October 2010 |
HR InTouchThe Monthly Newsletter of the Greater Madison Area SHRM |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
In This EditionPresident's Message
By Dave Furlan, PHR Compensation & Benefits Diversity Employee Relations Learning & Development News & Announcements GMA SHRM HR Resource Group - Development: It's More Than Just Sending Someone to a Class! GMA SHRM Toolbox - HR Documentation: Tips and Techniques Member Welcome and Orientation - October 21st GMA SHRM Government Affairs Summit - Working With the DWD 2011 GMA SHRM Corporate Partnership Program GMASHRM Events Click here to see the full GMA SHRM Event Calendar.
|
The State of Wisconsin Office of Governor Jim Doyle has again this year issued a proclamation declaring a Human Resource Professionals Day. This year’s special day is Thursday, October 7, 2010. The proclamation states:
As I reflect on the meaning of this special day, I keep coming back to what I believe is a key strength of all of us in the HR profession -- a dedication to community. In almost all cases, we succeed in the HR role because we have a unique sense of how to bring processes and people together. When we walk into the office each day, we strive to create a productive and engaged workforce, even through the days bogged down with paperwork and unexpected challenges. We want workers to learn and grow and be fulfilled, both in the workplace and in their personal lives, and we want our companies and organizations to be successful enterprises. It is quite evident to me that our GMA SHRM members extend this dedication to community through their commitment to our chapter workforce readiness initiatives. Our Workforce Readiness Committee has organized some excellent programs that allow HR professionals to offer their knowledge to the community outside of work. Our time devoted to these programs not only prepares individuals for successful careers but also connects employers to these workers. Generally speaking our workforce readiness volunteers work with individuals in a lower economic demographic, but they also work with students in the Madison School District as well as companies that are going through mass layoffs. In the past the Workforce Readiness Committee has supported programs through the Community Action Coalition, the Department of Workforce Development, the Madison Area School District, the Wisconsin Department of Vocational Rehabilitation, AmeriCorps, and Commonwealth Development. Our services include mock interviews, sessions on resume writing and cover letters, and job search workshops. Some programs offer one-on-one interaction with individuals and some involve teaching a class about a certain topic. Sometimes we help people starting out in a career and sometimes we work with displaced workers who find encouragement in our advice and support. Last year, I volunteered to teach a session on cover letters at the Community Action Coalition, and I found it to be one of my most rewarding experiences as an HR professional. First, it allowed me to re-connect with some members on how to present the topic (it had been a long time since I dealt with cover letters!), but more importantly, I was humbled by the appreciation of the CAC participants and how strongly they desired to succeed in the workplace. Several stayed after the class to ask more questions and, impressively, to network! I’m extremely proud of the work of our Workforce Readiness Committee, and they aren’t resting on their laurels either. They continue to organize programs with existing partnerships, and they are actively pursuing new relationships with organizations seeking our assistance to adequately prepare today’s workforce. The Workforce Readiness Committee keeps a list of GMA SHRM volunteers they can call upon when a program comes up. I strongly encourage everyone to contact the Director of Workforce Readiness, Melissa Wieland, and get on this list. Even if you can only help out with the occasional program, I know by doing so it will appeal to your dedication to community as an HR professional.
My best wishes to all of our members on Human Resource Professionals Day, and thank you for your commitment to our profession! To your continued success,
Dave Furlan, PHR
GMA SHRM Board of Directors
2010 GMA SHRM Benefit Survey
The 2010 GMA SHRM Benefits Survey is now available for purchase. This comprehensive survey is conducted every two years. The 2010 data was collected between May and July of this year. An amazing 64 Madison area businesses participated in the survey.
The 2010 Benefits Survey provides data on how Dane County employers are building and customizing their benefit packages. The survey questions cover wellness and reward programs, PTO programs, and traditional benefits such as medical and dental.
Findings for the 2010 Benefits Survey include:
The results were compiled from survey questions developed by enetrix, a Gallup company, and distributed to companies in all business classifications. Businesses and organizations interested in purchasing the survey may do so by visiting http://gmashrm.enetrix.com/.
Partnership with SAIL The Workforce Readiness & Diversity committee is in the beginning stages of a partnership with the MMSD program called SAIL (alternative school program). This alternative setting serves 30+ students, many of whom have been labeled with behavior and learning disabilities. Many have also been suspended from their regular school settings. The purpose of the program is to work toward more positive post school outcomes (e.g., high school diploma, enrollment in college, employment) for high school students who receive special education. One idea currently on the table is to implement a community-based mentorship program. At present there is no mentorship program at SAIL, yet mentoring is one of the strongest research-based, effective ways to help youth and young adults develop career and life trajectories. We are going to attempt to strengthen connections between this school program and the community by beginning this dialogue with the instructors in the SAIL program, and a staff member from the UW. If you are available and interested in discussing the possibilities of implementing a community-based mentorship program at SAIL, please contact Melissa Wieland at melissaw@payrollcompany.biz. In doing so, you are not committing to be a mentor or to be directly involved with the program as this is only a first step in getting started. Employee Relations
Workplace Conflict There is hardly a workplace that does not experience conflict from time to time. Instead of producing goods and services, the conflicting parties wage war. What can an employer do to control this problem? The causes of a conflict can range from simple misunderstandings to deep-rooted psychological issues. Conflicts can originate within the workplace or be brought in from outside sources. Following are some guidelines for dealing with this issue. Click here for full article.
The Greater Madison Area Society for Human Resource Management (GMA SHRM) has established a student scholarship program to encourage the continual pursuit of an education in the human resource field. Two nonrenewable $750 student scholarships will be awarded this year to students from our affiliated student membership chapters at UW-Madison, UW-Whitewater, and UW-Platteville. Applications are due December 3, 2010 and scholarships will apply to the Spring semester.
Click here to learn more about eligibility requirements and application instructions.
GMA SHRM New Logo and WebsiteWe’re live! Our web committee has been working hard to bring you a site designed to help you get to important information faster, and network better. Be sure to check it out!
Also coming soon are enhancements to our member to member connections (formerly known as LocalNet) and member demographics!
Wednesday, October 6, 2010, GMA SHRM HR Resource Group
|
Greetings,
Where do you currently work? Career Momentum, Inc.|
Lisa Adkins
|
Administrative Services Mgr
|
Midwest Home Care
|
|
Pat Barone
|
Owner
|
Catalyst Coaching LLC
|
|
Melissa Buenger
|
OD Coordinator
|
UW Credit Union
|
|
Heidi Duss
|
HR Administrator
|
QBE Insurance
|
|
Suzanne Grundahl
|
Vice President
|
Qualtim, Inc.
|
|
Michelle Hauser-Wallace
|
HR/Talent Management
|
|
|
Aaron Leist
|
Organizational Development Spec.
|
UW Credit Union
|
|
Tiana Lundquist
|
Talent Specialist
|
Thermo Fisher Scientific
|
|
Melissa Ritchie
|
HR Assistant
|
Nord Gear
|
|
Jason Spurley
|
HR Representative
|
Conney Safety Products
|
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!
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.
What’s Cool in HR in the Greater Madison Area?
What’s going on in HR in your workplace?
Have you…
- completed a major project,
- implemented something new,
- managed a change,
Is there something…
- your company/dept does really well,
- interesting about your company culture
- that makes your company an employer of choice
We want to hear about it! Share it with your HR colleagues in HR InTouch. Send us an e-mail
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 .
