Should your future be determined by a personality test?

Several years ago, I engaged in an online survey/test called StrengthFinders. My employer, at the time, thought that if we got to know each other’s strengths, we might focus less on each other’s weaknesses.  We might actually play up to the revealed strengths of each team member and figure out how to best play nice in the sandbox. We were then asked to post everyone’s strengths on our desks so that when we became entrenched in a conversation or embattled in a discussion we would already be familiar with how each of us would  think or potentially react.

Later on, with another company, I was subjected to a Meyers Briggs revelation, the test to beat all other personality tests.  Am I an introvert? Ummm, no… ENTP

Didn’t need a test for that.

Intuitive – always follow my gut.  I think way too much and value feelings too little, tell me something I don’t know. And I generally perceive too much. It’s in my nature, I suppose…, And how dare Jung call me irrational.

DISC also scales people down and determines whether or not they are good for one thing or another… Like a letter determines who we are. I have a friend who just interviewed for a new position. His interview lasted for an hour and a half. Always a good sign. He left with a very good feeling. There was even talk of a potential promotion not too far down the road. I asked him how the Hiring Manager left it with him. “Well, I have to take this personality test, to see if I am suitable…” The DISC test, really? Interview went well, experience matches necessary requirements, no need to relocate, knows the business, gets along well with the supervisor…, but the company requires a test that will magically plot his personality out in lines on a graph so determination can be made whether he is dominant or maybe he is an influencer, which would be good, since he is a salesman.

I guess I am not really sure how I feel about these tests and their use. I have taken the three mentioned here and interestingly enough, much like astrology, I found just enough truth in them.  As a matter of fact – a couple years ago, I took the StrengthFinders test again – seven years later after I took the first one, to see if anything had changed… Surprise! My core strengths had changed. The two years that separated my first Myers & Briggs from the second, also showed differences in who I appear to be. I answered very honestly each time.

What does it prove?

Just that we are an evolving people and nailing someone into a pigeon hole shortchanges opportunities on both sides. Every time we learn something new and apply it, every time we experience something new, every time we expand our minds or stretch our capabilities our core strengths change, who we are changes. This is a good thing. Prohibiting growth by clinging to test results is not.

Differences occur each day -
don’t need a test for that, either.

Rayanne Thorn, @ray_anne is the Marketing Director for online recruiting software company, Broadbean Technology.  She is also a proud mother of four, happily engaged to Tom, residing in Laguna Beach, California, and a daily contributor for Blogging4Jobs.  Connect with her on LinkedIn.  

HR Are People Too.  Cross My Heart.

This week I’m at the SHRM Talent and HRO Today Forum conferences in Washington, DC and next week I’m in New York City for the HRPS Global Conference.  All three are great events with a variety of human resource professionals from big companies as well as small.  But there is a sad reality lurking in the midsts. Let me just preface this by saying HR people are fun.  We are people too.  In fact, HR professionals are some of the most interesting people you may ever meet.  I promise.  Cross my heart.

When I was in college my Anthropology professor, Dr. Harald Prins used to say the field of Anthropology attracted “weird birds.”  These weird birds viewed the world differently and enjoyed analyzing cultures, history, and human beings looking through a completely different world lens.  Mostly because our job as Anthropologists is to observe and study the social classes and groups of human beings and their cultures.  We use methods like participant studies, interviews and surveys to gather our data and support points of view.  To me, this sounds more than a little like what we do in HR.  And sometimes being a weird bird can be a lonely place especially among the corporate cultures.

Employee Engagement & The Anthropology of HR

Our responsibility in the field of HR is to view the organization differently.  We focus on evaluating and working towards soft measurables using programs that promote employee engagement or work life balance or the candidate experience. Our involvement in the organization with these programs has far reaching effects, and yet most senior leaders, front line managers, or employees have no clue.  HR effectively has a PR problem.

Can HR Make Friends at Work?

