February 2017

Greetings, GMA Members:

We may have thought spring was around the corner, but as I write this it’s again snowing and cold outside. Hopefully by the time you read this, the groundhog will not have seen his shadow and we will have an early spring!

We had a busy beginning to the year with our semi-annual strategic planning day and our first Professional Development Summit of the year. Thank you to the members who took time out of their own busy schedules to attend our planning day and provide input and thought leadership into our strategic plan. It’s always a great opportunity for our members to see the inner-workings of the board and we appreciate your attendance. Additionally, our first PDS of the year was January 31 and was focused on what to do an in an Active Shooter situation and how to handle the messaging after a crisis. Though they are both situations we all hope to never be in, those who attended are now better equipped to handle a crisis, should one arrive.

We also were a sponsor for the WISHRM Day on the Hill in January. I also want to give special recognition to Jeff Palkowski, our Director of Government Affairs. He put tremendous effort into planning and advertising the day, which was a great success. If you have not attended in the past, I encourage you to plan on attending next year.

This is also the time of year where we start focusing on our succession plan for our next term starting in July. While we have a fantastic board and many plan on staying in their role we will always have at least one opening on the board as we fill the role of President-Elect. We have found it works best to grow and promote from within. Each year, we look at our current chairs, coordinators and active members who might be interested in taking that next step. These individuals truly see the benefits of what they are doing by volunteering and want to continue to give back to the chapter and the HR profession. They see all of the great things we as a chapter are doing and want to be a part of it.

I am continually amazed by all the remarkable volunteers that we have in GMA SHRM. It is truly one of the core reasons we are as successful as a chapter and one that other chapters look to for guidance and leadership. Our volunteers have true passion for their profession, our chapter and our community. If you are ever interested in volunteering, but just don’t know how to get started, please reach out to me or any board member and we will be happy to find your perfect role. If you are contemplating that next role as a board member, please reach out to me or any board member and have a “no-strings attached” conversation on what involvement at the board level entails.

Finally, I strongly encourage you to sign up for our first networking event of 2017. On February 23, we will be hosting a networking event at Wisconsin Brewing Company. For just $10, you can attend a tasting, brewery tour and network with members. I look forward to seeing you there!

Best Wishes,

Melissa Chadwick
President
GMA SHRM

Click here to view the full GMA SHRM Board of Directors

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Government Affairs & Legal Updates

Change is Imminent Under the New Presidential Administration

Submitted by: Jeff Palkowski, Director of Government Affairs GMA SHRM and SHRM Advocacy Captain (Wisconsin 1st CD)

With the inauguration of Donald J. Trump as the 45^th president on January 20, 2017, as HR professionals we can certainly expect a number of changes which will likely impact the human resources industry. What these changes are and when they will be implemented is open for discussion and something to closely watch.

SHRM has recently identified a number of areas where we may see some impact related to human resources within the first 100 days of the Trump presidency. These areas include:

Nomination to fill the vacant United States Supreme Court vacancy
Confirmation of all cabinet secretaries including the Secretary of Labor
Proposal for changes to paid sick leave in particular, paid maternity leave changes
Repeal and replacement of the Affordable Care Act
Possible federal deregulations

Other areas that were not specifically addressed by the SHRM article include: final resolution of the Fair Labor Standards Act salary threshold (which as of this writing, remains on hold) as well as potential changes with immigration policies that may impact employers.

To access the full article on the SHRM web page, click on the link here: https://www.shrm.org/resourcesandtools/legal-and-compliance/employment-law/pages/trump-first-100-days-slow-and-swift-action.aspx

Also, visit the SHRM Employment Law Page to track updates as they are posted here: https://www.shrm.org/resourcesandtools/legal-and-compliance/employment-law/pages/

Your GMA SHRM Government Affairs Committee will continue to monitor legislative updates at the state and federal levels as well as updates from the executive and judicial branches of government, and will share information as it becomes available.

