I wanted to share with you as HR Club Sydney has been a bit quiet, that I’ve been working on a new blog in collaboration with a few other very talented and interesting HR professionals. Yay!

We are pulling together the last few things now so please stay tuned and get ready to subscribe. Also, if you know of any HR events coming up that you think others would be interested in please email the details to hrclubsyd@gmail.com and I’ll pop them in our new calendar.

Cheers,

Jess

Recently I had a cuppa with David Owens who is the Managing Director at HR Partners. We had a bit of a chat about HR networking in Sydney, personal development for HR pros and what we need more of. On the note of sharing, we got to talking about his HR Networking group and while some think it may be silly to promote another group, its important to remember; the more HR professionals working together and sharing information- the better for us all!

Basically the network provides an HR focused forum for practitioners to discuss current industry issues, listen to well respected and established HR professionals and most importantly, the opportunity to network!

They regularly hold breakfast meetings in a number of locations where HR practitioners are invited to come together to learn about a topical HR issue. Each breakfast will be hosted by HR Partners, and a specially selected guest speaker will present on a relevant HR ‘hot topic’. Guest speakers will talk about their area of expertise, or give insight into how they have approached a particular HR situation within their organisation. Time is allocated at the end for discussion and questions on the subject matter.

Each breakfast starts at 7.30am and is expected to finish by 9.00am.

Now the cost for one year’s membership is $180 (if you jump in now and get the early bird saving). While that might sound like a bit at first, that includes your access to the breakfast briefings (which is good because most other briefings in Sydney are in the evening) and access to past presentations. They have networks that run in Sydney CBD, North Ryde and Norwest.

In addition to formal meetings, they also run a LinkedIn Group, where members can raise questions, topics of interest, research or ask for advice on various subjects in a non-competitive and collegiate environment.

Another plus, is your free magazine subscription to Human Capital Magazine for 2012 (value of $90). Each addition will be delivered to your desk so that you can keep up to date with a Journal that is dedicated to the unique needs of Australia’s most senior professionals.

Each month HC examines the issues that are at the forefront of today’s people strategies and analyses the thinking of those who are at the cutting edge of the industry. The issues are timely and relevant, tailored to the needs of its high level readership.

As you can see, the price is not set to make money- just to cover basic costs, which is what I like, and with the magazine subscription I think its good value for money.

If you are keen, jump in now for the early bird special online here.

In that time I’ve reflected on everything that’s important to me, what floats my boat and what I want to do in the future.

I’ve spent the last year at Lion, and have recently been made permanent which is fantastic. I’ve been working with the AHRI NSW Young Professionals this year and am pretty excited about the Christmas Party coming up.

And HR Club Sydney has continued to grow and be beneficial for many people, in different ways. However, after a few years I think it needs a bit of a revamp.

So, I would like to take this opportunity to wish you all a very Merry Christmas and all the very best for the year ahead. Let’s catch up again in the New Year and see what is on offer then.

Cheers!

Jess

RecTec stands for Recruitment Technology Evaluation Convention. It is the only event dedicated to recruitment technology in the Australasian region.

If this were a festival, people would be talking about the awesome lineup. Check it out here. Each delegate also receives a free copy of ‘DIFFERENT THINKING‘ by Nicholas Beames. It’s a book on 20 of the most inspiration recruitment leaders in Australia.

If you’d like to snap up one of these passes, just leave me a comment on this post with your name and email address and I can liaise with you from there.

If you miss the free tickets from HR Club Sydney, jump online and check it out. Tickets are pretty cheap and it is also a great opportunity to meet other people.

22 Nov. Sydney. Be there or be square!

Happy Friday!

And here’s Megan’s story:

Every day at RedBalloon is an experience, like no other workplace I have ever experienced (excuse the pun). People often ask what an ‘Employee Experience Manager’ is and why I’m not the ‘Human Resources Manager’. Well, I have a simple explanation for that. I am a firm believer in the evolution of traditional HR to the Employee Experience. It’s about how people experience organisations (their roles, their days, their peers and their leaders) and not how they are managed as resources as a means to an end. Plus, I’m an employee too and I love the feeling that when I come to work (my 2nd family) our values are lived and experienced every day.