HR professionals are people too, and unfortunately, in most organizations this fact is lost among our bosses, peers, and employees.  They see us as the policy police responsible for hiring and firing left to observe the culture of our organization like an Anthropologist  instead of inserting ourselves into that culture.  Because inserting ourselves into the culture and building friendships poses a risk.  The sad reality of HR is that becoming friends at work is often times not an option.  We avoid happy hours after work and keep to ourselves.  It’s hard to enjoy a beer with an employee with the knowledge that they’re on a performance improvement plan or part of an ongoing HR investigation.

And so our employees effectively have no idea what we do, who we are, or how our role benefits the organization.  I guess that’s where I see bloggers and those HR professionals active on social media working to change the stereotype for HR.  While HR professionals internally can make changes by inserting themselves into the culture at their organization and building relationships.   While at the same time, this blog and others like it as well as HR communities with a large reach can do the same.

Employee Perception Change of HR in 2012

There is not a week that doesn’t go by someone doesn’t tell me, “My HR person is nothing like you.”  They say, “You use social media, you blog, and you speak your mind.  You are nothing like them.”

Yes, our interests may not be the same, but the people that work and dedicate their professional lives within this industry are some of the most interesting, creative, and engaging people I’ve ever met.  As an independent consultant and analyst, I, however, am not chained the corporate HR throws.  I don’t lie at wake at night wondering if that picture of me drinking a glass of wine on Facebook might be seen by my staff, and the problems and assumptions it might bring.  Your HR team does worry about these types of things. . . . ALOT.

For HR, it’s time to move from behind the curtain, let loose, and for HR pros to take a risk.  Nobody really cares about your Facebook picture of you and your friends drinking wine.  It’s demonstrates your humanity not your liability if in moderation.  Consider using Facebook settings to hide those pictures from your employees if you must.  Move beyond the comfort zone of the HR conference and attend your front line manager’s next happy hour.  Let’s help change that perception one person at a time.

 Photo Credit. 

Labor Unions: Objective Judgment + Independent Thought = Desired Value

Hmm...

A Brief History of Union Organization in the US

In 1935, the NLRA (National Labor Relations Act) was passed as federal law in the United States in an effort to protect the rights of workers in the private sector, thus allowing the formation of unions, to protect employees as a group. By the mid- 1950′s, unions peaked at a 35% presence in the private sector.  By 2007, union domination declined to a mere 7% membership in the private sector, but labor unions still were a substantial 36% in the public sector. Even with the declination of their value proposition, unions still fight for fair wages, benefits, and good working conditions.

The Bad Press of Union Organization

Union organizers have long practiced the art of stirring up trouble and some pretty serious member-grasping techniques, as well as diverting focus to shine on immigrant workers and preferred avoidance of the secret ballot vote. Currently, petitions for union organization must be signed by 30% to even consider and allow for a secret ballot vote on whether to move forward with a union election. Once the right to a secret ballot vote has been secured, union organizers must then acquire 50% of the vote plus one to be successful.

Enter the EFCA: Employee Free Choice Act

Back in 2009, a legislative bill known as the Employee Free Choice Act, was introduced to congress.

The EFCA would “amend the National Labor Regulations Act to establish an efficient system to enable employees to form, join, or assist labor organizations (unions) to provide for mandatory injunctions for unfair labor practices during organizing efforts and for other purposes.”

President Obama made it very clear that he would do everything he could to ensure the passage of the Employee Free Choice Act. If the EFCA passed, it would eradicate the secret ballot currently required for unionization.  If 50% of employees sign authorization cards, union organizers could then skip the secret ballot and move to election for union certification. The EFCA also increases penalties for discrimination of union drive participants, and after 120 days, there is a mandatory binding arbitration to ensure the first contract.