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Compensation & Benefits

Recruiting & Talent Retention Are High-Priority Challenges for Wisconsin Employers

As unemployment declines, companies in every industry are revisiting recruitment and talent retention strategies.

Reports released earlier this month revealed that Wisconsin unemployment rates have declined to pre- recession levels. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the unemployment rate in Wisconsin fell to 4.2 percent in July 2016. It decreased even lower, to 3.0 percent in Dane County, home of the state’s capital. Celebration in the progressive cheese-state is tepid, as wage growth (or lack thereof) and economic inequality persist as major issues for the collective workforce.

Consequently, employers across Wisconsin are facing the challenges of a tight labor market: namely, recruiting and talent retention. According to The QTI Group’s 2016 Survey of Top HR Challenges, 88 percent of human resources executives said recruiting and retention are significant organizational challenges.

To put the statistics into perspective, today there are just 1.8 unemployed individuals for each job opening. This is a sharp contrast from mid-2009, when there were seven unemployed individuals per job opening. These statistics are absent key employment factors such as basic qualifications, location, and total rewards.

According to the Wall Street Journal, only 50 percent of applicants meet basic job qualifications. Executive roles are even more dire. Theresa Balsiger, an Executive Recruiter at QTI Executive & Professional Search, Inc., said, “I reviewed my last three years of applicants for professional and executive placements and estimate the applicants with basic qualifications for these roles is closer to 10 percent.”

Delayed (yet inevitable) retirement of Baby Boomers, the gig economy, and real projections of job growth further complicate the process of attracting, keeping, and developing employees.

The result is a candidate-driven market for employment. Balsiger characterized the more traditional employer-driven market: demand for specific competencies, rigid hiring practices, and minimal leeway in negotiation of benefits and compensation. “That’s not going to work as we move forward,” Balsiger said. “We’re in a candidate-driven market and employers have a lot less power in the recruitment process.”

“The market presents challenges in recruitment, but it is also presents challenges in retention; companies have to work harder to keep their A-players,” Balsiger continued.

So, how do companies attract and retain top-talent?

The QTI Group suggests a blend of both tactical modernizations to the recruitment process as well as taking a total rewards, approach to the employee value proposition, including highlighting both culture and employment brand. “If you’re using the same recruitment and retention strategies you used three to five years ago, they’re not going to work for the next three to five years,” Balsiger said.

Antonia Turnquist is a Human Resources and Compensation Consultant at QTI Consulting, Inc. Turnquist says companies that effectively dial-in their total rewards branding and execution stand to improve employee engagement – the somewhat nebulous yet undoubtedly impactful measure of discretionary effort (i.e. the employee’s propensity to go above and beyond.)

A recent Gallup study found that companies with high levels of engagement typically experience increases in profitability (21 percent), productivity (20 percent), and customer loyalty (10 percent) and decreases in safety incidents (70 percent), absenteeism (41 percent), and turnover (24 percent).

“The success of your organization really depends on the quality of the motivation of your employees – they’re the ones running the engine,” Turnquist said.

Theresa Balsiger and Antonia Turnquist recently addressed attendees of the Insurance Accounting & Systems Association (Wisconsin Chapter) 2016 Fall Conference. Their session, titled Recruiting & Engagement Strategies in a Tight Labor Market offered attendees key insight into the intricacies of the evolving employment base, viable recruiting and engagement strategies, and expert advice on custom benefits management.

The benefits of well-constructed talent strategy including recruiting, onboarding, and employee engagement and retention are clear, but the successful execution of a new talent strategy can be difficult. Globalization and technology have greatly impacted the US economy and many analysts believe our nation is in uncharted territory. QTI’s team of experienced Recruiters and Compensation and HR Consultants are ready to guide you through the process and help you to recruit and retain top talent that will help drive business results.

For more information about how The QTI Group can help you with your human resources needs, call 608.257.1057 or email qti@qtigroup.com.

Professional Development

GMA SHRM Professional Award

The Greater Madison Area Society for Human Resource Management (GMA SHRM) has established a professional awards program encouraging continuing education in the human resources field.

