Monthly Archives: March 2011

Lock Up Your Daughters

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An interesting thing is happening right now in the world – according to the United Nations there are far more Men than Women on the planet.  We know from our 8th grade social studies classes that this gender gap is especially prononouced in Asia, where there are roughly 100 Million more boys than girls.  Yeah – that’s 100 Million – about 1/3 the population of the United States – in just more Men.  Here in the United States, in fact in most western countries, we don’t really see or feel this because we actually have more females than males – primarily because the mortality rate for men is higher than women.  Newsweek has a good article on this subject: Men Without Women – The Ominous Rise of Asia’s Bachelor Generation, from the article:

In China today, according to American Enterprise Institute demographer Nicholas Eberstadt, there are about 123 male children for every 100 females up to the age of 4, a far higher imbalance than 50 years ago, when the figure was 106. In Jiangxi, Guangdong, Hainan, and Anhui provinces, baby boys outnumber baby girls by 30 percent or more. This means that by the time today’s Chinese newborns reach adulthood, there will be a chronic shortage of potential spouses. According to the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, one in five young men will be brideless. Within the age group 20 to 39, there will be 22 million more men than women. Imagine 10 cities the size of Houston populated exclusively by young males.

The question left open by economists is what the consequences will be of such a large surplus of young men. History offers a disquieting answer. According to the German scholar Gunnar Heinsohn, European imperial expansion after 1500 was the result of a male “youth bulge.” Japan’s imperial expansion after 1914 was the result of a similar youth bulge, Heinsohn argues. During the Cold War, it was youth-bulge countries—Algeria, El Salvador, and Lebanon—that saw the worst civil wars and revolutions. Heinsohn has also linked the recent rise of Islamist extremism in countries like Afghanistan, Iraq, and Pakistan to an Islamic youth bulge. Political scientists Valerie Hudson and Andrea den Boer warn that China and India could be the next countries to overdose on testosterone.

From a western perspective, clearly some concern to pause and see if we have learned from our past.  China is a raging economic power, and growing daily – and oh by the way, it seems like they’ve filled their pipeline with young male workers for the next two decades at minimum to fuel this growth.  I won’t even get into the productivity issue of not having women in their life to take their minds of work…(oh, can’t wait for the Girls of HR to get all worked up over that comment!) 

Here is my question:  What are the HR implications to this demographic shift?

Here’s what I think HR doesn’t need:

  •  Gender Sensitivity Training.  (Don’t act like you didn’t think of that first off – but stop it – we aren’t talking about a couple of sophmoric boys doing dumb stuff.  We are talking about 100s of Millions of males over females in the workforce.  Cats and dogs living together – mass hysteria – Ghost Buster kind of stuff – sensitivity training is what your organization is looking for!)
  • More focus on Diversity. (What!?  Listen: We need focus on Diversity, but it has to be more than just color – Gender needs to become a major focus of your diversity program – yesterday!)
  • More turning a Blind-eye to lack of Female Leadership. (Yes you do.  Your organization is 60% female, and your top two level of leadership are 30% Female – and you are keeping it that way.  Specific gender based leadership succession plans need to be a part of your strategy.)

Here’s what I think HR needs:

  • A helmet – Holy crap – in an economy that isn’t stopping from going completely global, this will impact every company in the US and much of our policy making over the next 20-30 years.  Get involved and understand what is being proposed “on your behalf” from a government standpoint.
  • I think US companies can show our Asian counterparts – that we value the contributions of our female workforce and leaders, and we expect the same.  I want to honor each others cultures – but “Gendercide” isn’t one we should stand by and be willing to let happen. 
  • Prepare our leadership for this – they aren’t concerned about this – they have Ops issues, and shrinking margins, etc.  This will impact your business, and HR can help make sure your organizaiton is prepared.

Recruitpon

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I ran into something last week – a Staffing firm – calling a current client we do business with – offering to do what we do for half the cost.

“Sounds great! Half price recruiting services – sign me up!”

At least, that’s what I told our client.  I told them to go for it, do it – how could you turn down such a great “Recruitpon” – you have to buy!

The client was “ahh, Tim, you want us to go and use another firm?”  and I was like “ahh, no – but if you can get what I’m giving you for half price, don’t you from a business standpoint, have to do it!”  and the client was like “well, I was just hoping we could keep you guys, but get it cheaper.”  So, I was like “sure we can do it cheaper, which parts do you want me to cut out?” 