At one point, the senate was very close in moving to pass this act.  Senator Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania announced that he planned to oppose cloture (ending the debate and moving to vote) on this bill. Senator Specter’s decision was pivotal, as the expected vote stood at 50 for and 48 against cloture. “In a highly polarized Senate, many decisive votes are left to a small group who are willing to listen, reject ideological dogmatism, disagree with the party line and make an independent judgment. It is an anguishing position, but we play the cards we are dealt,” Specter.

Senator Arlen Specter

The Need for Unions in the USA Today

Why unions? Is there a need today for unions? Trade unions represent workers that do a particular job and industrial unions represent workers in particular industry. Unions continue to “survive” in spite of the shift from the “old economy.”  Notice that thrive was not mentioned, merely survive. Unions struggle to keep a strong footing as we see a more itinerant workforce, industry deregulation, and greater competition in the form of newer and smaller companies. The progressive nature of all that is technology also plays havoc with union clutches. And it would seem that there is enough legislature to protect both the employee and employers.

Heavy industry is being replaced and/or streamlined by computers and escalating automation. Computers and automation mean less human involvement – fewer employees are required for the same amount of work. Machines with brains doing the work that 100 men used to do. And interestingly enough, the workforce is getting smarter, more educated. There is less of a need for a union spokesperson. Or is there?  Since 2009 – what has happened to the economy?

Job satisfaction plays heavily into how easily a union can infiltrate an organization. A Gallop survey ranks Benefits as the Number One Reason an employee is satisfied with their position, and compensation at Number Two. Bigger organizations know this and benefits provision and comparable pay are ways to fend off a union’s grasp.

Senator Specter‘s “NO” vote didn’t stop the bill or send it to File 13, it merely prolonged the process and lengthened its path. His discretion and jingoistic approach may have caused others to think and revisit their own reasoning for driving toward cloture.  President Obama continued to support the EFCA’s enactment. Opponents cited the risks of overt coercion by union organizers and fractured employee privacy protection.

The Effect of the Employee Free Choice Act on HR and Where the Act Stands

Consider for a moment, the effect the Employee Free Choice Act would have had on human resource departments and recruiters. The elimination of the secret ballot would have instigated the strong arm tactics of old and with no recrimination. The battle field of union negotiation is paved with losses and winnings. Having to recruit into a unionized environment may prove a difficult task as the message of unions is “you need us to fight for you.”  The workforce is smarter than that. Maintaining company culture with a smile while another business – a union – parks itself in the lobby can be a daunting if not an impossible charge.

What does it all mean?  Who is John Galt?  Man is a mind.  A is A.  A thing is a thing.  A machine cannot sign an authorization card.

Interestingly enough, Senator Specter seceded from the Republican Party to become a Democrat mid- office in April 2009, one month after the EFCA Bill was introduced, after having been an elected official since 1979 – as a Republican.   He ran for Senate again when his term ended in 2010.

He failed to be re-elected as a Democrat.

To date: the NFCA Bill has not passed.  However, in 2010, four states, AZ, UT, SC & SD, passed constitutional amendments that guarantee the continuance of the secret ballot in union recognition.
And President Obama’s vow of passage remains unfulfilled.

Rayanne Thorn, @ray_anne is the Marketing Director for online recruiting software company, Broadbean Technology.  She is also a proud mother of four, happily engaged to Tom, residing in Laguna Beach, California, and a daily contributor for Blogging4Jobs.  Connect with her on LinkedIn.  

..., most of the time.

Comfort. Some things in life are more comfortable than others. It can be a bit disconcerting to receive a phone call from a client who expected more from your relationship or be summoned to your superior’s office to hear the dreaded words, “I don’t like anything you have suggested.” Or how about that time when you submitted your resignation and your supervisor looked at you as if to say, “How can you leave me on this sinking ship?”  Been there, regrettably, done that.  We all have to face uncomfortable situations in our work lives.

