SHRM-Atlanta

This is a repost of an article, Hire People, Not Just Skills, I wrote for HR Examiner last week, that was inspired by some of the fantastic speakers/sessions from our recent 23rd Annual SHRM Atlanta Conference.  One of the themes that really resonated with me was threaded through many of the sessions that I attended — and that was a focus on people – humans.  This is a subject I have been very passionate about throughout both my Recruiting / HR and IT career, whether we are talking about business application design, technology/tool adoption, hiring, talent acquisition, management, or development.  While a seemingly simple concept, it is one that gets missed – way too often.

I want to thank the following speakers that I had the opportunity to see, for their focus on this very thing in their sessions — and the additional inspiration for my post:

Speaker:  Jennifer McClure, Unbridled Talent LLC – From HR Leader to Business Leader: 7 Strategies To Achieve Maximum Impact in Your Organization
Speaker:  Eric Winegardner, Monster Worldwide – The Evolving World of Work
Speaker:  Melanie Holmes, ManpowerGroup – Talent Mismatch — the Gap Widens
Speaker:  Jason Lauritsen, Talent Anarchy – The Future of Talent Management

Please follow this link to read, Hire People, Not Just Skills. found on HRExaminer.com.  I welcome your comments – please join the conversation!!

Chris Havrilla is a Management Consultant through her own company Havrilla LLC, as well as the incredible team at Recruiting Toolbox, where she focuses on all aspects of strategy, process, technology, and training as it relates to Recruiting, Sourcing, Talent Management and Development. Chris holds a BBA in Management Information Systems and is an often-sought after speaker, writer, and advisor in the recruiting and HR industries.  Chris is currently serving as Vice President, Social Media for SHRM-Atlanta, as well as on the board of the Technology Association of Georgia (TAG) Recruiting Society.  In addition to co-founding and blogging at RecruiterChicks.com, she is also a regular contributor on HRExaminer and Jobsite.com blogs.

By Laurie Reuttimann

Please note:  This is a re-post of a piece with the same title, originally appearing on Laurie’s blog, The Cynical Girl, on May 2nd. 

I’m just back from SHRM Atlanta where I ate some cupcakes and talked to fellow nerds about recruiting, social media and the future of Human Resources.

You know what else people talked about? How to manage Millenials in the ever-changing workforce.

I like to pay attention to what’s said about Millennials because I have actually managed three generations in the workforce: Baby Boomers, Generation Jones and Generation Y. Not many of my peers can say this. And I know that what has been said about Generation Y (born 1982-2004) has been said about every white-collar worker since 1948, including me.

• They are coddled.
• Their diversity should be embraced.
• They want flexibility.
• They value benefits over salary.
• They want to be liked and accepted in a group environment.

While it’s true that a kid born in 1996 will never use a fax machine unless they are communicating with Sallie Mae about deferring their student loan repayments, I am not sure a new generation in the workforce changes the game of how you manage people.

It’s not like we manage people well in the first place, yo.

My favorite “Gen Y” writer thinks that much of this talk is garbage, too.

Replace the phrase “Gen Y” with any other protected class and you realize how ridiculous this is as a “best practice” for HR. #SHRMATL13

— Matt Charney (@mattcharney) April 30, 2013

I love it. Let’s try it.

• Puerto Ricans demand flexibility in the workforce.
• When you think black people people, think social and mobile.
• Asians: Confident. Connected. Open to Change.
• Muslims do not use Twitter in large numbers, but college-aged girls with disabilities show the greatest enthusiasm for the application.
• Native Americans want to work in a loose, collaborative environment without a ton of structure.
• The Irish want unlimited PTO.

[Wait, of course the Irish want unlimited PTO.]

Just because you have demographic data doesn’t mean the data is applicable, relevant or even appropriately interpreted by a bunch of Human Resources ladies at a conference. And just because people have evolving preferences and communication styles doesn’t mean that the concept of management changes all that much.

