All work and no meaning: will an HR portal keep your employees from jumping ship?Employees have come to expect more from their work (they want to do something meaningful) and more from their employers (they want something beyond pay in return for their time and effort). But the current economy has limited what many employers can do to meet the changing needs of their work force. It's time It's Time was a successful political campaign run by the Australian Labor Party (ALP) under Gough Whitlam at the 1972 election in Australia. Campaigning on the perceived need for change after 23 years of conservative (Liberal Party of Australia) government, Labor put forward a for new thinking--time to redefine Verb 1. redefine - give a new or different definition to; "She redefined his duties" define, delimit, delimitate, delineate, specify - determine the essential quality of 2. our view of "commitment" and time to take a chance on cutting-edge information delivery systems that interact with employees. A FRESH LOOK AT COMMITMENT Research abounds on employee commitment. And for the most part, there is general agreement about the state of commitment around the globe. A recent poll by International Survey Research found that the country with the highest level of commitment to employers is Brazil, where 79 percent of workers say they would stay with their current employer. Other countries followed, in this order: * Germany, 74 percent * Canada, 73 percent * Italy, 70 percent * United States United States, officially United States of America, republic (2005 est. pop. 295,734,000), 3,539,227 sq mi (9,166,598 sq km), North America. The United States is the world's third largest country in population and the fourth largest country in area. , 67 percent * France, 67 percent * United Kingdom, 59 percent * China, 57 percent * Japan, 50 percent In addition to measuring levels of commitment, studies also show how employers can increase commitment within their organizations. Research exists that focuses on leadership, on training and development, on work and family balance, and more. Aon Consulting's @Work studies, completed in the U.S., U.K., Canada and Australia, look at five fundamental issues that the company's research shows drive employee commitment: * Safety/security * Rewards * Affiliation * Growth * Work/life harmony Building a more committed work force has become a business necessity, and these are the areas employers need to focus on to build employee commitment. The only question that remains is How can employers ensure that they meet the many and varied needs of their employees by offering them best-in-class resources without going bankrupt BANKRUPT. A person who has done, or suffered some act to be done, which is by law declared an act of bankruptcy; in such case he may be declared a bankrupt. 2. It is proper to notice that there is much difference between a bankrupt and an insolvent. in both time and money? THE HR PORTAL An HR Portal enables employee, manager and candidate self-service on wide-ranging topics. It provides personalized per·son·al·ize tr.v. per·son·al·ized, per·son·al·iz·ing, per·son·al·iz·es 1. To take (a general remark or characterization) in a personal manner. 2. To attribute human or personal qualities to; personify. , seamless entry to meaningful corporate and Internet Internet Publicly accessible computer network connecting many smaller networks from around the world. It grew out of a U.S. Defense Department program called ARPANET (Advanced Research Projects Agency Network), established in 1969 with connections between computers at the resources. The information displayed is customized for each person on the basis of his or her identity. Job candidates and employees can easily use the portal to apply for a job, make appointments or select benefits coverage, as well as access company news and background. It's easy to see why interest in portals is growing. Meta Group, an IT research and consulting firm Noun 1. consulting firm - a firm of experts providing professional advice to an organization for a fee consulting company business firm, firm, house - the members of a business organization that owns or operates one or more establishments; "he worked for a , predicts that 85 percent of businesses will have portals in development this year. In mid- mid- pref. Middle: midbrain. 2001, only 39 percent of IntranetInsider.com (an online resource and meeting place for intranet professionals) members indicated that they were currently implementing a portal. As a web-based application See Web application. , an integrated portal should be platform independent, leveraging an organization's current investment in technology by linking to existing applications. This generally makes for rapid and cost-effective cost-effective, n the minimal expenditure of dollars, time, and other elements necessary to achieve the health care result deemed necessary and appropriate. deployment, increased flexibility and easy customization. Integration is also crucial to making the portal comprehensive. The best portals bring together systems from a wide variety of electronic sources within and outside the company, and include an ability to build functionality and applications that are not available elsewhere. Another important aspect of an HR portal is that it provides personalized information, making it much more manageable and pertinent