Register Now! September 17, 2019 - Professional Development Summit Alliant Energy Center Session 1:  Facing Unconscious Bias in the Hiring Process Session 2:  Building an Inclusive Workplace

September PDS Topic:  How to minimize biases during the interviewing process?

Submitted by September PDS presenting organization Step Up: Equity MattersI love watching The Voice. It’s truly uplifting. 

The auditions are one of my favorite parts. I love that the coaches can’t see what’s happening on stage. The only thing they can focus on is the voice of the contestant and the way the audience is reacting to the performance. If you watch it long enough you learn that more often than not the coaches are blown away with the physical representation accompanying some of the voices. They say things like “I don’t understand how such a powerful voice comes out of your little body,” or “You sound so mature for a fifteen-year-old.”  

Similarly, as a Latina with an accent – yet with an “excellent command of English/English skills,” as some have referred to me – I didn’t understand how my interview style may differ from others’. 

About six years into my career, I had the opportunity to do an interview in my native language for the very first time. While I can’t remember the exact nature of the discussion I vividly remember I was less nervous and much more confident. Instead of focusing on not “messing up” my English, I was able to be in the moment; I was better able to share my experiences with the interviewer. Coincidently, this was also about the time I began to see stark differences between male and female interviewing styles.

Click here to continue reading the article on the Step Up: Equity Matters website.

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Compensation and Benefits

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Considering Compensation Data Sources

Submitted by Jennifer Hassrick, Consultant & Matt Shefchik, Senior Consultant at Carlson Dettmann Consulting, a Cottingham & Butler Company and GMA SHRM Compensation Survey Committee Member

The labor market remains very competitive and this underscores the need for accurate, timely compensation data. With the advent of the information age, the availability and sources of compensation data havechanged and will continue to change. Traditional salary surveys have been joined by consumer reported data and aggregated payroll data. While all have their benefits, one should consider the pros and cons of each option.  
 
Traditional Salary Surveys
While the mechanism to collect the data has evolved over time, the core value of traditional salary surveys is consistent job matching and regulated reporting of data by the Sherman Anti-Trust Act. It is critical for companies to continue participating in salary surveys to allow accurate measurement of the market over time. Furthermore, that participation should continue with every survey publication, without skipping a year or alternating which surveys to participate in.  When this happens, there is potential for sample variation from year to year, which can cause inconsistent results. Due to this variation, standard practice for compensation professionals is to use a minimum of three data sources to estimate an accurate market rate for a position. For traditional surveys, the 2019 GMA SHRM Compensation Survey is a great source for local market rates.
 
HR-Payroll Data Reporting
This data source is emerging and will likely scontinue to gain traction in the compensation arena.  Whether it is large payroll providers or staff augmentation firms, this source has data for traditional and non-traditional positions. Industry niches, or job niches, offer a tempting advantage to other survey resources, but concerns about job matching or title matching are present.  Frequency and currency of the data is also a benefit, however one must remember that this guide stick is constantly moving. 
 
Consumer Reported Data
With self-reported data becoming commonplace, as our sharing economy proliferates, and generational comfort with the openness of salary conversations expand, employee-reported pay may find its way into our standard processes. However, until better validation is in place, we recommend using this type of information with caution and only as a secondary source. While it can be tailored to an individual labor market, it is very difficult to determine whether the appropriate position was matched and the number of data points included. Secondly, there could be bias or wage inflation on the part of the participant.
 
Salary Budget Surveys
For those with salary adjustments at the new year, the planning and budgeting phase is currently underway.  In addition to CDC's Midwest-based salary budget survey, there are several sources that consistently report salary budgeting data, including World@Work and AON. Last year, the private sector budget increase was 2.75% for 2018 and projected at 2.80% for 2019. We are expecting a similar result for the upcoming survey report.
 
With compensation data sources, unlike our children, we can play favorites and like some more than others.  Any of the above options may find their way into your compensation practices, depending on your budget, industry, geography, company life cycle, and overall needs. Safeguard your organization with consistent practices and methodology so you don’t find yourself in an inequitable or litigious situation.

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Workforce Readiness

August 28th Dane County Regional Fair Was a Success! 

Submitted by Mary Moua, Employee Engagement & Social Media Specialist at Fairway Independent Mortgage Corporation and GMA SHRM Workforce Readiness & Media Relations Committee Member / Newsletter Coordinator

Thank you to all our GMA SHRM volunteers and the Dane County Job Center for hosting our second Job Fair this year in August at the Alliant Energy Center. Stay tune for our next Job Fair happening next year at the end of March. Every year, the Workforce Readiness Committee partners with  this event to help job seekers prepare before meeting with potential employers in their booths.
 
“I find it so gratifying to help local job seekers who just need that extra push to go after what they want. Having a mini-coaching session to help them build confidence is sometimes all they need, especially after many “rejections.” I’ve gained a lot of knowledge and experience within recruitment my past few years in HR and being able to share that side to the job seeker makes me feel fulfilled and joyful.” – Mary Moua
 
The Workforce Readiness Committee is always seeking volunteers and new committee members to join! This is a great way for HR Professionals to have fun, engage, share knowledge, and offer advice to our local job seekers. What better way to give back to our community than to share what you’ve learned on the HR side with  job seekers who simply want feedback or guidance on what recruiters/hiring managers typically look for.
 