Manage for performance by setting clear goals and demonstrating empathy for your employees. Motivate your workers with a better with a mix of incentives — including a crazy concept called equal pay for equal work.

Right there? You’re ahead of the game.

Everything else you hear about managing Gen Y is sketchy mix of armchair philosophy and pop psychology.

With over a decade of Human Resources leadership experience in Fortune 500 organizations, Laurie Ruettimann is an influential speaker, writer and social media strategist.  She is the creator of Punk Rock HR, The Cynical Girl and The HR Blogger Network. Laurie is also the co-founder of HRBloggers.com and HRMToday.com, the first social networks created for HR professionals.

In addition to her online work, Laurie is a contributing editor for The Conference Board Review; an advisor to SmartBrief on Workforce; and her advice has been featured in various publications such as The New York Times, Forbes, U.S. News & World Report and CFO Magazine. Her work has been featured on the Suicide Girls and AOL.  Laurie is also recognized as one of the Top 5 career advisors by CareerBuilder and CNN.  SHRM Atlanta was thrilled to have Laurie as a part of our #SHRMATL13 Press Team providing media coverage of our annual conference!

By Tom Fee

Leadership is the ability to get people to follow you.  So how do you do that?  Influence.  Dan Crosby, PhD, of IncBlot, outlined the psychology for the 6 Pillars of Influence in his SHRMATL 2013 conference presentation.  It has less to do with your title and more to do with your approach.  You have to learn how to package and deliver your recommendations in a way that is attractive and enticing.  So here are the laws that good leaders use to influence others:

1-      Reciprocity – you have to give to get, kindness for kindness.  People have a natural need to return a favor with a favor.  But watch out, women and southerners have been taught to underplay the significance of their contribution.  When you have done a favor, accept their thanks graciously, but in a way that clearly underlines the value of the favor and relationship.

2-      Scarcity – people want what they can’t have, because it is rare or the opportunity is slipping away.  When you make a recommendation, make sure that you reinforce the consequences of not accepting the offer.  Most people are two times more upset about a potential loss, than attracted by an opportunity.  Also, clearly outline what needs to be done to implement the plan, people often fail to connect the action to the benefit.

3-      Authority – people trust others with experience, expertise and credentials.  If you don’t have them, quote the opinion of someone who does.  And remember that you depend on others to build your authority, so constantly reinforce the authority of those in your group to build your own.  The best approach is a subtle approach, when underscoring your authority start by admitting a minor weakness and then offer your most authoritative evidence; “lower their guard and then counter punch”

4-      Commitment and Consistency – people stick once they commit, even to a small commitment.  So get people to commit to something, anything, and they will be one step closer to sticking to the succeeding decisions.

5-      Consensus – people have a herd mentality and they look to others for approval.  If you can get some people to commit others will follow.  You can leverage the unseen “they”, just like the advertising that tells you that everyone else uses a product.  Surprisingly, the merit of an idea has less to do with the adoption of an idea than the adoption of others.

6-      Liking – like speaks to like.  People tend to agree with people who are just like them.  So, position your approach and appeal to appear to have commonality with your audience.  Make them laugh, be attractive (well groomed), share common stories, pay compliments and show that you have a common struggle.  Take the time to recognize a person’s personal Brand (their clothes, hobbies, tastes, style) and compliment them on it.

That’s it – 6 Pillars that will make you much more influential.  It has to do more with building your credibility in a group and using relationships effectively, than it does with title.  Take the time to build these six capabilities and you will find your influence and impact growing in your organization and life.

Tom Fee is the Managing Partner of Verity Partners, a consulting firm that helps drive new strategies to successful execution.  He brings over 30 years of experience and expertise in business analysis, design and implementation with over 100 companies (consulting at Booz, Deloitte, Verity Partners).  Currently Tom is developing new approaches to effective change by focusing on individual learning and adoption.  SHRM Atlanta was thrilled to have Tom as a part of our #SHRMATL13 Press Team providing media coverage of our annual conference!