PERTINENT, evidence. Those facts which tend to prove the allegations of the party offering them, are called pertinent; those which have no such tendency are called impertinent, 8 Toull. n. 22. By pertinent is also meant that which belongs. Willes, 319. to employees. Individual users can customize both the user interface and the content of an integrated HR portal. Audiences may include large groups of employees (e.g., subsidiaries, unions and part-time employees), as well as individuals. Content, including documents, links and menu items, can vary for each audience, and each employee can, to a certain extent, customize the user interface with language, graphics and colors. An integrated HR portal enables organizations to put meaningful, personal and accurate information on important work and life issues at the fingertips "Fingertips" is a 1963 number-one hit single recorded live by "Little" Stevie Wonder for Motown's Tamla label. Wonder's first hit single, "Fingertips" was the first live, non-studio recording to reach number-one on the Billboard Pop Singles chart in the United States. of employees, managers and candidates. RIGHT TIME, RIGHT PLACE Watson Wyatt's WorkUSA 2002 research shows that companies with well-perceived HR functions are more likely to have dramatically better trust, communication and commitment among employees. The same study indicates that there is considerable room for improvement when it comes to communication--only 31 percent of employees rate their companies well in this area. In addition, in its research on linking communication competence to business success, The ITEM Group found that information sharing See data conferencing. was one of four communication-related factors that were present to various degrees in all successful companies. Further, the group defines effective information sharing as "systems and networks enabling managers and employees to have the right information at the right time to do their jobs, to share opinions and discuss ideas, and to circulate cir·cu·late v. cir·cu·lat·ed, cir·cu·lat·ing, cir·cu·lates v.intr. 1. To move in or flow through a circle or circuit: blood circulating through the body. 2. best practices and learn from each other." An HR portal has the potential to enhance a company s human resource function, reputation and effectiveness, while also improving the quantity and quality of information sharing. As portals become the standard delivery mechanism for HR and other enterprise services for the majority of corporations, the challenge will be to keep increasing the value of the portal. Making content decisions with employee commitment in mind enhances the portal's worth to the organization, with the added value Added value in financial analysis of shares is to be distinguished from value added. Used as a measure of shareholder value, calculated using the formula:
Although the drivers of employee commitment go by various names, they generally cover many of the same concepts. Here are a few commitment-building ideas and best practices for HR portals in the five categories identified by Aon Consulting. 1. Safety and Security. Employees must believe that they are both physically and mentally safe at work. This means the workplace must be free from physical danger as well as harassment Ask a Lawyer Question Country: United States of America State: Nevada I recently moved to nev.from abut have been going back to ca. every 2 to 3 weeks for med. and abuse. This topic also refers to job security, including assurance that the organization will remain operational. Content and links to consider include: * Building/office safety and security procedures * Security alerts, fire/disaster drill alerts and follow-up follow-up, n the process of monitoring the progress of a patient after a period of active treatment. follow-up subsequent. follow-up plan * Online accident/incident reports * Links to web sites dealing with workplace health and safety issues * Regularly published leadership communiques, operations/financial reports, annual report * Financial education delivered to users based on life events, such as death of a family member or planning for a child's education * Debt-management tools and resources * For more specific audiences: risk-management and outplacement out·place·ment n. The process of facilitating a terminated employee's search for a new job by provision of professional services, such as counseling, paid for by the former employer. links 2. Rewards. Employees also are concerned about their total rewards program, typically including compensation, benefits and non-cash recognition. In employee surveys, "communication about benefits" often shows up as one of the top five issues. Content and links to consider include: * Information on benefits plans, including claim forms that can be submitted electronically * Online enrollment with provider search capabilities and links to employer-offered health care providers * Links to employer-sponsored savings, stock purchase and investment plans * Access to accurate, real-time 1. real-time - Describes an application which requires a program to respond to stimuli within some small upper limit of response time (typically milli- or microseconds). Process control at a chemical plant is the classic example. retirement benefit estimates * Quarterly total rewards statements * Recognition of employees who go above and beyond the call of