2 Things that Surprised Me about HR in Baseball

I work in HR for a pro baseball team.  I don’t typically tell people a lot about my job, other than the fact I work in HR.  If they probe, I usually say that I work for a small family business, which is true.  The reason is that reactions tend to be extreme – either a lot of excitement, a lot of negativity, or people want something, like a job or tickets.  People also assume that I hire players and give me grief about team performance (I do not hire players).  However, I am able to occasionally have a serious conversation with someone about the matter – typically other HR pros – and they always ask me the same question (or a version of the same question).

When you started your job, what surprised you about working in HR for a baseball team?  I have two answers. 

1. Firstly, I’m surprised the role that worker’s comp plays.  This may not seem that exciting or sexy, but in all of my previous roles, worker’s comp was a fairly small component of HR.  Someone tripped, you fill out the paperwork.  Someone cut themselves, you fill out the paperwork.  I know it sounds silly and I risk sounding clueless here, but it truly didn't occur to me that when players are injured during workouts, practice or games, that the injury is an HR matter.  Granted, some teams organize themselves differently, and player worker’s comp can be handled within baseball operations, but it’s still an HR function.  The scope also covers all major league and minor league players, and it also covers them from the time they play for you, into the future.  What I mean is that a player may have had injuries that were treated in the 1980’s, but may develop a condition today that a doctor can attribute to their years playing baseball or previous injuries.  It’s quite complicated, particularly when a player moved between several teams.  Additionally, when you consider the reality that most sports teams are actually small businesses, the worker’s comp claims represent a significant line item on the budget.  For this reason, most teams develop strong relationships with both medical providers and injured players, in order to facilitate the best recovery at the best price.  Teams who facilitate the worker’s comp process well can save hundreds of thousands of dollars each year.
2. Second, I’m surprised at how much talent development is at the core of the business.  Many organizations considered to be “world class” are known for their talent development, and great HR people tend to be drawn to those organizations.  However, few organizations can say it’s truly vital they do as a business and what they provide to customers.  Some organizations have a core competency of engineering, others health care, others customer service or information.  In baseball, your ability to become or remain competitive is based upon how well you develop talent, baseball talent that is.  Some people argue that in sports, media and hospitality are equally central to the business as competencies.  But, if you break away the layers of today’s more sophisticated sports empires, the game is still at the heart of it all.  As an HR pro, it’s not a far stretch to bring talent development to other areas of the organization in a robust way, which is something I’m grateful for. 

Are you interested in hearing more about HR in sports or baseball?  If so, let me know in the comments.

Studying for and Passing the SPHR

I’m excited to say that I recently took and passed my SPHR certification exam.  This piece is all about the SPHR – what I think about the certification, why I took it, and how I prepared to pass.

For many individuals and organizations, the jury is still out on the value of HR certification.  I have now taken and passed both the PHR and SPHR certification exam.  Here are some of my takeaways and opinions after reaching this achievement.

Why I Got Certified:  During my 2012 performance appraisal at work, I needed to set some professional development goals and outline a plan.  Sitting for the SPHR seemed like a natural next step, and something I thought I could achieve.  So, I set my goal for taking the exam during the winter testing window at the end of 2013.  

Value of Certification:  I’ll be honest – I was frustrated studying for the SPHR.  Why you ask (other than studying is not my favorite night and weekend activity)?  I struggled to see how all the effort I put into studying was going to actually make me better at my job (or future roles).  Most of the content was repetitive from the courses I took while receiving my master’s degree at Purdue University.  There were areas I needed to brush up on, mostly because I don’t or haven’t used those topics extensively in my career.  When I was ensuring I was well versed in these areas, I became a little negative about the process since I knew this knowledge was not necessarily going to make me perform better in my current role.  HOWEVER (here it comes), I do think there is value in obtaining HR certification. 

 

I know this comes across as contradictory, but bear with me.  I’m taking a long-term and holistic stance on this one.  In the long run, HR certification is an added bonus for any skilled HR professional.  While some organizations are unsure of the value of certification, other organizations recognize the PHR or SPHR as a highly desirable resume point when hiring HR pros.  Additionally, there is a whole slew of research on the topic that suggests obtaining HR certification can be fuel for promotions, a door opener to the executive suite, and that it provides HR professionals with greater career satisfaction.  Check out this report on the topic by PayScale:  Sugarcoating or Career Sweetener?

