Saying Goodbye

So this is the saddest part of it, oh such sad ending of us….. it howls, so much audible pains. In every room and time of us, there was a box; of memories that we shared in seclusion, happiness and sadness. Now it is time to pack up with sorrow and with pains:

The first thing to do is to share a simple but faint smile

Whenever the thought of you just comes by

Quietly and slowly fading off into forever but with pains and tears in my heart

It is all I can, but do

Next are all the memories of the times and moments

That we spent first as two persons and then as one

Sealed with an eternal faith, love and hope

Breaking beyond boundaries and borders

Remember the butterflies I had when you were near

Now in a cage of sadness and locked up with a tear

This time may never come again

Because I know you are forgetting me slowly and steadily

Next are the times we kissed, each with a sigh

Of all the times I’ve asked myself why that I never found why

Then I have to tenderly pack up the pieces of my heart which have fallen into pieces

And place them next to a distant smile

Finally all the shattered wishes placed in softly so no more can break nor ache again.

Lastly walking round each room

Closing each and every curtain, shutting every door

And leaving behind each and every pain.

Gathering the memories we shared

And making sure I have them all

Yes, because I cared and you know I really did care

Then leaving them in the chapters of yesterday.

Then I will now close my heart and cry no more

Walk onward to forever

Like one lost in the desert

For I know you will be gone with the wind

THE NEW HR

Today’s workforce is now far more advanced and developed than yesterday’s workforce. It is common to see that there are no enough jobs – in fact, this is the biggest problem facing today’s workforce. This of course is not alien to any workforce population regardless the country and continent. Let us take a look at the followings:

• Anxiety associated with retirement
• Inability to find a job in a short while
• Corporate ideology and attitude
• Emergence of crummy jobs
• The next ‘Big Thing’ as Samsung calls it, is finally here.

All these explains why soon, today’s workforce may not be same as tomorrow’s workforce. A very serious consideration for HR. Today’s workforce has grown to be more technologically savvy and software driven and this of course, comes with ups and downs. One thing that we have failed to realize is that today’s workforce will be yesterday’s workforce after all life is a constant change, so why won’t HR evolve and change also? Of course, we are the soul of the body, the blood of any organization for without HR, the organization is but a zoo!

One thing that readily comes to mind when I think of tomorrow’s workforce is “What role will HR play tomorrow” especially in this age of technological transformation and orientation. From generations to generations of technology; DOS to Windows; from Client/Server to Internet; from physical workplace to virtual workplace; from “old things” to “next big thing is here”; most of all HR technology implementations have taken a very new dimension. In fact technology has made HR to be less reactive than proactive. One thing you can’t take away is that we are still in the business of storage of information from name to department to organizational hierarchy and restructuring. We have been in the business of information and still storing information on rivals and competitors. The organization has forgotten that we are the business itself for how can the organization survive without information. We are still storing our biggest competitive weapon, talent data, but sadly in subsystems instead of putting the subsystems into one system.

So HR must evolve since change is not stagnant and this is why HR often clash with the organization as a whole with the former thinking of tomorrow and the latter still very much in the business of today’s workforce and its prejudice. I would say for HR that painting the picture of the future Workforce and currently the organization “ill prepared” the onus is before corporate executives to parley with HR needs in order to create and execute a technology strategy for 2020 and beyond, not for 2013 or 2014.

A few things to ponder on:

• The future of HR’s role will be in the line of talent acquisition; a shift from transactional activities to transformational activities; from inward to outward; from today to tomorrow.
• Business will move at a more a faster pace than it was in the last 30 years. Sadly, many organizations that are in existence today will be no more in 5 to 10 years from now. The new world will be born. New organizations that
• The organization will be a virtual environment, why and how? What are you thinking when Google introduced “Google-Drive?” “Google Hang-out?” I am not to technologically savvy but I do know that there are days I would stay at home and still be able to communicate with my colleagues at work. What are thinking of work-flex? Except you are not in this part of world. It will be a virtual world.
• Social media will not be the only concept. In fact, social media may be long gone in years to come, did you just say how again? What happened to Yahoo Messenger? Something bigger will come and Facebook and other sites will not be very adaptive to the future.
• The biggest issue is this: ever wondered what the year 2020 would mean in the workforce? It is easy to talk about baby boomer generation retiring but we have forgotten that the youngest baby boomer today is just 50 years old. So by 2020 and beyond, we will be having five generations in the workforce: Baby Boomer, Generation X, Generation Y, Generation Z and what I call the “Virtual Generation” since the end date for generation Z is 2005. So having five generations in one workforce would mean massive change management and since only two generations are “very” technologically savvy (Z and “Virtual Generation”), HR will have to evolve as well.