This is a snapshot of a recent day:

6.30am Alarm goes off, however this is followed by a 30 minute snooze fight with my iPhone and 30 minutes of being walked over by my cat – she gets hungry early… then out the door by 7.30am.
7.45am Email check, although I am now fully equipped with an iPad (a recent gift to everyone in the company!) so I may have already checked my emails the night before so I know what I am expecting when I get in.
8.15am Communicate to all RedBallooners about our very exciting 10th Birthday Party.
8.30am Time for some office construction – with a few new IT contractors joining us we need to build some new desks (who said working in Employee Experience was a desk bound role? Not me!) Thanks to Ally my wonderful Employee Experience Assistant – they are built in a flash. Then the much anticipated new fridge arrives.
9.15am Now back at my desk, time to source a new external training course for our Finance Manager – getting an understanding of the what, when and who she needs.
10.00am Then a conversation with our Customer Excellence Manager, Aliessa, about rolling out a key part of her Customer Love Strategy – involving the whole company in ‘A day in the life of a Customer Experience Consultant’ (everyone will sit in on the phones for a day between now and Christmas) and discuss a few new initiatives to be rolled out to the team.
12.15pm A quick lunch break – fresh air and a walk around Pyrmont is a must!
1.00pm Now heading out and about with our Corporate Engagement Consultant, James, to an external client meeting.
3.30pm Back in the office and spend 30 minutes reviewing our soon to be rolled out new performance management system ‘Small Improvements’. Create a few more test users and provide feedback on final changes.
4.30pm Last thing for the day (I sometimes like to save the best for last!) is completing reference checks for our new Online Contract Designer – Nicole. All goes well, so an exciting phone call to offer her the role. She is really excited about starting with us, and even more excited by the invitation to our 10 year birthday party (happening the Friday night before she starts). Then our Marketing Manager Jean and current Senior Designer Alex follow-up my call with a congratulations call – by now Nicole is over the moon! Prepare her contract and send it on its way. Very excited about our newest RedBallooner joining the team.

So a full day complete. A newbie coming on board, progressing on a few new projects and a bit of construction – I promise no 2 days as ever the same! Heading home involves waiting for my husband (I am forever grateful for my pick up service) & after 3.5 years in my role I can truly say I am really excited about coming back tomorrow.

Most people in the HR profession have a strong sense of traditional HR roles; recruitment and selection, payroll, industrial relations. But few would consciously cite workforce / organisational development as one of these. So what do I actually do? I find this question challenging – and often respond with a variety of responses. I guess this is reflective of that fact that the identity of these fields often overlap with other HR disciplines, like HRM or Org Behaviour. I won’t bore you with the details, but suggested you Google Workforce /Org Development.. I think it’s fascinating stuff..

Here’s to hoping that a montage of my day in the life of “the other sides of HR” might help answer some of those questions..

Morning

My day starts with a 6:30 am rise. Two dogs wait patiently at the front door to be fed, loved, and ultimately left to conjure up their own adventures for the day. Unlike my previous life in a major city, my commute is consistently 14 minutes – which is actually considered quite a journey when you live in the Top End. Although my day doesn’t technically start until 8am – I’m at work by 7:15am. Most introverts will understand that quiet time in the office is worth the early morning rise. The time between 7-9am is spent sifting through emails, flagging the immediate and filing the rest.

I’m in between calls with IT and HR – looking to get the process started for two new employees that will start in our unit next week! I’m also chasing up a few loose ends from last week. I finally get a chance to step away and start considering some of the projects I’m leading.