Preparing for the PHR/SPHR:  I used a similar method to prepare for both exams.  Therefore, this sentence is a disclaimer to let you know I’ve not tested all of the methods I mention in this post.  My preferred method of preparation is self-study.  For both exams, I went to Amazon.com and purchased the highest rated study book for each exam.  Both times, I spent about $35-$40 on the prep book.  Both times, I also purchased one of the timed web-based practice tests available on HRCI’s website ($45).  I made sure that the books I bought through Amazon included practice questions – and they actually included a web-based option as well to access additional practice questions and a practice exam.  Simulating the test-taking experience is helpful for me.  Why did I choose this method?  Two reasons – I have the self-discipline to study on my own, and I didn't want to spend a lot of money!  Between the book and HRCI practice exam, my preparation set me back about $85.  Here is the book I used for my SPHR preparation:  PHR / SPHR: Professional in Human Resources Certification Study Guide.  Most other options are far pricier, which I’ll get into next.

The SHRM Learning System is a favorite among the professional for preparing for certification.  I know many HR pros that have used the SHRM Learning System, and honestly I don’t know of anyone who has failed using this preparation method.  In fact, I just recently purchased it for members on my HR team to use to take the PHR in the spring testing window of 2014.  I can do an update to this post after I see this the product in action.  Overall, I think the SHRM Learning system provides a very comprehensive way to prepare, including online features and several opportunities for web-based practice.  I would have used this study method myself, if it didn't cost $870 ($695 for SHRM members). 

The final method I've seen for preparation that appears to be effective is to take a preparation course taught by an instructor.  This method is particularly effective for individuals who lack self-discipline when it comes to studying (which there’s nothing wrong with).  For example, I have a terrible habit of slacking on my workout routine, but when I take a class, the accountability of actually going to class, and sitting with other individuals tends to get me more active, and works better for me than self-directed workout regimens.  Some people find this to be true for studying, and if that’s you, I recommend looking into a course led by an instructor.  These courses are offered through local colleges and universities, local SHRM chapters, or other various locations.  The downside, the typical cost I see for these courses in my area is about $1300 - $1700.  Wow – that’s expensive!

As a closing note, I would say that if you’re interested in obtaining HR certification, you should definitely go for it!  While it may not contribute directly to getting you promoted or landing that HR dream job, it definitely won’t kill your chances either.  Besides, putting those initials behind your name is sort of cool.

What are your thoughts on HR certification and preparing for the exams?

Product Review: Halogen Software's eAppraisal

Product Review:  Halogen Software’s eAppraisal

I want to start a new type of post on Catapult HR – product reviews!  There are so many products sold to the HR function.  When selecting an HR product, it can be daunting to know what to choose from background screening services, applicant tracking systems, HRIS systems, talent management software, reference checking services and more.  I've had the fortunate experience to use several HR products in my career, and want to share what I've learned.

To start off the product review posts, I want to start on a positive note, and will be reviewing Halogen Software’s eAppraisal product.  In general, I would recommend this software to both small and large firms looking for robust appraisal software. 

Background on Halogen Software:  I’m unsure when Halogen was founded, but I believe they have been in business for more than a decade.  Halogen is a full talent management suite of products built from the ground up to work seamlessly together.  Halogen is not an HRIS system, and does not include payroll, time keeping or general HR information modules.  However, their offerings include just about everything else.  They are headquartered in Ontario Canada.  The available modules include:

• eAppraisal
• e360 Multi-rater
• eCompensation
• eLearning Manager
• eSuccession
• Job Description Builder
• eRecruitment

My interactions with products other than eAppraisal is fairly limited, but I do belong to the Halogen User Group on LinkedIn, and from the conversations I've seen, the feedback seems to be overwhelmingly positive for all of the modules, with the exception of eRecruitment.  eRecruitment is the newest module, and from my understanding, there is still some work to be done for it to be on par with other leading ATS offerings.