Having looked at the few points listed above, the question before HR is not to change that things will be as they have always been, but it is to ask the question of readiness and preparedness as against the future. Before the emergence of the 21^st century; there were so many predictions and prophesies such as the world coming to an end, payroll will never rise again, HR was going to be a forgotten part of the organization to death of HR due to technologies. Guess what, we all survived and in most cases, used the 21^st century to create a better infrastructure for our organizations going forward. We became that rallying voice; that voice in the wilderness, alas, we became the face of our various organizations. How did we survive yesterday? We did because we were not alien to change, we always planned ahead in fact we embraced it evenly and saved our organization(s) in turbulent times. So because we survived, we are going to change the face of tomorrow’s workforce starting from today. We need that same level of investment today in HR, talent, and social/collaborative technologies that we before the 21^st century. Yes and it is now and not later, for if we could achieve this much while taking the passenger’s seat, think of how much we can do if we are in the driver’s seat? Think!!!

The new HR is here and has come to stay. The new HR will be very proactive, outward and transformational as well.

• New HR will bring return on investment for the organization
• New HR will be virtual
• New HR will be focused on talent acquisition and change management
• New HR will give you power
• New HR will still be in the business of information and be software driven

Of course to all the theists of HR, the time to act is now for the new HR will be very progressive and proactive – one that will bring transformations to your organization. To all atheists of HR, it is time for you to sit down and understand that you can’t go far without the involvement of HR. Many businesses have failed simply because of no HR. HR is not too friendly to few but it is friendly to all; you just need a new re-education. To all “synthesists”, the yesterday’s workforce is no more and has been taken over by today’s workforce; hence yesterday’s HR which was reactive will be proactive in tomorrow’s HR.

The New HR is here…………………

 

Understanding Gays, Lesbians, Bisexuals in the Workplace: implication for employers

Was what the U.S Supreme Court thinking when it’s ruled in 2011, that anti-gay protests at funerals of America soldiers are protected by the First Amendment’s freedom of speech? Or why would the Episcopal Church consecrate  its first openly lesbian bishop against traditional laid down belief? The 1993 March on Washington for Lesbians, Gays, and Bisexual which brought together not only an unprecedented number of participants but also led to the foundation of non-discrimination in employment and equity. In a nutshell, they were finally acknowledging that to be fair and just, we must put aside bias, conservative beliefs and promote an even playing ground for all.

Take this plain truth or forever remain ignorant; the issues around being a gay or lesbian or even bisexual have to come stay in the workforce. Yes, many have argued that the Title VII doesn’t provide any sort of protection based on affinity orientation. In fact, this is still a topic for debate – as to if affinity orientation be admitted as a prohibition just as we have prohibition against sexual harassment; race discrimination and even gender discrimination as well. The issues of gays and lesbians in the workplace surfaced in surprising and unfamiliar ways, making it more compelling for employers to be very much aware of what to put into considerations when developing policy in this regard. The movement of gays and lesbians is one that had been previously shadowed by fears and low self-esteem. Social values have been upheld traditionally and as such, those who were and are gays, lesbians or bisexuals were seen as “outcasts”; the society had no place for them and this was even felt in the workplace. So the question now is what has happened to these societal values and why no one is fighting back against gays as before. The truth is that trends in recent years have taken a totally different direction. Today, the impact of AIDS in the society and workplace, 1993 March on Washington, President Clinton’s support for gays which even saw over 150 gays and lesbians in his administration, Colorado’s attempted constitutional ban on gays and lesbians which the Supreme Court struck down, psychological orientation and the First Amendment have all given gays, lesbians and bisexuals the much-anticipated drive to pursue this core. What is even more worth questioning is the alarming rate and recognition that the “gay and lesbian rights movement” has recorded over the “civil rights movement”, surprising to say. So it is common for people to refuse to work with employees that are gays or lesbians by citing religious beliefs and practices. This is very wrong, at least in the light of recent cases. In fact, if you are against gays and its cohorts, then do not invite any of them to lunch, develop intimate relationship, or pay a visit to them because doing so may mean you sending a wrong signal. However if you think and believe that you should not work with them as a result of their affinity orientation, then it is time to kiss your job goodbye and begin the search to look for another job elsewhere because they have come to stay in the workplace. More so, refusing to work with gays simply puts you at an odd and gives your employer the right to terminate your contract.

Imagine the Weaver v. School District case in a high school teacher was dismissed for being a lesbian; which the court ruled that it was an unconstitutional denial of equal protection of the law. Many more cases are arising yearly especially as 21 States have passed States Laws banning Workplace Discrimination on the basis of Affinity Orientation. In addition, ten more states are still debating to pass laws that would prohibit workplace discrimination based on affinity orientation or gender identity.  So they have come to stay and this okay after all, the basis of judgement should be on the job and not on the person’s affinity.