Women in Leadership
I’m still in the conceptual stage of this project. My challenge is to revisit a now outdated discussion paper and consider the where to from here? I’m a mind map enthusiast – so I plot out a couple of conceptual thoughts. By default I’ve inherited a design approach to the way I come up with solutions. What can I do that will add the most value to the clients/ users etc I ponder – a women in leadership seminar series, a written piece that focuses on the women who have successfully broken the glass ceiling – what can we learn from these women? How can their stories answer some of the strategic questions around women the proverbial glass ceiling?

I rely heavily on HR networks (both inside and outside my organisation) so I pose a question on this project to the online HR world– hopefully I’ll have a few responses by morning. No doubt tomorrow I will have some ideas that I need to sense test with senior colleagues – I love the conceptual stages of a project…

Innovation
I’m adding the finishing touches to a web portal I’ve just created on innovation. The idea is to share innovation stories, lessons and insights across traditional boundaries and silos. The site is looking ok – I’m updating a new podcast interview I’ve recently had with an amazing woman from Parks and Wildlife – I recorded last weeks conversation on my ipad and hope to have it showcased on the website when I finally get around to editing it..

Midday
I gasp in shock, as I realise lunch is upon me – where has the day gone? It’s a rare occasion, but – today I’ve opted against a sandwich on the run and sat down to enjoy delicious leftovers form last nights dinner. I have an unquenchable thirst to learn, so my lunch is often filled with a quick scan through my ‘read it later’ articles, or one of the 5-6 books that I generally have on the go. Today I’m intrigued with a fascinating article by Deloitte – Fed Cloud. Essentially, it proposes a cloud based Federal Workforce that comprises a pool of employees who undertake creative, problem focused work, where required, across traditional silo and boundaries. As a right brain thinker – I’m immediately sold on the idea… I contemplate how amazing it would be if we had a model like this in Australia… This one will be added to my mental ‘notes to self’…

The phone rings, and my ever decreasing lunch break comes to an end.

Afternoon
As a central Department – my role has a sector wide reach (spanning across all NTG Departments) so as I work through a draft guideline on recognising service, I’m contemplating creative ways to involve agencies in the development of this piece! I ultimately decide that I’ll house it on Sharepoint, and invite the relevant HR practitioners to comment.

I have just enough time to upload the draft and email a few HR contacts across agencies before heading off to a whole of government Gender Equity Panel meeting.. I spend the next two hours discussing a variety of gender issues and return just before 4:30pm.

Its officially knock off time but I’m hanging around to prepare for my first AHRI Council (NT) meeting tomorrow afternoon. I’m keen to progress the idea of a NT AHRI young professional group and start to jot a few ideas down to discuss with the Council.

True to my earlier statement, I’m home within 15 minutes – the Top End is blessed with long sunny afternoons, so I decide to grab the dogs and my mountain bike and head down to the local beachside track. This is one of the reasons why I love living in the Territory = work life balance.

Evening
I’m on a mission to cook the quickest possible dinner, using the least amount of utensils… A fresh grilled piece of barra and salad are on the menu tonight. Between feeding myself and the canines I slouch on the couch and flick ruthlessly through the TV channels – I’m uninspired until I remember that I recorded a documentary on hoarders…. I spend the next couple of hours flicking between Hoarders and X factor.. Audio Vixen are impressive – yet again.

I’m now ready to wind down …

I pick up the book that I didn’t get a chance to read earlier… It’s a Christian Bason book – “Leading public sector innovation’… It’s a fantastic read that I end up graffiting with a yellow high lighter… Plenty of “notes to self” in this one…

Another typical day has been and gone… I’m shattered and it’s only Monday..

In any case, I am busy at the moment because it is our end of financial year (so think rem review and performance appraisals). I also need to deliver my bonus project and I’m leading a process for the business in which a heap of activity will be happening in November. Oh, did I mention I’m going on leave for 4 weeks in November? Yeah so its kinda panic stations to get all that done so that I can get on a plane and have some fun!