Perks:  One of the perks of eAppraisal is that it can be used for processes other than annual appraisals.  It’s actually a pretty powerful form builder and administrator.  I've actually used eAppraisal for a few other HR processes including onboarding and request forms.  Another perk of using Halogen in general is the efficiencies gained by having your talent management software full integrated.  The ability to seamlessly tie your appraisal process, compensation process, succession process, learning and development process, and hiring processes together gives you full insight into your talent management.  You can’t overlook the benefit of truly being able to calculate HR metrics such as your quality of hire, learning and training effectiveness on performance (ROI), or if your succession plan is fully supported by your training, performance and other talent management initiatives.  Halogen is one of the few pieces of technology that provides such a well-rounded and robust talent management offering.

Implementation:  I implemented Halogen on a fairly tight timeline – about 4 weeks.  Our implementation specialist was very helpful in ensuring the project adhered to our tight deadlines.  Configuration and customization was the most time consuming part of the implementation.  It was the reason we selected Halogen, but ultimately took almost half of the implementation schedule to ensure our appraisal forms and process looked exactly the way we wanted them to be designed.  Part of implementation was having a Halogen trainer come on-sight to train our HR staff on the system.  The training took the majority of one full work day, but was very comprehensive.  The trainer was not an employee of Halogen, but rather a retired HR professional who had used the product for many years, and not trained on it part-time.  Our trainer made himself available after the training for questions.  I utilized our trainer for weeks after the training, and he had a lot of great “insider” tips since he had been a user and customer of Halogen previously.

Customer Service:  Halogen has multiple methods to receive customer service, three of which I utilize.  First, they have a support website.  From the website you can place a ticket for technical support.  They respond to tickets you submit via the website very quickly.  I usually have a response within about 20 minutes, with the longest I've waited being about 2 hours.  They try to fix your issues quickly as well – only once have I had a ticket open more than 24 hours.  They also have a feature on their support website called the “Knowledge Base”.  This allows you to type in a question, and receive an instant, pre-determined answer.  This is a great place to go if you forget how to perform a particular function, or if you have a keyword you can use to search for your question, such as “Third Party Feedback” or “e-signature”.  True technical problems or questions are better handled by placing a ticket.  Lastly, you are assigned an account manager at Halogen.  My account manager rarely answers questions herself, but does a good job of pointing me in the right direction, whether it’s to tech support, or to other clients who I can talk to about best practices.

Halogen User Group (HUG):  Halogen has a group on LinkedIn specifically for Halogen users.  It’s an open forum where you can ask questions of other Halogen users, explain your situation to see if other companies had similar questions or situations, or peruse to find ideas for your own processes.  They also hold HUG meetings in larger cities each year for users of the system to come together and learn from one another.  The HUG meetings are usually a daylong event, where they setup discussions around topics the participants voted on prior to the meeting.  I actually found more learning value from my HUG meeting in 2013 than I did the annual national SHRM conference.  I also gained a network of Halogen users in my region that I can connect with if I have questions or want to learn further best practices from.

Configuration and Customization:  Halogen is a highly configurable software product.  It seems like there are endless options to choose from to make your forms look the way you want and to make your process run the way you want.  For configuration, I give Halogen two thumbs up.  With so many options, I’m sure all of their client’s forms and processes look entirely different.  When it comes to customization in Halogen, it’s slightly more challenging, but it can be done.  They typically charge a fee if you require extensive customization beyond the standard eAppraisal offering.  I've not been through the process, so I cannot attest to the price or time frame that such customization requires.  The good news is that the product comes with so many options already, that I think most organization can make their appraisal process align with the software’s capabilities, and vice versa.  The other good news is that your assigned Account Manager will take requests you have to make updates or changes to the software, and submit them to the technology team.  Not all requests make it onto every release (which happy 1-2 times per year), but it’s exciting when you see your requests as part of a future update.

Compatibility with other Software:  Halogen offers an “HRIS Connect” product which helps streamline the data transfer between your HR system and Halogen.  To manually update Halogen isn't the worst thing in the world, but it’s slightly cumbersome as might be expected.  I recommend obtaining the “HRIS Connect” product.  The annual fee is pretty minimal, and if you have a mid to large sized organization, it definitely makes sense.

