Human Resources IQ

Does your job suck the life out of you? Has it become boring and “all work and no play?” What if your boss told you that you could play video games instead of preparing the tedious TPS report? Believe it or not…companies are allowing their employees to play games such as World of Warcraft, Everquest and Eve Online. Though these fantasy games are just that, in many ways they resemble the business landscape and open a window to the future of real-world business leadership. These games require strategic decision-making, team building and leadership in order to progress to the higher levels of play, which can translate to fit real-world corporate contexts. Dr. Tony O’Driscoll, Professor of the Practice of Business Administration at Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business, shares with Human Resources IQ how gaming can change how leaders function tomorrow and make them more effective today.

Business coach and advisor Donna Rawady discusses with Human Resources IQ how to create a motivating environment in the workplace that will leverage productivity and overall organizational success.

Many business leaders talk about creating teams within their organization, but few understand how to actually build an effective team. Being part of a team means going beyond individual expectations and requirements and participating in the bigger picture. In order to develop a team, there must be a clear understanding of the organizational objectives and how a team can contribute to reaching those goals. Employee engagement specialist, Renée Cormier, shares with Human Resources IQ how to build a workplace team effectively to produce the desired results while leveraging employee motivation.

The economy this. The economy that. Economy. Economy. Economy. Ok so we have heard a LOT on the economy, but guess what? We have to deal with the consequences of the declining economy. Robin Hollis, Senior Director, Learning and Development and Janice Ganann, Senior Director, Executive Talent Office for Banner Health, discuss with Human Resources IQ, how the economy has really taken a toll on their bottom line, what they have done to stay afloat the uncharted waters and how they have kept their promise to their employees and patients.

Debbie Graye, Director of Learning and Development for Sears Holding Corporation discusses with Human Resources IQ how she is implementing technology, measuring ROI and planning the future of the Sears learning organization.

Time Management expert Julie Morgenstern discusses with Human Resources IQ best practices for effectively managing your time that will help reduce stress and increase productivity.

Author Ed Trolley discusses with the panel of Executive Learning Leaders from Human Resources IQ's Webinar series on the value being delivered from the investment being made in training or learning in companies.

Howard Behar, Former president of Starbucks International established Starbucks culture, one that puts people over profit. Behar's people approach focuses on the idea that if you regard employees and customers as human beings and not as labor costs, you will achieve results beyond what is thought possible. Listen to Behar and Human Resources IQ uncover the journey that led a small company into one of America's largest companies.

Dan Rozycki, President of Transtec Group shares with Human Resources IQ, their pay for performance programs and how linking pay for performance leverages employee engagement and organizational performance.

Leo Flanagan, President of Flanagan Consultants, LLC discusses HR Metrics and the importance of how HR decision making impacts business strategy and performance.

After speaking with NFL Personnel prior to the draft on April 26th, YAHOO SPORTS disclosed that the NFL had been creating fake Facebook accounts to track prospects for the draft. Though this has stirred up quite a debate on whether it is legal, fair or immoral, creating fake Facebook profiles, or “ghosting,” is not new. Though employers do not “ghost”, they have used Facebook as a recruiting/tracking source for some time now. Johnny Taylor Jr., President and CEO of Rushmoredrive.com, shares with Human Resources IQ his position on how employers searching for top talent can benefit from using such social media.

During this economic crisis, training is usually the first to have cut backs and budget restraints. However, ACI has increased their efforts by partnering with Bellevue University, which has allowed ACI to leverage the skills of their employees and match that with the overall organizational goals. Katherine Mehr speaks with Tricia Danielsen, Director of ACI University, about how the partnership will help leverage continuous learning within their organization.

Aligning corporate university initiatives with organizational goals helps increase the bottom line. Katherine Mehr speaks with Rick Tift, executive director of the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard and Intermediate Maintenance Facility, who was runner-up for IQPC's Cubic Awards Corporate University Leader of the Year 2008.

When looking for a job, one way to add a personal touch is by including a cover letter with your resume. This letter differs from a resume as it is written to human resources or the person doing the hiring and will most likely be read before he or she takes a look at your resume. Although some people feel a cover letter is optional, many experts advise applicants never to submit a resume without one. Katherine Mehr speaks with Sue Morem, Founder of Go For the Edge! about how to effectively create a cover letter and resume that will be attractive to potential employers.

Conducting effective exit interviews can be critical to improving the performance of your organization. However, it is key to make sure that the interviewer is conducting it in a professional manner that is not inquisitive. Keeping in mind, exit interviews may be the last opportunity to do damage control on potential matters leading to lawsuits. Therefore, an interview that offers closure is healthy and productive for both the organization and the former employee. Katherine Mehr speaks with Rod Stephens, founder of Stephen's Law Office on the most beneficial and effective way to conduct an exit interview.