duty. 3. Affiliation. Affiliation refers to being part of something larger, being "in the know" and "part of the team." Enhance affiliation with these content and link ideas: * Share the organization's stories: corporate folklore folklore, the body of customs, legends, beliefs, and superstitions passed on by oral tradition. It includes folk dances, folk songs, folk medicine (the use of magical charms and herbs), and folktales (myths, rhymes, and proverbs). , points of special pride, stories about the vision or values in action. * Make the connection between the business value proposition and corporate decisions. * Publish an e-newsletter focusing on what specific employees or groups of employees do to help achieve the organization's mission, vision and business objectives. * Link to news articles featuring the organization and its clients. * Publish stories about the organization's activities in the community. * Link to corporate-approved charities. * Enable online signups for corporate events. * Set up chat rooms by function, geography or project. * Provide and seek information about planned and in-motion changes. * Create an Alumni Center or a New Employee Center or both. * Post internal and external contact listings. 4. Growth. The focus in this area is often financial growth but should also consider growth in quality, innovation and customer base leading to the successful development of organizations. Consider these content and link ideas: * Job postings and online applications * Promotion listings * Success stories celebrating individual and team growth * Cross-functional, cross-location mentoring program (management, tools and resources) * Relocation RELOCATION, Scotch law, contracts. To let again to renew a lease, is called a relocation. 2. When a tenant holds over after the expiration of his lease, with the consent of his landlord, this will amount to a relocation. assistance for internal transferees * Career progression criteria, resources and tracking * Links to e-learning offerings * Links to select professional associations * Online training curriculum and signup * Leadership development opportunities and resources 5. Work/Life Harmony. The importance of helping employees balance work and family commitments varies across international boundaries. Nonetheless, bringing benefits and compensation information together with personal needs and goals enables people to see the big picture as they navigate (1) "Surfing the Web." To move from page to page on the Web. (2) To move through the menu structure in a software application. and prepare for each phase of their lives, Consider: * Presenting currently unconnected benefits as a comprehensive work/life program * Day-care (adult or child) resources * Medical care/preventive care sites * Online stock brokerage; income tax preparation * Online financial advice tools based on life events, enabling planning to evolve along with life cycle * Convenience services: online grocers, vacation planners, corporate gifts, tickets to local events, etc. A NEW WORLD OF WORK Employees are now more vocal about their desire for meaningful work and something in return for their service. They are seeking fast and accurate answers to difficult and varied questions. And employers are looking for Looking for In the context of general equities, this describing a buy interest in which a dealer is asked to offer stock, often involving a capital commitment. Antithesis of in touch with. ways to recruit and retain a talented, committed work force. Using an HR portal as the primary purveyor (World-Wide Web) Purveyor - A World-Wide Web server for Windows NT and Windows 95 (when available). http://process.com/. E-mail: <info@process.com>. of information and services is one of the most effective ways to put meaningful, personal and accurate information in job candidates' and employees' hands. Personalized, interactive tools allow them greater control over work and family life responsibilities. Transactional capabilities, such as program enrollment, educational course registration, and products and services purchased through e-commerce maximize personal and corporate productivity by reducing paperwork and saving time. An HR portal enables employees, managers and HR staff to go way beyond information gathering. Basing content on core work-force needs increases the chances that the organization will reap the productivity, pride and retention benefits that workforce commitment delivers. Jill Lagendroff Floan is a vice president in Ann Consulting's National Marketing Group. She can be reached at jill_folan@aoncons.com. Ganlyn Mitchell, ABC ABC in full American Broadcasting Co. Major U.S. television network. It began when the expanding national radio network NBC split into the separate Red and Blue networks in 1928. is a senior vice president in Aon Consulting's Human Resources The fancy word for "people." The human resources department within an organization, years ago known as the "personnel department," manages the administrative aspects of the employees. Outsourcing (1) Contracting with outside consultants, software houses or service bureaus to perform systems analysis, programming and datacenter operations. Contrast with insourcing. See netsourcing, ASP, SSP and facilities management. business. She can be reached at gaelyn_mitchell@aoncons.com. |
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