You see where this is going.

We aren’t the highest price recruiting company around and we aren’t the cheapest – I feel you get what you pay for.  When you hire HRU – you get me (and a bunch of talented pros that get it, that I have the pleasure of having on my team).  I’m a lot of things – but I’m not normally half off. 

I bet that would work though – a “Recruitpon” – let’s face it 97% of the recruiting companies out there will do just about anything to get a shot at your business.  Maybe your first question should be: Why?  Don’t you wonder as a corporate HR Pro – why does this company want to work with us – I mean really?  Why?  They’ll be able to tell you why “you” should work with “them” – but I bet they’ll stumble a bit at telling you “why we want to work with you” – and don’t let them off the hook on how they are the “solution” to all of your problems – really – all of my problems? Great  – come rub my feet…

It’s the single hardest thing I have to get across to my team – there are many companies we don’t want to work with – and only a few that we really want to work with.  I want to work with companies where I like and respect the people we have to work with – I will enjoy making those calls, having those meetings, etc.  If I don’t like working with you – that’s a misearable relationship – at any price – or even with a Recruitpon.

BTW – don’t run out and try to buy www.Recruitpon.com it’s already gone – it’s hard to stay ahead of a headhunter…

Where to find the Best Recruiters

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Logical Argument (that I had with someone recently):

Best Recruiters = Best Companies to Work For

Rationale: The best recruiters bring in the best talent, the best talent make the best companies.

Illogical Argument (but factual):

Worst Companies to Work For = Best Recruiters

Rationale: If your company is the worst company to work for – meaning – you have bad environment, and a bunch of other negative stuff, it’s going to be very hard to recruit top talent to your organization.

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I was having this conversation with an HR executive that I highly respect – but he can be a major idiot (i.e., he use to be my boss – which in itself doesn’t make him an idiot – that he does on his own).   Here’s my point.  Working at a bad company, makes it extremely hard to recruit.  This type of environment breeds recruiters who either fail (and usually very quickly) or through tremendous odds succeed in finding talent to little by little make their organizations better.  His point is easy: Great company, everybody wants to work for you, recruiter cherry picks best talent and then calls them to tell them they’ve won the Job Lottery (my explanation – not his!).

I’m not sure this is the chicken and egg scenario. Does the company make the recruiter great, or does the recruiter make the company great.  I really believe great recruiting can turn around a company that isn’t so great. But, average or even sub-average recruiters many times won’t pull down a great company.  At the same token – I do believe the Best Companies to Work For – have more average recruiters than great recruiters – (oh boy, I said it) – why?  Because working in recruiting for a Best Company, makes you lazy – you know longer are the hunter – you become the farmer.

Before you blow a gasket – I’ve worked in both environments – crappy going out of business company where nobody wanted the job you were offering – to – industry leading best company to work for everyone wanted your job, even the crappy jobs.  It was easier working for the latter.  Did the best company still have challenges, you bet – but it was still easier.  We had high class problems at the best companies (oh no! how do we properly select from all these great candidates) – compared to the bad company (oh no! how do we keep the doors open next week if we can’t hire enough people).

So, what’s my point?  If you are looking to hire a great, top performing recruiter – don’t believe the hype – that they need to come from a “Top” company.  Where they need to come from is a company that has faced major recruiting challenges, and they’ve found ways to be successful in-spite of those challenges. If you find a recruiter who has always live in fairy’s world their entire career – you throwing them into your nightmare might cause their halo to fall off.

What’s Your Job Legacy?

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Have you ever wondered what people are saying about you at your last job?  No, not what your contacts say they are saying about you – but waht is really being said.  Think about it, what did you do, or didn’t do, that would lead people to bring up your name.  In a nutshell, that’s your Job Legacy. 

I like to think I’ve left a legacy at each job I’ve been at, some probably more positive than others, but a legacy none-the-less.  To leave a legacy you have do something that is lasting and memorable – something where people will go – “Remember when Tim…”   In the end why do you work?  I know it’s because you need money and benefits and blah, blah, blah…but really if you knew you had to leave your current employer in 24 months – what would you do differently to leave a legacy?