Interested in joining our committee?  Contact Jennifer Brikowski at jennifer.brikowski@dwd.wisconsin.gov



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Diversity Community Investment at UW Health

Article 2 in a 3 Part Series

UW Health has a three-pronged approach guiding its diversity, equity, and inclusion work with investments in community, workforce and the workplace.  In June 2019, we highlighted the work being done at UW Health with a first article in HR InTouch, focusing specifically on investments made in the workforce domain.  In this second of three planned articles, we highlight community investments undertaken to purposefully further advancements at UW Health in the areas of diversity, equity, and inclusion. 
 
UW Health is committed to attracting, hiring, developing, and retaining individuals who have unique abilities.  Since 2008, and in partnership with the Madison Metropolitan School District (MMSD) and William S. Middleton Memorial Veterans Hospital (VA Hospital), UW Health has been participating in ProjectSEARCH,an educational training/work experience for high school students who are seeking the opportunity to develop workplace skills in a healthcare environment. Students participating in this one year training program have quarterly rotations to different work environments based on their interests and abilities.  Some of the rotations include developing skills in the areas of pharmacy, mailroom, central services (supply clerk, and linens/laundry) and in culinary services.  As part of their regular school day, students also attend class on-site at UW Health, learning workplace skills from their MMSD staff and job coaches.  Upon completion of this experiential learning, UW Health’s goal is to hire and provide graduating students with solid entry level positions and encourage their continued growth.  To date, 18 students have joined UW Health in our environmental services, central services, and culinary teams.
 
Similarly, UW Health works with local agencies who serve individuals with unique abilities through the Department of Vocational Rehabilitation’s (DVR)  Temporary Work Experience program.  This program is designed to provide skill development for people who have been out of the workforce but are planning to return.  UW Health engages an individual in a temporary 90-day role, tailored to the individual’s current skillset.  Often, this assignment leads to a permanent position with support being given from the agency and supervisor.  Again, UW Health’s goal is to provide opportunities for employment and to encourage continued growth. 
 
UW Health has significant community partnerships as well with Centro Hispano and the Urban League of Greater Madison.  Since 2015, these agencies who support diverse populations have partnered with UW Health to develop targeted curriculum for careers in healthcare.  Centro Hispano provides the Caminos CNA program to support state mandated education and certification for Nursing Assistant positions.  With a bridge program and supplemental training for students seeking direct patient care careers, this has been one of UW Health’s most successful programs to employment with 37 graduates joining our team.  Additionally, the retention rate for this program continues to thrive.  With the Urban League of Greater Madison, UW Health has developed curriculum to assist individuals in gaining skills and knowledge in medical terminology, successfully navigating workplace scenarios, improving communication, time management, and developing a professional presence.  Typically, graduates of this 5-week program are then interviewed for non-patient care titles such as Patient Scheduling Specialist, Patient Access Representative, and Health Information Management Associate.  After each program conclusion, we debrief and apply continuous learnings to ensure we are providing the best possible training experience for students to ensure their success in finding gainful employment, whether it’s at UW Health or elsewhere. 
 
As mentioned in the first article, once a student becomes an employee, other programs within UW Health are then available to enhance and support their career growth within the organization.  Working with local partners provides exceptional opportunities for strengthening our community as a whole, and individuals as well, by being a conduit to learning and a provider of unique and interesting jobs.  Our work in this area has led to innovative ideas, process development, and a culture that is ever-learning.  Having the opportunity to listen, guide and implement ideas from different perspectives strengthens our organization and employment programs and improves our ability to provide remarkable healthcare to patients with unique and different backgrounds and experiences.
 
If you would like more information on how to begin community partnerships in your organization, please contact Meghan Walsh, GMA SHRM Diversity Chair at Meghan.walsh@remedystaff.com.

 

GMA SHRM Member News

Spotlight:  Human Capital Conference

Submitted by Dana Denny, Compensation Analyst at WI State Courts and GMA SHRM Director of Human Capital Conference
 
Have you attended previous Human Capital Conferences at the Alliant Center in Madison, WI and wondered how GMA SHRM is able to select such fantastic keynote speakers, maintain excellent, yet practical breakout sessions, and continue to provide programming options with content you’ve come to expect from national conferences yet have the opportunity to attend in your own backyard? Well, creativity and imagination are trademarks of our GMA SHRM Human Capital Conference (HCC) Committee volunteers!
 
The GMA SHRM Annual Human Capital Conference (HCC) offers meeting attendees relevant human resource content on issues including compensation, government affairs, innovative recruiting techniques, and employee engagement in an entertaining atmosphere that’s conducive for networking. Although the HCC is held in the spring of each year, planning for this event begins the previous August with the selection of the conference date and a slate of speakers. We are pleased to announce next year’s HCC will be held at the Alliant Energy Center on Tuesday, May 19, 2020, so mark your calendars!
 
Although we have just begun our planning efforts for next year’s Conference, we are always looking to add to our group of intrepid and wonderful volunteers! If you’d like to learn more about this committee and how you might benefit from volunteering for the GMA SHRM Human Capital Conference, please feel free to email me at dana_denny@hotmail.com with any questions.



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