Our 23rd Annual SHRM-Atlanta HR Conference  held April 29-30, 2013 at Cobb Galleria Centre is a wrap – what an event!!  As VP of Social Media for SHRM-Atlanta, as well as one of the conference content chairs, our annual conference is an event months in the making.  Of special note — for the weeks leading up to the event, I had the opportunity to interact with  many of our Speakers, Sponsors, and Exhibitors on our 2nd annual Speaker and Sponsor Blog Series that have been spotlighted on the SHRMATL blog.  Our goal was not to just TELL our distinguished members and conference attendees how great the content and the expertise shared would be, but to SHOW you.

I am so grateful to all of our Speaker and Sponsors who contributed — and who, in partnership with Meeting Expectations and our amazing SHRM-Atlanta Volunteers, made this year’s Conference such a success.  But the great features on our blog are far from over!  I also want to say thank you to all of our fantastic #SHRMATL13 press team who were hard at work last week tweeting, shooting video, and starting their blog writing to provide post-conference coverage to this premier event!!

I have listed their names, as well as links to their blogs and twitter id’s where applicable.

Chris Havrilla | Recruiter Chicks | @havrilla
Teela Jackson | Recruiter Chicks | @teelajackson
Alex Putman Social T-Rex | @alexputman
Miriam Salpeter | Keppie Careers | @keppiecareers
Laurie Ruettimann | The Cynical Girl | @lruettimann
Mike Haberman | Omega HR Solutions |  @mikehaberman
Anastasia Bartolucci | Social T-Rex | @anastasialevana
Deborah Herman | HR Optimist | @deborahherman
Jenny DeVaughn | Social Precision | @jennydevaughn
Nakia  Melecio | NKM Consulting Blog | @nakiamelecio
Angie Gilbreath | Random Thoughts From TPAGIRL | @tpagirl
Jim Stroud | The Recruiters Lounge | @jimstroud
Tom Fee | Verity Partners LLC

I hope everyone followed the #SHRMATL13 hashtag on twitter — and by all means keep an eye on the SHRMATL blog for the next couple of weeks for some fantastic insights from our press team on all they saw and heard from the conference!!

Chris Havrilla is a Management Consultant through her own company Havrilla LLC, as well as the incredible team at Recruiting Toolbox, where she focuses on all aspects of strategy, process, technology, and training as it relates to Recruiting, Sourcing, Talent Management and Development. Chris holds a BBA in Management Information Systems and is an often-sought after speaker, writer, and advisor in the recruiting and HR industries.  Chris is currently serving as Vice President, Social Media for SHRM-Atlanta, as well as on the board of the Technology Association of Georgia (TAG) Recruiting Society.  In addition to co-founding and blogging at RecruiterChicks.com, she is also a regular contributor on HRExaminer and Jobsite.com blogs.

By: Natasha L. Wilson, Esq. and Sumaya S. Ellard, Esq.

Unpaid summer internships have seemingly always provided mutual benefit to both employers and interns.   Interns have the opportunity to gain experience, build relationships, and learn about a particular career or industry in a “real world” setting, and employers gain support, albeit unskilled, from an enthusiastic worker.

However, the legality of the internship relationship is subject to increasing scrutiny.  In 2010 the Department of Labor (“DOL”) set forth new guidance to help determine whether interns must be paid minimum wage and overtime under the Fair Labor Standards Act (“FLSA”) for the services provided to “for-profit” private sector employers.  Since the introduction of the DOL’s guidance there has undoubtedly been a surge in wage and hour lawsuits filed on behalf of unpaid interns to seek wages. The Charlie Rose show has reportedly settled for $250,000 in back wages to 189 interns.  Notably, the emerging trend in litigation is not limited to unpaid interns. In New York, a former Intern/Assistant Football Coach filed suit against Hamilton College’s Athletics Department alleging that he was paid the same monthly stipend regardless of the number of hours he worked, in violation of the FLSA’s minimum wage and overtime requirements.  The plaintiff is representing a class of forty former interns, and is seeking unpaid overtime wages, liquidated damages, interest, and attorneys’ fees.

