Personnel(ly) Speaking
Personnel Management Systems, Inc.
Editorial: Can HR be the voice of change.....
Or are we just patsies?
Business owners and CEOs have been beaten down, beaten up and beaten over by bad news, and frankly I’m tired of it. As a business owner and HR professional myself, I say “enough is enough!”
I just finished reading a regional economic analysis published by a large, local financial institution. Don’t do a Google search. You’ll just find more meaningless minutia that will clog your brain and give you more excuses to freeze with fear. And, to heck with so-called experts giving us data to convince us how smart they are or worse yet, trying to convince us they can predict the future. Why do we even listen? “Experts” got us into this. Why should we trust that they can get us out?
Have we lost our brains? Maybe we are just patsies. The media and their string of on-camera “experts” - are they really so smart? I’ve checked. My banker, my broker, my 401(k) advisor, my real estate agent and my friends who listened to these people all lost money. Well, I, for one, don’t want to play anymore!
And please, forget the government fixing all this. Trust me; the check is not in the mail regardless of what the politicians want us to believe. We have to “fix” our economy ourselves. We all know this is true. This is the American entrepreneurial way. We don’t wait for others, certainly not for the government. Seize the moment and control your own destiny. Don’t let the fear mongers suck you in. Refuse to participate in the paralysis of doing nothing!
Now is the time to:
· Take market share from your competitors. If they have cowered in the corner – pounce! (Or be pounced on.)
· Shop for a new banking relationship before your credit line expires and before you need the money.
· Seek new business opportunities. The economy has changed. What new products or services can you offer?
· Strengthen existing client relationships.
· Trim expenses where you can without hurting your core business – be sharper, more aggressive, fight harder, cut the fat.
· Upgrade technology – invest in new equipment, acquire new businesses, be better at what you do.
And because this is an HR newsletter, and as HR people we want to be the voice of reason, now is also the time to:
· Train your people! Focus on leadership, safety, operations.
· Upgrade your staff. Good employees are looking for good companies to work for. Be a good company!
· Create a variable pay structure. Key employees should be “invested” in the success of your company. They should have some pay “at risk.”
· Take care of your existing employees. You need them now more than ever.
· Demonstrate open book management. Talk to your employees, share your financials, and make them a part of your financial success.
· Celebrate successes. People want to hear about your “wins” now more than ever - even small ones.
· Collaborate, participate, and communicate. Think teamwork!
· Volunteer. Do something good for the community. The best way to put your problems in perspective is to help others who are truly in need.
The election is over, the holidays are behind us, the weather is better, it’s a new year – let’s go! In fact, my “experts” tell me the housing market has rebounded, the stock market is poised to rise to new heights, credit markets are opening up, inflation is down, employment up, global warming a fade and 50 is the new 40. Carpe diem.
Personnel(ly) Speaking is a monthly comment on HR issues of importance. It is intended to provide general information and must not be construed as legal advice. Reproductions are allowed as long as credit for this information is given to PMSI. We welcome your comments, questions, and concerns. © PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS, INC., Corporate Office (425) 576-1900, Colorado Office (720) 497-0200, www.hrpmsi.com.