| | SEPTEMBER 2024MANAGEHRMAGAZINE.COM9In HR, we all know compensation doesn't retain people; relationships retain people. Find a way to make relationships easy, and you will go a long way to solving your retention issuescomprehensive HR platforms that manage people's data from hire to retirement. Those systems are allowing for report generation and analysis that will support organizational advancement in ways we only dreamed of even five years ago. In the learning space, AI, translation programs, and Microsoft Teams are allowing for excellent digital solutions to train a global workforce from anywhere in the world and in whatever language best serves their knowledge acquisition. For DEI, AI can also be an excellent technology, supporting equitable hiring, promotion, and compensation. Viva Exchange is also a great Microsoft tool for engagement, knowledge exchange and inclusivity. As a leader, I implement a few strategies to raise awareness of the coming HR transformations. First, I execute strategies that focus on sound principles of change management. I engage with critical stakeholders and influencers within the organization to share my knowledge and garner support for the strategic directions needed to meet the coming challenges. Additionally, as a Lean Blackbelt, I use the principles of lean process management to simplify HR touchpoints and to ensure they are laser-focused on the needs of the customer. In managing my teams, I am committed to trusting and empowering my people, and they have very rarely let me down. As a leader, I am very aware of the fallacy of the Emperor's New Clothes, so I regularly conduct skip-level meetings and ask for feedback, especially critical feedback, to ensure that I am fully understanding the needs of the company of my people. I am never afraid to say I made a mistake or to change my direction if it's wrong for the company or my people. It seems disruption is the new normal, so yes, I expect more disruptions in the future. However, I also expect predicting disruptions beyond the next 18 months is likely a fool's errand. What I expect to continue to disrupt the industry is big data, AI, and the integration of Generation Z into the workforce. What I would mention, though, is that overall, I am a fan of disruption. I see change as an opportunity to remake our organizations in ways that better meet the needs of our customers and our employees. The best advice I can give anyone starting in HR is to stay informed. I have a natural love for economics and business, so I pay attention to economic trends and business trends so that I can be the best partner to my peers in leadership. Staying informed about what is happening helps me get in front of trends that will impact our labor and drive surgical preemptive solutions instead of waiting and being forced to implement broad-brush reactive solutions. I would also recommend staying connected to the workforce; when you get into corporate roles, the operators and operations can feel very far away. I also recommend focusing on creating the best corporate culture possible, focusing on your corporate principles and values, and staying true to them. One of the initiatives I am most proud of is creating global engagement teams and virtual communities that focus on creating cultures of engagement at our operation sites based on our guiding principles. In HR, we all know compensation doesn't retain people; relationships retain people. Find a way to make relationships easy, and you will go a long way to solving your retention issues. Lastly, don't ever forget that HR is important. It is the people that make the business successful; everything else can be purchased in the open market, but the people in your company are great differentiators. In HR, we support the people who make the difference.
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