The potential costs of internship litigation are daunting; however, internships are still a valuable resource for employers and interns.  Accordingly, employers should structure their internship programs to comply with DOL guidance.  Pre-planning is critical.  Questions regarding the applicability of the FLSA’s minimum wage and overtime requirements should be assessed using the DOL’s promulgated criteria.  A private sector employer should be able to answer the following questions before classifying an internship as exempt from FLSA wage and hour requirements:

• Is the employment experience primarily for the benefit of the intern and not the employer?
• Is the internship comparable to training offered in an educational environment?
• Does the intern displace a regular employee?
• Does the intern work closely under close supervision of existing staff?
• Is the intern not necessarily entitled to a job at the conclusion of the internship?
• Does the employer derive immediate advantage from the activities of the intern?
• Does the employer make clear to the intern, from the outset, that the internship is  unpaid?

After an employer makes a final determination regarding the classification of the internship, it may be helpful to take some additional steps.  Before hiring any interns, employers may want to consult legal counsel to draft a written agreement setting forth the goals, duties, and objectives of the internship program.  The agreement should explicitly outline any compensation or academic credit that will be awarded.  Employers should keep diligent records of the internship program, including time records of interns.  If an employer has an existing internship program, it may want to hire legal counsel to conduct an audit of the program to determine compliance with the FLSA.  Further, it may be helpful to train the supervising staff regarding the roles of interns.  Ultimately, employers should be diligent in their creation and execution of internship programs to minimize liability.

Natasha L. Wilson and Sumaya S. Ellard are Attorneys in the Labor & Employment Practice Group in the Atlanta office of the law firm Greenberg Traurig, LLP.  Please stop by Exhibit Booth 201 in the Resource Partner Showcase to learn more about the firm and the services they provide.  Their colleagues will also present during this year’s SHRM conference.  David Long-Daniels and Brett Lane will present the topic “Gender Stereotypes and LGBT Employees – Turning a Powder Keg Into a Respectful Workplace,” on April 29, 2013 at 3:30 pm.  Todd Wozniak and Pete Hall will present the topic “Whistleblower & Retaliation Law Update,” on April 30, 2013 at 3:00 pm.  Natasha, Sumaya and the Greenberg Traurig attorneys look forward to meeting you at the 23rd Annual SHRM-Atlanta HR Conference.

Natasha L. Wilson focuses her practice on labor and employment law and devotes her legal practice to representing management in all aspects of employment law, from prevention and compliance issues to arbitration and litigation. She has litigated a wide variety of employment issues on the federal, state and local levels before courts and administrative agencies. Natasha works closely with her clients to provide counseling and consultation on employee matters, policy revisions, litigation prevention, and the implementation of sound employment practices.

Prior to joining the firm, Natasha was an associate with one of the largest law firms in the Southeast. Her prior litigation experience includes representation of clients in environmental and toxic tort defense and general business litigation. She also has experience in white collar criminal defense and corporate investigations, electronic discovery and digital information. Before entering law school, Natasha worked as a television journalist for seven years.

Sumaya S. Ellard focuses her practice on labor and employment matters. She has advised employers on Fair Labor Standard Act (FSLA) classifications and has represented clients in wage and hour issues. Sumaya has counseled employers on various employment laws, policies and employee matters, including separation and settlement agreements along with discrimination, harassment and retaliation matters. She has represented clients in discrimination cases involving age, race, gender, religion and national origin.

By: Joe Gerstandt

Difference is a part of any and all social interactions. You may pay attention to it, you may ignore it, but it is there. All groups, all conversations, all interactions, all relationships contain difference…it is one of the basic building blocks of everything social.