Award
The annual $1,000 award will be given to a GMA SHRM member to support his or her professional development.
Examples of covered eligible programs include:

• Attendance at a National/State SHRM conference
• Post-secondary degree in business or human resources related discipline
• Support of certification or re-certification (PHR, SPHR, GPHR, SHRM-CP, SHRM-SCP, CCP, CEBS, etc.)
• Certificate programs in business or human resources related discipline

Eligibility
Eligible applicants for the GMA SHRM Professional Awards Program must meet the following criteria:

• GMA SHRM Member
• Currently working in an HR related field
• Current GMA SHRM Board Members are not eligible
Professionals who receive 80-100% tuition reimbursement from their employer are not eligible to use this award for tuition reimbursement.

To Apply
To be considered for the professional award, applicants must email one (1) pdf file containing the following information to chapteradmin@gmashrm.org. Do not use the body of the email for any required portions below.

• Brief one page purpose statement explaining how continuing education or professional certification will enhance your HR career
• Current resume
• List all volunteer activities, including SHRM and relevant organizations including all community activities in which you have participated without pay. Note all special awards, honors, and offices held. If you have participated in a research project, please include that experience as well.

Award Provisions
Award recipients will be selected by the Professional Awards Committee based on demonstration of leadership qualities and interest in the human resources field, GMA SHRM participation, and a dedication to the advancement of the HR field.
The award program is open NOW and all applications must be emailed in one (1) pdf file by February 1^st, 2017 to be considered. Application materials should be sent to chapteradmin@gmashrm.org.
The award will be paid on a reimbursement basis, pending a one-time submission of receipts for course work or program activity. Recipients must use monetary contributions within one year of receipt.

Additional Information
Questions regarding the professional award program should be directed to Jeff Westra.
The Greater Madison Area SHRM and its Professional Awards Committee reserve the right to alter or change this program. Any tax liability is the responsibility of the recipient.

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6 Ways You're Accidentally Killing Your Company Culture

Sarah Young - Chief Impact Catalyst at Zing Collaborative. March Professional Development Summit Presenter

You have great company culture. You wear jeans to work on Fridays, you have a corporate mentoring program, and you even dedicate a day each year to volunteering. Clearly, you care about culture.
But, if you take a deeper look, I bet you’ll be surprised to find that you’re killing your company culture in ways that no amount of volunteer days can offset.

Below, 6 ways to tell if you’re killing your company culture without even knowing it.

All decisions go through one person. A lot of people within your organization talk about decisions. And attend meetings about decisions. And prepare analyses about decisions. You may even hold collaborative brainstorming sessions about decisions where everyone does have a voice - at least during that one hour meeting. But at the end of the day, decisions of nearly all shapes and sizes still go through a single upward channel. This may happen in the form of sign-offs, approvals, request forms, or the dreaded “submit it and wait to take action until we hear back” approach. Which, sometimes (or often), is never.
A few people manage everyone in your organization. You have team sizes of 10, 12, 15, or even 20+ people. All team members are directly managed by a very small leadership team. These leaders are stretched thin and short on time - which means that 1:1 meetings with team members rarely, if ever, take place. It’s common to hear phrases from team members such as “my manager is really busy…….” and for managers to be living in a whirlwind. Not meeting with team members becomes excusable because of “how busy” all of the managers are and because it’s “nearly impossible” to meet with 15 people regularly.
You don't promote your high-potential, high performers. You have rock stars on your team who you haven’t promoted to a leadership role because they “lack management experience,” “have only been here for a couple years,” or “have this one small area to continue working on.” They are somehow slightly imperfect human beings and therefore will never be a good manager. As a result, #2 continues to occur; meanwhile the rock stars become frustrated, bored, or disengaged - until eventually they leave, citing something like "moving closer to home" or "exploring a new opportunity" as their reason.
You don’t separate from toxic team members. Team members who kill culture through negativity, gossip, inappropriate behavior, or drama who do not change their behavior despite ongoing feedback are still on your team. Due to fear of losing their product knowledge or company history, they are allowed to stay. Eventually, their behavior becomes accepted (it’s always been this way, after all…). Maybe it even begins to trickle out to other people or areas.
You have a culture of “yes.” In meetings, there is little truly critical discussion about issues, and few people use full permission to challenge the primary decision maker (see #1). Healthy debate is seen as “challenging the expert/boss” and it’s not encouraged - it might even be discouraged in either an explicit or subtle way. People who raise good, constructive, yet critical questions are often labeled “difficult,” “critical” or even “negative” or (the worst) “not a team player.” So, to avoid gaining such titles, people generally agree with whatever direction is being proposed - even if it’s the wrong one.
People gossip. The real dialogue within your organization generally takes place after the meetings - in the hallways, in the privacy of your office, or in a hushed tone while microwaving lunch in the kitchen. This is generally where the critical questions are raised and when the follow-up conversation occurs...but now, laced with a new tone of frustration or even fear since it wasn't discussed in the way it needed to be during the meeting.