Oh, boy, that changes perspective a little doesn’t it.   If you’re in HR like me – please don’t believe that developing a process, or making a process better, or launching a new system, is going to have you leave a legacy.  People will remember the process or the system – but they won’t remember You.  Also, don’t think making a “big change” like instituting casual friday, or changing your compensation philosophy will work either – the leaders get credit for those things.  Wow – now it becomes a little harder, right?

So, how do you leave a legacy at your job?

Here’s what I think – there are a few ways:

1. Be so damn good – that it causes people pain or fear when you leave.  If a year after you left, people are still calling you for help from your old organization, you left a legacy.  If you think the company can’t go on without you, then you leave and you never hear from them again – you didn’t leave a legacy.

2. Build such strong relationships, that they become life-long professional relationships.  I get calls at least once per year to come work for someone I worked with perviously – not to go back to a company – but to come to a new company a peer or leader I worked with, is now working at.

3. Do something so stupid, it becomes part of the company culture.  I ran a department at one company and had 5 people report to me.  It was a department I started from the ground up, and we ended up saving a very large amount of money for the company.  I told my SVP that my 5 reports all needed more money, or I was going to look for another position.  He said thank you, I’ll take that as your resignation.  I don’t think he really got how negotiating worked! But I’m sure no one at that company has ever pulled that tactic again.

In the end we all choose whether or not to leave a legacy.  I’ve worked with thousands of people who were content not to leave a legacy – but I always tend to be pulled towards those who do want to leave a legacy.  There’s something about people who want to be great at what they do – there like magnets – they pull others to them that also want to be great – and pretty soon you have a pretty great team. 

So, you have a choice – what is your legacy going to be?

Unionize Everyone!

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Like most HR folks I’ve been keeping a close eye on Wisconsin’s budget issues and their battles with state employee unions.  Here in Michigan, and really every state in America, is facing almost the exact same issue.  Public employee unions have done so well in negotiating over the years (or I could say, the state HR folks and our elected politicians have done such a bad job manging to the “business” of running our states), that they’ve bankrupt most states.  From a recent article on this issue: “Public Unions: A Bad Deal for the Public“:

“Wisconsin is nearly bankrupt. There is a $137 million shortfall in the fiscal year that ends June 30 and a projected deficit of $3.6 billion for the two years after that.

The deficit cannot be closed without trimming the pay and benefits of public employees. In 2008, these accounted for half of all state and local government spending, according to the federal Bureau of Economic Analysis. If government workers were paid the same as equivalent private sector workers, no state would have a budget deficit, calculated blogger George Noga, a certified public accountant.

Gov. Walker wants public employees in Wisconsin to contribute roughly half as much, proportionately, to their health plans and pensions as do workers in the private sector. The governor also wants to restrict public employee unions to bargaining for wages only, leaving the health and benefit packages and work rules up to elected officials to decide. And he wants the state to stop collecting dues for the unions, and to require them to win recertification elections each year.”

I guess as an HR Pro, I’m looking for someone to blame – so here it is – I blame my Grandparents.  You should to – what the heck, their old or dead, they can take the blame.  Plus, it’s really their fault – they were the one’s who made us believe – you can work 30 years (sometimes with little or no education) can paid a good enough wage to have a 3 bedroom/2 bath house, a summer cottage on Lake Unionskilledusslowly, then upon retirement at that old age of 50 – the company or public organization you worked for would keep paying you a pension for the next 30 years – or maybe even longer with that great medical insurance they were paying for as well.  Damn you Grandma!

So clearly, we are collectively, as a society too stupid, to understand this issue.  But I think I can help educate everyone with one simple solution – let’s Unionize everyone – I mean everyone – every single occupation from CEO to the Janitor – every single person will get a great wage, great benefits and full retirement after 30 years.  Sounds great doesn’t it!  Oh, you know the UAW, et al. are ready to make me President right now (wait a minute – no I’ll answer that call later).  One Question, I have – how long until we go bankrupt as a society?  What do you think?  I’ll give it 13 seconds.  We can all enjoy the same pay benefits and pensions as the unions for 13 seconds – hope you liked it!

I know how we got here – I’ve gone though my labor relations courses, I know the history – the issue is that what we faced 50, 60, 70 years ago, is not what we face now.  We created a system that is unsustainable, not only in the private sector (hello GM), but also in the public sector (hello Teachers, government workers, guys making $42K a year holding the sign on the highway to “Slow Down”).  We’re done.   And Damn It Grandma it’s your fault!