Difference is also a natural catalyst…it changes social groups. Whether the social group is a family or a neighborhood or an organization, when you introduce additional diversity into that group or pay more attention to existing diversity you are going to change that group in some way.

Diversity disrupts because it always brings tension with it. Tension activates human emotions, informs patterns of behavior and it demands different relational skills. Whether a social group is moved towards realizing better outcomes or lesser outcomes depends on its willingness and ability to deal with the tension in a healthy functional way or not.

In some relationships or groups, difference is avoided. Close friends sometime avoid issues that they disagree on. I have worked with senior leadership teams that are not willing or able to really disagree with each other, they forfeit the ability to benefit from their differences. My family used to have big and long conversations about politics…it was easy and fun for us to do this as we mostly agreed politically. We do not agree politically any longer…and now we pretty consistently avoid political conversations. Our desire to avoid that conflict has disrupted this aspect of our relationship, and our ability to be whole and real with each other.

Sometimes difference is not avoided, but rather becomes the central focus and a source of conflict and dysfunction. These groups silo and segregate and are disrupted in a different way.

Sometimes groups have the skills and maturity to hold on to the tension of difference and use it. They are able to explore the intersection. These groups are innovative, they learn and adapt and they become greater than the sum of their parts. These groups are able to synthesize and recombine the variety of knowledge, perspectives, narratives, heuristics and experiences that they have access to; all of which is wasted in the other groups.

Diversity disrupts…it pushes groups in new directions.

Diversity work also has to be disruptive.

And here is the catch.

We have a lot of organizational and community leaders that say really, really nice things about diversity and inclusion today. I think that they sincerely like the idea of diverse and inclusive places to work and live.

But.

They are not crazy about disruption.

Lots of people really like the ideas of creativity and innovation; but lots of people do not like the tension, uncertainty and risk that actually feed innovation. Lots of people like the idea of being physically fit; but lots of people do not like the work involved in actually making that happen.

If you are doing diversity and inclusion work in your organization or your community it is going to be disruptive. If you are not rocking the boat in some way you are likely not doing anything.

When did you last ruffle feathers?

You can see Joe’s session, No, Great Minds Do NOT Think Alike, at the 23nd Annual SHRM-Atlanta HR Conference at the Cobb Galleria Centre in Atlanta, on Monday, April 29 from 3:30 to 4:30pm.

Over the past 10 years, social networking sites, such as Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, etc., have burst onto the scene providing a playground for people to post personal thoughts or feedback and prompt discussion on everything and anything. However, these same playgrounds provide ample fodder for employers seeking background clues on potential hires.

What can Social Media Reveal?

Consider profiles or feeds you’ve seen on social media sites. What do you post? What do your friends or (gasp!) children post? What do the pictures, article links, status updates and other information say about you? How is that information used when employers are making hiring decisions? Is it legal or even fair to use information obtained from social media about a candidate for hire?

Many employers are using social media to gather intelligence on applicants and employees. Hiring managers are able to see how a potential employee presents himself, whether there are discrepancies in someone’s work history or even if a candidate has made discriminatory comments or remarks.

What Are the Risks Involved?

Employers need to understand the risks in using social networking sites to research job applicants. There are “off-limit” areas that employers cannot use against a candidate when making hiring decisions. Certain laws such as the Stored Communications Act and the Fair Credit Reporting Act dictate how information can legally be obtained and used.

Outside Vendors

As social media sites have sprung into existence, so have social intelligence and monitoring services. Some offer services to monitor and analyze a company’s social media presence across the various social media platforms. Others offer to gather intelligence about a person from these same platforms.

While social media isn’t still a “new” phenomenon, the law and courts are playing catch-up. We can expect increased scrutiny and new regulations as more lawsuits with social media elements land in our courtrooms.

Want to hear more?