Do any of these things sound familiar in your organization? If so, awareness is the first step toward change. To talk more about how to create change and revive your company culture in the areas you’ve accidentally killed it off, drop me a note at sarah@zingcoaching.com.

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GMA SHRM Idea Exchange

Sometimes you just have that question…..you would really just like to ask an HR colleague quickly. Perhaps it is limited to your field of work, or a specific situation. Let GMA SHRM help!

In response to a specific need, we are excited to launch the “Idea Exchange” as part of your membership in GMA SHRM! The goal of the Idea Exchange is to provide a secure area for all GMA SHRM members to be able to start a dialogue and find someone to network with on a particular issue, and to share files in a more secure format - or at least share contact details so files could be shared.

This great new tool is available to all members of GMA SHRM. You simply sign in on the GMA SHRM Home Page (click on Member Log In at the top) to access questions or to provide your response!”

Once you are logged in, click on ‘File Library’ at the top right, and Idea Exchange will appear on the drop down menu.

Interested in joining the Social Media & Technology Committee?

Simply want to learn more about what we do?

Join our next committee meeting via telephone conference! Contact Brittany Hanson (brittanyh@seniorhelpers.com) for details – all interested GMA SHRM members are welcome!

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Workforce Readiness & Diversity

GMA SHRM Partners with Dane County Job Center

Announcing a new partnership between GMA SHRM and the Dane County Job Center! The WRDC is partnering with the Dane County Job Center to help support job readiness activities surrounding the twice a year Dane County Regional Job Fairs. These job fairs are held in the Spring and Fall. The spring job fair is March 22 from Noon-5:00 at the Alliant Energy Center. There are many ways to volunteer! Checkout our social media postings over the next few weeks to find out how to volunteer for pre-job fair workshops like Job Fair Prep, Resume Builder, Interviewing Skills and Dress to Impress! You can also volunteer the day of the Job Fair (even while you have a booth at the job fair) in the Job Seeker Preparation Area. Pay attention to our social media posts for more information!

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Tips and Resources from Workforce Development & Diversity Committee

Submitted by Heather Kennedy

Recently ran across emtrain through a LinkedIn post. They offer some interesting free webinars on HR, compliance, and diversity topics. Check them out - http://emtrain.com/v1/webinars. Check them out!

Looking for a larger candidate pool? Think outside the typical. What related positions might be a fit for the skill sets and behaviors that you are looking for? What local organizations might attract the candidates you want to attract? Could you start an internship or apprenticeship program to grow your own talent? How can you get more of the organization involved in attracting talent? Who are your best performers? What is their background? Are they members of any clubs or organizations that might be a good talent pool? With unemployment in Dane County at incredible lows (2.8% to be more specific), finding talent is harder than ever. Expanding the avenues you use to attract talent will take more up front effort and will pay back dividends in the future.