Human Resource Professionals and Recruiters tend to meet those moments more often than other professionals. The Sign-Off: telling a candidate they aren’t getting invited to the show. The Collection: having to call a client, former or otherwise, to ask for the final installment for a placement you made two, three, or four months ago. The Lost Friend: when a hiring manager comes to you with a confidential recruitment that will replace a friend of yours within the company, and you have to keep it confidential. The HR Function: having to address hirings, firings, lay-offs, complaints, sexual harassment issues, evaluation time, changes in policy, promotions, non-promotions, and demotions.

Understand that Life in HR is not always easy. As a matter of fact, it often is not. And finding your comfort level, as an HR Professional, Corporate Recruiter or Third-Party Recruiter can be a challenge. Some of us are cut out to make cold calls, some of us are not. Some are cut out to stand in an Exhibitor’s Booth all day, some are not. Some of us are cut out to attend conferences and sit in session upon session for two days straight, some are not. Some of us are cut out to tweet about anything and everything, some are not. Some of us are cut out to bring the right placement to the table, in a timely manner – some are not.

The zone to be in is the one that feels right, the one that runs smoothly and efficiently. However, should that zone become too stagnant or too easy, we risk the opportunity for development and growth, for learning new skills, or challenging our own understandings of the job, any job. Finding the right combination of further excelling at what we are already good and getting better at what is necessary but uncomfortable is a formidable task. Formidable, but not impossible.

Cats are good at running away from discomfort. They dart through halls or along fences and under cars, in an effort to dodge everything and anything that isn’t for their own benefit. Dogs will endure an incredible amount of discomfort to simply to please their owners, to get a pat on the head or a treat. Somewhere in between lies another animal, the HR Professional or Recruiter. Knowing that sometimes discomfort comes with the gig, but also a great deal of satisfaction is part of their makeup.

 Gloria Steinem said, “The only thing I can’t stand is discomfort.”

Somehow, I think avoidance and complacency trump discomfort.

Rayanne Thorn, @ray_anne is the Marketing Director for the online recruiting software company, Broadbean Technology.  She is also a proud mother of four, happily engaged to Tom, residing in Laguna Beach, California, and a daily contributor for Blogging4Jobs.  Connect with her on LinkedIn.  

Late last week I read an interesting comment on a fellow HR Blogger, Charlie Judy’s blog.  The comment was this: “HR simply stands for Headcount Reduction.”  The post titled “Deadbeat Employees” and the comment thread that has evolved as of late is quite interesting but that’s not the point of this blog post today.  In short, the commenter is absolutely mistaken.  HR really has no decision making weight in headcount reduction.

Headcount decisions, layoffs, corporate resizing, and downsizing are things that in most cases middle management human resources really has no involvement in.  These budgetary decisions are made in a board room full of executives like your CEO, COO, CFO, and hopefully your CHRO.  That HR generalist or partner who briefs you on benefit changes for the upcoming year, investigates employee complaints, and pushes paperwork has nothing to do with the decision to layoff you, the employee.

Human Resources Roles

Companies with more than 20,000 employees – and depending on their number of locations – have many layers to their HR organization.  This means that your human resources representative at your office likely reports to someone else working in human resources who reports to another HR Senior Director who reports to the Regional HR who reports to the Chief Human Resource Officer who reports to the CEO.  Your office HR rep  is pretty low on the corporate food chain, but that doesn’t make their job any less important.  Their focus is you, the employee and the managers in the facilities they serve and represent their company in the best possible way.

Oftentimes in field HR roles, we are alerted to the fact before the general employee population that a reduction, RIF, or company change is happening.  Sometimes we are tasked to run reports or gather data that helps in making the final reduction decision.  Because when a reduction is being considered, organizational leaders look at things like employee performance, date of hire, or an employee’s age or protected class.

Sometimes Working in Human Resources Means Bringing Bad News

Yes, we are often times the one who delivers the message.  Similar to the corporate PR rep to the press, we must serve as the point of contact for the employee who is being transitioned out of the organization.  We represent the company and want to paint them in the best possible light.  We make sure the exiting employee receive COBRA and benefit information, answer questions, help with career transition services, and make sure you understand the company’s severance package.