Steve and Kristie will discuss the risks and benefits in using social media for employment screenings during their presentation, Background Investigations in the Information, at the 2013 SHRM-Atlanta HR Conference on Tuesday, April 30 at 11:15 a.m.  Be sure to come by this session to learn more and stop by booth 405 to learn more about Troutman Sanders and labor & employment practice. We’ll see you there!

Steve Riddell is partner in the Labor & Employment group at Troutman Sanders with 30 years of experience in litigation and arbitration. Steve has served a counsel to companies such as Georgia Power and Chick-fil-A in a variety of labor and employment issues, including employment disputes, discrimination claims and class action lawsuits and labor arbitrations. He is a member of the American Bar Association, the State Bar of Georgia and he is a certified arbitrator with the American Arbitration Association. He can be reached at stephen.riddell@troutmansanders.com.

Kristina Klein, an associate in the Labor & Employment group at Troutman Sanders, counsels employers in all types of employment litigation matters including discrimination claims, wage and hour violations, and non-compete issues. She frequently writes and speaks on labor and employment issues, and is an editor for the firm’s HRLawMatters.com blog site. She can be reached at kristina.klein@troutmansanders.com.

By: Mike Psenka

One thing we know is that healthcare reform is a reality and it’s not going anywhere. Although the Affordable Care Act (ACA) was passed in 2010, employers will be hit the hardest in 2014. You may have heard that the only two options are to “pay” the fines or “play” by offering the minimal coverage. But another approach that employers are taking into consideration is adjusting their workforce by outsourcing labor, decreasing hours, adding more part-time workers, or even reducing headcount.

Regardless of the path you decide to go down, there are numerous variables to consider – and most employers are “missing the mark” by thinking solely about ACA’s impact on benefit costs and government fines. So where exactly are most employers missing the mark? Here are the 5 most common things that organizations are not thinking about:

1. Turnover: The decisions you make around healthcare coverage can lead to increased turnover – and huge impacts on your bottom line. Just think about the time it takes to fill an open position, get employees ramped up, and the time away from the job for employees that are needed to train new hires.
2. Unemployment costs: With turnover comes the risk of increased unemployment claims. Employers that reduce hours or do not provide minimal coverage to eligible employees are likely to see a higher turnover rate – leading to a spike in unemployment costs.
3. Workforce management:  The number of salaried vs. hourly employees, actual hours worked, and overtime pay are crucial in determining the law’s impact. And don’t forget about workload. Do you have employees working overtime while some are underutilized? Creating a workload balance can be the life or death of measuring both employee eligibility and unemployment costs.
4. Unanticipated costs: More and more, employers are starting to see the unanticipated costs of ACA. A great example is the potential government fines outside of ACA non-compliance. For instance, adjusting your workforce can lead to EEOC violations. Another example that’s catching organizations off guard is that while providing healthcare coverage is perceived as generous, this can actually cost employees more when considering all factors.
5. Ongoing management: When considering the impacts of healthcare reform, the only thing constant is change. There are still many aspects of the law that have yet to be ironed out – and employers are left with more questions than answers. Naturally, questions will continue to rise as the law changes over time. That’s why you can’t afford to view your strategy as a “one and done” decision. Ongoing management, evaluation, and analysis of your strategy are crucial to ensuring that your approach evolves with both the law and your workforce.

Healthcare reform is here to stay and it’s not a onetime thing. There is a lot that goes into your healthcare coverage decision… are you missing the mark?

You can see Mike’s session, PPACA Healthcare Reform:  Managing Unemployment Costs, Government Fines and Turnover, at the 23nd Annual SHRM-Atlanta HR Conference at the Cobb Galleria Centre in Atlanta, on Tuesday, April 30 from 8:15am – 9:15am.

Mike Psenka is the founder of eThority, a provider of world-class analytics to the human capital, higher education, commercial, and government markets.  In 2011, Equifax Workforce Solutions acquired eThority to offer an unparalleled analytics tool to its customers. Prior to founding eThority, Psenka worked with PricewaterhouseCoopers within their Open Systems Technology group implementing financial and manufacturing systems. He graduated from Princeton University with a degree in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering.  Psenka has focused a great deal of passion toward the creation of ‘user-obvious’ platforms. When not executing day-to-day business operations, he dedicates himself to the development of innovative solutions that provide vital answers to the marketplace.