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GMA SHRM Social Media

Social Media & Technology Committee

Interested in joining the Social Media & Technology Committee? Simply want to learn more about what we do? Join our next committee meeting via telephone conference. January Meeting TBD - Contact Tia Gibson at tia.gibson@covance.com for teleconference dial in info!

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Forward HR

Want to know what’s going on in HR for the other areas of Wisconsin? WI SHRM has a new blog, Forward HR. Click here to take a look.

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GMA SHRM News & Upcoming Events

View the 2017 Calendar of Events!

Get out your calendars and save these dates now for the 2017 GMA SHRM Programming and Networking Calendar!

Click here to view the calendar!

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March 21, 2017 - Professional Development Summit

Session 1: Tech Hack for Your HR Toolbelt: Solutions to Save Time and Increase Productivity

Gold Partner Sponsor:

Participants will leave energized and inspired to help their teams take action, specifically they will have more…

Strategies to engage their younger employees by leveraging technology they want to be using in their work
Time, thanks to free and easy-to-use tools that remove redundancy
Joy & less stress because they are able to be more productive

Session 2: The Myths of Engaging and Retaining Millennials

Gold Partner Sponsor:

Participants will:

Explore the challenges with common ‘solutions’ to how to engage and retain millennials
Understand core drivers for engagement and retention of great people
Leave with specific, actionable solutions to apply within your organization to increase engagement

Full Program Information

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Human Capital Conference Committee - Join the Team!

Are you interested in getting involved and making connections with other Human Resources Professionals? We are starting to plan our May 2017 all-day conference and welcome YOU to contribute to this effort. This is a great opportunity to provide input on topics and speakers for the event, build relationships with other members and gain valuable experience with event planning.

If you want to learn more about this committee and how you might benefit from volunteering for this conference, please contact Tammy Wacek at tammy.wacek@wpsic.com.

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GMA SHRM Member News

GMA SHRM Member Spotlight

Name: Laura Gill

Where do you currently work? Cascade Asset Management

What is the focus of your position? Human Resource Generalist. I am involved in all aspects of HR including recruitment and selection, compensation and pay practices, employee benefits, performance management, employee consultation, human resource research and reporting, compliance, and employee services.

How long have you been in the Human Resource field? 14 years

Which of your career accomplishments makes you proudest? I am most proud of my ability to help employees. There are some aspects of HR ( e.g. benefits) that can be very confusing to employees and difficult to understand if you don’t deal with them day in and day out. I love it when employees come to see me to ask a question about their paycheck, their benefit status, or even if I know of various resources that may be able to assist them with an issue they may be having.

What is the best advice you’ve ever received? “People will forget what you said. People will forget what you did. But people will never forget how you made them feel.” This quote from Maya Angelou is how I try to live my life every day and make everyone feel like they matter. I never want anyone to feel as though they or their opinion doesn’t matter.

Why did you decide to join GMA SHRM? GMA SHRM has been a part of my life since before I began my HR career. From way back in my college years a student at University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, I was involved in SHRM, and was a student member of GMA SHRM. I have kept up my membership ever since during my working years and have continued to do so due to the professional development, networking, and other opportunities it affords. Having an HR resource is incredibly valuable in this industry and I value what GMA SHRM provides for its members.

GMA SHRM Volunteer Spotlight

Name: Natalie Busse

How long have you been volunteering with GMA SHRM? 4 years

What committee are you volunteering with? Have you volunteered on other committees? If yes, which one?
I am currently on the Workforce Readiness and Diversity Committee. Also, I am the current Secretary/Treasurer on the GMA SHRM Board.

What do you enjoy about volunteering?
Both positions are very rewarding in different ways. I started volunteering with the WFRD committee when I first joined GMA SHRM. It’s great to go into high schools, job agencies and help with Job Boot Camp to conduct mock interviews, resume review and give HR advice. Volunteering in the community is important to me because I can improve the place I live and work in. Then a year ago I became Secretary/Treasurer and it has allowed me to help manage a large and thriving non-profit. It is awesome to go to conferences, represent GMA SHRM and see how innovative we are compared to other chapters our size because we are doing great things.

