foundation for the THRIVE and DRIVE phases when the emphasis turns to deploying additional features and functionality where business efficiencies can be recognized and subsequently enhance business performance. |
 by Jim Pettit (originally published June 2009)
Filesize: 0.05 Mb In the LIVE phase of the LIVE-THRIVE-DRIVE approach to SaaS (Software-as-a-Service) systems deployment, the focus is on deploying current functionality, critical integrations, and required reports to replace the company’s current systems and manual processes. The key objective of the LIVE phase is to set the foundation for the THRIVE and DRIVE phases when the emphasis turns to deploying additional features and functionality where business efficiencies can be recognized that will subsequently enhance business performance. |
 "HRinsights Systems Deployment: The Four Stages of Rapid Prototyping – Discover / Define / Develop / Deploy" link
by James Pettit (originally published May 2009)
Filesize: 0.05 Mb Life’s reality in a Web 2.0 SaaS economy is one of perpetual projects with constant feature functionality enhancements. Understanding business requirements are never static due to business environment changes, new regulatory requirement, and system stakeholders constantly coming and going, we view this as a positive sign. |
 by Jim Pettit (originally published April 2009)
Filesize: 0.15 Mb Strong foundations are the building blocks for creating future market differentiators. It’s the market differentiators that allow organizations to survive the tough times and separate themselves from the competition in better times. Research tells us that individual core values such as integrity, work ethic, and goal achievement are established by the second grade and are predictors of success years later in the work place. Physical structures without a strong foundation have a limit on how much growth they can support. |
 by James Pettit (originally published March 2009)
Filesize: 0.39 Mb While lowering software acquisition and maintenance costs is strong enough reason for most to look at new technology solutions with their scalable cost structures, the savvy business leaders of today are looking to invest their shrinking budgets in places where they can gain additional savings and increased profitability. The challenge becomes how to rapidly deploy a systems solution to immediately recognize cost savings while setting the foundation for future development so that ongoing savings and profit opportunities can be realized. At Jeitosa we have developed a phased implementation methodology – LIVE-THRIVE-DRIVE – that focuses immediate cost savings and instant business value through an effective and rapid implementation process. |
 by Mike Kent (originally published February 2010)
Filesize: 0.14 Mb Last month, I wrote about why Talent Management (TM) has taken on renewed importance in this time of global recession. I also explained the importance of... |
 by Mike Kent (originally published January 2010)
Filesize: 0.12 Mb Like so many things in business (and in life), everything old is new again. Talent Management (TM) has gotten really hot (again). Organizations have come to realize that in difficult economies and markets good talent management is not only essential, but may be the only differentiating factor that cannot really be copied or replicated. |
 by Jim Candler (originally published December 2009)
Filesize: 0.08 Mb Everyone has been talking about succession planning lately. Pre-recession, it was the fear of baby boomers walking out the door and flocking to Florida for a warm and restful retirement... |
 by Sandee Pierce (originally published December 2009)
Filesize: 0.11 Mb Born or Made? |
 Those were the days. Not too long ago, it was a foregone conclusion that every year a salary bump was not only anticipated but expected. Do I hear Archie and Edith Bunker tinkling the ivories? Have we said good-bye to those days? And if yes, is the departure a permanent one, or a temporary state of affairs as a result of the economic downturn? According to all reports, both merit increase budgets and annual bonus funding are down in 2009. The projected merit increases that companies had planned for 2009 were reduced sharply. |
 There is a saying that when life hands you a lemon, make lemonade. Well this year HR folks are definitely dealing with plenty of lemons: pay freezes, no bonuses, hiring freezes, RIFs (reductions in force), and pay cuts. So how do you turn all these negatives (lemons) into a positive (lemonade) for your company and its employees? |