By:  Natasha L. Wilson, Esq., and Sumaya S. Ellard, Esq.

Senator Patty Murray (D. WA) and co-sponsor Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D. NH) recently reintroduced the Protecting America’s Workers Act (“PAWA”).  PAWA is designed to expand the protections and enforcement scope of the Occupational Safety and Health Act (“OSHA”).

PAWA increases OSHA protections to include state, county, municipal and U.S. government employees.  Moreover, PAWA increases whistleblower protections and improves OSHA reporting, inspection and enforcement. Specifically, PAWA increases coverage to include more of the 8.5 million federal, state, local government, and private sector employees that are currently outside of the Act’s protections.

PAWA expands whistleblower protections by including a number of procedural and administrative options that are unavailable under OSHA.  Significantly, PAWA authorizes private rights of action if an employer fails to comply with an order providing relief.  PAWA further allows complainants to move their cases to the next judicial stage if the appropriate administrative ruling body has not issued a decision in a timely manner.  The most significant change to procedure is the increase of the statute of limitations period from 30 days to 180 days for filing a complaint with the U.S. Department of Labor.  The longer filing period facilitates the filing of more retaliation cases previously foreclosed by the 30 day statute of limitations.

Moreover, PAWA increases the penalties for law breakers.  The bill authorizes felony charges for an employer’s repeated and willful violations of OSHA that result in a worker’s death or serious injury.   PAWA increases civil penalties and sets a minimum penalty of $50,000 for a worker’s death caused by a willful violation.

PAWA increases OSHA’s enforcement by mandating the investigation of all cases of death or serious incidents of injury of two or more employees.  To that end, PAWA includes provisions requiring employers to take measures to protect against the spoliation of evidence.

Overall, PAWA clarifies an employer’s duty to provide a safe worksite. It amends the General Duty Clause to include all workers on the site and clarifies employer responsibility to provide necessary safety equipment.

Employers should stay abreast of PAWA’s movement in Congress because if it is passed PAWA could significantly impact employers by increasing the breadth of OSHA’s application to employers that were never previously covered, increase civil penalties for violations, expand employee protections and rights, and impose heightened safety guidelines.

Natasha L. Wilson and Sumaya S. Ellard are Attorneys in the Labor & Employment Practice Group in the Atlanta office of the law firm Greenberg Traurig, LLP.  Please stop by Exhibit Booth 201 in the Resource Partner Showcase to learn more about the firm and the services they provide.  Their colleagues will also present during this year’s SHRM conference.  David Long-Daniels and Brett Lane will present the topic “Gender Stereotypes and LGBT Employees – Turning a Powder Keg Into a Respectful Workplace,” on April 29, 2013 at 3:30 pm.  Todd Wozniak and Pete Hall will present the topic “Whistleblower & Retaliation Law Update,” on April 30, 2013 at 3:00 pm.  Natasha, Sumaya and the Greenberg Traurig attorneys look forward to meeting you at the 23rd Annual SHRM-Atlanta HR Conference.

Natasha L. Wilson focuses her practice on labor and employment law and devotes her legal practice to representing management in all aspects of employment law, from prevention and compliance issues to arbitration and litigation. She has litigated a wide variety of employment issues on the federal, state and local levels before courts and administrative agencies. Natasha works closely with her clients to provide counseling and consultation on employee matters, policy revisions, litigation prevention, and the implementation of sound employment practices.

Prior to joining the firm, Natasha was an associate with one of the largest law firms in the Southeast. Her prior litigation experience includes representation of clients in environmental and toxic tort defense and general business litigation. She also has experience in white collar criminal defense and corporate investigations, electronic discovery and digital information. Before entering law school, Natasha worked as a television journalist for seven years.