Pitfalls:  So, what are the pitfalls?  While my review is generally a glowing one of the eAppraisal product, there are a few pitfalls, as with any software.

1. With so many options for configuration, you have to be incredibly detail oriented when setting up a form or process.  It’s easy to overlook one box to check, which can substantially throw off part of your form or process.  As someone who has experienced this, and because there are so many details to configure, I cannot emphasize the importance of testing, testing and retesting.  And when you’re done testing, test again!
2. Software updates typically happen once per year, maybe twice.  Each update is fairly significant since they occur infrequently, but when you put in a request, it’s a bit of a bummer when you must wait up to a year to see if it will be implemented.
3. I receive LinkedIn and email updates from Halogen.  Sometimes I will ask my Account Manager about something I see in my Halogen updates, and she’s not been briefed on the topic yet.  For example, I saw a press release that Halogen would be adding a module that facilitates the Myers Briggs type indicator personality assessment.  I was interested in it, but my Account Manager did not know the press release had gone out and had zero information on the new product or when information would become available.

Overall, I've been very satisfied with Halogen’s eAppraisal product, but more importantly, the managers I work with and associates I support find the software to be easy to use and an asset in managing performance.

I hope this is helpful to anyone considering appraisal or talent management software.  

Please let me know if you have questions about my experience with Halogen’s eAppraisal and if you have used the product, what your experiences have been.

If you like the product review posts, please let me know and I'll be sure to include them more often!

3 Lessons from the Millennial Generational Debate

Happy New Year!  I've been MIA recently on the Catapult HR blog, but one of my goals for 2014 is to post on a regular basis.   To kick off 2014, I wanted to begin discussions around generational dynamics in the workforce.

I’ll admit, I enjoy reading about generational differences in the workforce.  Some people like reading about cars, others politics or beauty.  This is a nerd alert – I like to read about stuff like different generations in the workforce.

 

I hear about generational differences regularly in discussions with my managers and various organizational leaders.  And guess what?  Millennials (or Gen Y) have a generally terrible reputation.  Anyone who has ever read an article on the topic is not surprised.  Now, I need to preface all of my comments with the fact that I am a millennial - I was born in the 1980’s.

 

I speak to business leaders all the time who are actually PART of Gen Y themselves, and have pretty negative things to say, especially as they regurgitate the characteristics that have come to define the generation such as narcissism, instant gratification, laziness, entitlement, job hoppers and even delusional.  Managers often talk about Gen Y as if they’re Millennial aged staff don’t know what they’re saying.  They also pretend like even though they are part of the generation, these stereotypes are not characteristic of them…they’re different…they’re “special.”  The problem is, that’s exactly part of the negative stereotype.  Everyone thinks they are a “special snowflake”.  My personal feeling on the matter is that there is some truth to the stereotypes, as there is to many stereotypes, but generalizing a group of people born over a 25 year period (or any group of people for that matter) is dangerous and misleading.  But this post is less about my opinion on Gen Y, and more about what I've learned after some thought on the matter.  I don’t disagree that the direction millennials have taken some cultural norms is not a positive one.  So, if or when I have children, there are a few things I plan to teach them based on these heated millennial debates.

1. I plan to set expectations.  I plan to set these expectations based on what I've learned.  These include things like the importance of a college degree and hard work.  The expectation that education is important, but does not equate success, and the importance of giving.
2. Avoid student debt.  I took on student debt to go to graduate school, and while I’m grateful for my degree and the doors it helped to open, the debt associated with my degree took away some of my freedom and life options for the early part of my career. 
3. Get paid to do what you love.  Leading a happy life that you’re satisfied with at the end of it all is so important.  Start doing what you love, and then find a way to monetize it!  Too many people do this backwards – they get a paycheck, then wish it was from doing something they really loved.

Future generations will have their own stereotypes, and challenges to overcome.  However, it’s important for everyone to reflect and pull upon the wisdom of current and previous generations.  

What lessons have you learned from the millennial generation debates?