Implication for employers: 

While many employers and HR managers have continued to dwell under the assumption that actions relating to “affinity orientation” are ignored by the courts, it is imperative to note that adverse employment decision based on affinity orientation can be pursued under state use of First, Fifth and Fourteenth Amendment of the U.S Constitution as a basis for litigation while noting the constitutional right to privacy as well, which may be used. The rise of states laws can’t be ignored in this regard. Recent court cases on gays favors the plaintiff hereby leaving many employers the burden and action to reconsider developing a proactive workplace policy. Even the law favors the employer, apparently it does, employers may wish to consider the impacts of restrictive employment practices and policies.

Since affinity orientation is not a protected a category under Title VII, employers are offered the flexibility of designing workplace policies as deemed fit but failing to accept and consider the issues around gays, lesbians, transgender and bisexuals even put the employer as a disadvantage. Regardless of the various approaches to used, affinity orientation should not be used as a reason for employment action but the employee’s abilities and skills should be the basis for employment decisions; by so doing, employers are protected against liabilities.

Never base you hiring or employment decision on affinity orientation!!!

PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT

Have you ever received a performance review at the end of the year? Or have you seen your HR manager and supervisors so happy to give a performance review at the year of the end? Answered yes to any of the question, then you may want to question the rationality and justification of the review in respect to your 365 days of work filled with ups and downs. Imagine only one event overshadows the good works you have been doing; how then do you justify “performance management?”

Performance management – I call it the “sacred sacrifice”. Let me share this story. In early 2012, I had the opportunity to be a member of a performance appraisal team that was going to appraise a group of employees in a medium size company in Canada – it was going to be my first hand experience with the “sacred sacrifice”. The HR manager, a professional lady (who boasted to have studied in Imperial College-UK and Harvard-US) was going to lead the appraisal and what struck me as a surprise was that she was going to use same measure to appraise the employees in the Sales Department and those in Finance Department! She succeeded in using “objectivity criterion” for all employees. My attempt to correct her on this fallacy almost cost me my internship. The summary: shortly after the appraisal, 12 employees in the Finance Department left the organization – they were trained and certified accountants. She almost lost her job though.

 

Today, it is common to see such occurring. Ideally, I support performance appraisal but if it must be done, it should be done in fairness and must be timely. In fact, HR managers have to work with the immediate supervisor(s) of the employee to give the review. I do believe that HR role should be rather reactive than proactive – you may argue this. In my sojourn in this discipline, I found that HR doesn’t really have any deep insight as to how an employee perform their works – it is usually the immediate supervisor and peers who are in custody of this knowledge.  So how can HR wake up one morning and appraise an employee for the all works he or she did in the course of the year? That argument is lost and it even shows the various inefficiencies in handling performance management. 

Aside the reviewer being a problem which many experts have pointed out, another major problem I have found (having done this in four different situations) is that many managers use objective criteria to appraise an employee who ought to be have been appraised by subjective criteria and vice-versa or even use them together. In fact, the very mistake my HR Manager made which saw 12 competent employees leaving the company. 

 

In my own human resources literature, giving performance appraisal is designed to help you improve and so taking the traditional process completely out will not happen now or soon. The only thing we see is that new technologies are being used to aid the process – the key is still “getting it right”,  and this can only be achieved through a some factors you raised such as re-educating and investing in the managers. I do believe that the onus before HR is to work hand in hand with supervisors or develop a system that will allow supervisors and managers to be able to give a feedback on an employee after every task or work performed and then HR can use these information to make judgement rather than this sitting one on one at the end of the year. Either-way, I do know for sure that traditional approach will be around for a little longer but what matters is ensuring that the feedback is proactive and allows for development not just criticism. What do you think? Thanks

 

There is a cry

There is cry from the depths

A cry from the rain in the rain

There is a cry from the within

A cry of rebirth

Hear their cry from the depths

And all we ever wished for have been wasted energies

There is a cry in the rain

I am standing in this rain crying

There is  a cry in the rain.

Faith

Mysteries of life, just we can’t understand them.

Make others happy only to be sad.

Searching for love to find misery.

Seeking a noble quest only to go on a sojourn of forever.

Gain the world to become lonely.

Have everything to gain nothing.

Going on a mile of hope only to wander around hopelessness.

A taba rasa: you choose what memory to fill in it.

When mysteries of life confronts us, all we need is just “FAITH”

Faith to walk that walk.

Faith to hope that hope.

Faith to love that love.

Faith to believe that belief.

Above all, faith to dispel these mysteries. 

DREAMS OF MILES

I wish I could dream miles beyond this reality

Dream like dreams

Promises of miles of dreams

Maybe a thousand miles,

Even a million, a billion maybe

These uncertain realities

Pondering my heart to know more

Waiting no more in fantasies

I wish I could dream the future

Alas, my present be a wake-up call

How I wish to dream those dreams of mine