So over the long weekend, I totally chilled out. By chance, my work laptop would not connect at home so I pretty much chilled at home playing “Worms- Ultimate Mayhem” on Xbox, watched stupid horror flicks with Joel (think Final Destination), planning my trip and catching up on life admin. It was great. I lived in trackies and hung out with the kittens. Feeling a bit guilty on the Monday about not really doing much work (despite feeling very chillaxed), I was cleaning up my personal laptop and came across this HBR article; “A Practical Plan for When You Feel Overwhelmed” by Peter Bregman.

I reflected thinking how many times recently I’ve thought “I’m so busy at the moment and yet, I can’t explain all the things I need to do”. I really like using Outlook to keep me organised so I try and keep my task list detailed with what I need to do and by when. If I learned anything from David Rock, its that your brain can’t keep hoarding more and more information (so don’t beat yourself up for forgetting things-write it down!).

The biggest payoff of doing this, is not feeling so stressed because I know what I’ve got to do and by when and can break it up into small pieces to achieve the outcome by the due date.

Here’s a few tips from Peter though if you are also feeling like this (and you’ll notice his comments about technology):

First, spend a few minutes writing down everything you have to do on a piece of paper.
Resist the urge to use technology for this task. Why? I’m not sure, but somehow writing on paper—and then crossing things out—creates momentum.

After 35 minutes, take a break for 10 minutes and then start the hour-long process over again, beginning with the 15 minutes of quick actions.

So what works for you?

Come and join us on Thursday 13th October to hear from a number of HR Professionals including Alec Basinsky, National Partner – People and Performance at Deloitte talk about his experience navigating his way through the HR industry. We’ll be asking our HR professionals a number of challenging questions, and give you the opportunity ask questions as well.

This forum is open to AHRI members, AHRI student members and linked AHRI organisational members and is free of charge to attend. Please register here.

It would be great to see some university students there (and its free to become a student member) so please forward this information on to any students or grads you know.

4th November- Social Drinks/AAGE Warm up

This has been organised by Ainsley Gilkes, who is the Attraction & Selection Manager (Head of Recruitment) at OneSteel and also the Director & Company Secretary at Australian Association of Graduate Employers (AAGE). She’s a pretty amazing person to get to know and you’ll meet awesome peeps here too.

Cafe Lounge, 277 Goulburn St Surry Hills from 5.30pm for a few beers or cocktails. If you’re attending the AAGE Conference the following week this is a good opportunity to meet people or catch up, but everyone is welcome and feel free to pass on. Please let Ainsley know if you’re planning to come, as they’re trying to reserve a spot.

15th December- AHRI Christmas Party

I’m pretty excited about this one because I’m organising it and it should be lots of fun! It will be advertised shortly, but think canapes, drinks and loads of awesome HR people.

Helen has held roles such as the Head of HR Transactional Shared Services at AMP, the HR Director at The Benevolent Society and Group Manager- HR Operations at Campbell Arnott’s.It’s my pleasure to share with you, a day in the life of Helen Lyons.

