HR vs IT

Steve Boese led a very interesting topic of discussion at HRevolution.  His talk revolved around the processes of integrating technology into business, specifically human resources.  A resident expert on the subject, Steve is a professor at the Rochester Institute of Technology where he spreads the gospel of all things holy technology.  He also writes a great blog:  Steve Boese’s HR Technology.

After Steve’s session we had a sidebar discussion relating to interactions among technical employees and human resource employees in addition to the paranoia of technology.  The most obvious issues identified dealt with the huge communication barrier between these two groups, especially when focused on a project.

Where do the problems lie?  In a lot of cases I believe the problems begin with the identification of candidates for a project team.  Just because an individual may be extremely proficient in the technical aspects of their job does not mean they will be able to communicate.  Same goes for the human resources side.  Not all human resource professionals are able to communicate effectively.  Without identifying key components of communication abilities in one’s personality you set yourself up for failure.  Once you have your team in place, if you do not recognize any inconsistencies in the understanding of the scope and intent of the project from any team members, fail again.

Where do you begin?  Do you train a “techy” on human resource concepts so they understand your view point and overall intent of a process or project?  Or, do you attempt to teach an HR professional how to program?

In my opinion, I believe the most beneficial scenario would be a little of both.  Identify an employee/team member who is technically adept and has a good foundation in human resources.  They do not need to know how to physically program but by understanding the language and procedures, they have a better chance to encourage effective communication.  They can be your liaison between the two groups.  The idea is to find individuals who are able to transcend the stereotypical behaviors of “techies” and human resource professionals.

What do you think?  What is the best way for human resource departments to acquire the technical skills to make us effective?  Train existing HR professionals on the technologies or bring in more technically skilled workers in to HR?

A major pet peeve of mine is people getting or taking credit for things they do not deserve.  Think Dunder Mifflin regional manager Michael Scott giving himself the “World’s Best Boss” mug.  Unfortunately this shameful self-promotion is pretty common, especially with the advent of social media as an aid to personal branding.  Think about it, social media provides a way for individuals to build a reputation without ever physically meeting anyone.  Some may say the concept is pure genius.

Too frequently I see people claiming they are subject matter experts when they have no more experience than the average person.  Ben Eubanks of UpstartHR knows what I’m talking about, as illustrated in his post on Jobacle.com! Yet for some reason these individuals win over fans by commenting on blog posts, making public comments in an open forum or getting quoted in an article.  Guess what?  The people you interact with online may not be the same people if you ever meet them in person.  An online persona can be much more grandiose due to the lack of interpersonal communication.  Think online dating sites like eHarmony!  Some take advantage of electronic communication, knowing full well of how different one can portray themselves in an electronic versus in-person format.  His or her commentary may be nothing but a baseless attempt to garnish some form of credit for personal and/or professional gain.

My love of writing and obsession with technology are what ultimately led to the creation of HR Gumbo.  I am not here to get you to buy something from my company or claim that you must hire me to come speak at your next event.  In blogging my goal is to give a different perspective on the human resource industry, that of a Millennial.  I hope to be able to inspire others to recognize areas of improvement and engage in conversation aimed at making change in the workplace. 

I would say that a good number of bloggers are interested in developing their personal/professional brands, including myself.  That’s not a bad thing.  We offer our posts to initiate conversation, to share valuable information, to educate and learn from colleagues.  Unfortunately, there are some out there who would do or say anything to come out on top. 

Now to get to my point…I urge those involved with social media for professional purposes to heed to their gut.  I believe I am a good judge of character but I cannot speak for all you readers out there as I’ve never met most of you.  In that respect I want to share some suggestions with you regarding developing trust in those bloggers you choose to follow.

First, please don’t take everything I say at face value.  Unless I cite something, the content is based on my opinion.  It needs to be said that you will not necessarily know if you agree with something or if it applies to you until you try it out for yourself. 

Second, I urge you to get to know someone you follow on Twitter or someone whose blog you frequently read.  Engage him or her in discussion to make sure you really do want to follow that person and respect their opinion.

Third, know that some people have ulterior motives and what they say or do may be hogwash and designed to inflate their egos and/or their wallet.  It almost seems as if there should be a reference check in the process of whose blog you decide to trust.

Lastly, have fun.  This is an ever-changing interactive process.  Your thoughts and comments frequently create some of the most fascinating conversations among peers across the globe.  We really appreciate the feedback!

[For interest’s sake, if you are a blogger, answer me this one loaded question:  “Why do you blog?”  Share your answers in the comment section along with your name and blog address.]

As a child I was definitely a “plays well with others” kid. That’s one of the reasons that I love Human Resources.  I enjoy working with others. I like the face time, the relationships, and working with other people to facilitate change. 

I am also in the midst of two overlapping HRIS projects.  You know the kind – they involve an enterprise system that is being modified to develop some previously paper-driven HR function into a technologically amazing process and workflow.   

Although I was excited about the projects, I found the meetings with the HRIS programmers difficult. Even for someone who “enjoyed working with others,” it was trying.   I would ask questions, but because I was not fluent in “techno speak” it was easy for key elements to get lost in translation. Wondering if it was just me, I talked with other HR professionals across the state and found my experiences were common. Technology continues to change the way we do business. We all know we need to improve our processes, but the road to change is not marked in signs that we can easily read. As I discussed the issue with my peers, several key questions arose: “How can HR ‘people-people’ and ‘policy geeks’ meet the new expectations of the profession?”; “Why can’t these programmers talk to us in a way that makes sense?”; “Can we ever learn the techno language well enough to express our needs and concerns?”

One of my hobbies is learning Italian. My husband and I share a grandson with a wonderful couple in Sardinia, Italy, with whom we look forward to visiting.  Their English is improving faster than our Italian.  So after trying various books, we made a significant financial investment last spring in a computer program that literally immerses the student in the language. There are no translations – the student learns Italian as any young child learns a language – through visual and verbal immersion, one word and concept at a time. As I sat down to study Italian one weekend afternoon, I began to think of my recent HRIS issues.  How could I be learning Italian and still be struggling with “techno speak”? Why is learning a foreign language so much easier? What is the difference?

Then I realized I was struggling with “techno speak” because I wasn’t immersing myself in the language.  Immersion might be the key!  Realizing I had nothing to lose but my time, I began going to optional meetings with HRIS staff.  I volunteered to do data entry, test modules, asked questions, entered more data, attended more meetings, asked more questions, ran queries, and corrected anomalies. It took all summer, but I am finally beginning to speak and understand the language. In fact, I am actually enjoying working with the HRIS people!

Technology is a critical aspect of our HR world. We can wait for techies to learn how to communicate with us or we can learn their language and how to use it to our advantage.  Jump in, immerse yourself, and progress at your own pace.  You might find that you can learn this new language the same way you learned your first language, one word and concept at a time.  You might even find you can enjoy working with HRIS people once you’re able to break through the communication barriers.   Simply making the effort to take on technology as a second language can make all the difference.