Sumaya S. Ellard focuses her practice on labor and employment matters. She has advised employers on Fair Labor Standard Act (FSLA) classifications and has represented clients in wage and hour issues. Sumaya has counseled employers on various employment laws, policies and employee matters, including separation and settlement agreements along with discrimination, harassment and retaliation matters. She has represented clients in discrimination cases involving age, race, gender, religion and national origin.

By Jeff Tobe CSP

Most HR professionals worldwide agree that customer service has a lot to do with what they do!  Who told you that?  It’s NOT TRUE! You are not in the customer service business but you ARE in the customer EXPERIENCE business. A negative experience will hurt your department or your organization but a positive experience—shared with others—is one of the most powerful tools available to you.

We have all heard of the phenomenal experience offered by Nordstrom—an upscale department store chain found in major cities around the U.S. There has even been a book written about their outside-the-lines customer experiences.  I wanted to share my own experience.

I walked into Nordstrom in the Dallas Galleria intent on purchasing a pair of running shoes I knew they carried.  After being approached by a friendly (but not overly-friendly) salesperson named James, he asked me a series of questions about my desire for that particular shoe.  By analyzing my answers, James convinced me that another shoe was far more appropriate for the multi-use needs that I had.  He went to get me the shoes to try on.

James returned with nothing in his hands and a disappointed look in his eyes.  He informed me that he was out of stock but that he could order them and have them delivered to me.  Quite honestly, I didn’t want the shoes that badly.  I am a ‘instant gratification” kind of guy and if I couldn’t have them now, I could find them back home.

James persisted. “Mr. Tobe, are you going to be in the Mall for awhile?”

I hesitated but informed him that I planned on having lunch before I left.  He replied, “Let me try to find the shoes.  Come back when you are finished eating.”

I agreed and left thinking that this was odd.  There is only one Nordstrom store in Dallas, so how could he produce my shoes in the next 45 minutes?

When I returned, James was beaming.  He had the shoes!  As I tried them on I noticed a price tag on the box from an athletic shoe store also found in the mall; a competitor!  James had gone to the other store, purchased the shoes and had them ready for me.  Not only that, but the price on the tag was $2.00 more than the price James was quoting me.  When I inquired as to why he had done this, he replied, “Mr. Tobe, it is worth the effort and the extra $2.00 to make sure you come back to us next time you are in Dallas”

Needless to say, I had no choice but to buy the shoes right then and there.  More importantly, I have now shared this example with 100’s of people in my recent workshops and keynotes.  And now I am sharing it with 1000’s of you!

You see, if you believe you are in the customer service business, you are looking for a satisfied customer (internal and external).  But, once you make the leap to customer experience thinking, you are now looking for a more loyal external customer and engaged internal customer.

A recent poll conducted by the Gallop Organization found that only 43% of Americans are engaged at what they do every day in their jobs.  Most employees have the attitude that “Customer Service is NOT my job” but by changing their focus, employees begin to understand that their daily contribution—no matter how small—is part of the customer experience. When that happens, we have found that engagement can increase by 2-3 times!

The bottom line is that HR has to be the EXPERIENCE CATALYST in the organization.  It is a natural place for the focus to change.  In an effort to have a bigger say at the table you have to make the shift from being the HR department to becoming a strategic partner.  The experience mindset will start the ball rolling.  Like my Nordstrom salesperson James, you just need to shatter the stereotype people EXPECT to have with you.

Certified Speaking Professional, Jeff Tobe shows organizations how to design and implement the ideal customer experience.  His newest book, ANTICIPATE: Knowing What Customers Need Before They Do, is one of the hottest business books on the market today.  Jeff will be presenting at 23rd Annual SHRM-Atlanta HR Conference on Monday April 29^th at 3:30pm.  To get more information on Jeff, visit his website at www.JeffTobe.com or follow him on Twitter @JeffTobe