5.30am wake up, shower , get ready for work, say goodbye to my three sons and begin the journey to work by car where I check my appointments and start making and receiving calls from clients from about 7.30am.
8.30am: after walking through China town I arrive at the office ready to begin the day. Meetings are scheduled and I take the opportunity everyday to walk around a few of the floors to ensure I connect with my team and maintain the face to face relationships with my Executive and the Employees. When you get into the routine of “management by walking about” its amazing what you can absorb and the information you can impart, its also good exercise.
9.30am: the first of many meetings, from the review of a new Recruitment Strategy to judging the nominees for our Reward & Recognition program. Reviewing briefing papers that need to go to the Director General on various Initiatives, meet with Finance and the Business on our budget vs actual to date and review our projections.
Speak with a couple of bright talented HR professionals within the Department of Finance & Services who have been sent my way to “network”, arrange to set up time for a coffee with them over the next few weeks.
Have a few minutes with my CEO.
1.30 pm grab a working lunch with our Head of Communications and discuss the “people and culture message” we want for our “town hall” meeting next week.
2.30 pm return some calls and check my emails ( even though I have been walking with my blackberry all day!!!)
Discuss career opportunities with a friend of mine who is in between jobs and hook them up with a couple of ‘head hunters”.
4.30 pm the Head of Operations wants a quick word,and then my CEO and then the Head of Finance.
My OD Manager wants me to have a quick look at the final pack for the Leadership program we are running for 80 of our leaders tomorrow at 8.30am ( it looks fantastic!!!)
I let my CEO know I will give him a call on the way home tonight to prepare him for what might be an issue tomorrow, so there are no surprises.
5.40 pm I now begin to write this article and its nice and quiet apart from the flashing of my landline and the voicemails that haven’t been heard as yet…………….
I will tidy up some of what’s outstanding, pack up my toys and at about 6.30 pm start my journey home.

Will make a couple of calls on the way home and then about 8.00 pm enter the front door and say “Hi” to my boys, husband, the dogs, the cats and other assorted young men and women that may have dropped in and decided to stay for dinner or the night ( no its not a half way house its our home).
And yes tomorrow if I am lucky enough I get to do it all again…………………..

Thanks very much to Helen for this contribution. Helen is also up for election on the NSW AHRI Council so if you haven’t already voted, please jump on there now and cast your vote!

So my day yesterday involved…

5:30am: Wake up, feed the kittens, shower and get ready for work
7am: at my desk ready to go for the day. When I first arrive I like to look at what I have on for the day, and plan what I want to focus on. It’s six weeks until I am on annual leave so I need to be organised as much as possible. I start off spending the first two hours on emails and catch up on small work (return phone calls etc). This involves providing advice on remuneration ranges, answering policy queries, providing advice to a Regional Director who is interstate and some more general stuff.
9am: I’m leading “Achievement Planning” this year which is the goal setting period of our performance cycle which is at the beginning of our financial year. With a business of around 8,000 people in Australia and New Zealand, I’m working on a project plan to ensure we communicate effectively, have the right tools and that our people have the capability to complete a quality process. After all, having meaningful goals is a key driver of engagement! After helping to refine the meeting minutes and keep track of where we are at, I get busy creating a deck for our Business Partners and Leaders to talk to their people about how to find meaning in their goals for the year and I’m drawing on a lot of work from Dave and Wendy Ulrich’s “The Why of Work”. I also do a bit of research of Harvard Business Review. This takes me a while to sort through the ideas in my head, but I’ve started to pull together some tools that I think will really be handy.
11:30am I spend a bit of time on the NSW AHRI Christmas Party that I am working on for December of this year. I’ve managed to lock in a great deal on food and drinks and also secure a sponsor so I’m looking forward to getting it signed off and ready to promote.
Midday: Review materials for a 12:30pm meeting. This is to do with the Achievement Planning project and I want to take two Directors through a slightly different way of doing things for next year.

 
12:30pm Meeting with Directors goes pretty well and I think we have their initial support. I need to follow up with the deck and gather their feedback.
1pm: I head off to the gym for 45 mins. I haven’t been exercising much lately and I know its important so this week I am making an effort to ensure I get there a few times.
2pm: Check back in on my inbox and return phone calls. There are a few curly ones in there actually!
3pm: Head off to a policy briefing with our Senior Workplace Relations Adviser. She has been working on amending and creating some new policies and is taking us through them and potential impacts on the people in the business. She is adorable and gets very excited when talking about the privacy act.
4:30pm: I do a bit more work on my Achievement Planning deck before heading off the NSW AHRI Council meeting at 5:30pm. That goes until around 7:15pm and by that point I am almost ready to head home. It’s my Mum’s 50th so I drop by with a present for an hour or so and wish her a Happy Birthday.

Then I’m home, shower, do some reading and off to sleep. A fairly good Monday