What would you say to others who are considering volunteering with GMA SHRM?
There is something for everyone! Whether you have a small amount of time to donate, or however large, there is an opportunity for you. Volunteering is how I made great connections and those connections led me to my current position in HR. Sometimes it’s not what you know, but who you know.

What have you gotten back from volunteering with GMA SHRM?
Giving back to the community is very rewarding and knowing that you are making a difference is satisfying. Also, I have created a close group of HR colleagues that I can ask questions to and call on for help.

If you’d like to be published in an issue of HR InTouch, please complete this profile and submit (along with a photo) to Brittany Hanson at brittanyh@seniorhelpers.com

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Welcome New Members!

GMA SHRM welcomes the following members who joined our chapter in December 2016!

Kora Bentz	Prent Corporation
Stephanie Ferguson, SPHR	Oakwood Village
Ezekiel J. Gipson	State of Wisconsin-DWD/DVR
Kristi Hittner, SHRM-CP	United Vaccines, Inc.
Amie Hunt	Mead & Hunt, Inc.
Hilary Kleese	Threadfellows
Ben Marshall	Promega
Abigail Nadler	M3 Insurance
Renee Thomas	Escape This
Melissa Wahl	JSD Professional Services, Inc
Tracy L. Younk	American Girl

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Movin' Up

Have you started with a new company? Has your organization recently promoted you to a new position? Or do you want to recognize a new person or promotion within your department? If so, we want to hear about it. Send us an e-mail, and we’ll publish your good news in the next HR InTouch!

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In Transition

If you are a member who is in between jobs, or who is currently employed but seeking new positions or career paths, write us a brief description of your skill set, areas of expertise, what you’re looking for, etc. Send us an e-mail. We’ll publish your information in the next HR InTouch.

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HR InTouch Guidelines

Article Writing:

Do you have an interest in writing for the HR InTouch? We have an interest in learning more about your area of expertise!

Why should you volunteer? Top three reasons: 1) to share your knowledge and experiences to educate others; 2) to become more connected in the HR and Dane County communities; and 3) to contribute towards the advancement of GMA SHRM and the HR profession.

The first step is for you to choose a submission option: you can pre-submit an article to GMA SHRM at any time for us to use in any of the upcoming newsletters, you can sign up to write for a particular month, or we can put you on a list of people to contact in future months whenever we need articles.

Article length:

Because the HR InTouch is now in an online format, the size is flexible. The article should be engaging and hold readers’ attention. Include the core information in your article, and we will advise if it is too lengthy.

Solicitation:

GMA SHRM is conscious not to allow solicitation through the articles, in an effort to protect the interests of our partners and members. The nature of the article should be educational (i.e., what are the business advantages of having a product like yours) or informational. Otherwise, if you truly are interested in advertising through the HR InTouch, you can work with our Marketing Committee. As a rule of thumb for article writing, if the submission relates to a for-profit event, or specifically markets your company (vs. your industry), it is an advertisement, and should be purchased. If it is a not-for-profit event that your company is hosting, or an announcement (i.e., a SHRM member recently joined your company), it is an acceptable addition to the HR InTouch content. If you have any questions related to the appropriateness of your submission, please contact us.

If you have questions, or to submit an article, contact GMA SHRM at chapteradmin@gmashrm.org .

Amended

February 2017

HR InTouch

In This Edition

Change is Imminent Under the New Presidential Administration

Recruiting & Talent Retention Are High-Priority Challenges for Wisconsin Employers

GMA SHRM Professional Award

6 Ways You're Accidentally Killing Your Company Culture

GMA SHRM Idea Exchange

GMA SHRM Partners with Dane County Job Center

Tips and Resources from Workforce Development & Diversity Committee

Social Media & Technology Committee

Forward HR

View the 2017 Calendar of Events!

March 21, 2017 - Professional Development Summit

Human Capital Conference Committee - Join the Team!

Welcome New Members!

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