Oftentimes, we in HR do this full well knowing that a day may come when we are on the receiving end as the company works to reorganize, re-evaluate, and cut the corporate fat.  So HR doesn’t stand for headcount reduction.  Quality HR, that is. Human resource professionals are tasked during a reduction in force with helping exiting employees make the transition smoothly and with dignity while ensuring that their company is removed from as much legal liability as humanly possible.

Headcount Reduction & Human Resources

No, HR doesn’t stand for headcount reduction.  It stands for human resources and a good HR professional balances both their responsibility to the employee while also the organization.  So quit your bitching and get an understanding of what your actual HR representative actually does before making assumptions and jumping to conclusions. 

Employees Rights to Religion at Work

I understand that the law provides employees the opportunity for religious accommodation meaning employers should provide employee time off to worship, attend their church, and observe their religious holidays.  I have had my share of run-ins with management staff as I explained that employees can take time off to attend church and worship. To exclude any employees from practicing their religious freedom would be a form of religious discrimination.

These rights are part The Civil Rights Act of 1964 and applies to freedom from religious discrimination, accommodation, and hostile work environment matters in both public and private workplaces.

Examples of Religious Discrimination in the Workplace

In many cases, religion at work causes more problems than not in the workplace.  Practicing religion at the office or even sharing beliefs can touch on nerves, hurt feelings, and ignite high level of anger as well as passion.  Religion at work provides a veritable HR smorgasbord of workplace scenarios:

• Employee Bible Study.   As an HR Director, I arrived to the office early.  It was a Wednesday morning and was surprised to see so many employee cars in the office parking lot.  As I walked the office and facility floor, most offices were empty, so where we all the employees?  Upon further investigation I found a large group of employees in a meeting room facilitating a weekly morning employee Bible study.  I literally stopped in my tracks.  This is a problem because according to the act mention above, I need to create a workplace free from religious discrimination meaning if one religion has a Bible or religious study, all may be offered the same opportunity.

• When Employee Religious Beliefs Offend Other Employees. Picture an employee sharing their very public view and religious stance on abortion complete with a picture of a dead baby held in a woman’s arms as a screen saver on their work computer.  While he has right to his opinion and the freedom to practice his religion as he see’s fit, his office was in an open area and caused a slew of complaints from offended employees.

• When Religious Head Coverings Conflict with Dress code.  Having a great deal of experience working in a retail and customer facing setting, dress code is very important.  Muslim head coverings and other religious self-expression items like cross earrings and jewelry are allowed for employees to wear at work. To create employee rules that forbid religiously established forms of dress would be to invite a religious discrimination lawsuit. For example,  Muslim woman at a Disney-owned restaurant filed a discrimination complaint  in 2010 saying that she had repeatedly been sent home without pay for refusing to remove her head scarf at work.

Does Religion Belong at Work?

The holidays, preferably those of the more of the Christian variety, seem to be prime time for igniting conflict surrounding religion at work. Sometimes that’s okay; just observe the recent  Rhode Island “holiday tree” controversy that grabbed the headlines  Of course, most the holiday season isn’t really about religion; it’s about vacation, family, and commercialism driving that capitalist machine where we live today.  So excuse me, if this HR hippie chick is a little jaded and not too enthusiastic about religion, specifically God at work.

I understand the power and importance of belief, community, and religion.  I happen to live smack dab in the middle of the Bible Belt here in Oklahoma.  Generally speaking, I don’t mind hearing about people’s thoughts and conversations surrounding their religion and beliefs.  I find the topic fascinating and happen to be a student of religion; constantly fascinated and reading about religion among different people and cultures.

Religion like politics is a workplace topic that is guaranteed to generate an HR shit storm which is why I’ve had enough.  God has no place in the workplace. Do you agree?

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