Link: http://www.humanresourcesmagazine.com.au/articles/17/0C051717.asp

COMPANIES WITH great learning and development practices are using a combination of strategies, processes and technology solutions to align the workforce with business objectives and achieve measurable business improvement, a report has found.

Seventy-seven per cent of such companies, or ‘best-in-class’ organisations, leveraged organisational learning and development to improve employee performance, whereas 41 per cent of industry average and only 28 per cent of worst in class, or ‘laggard’ companies were able to do the same.

The best-in-class companies also had improved operational metrics such as compliance rates, time to productivity and revenue per employee. The report found that a key differentiator was whether an organisation’s learning and development strategy was integrated with the organisation’s overall strategy (as was the case for 66 per cent of best-in-class versus 37 per cent of industry average and 31 per cent of laggard companies).

“The urgency for organisations to align their workforces with business objectives continues to grow and shows no signs of weakening,” said Kevin Martin, research director, human capital management at US business intelligence firm Aberdeen, which conducted the report.

“Organisational learning and development has long been second-guessed because the executives that set strategy and hold budget have not been convinced of its business impact...”

Link: http://www.theage.com.au/news/businessinnovations/so-whats-the-point-of-hr-again/2007/11/16/1195321760466.html

Leon Gettler - The Age

THE human resources sector needs an overhaul, with a study revealing that nearly half of HR managers say they do not believe they are effective. They also believe most people are unsure about what HR is supposed to achieve.

The Australian Human Resources Institute study found that 45.9% of HR managers either believed HR was not effective, or they were unsure about it. Nearly three-quarters of non-HR people had the same view.

Indeed, 80.4% of non-HR respondents had little understanding of what HR managers did to justify their existence. In only 54% of organisations did the HR manager report directly to the chief executive officer.

For their part, HR specialists seemed to be aware they had a problem....

Thank goodness, the realisation is sometimes the hardest thing to come to. Admittedly HR has always had a none to enviable reputation to try and counteract. It would appear that its not getting any better.
Is this true of your organisation?
If you're in HR, do you 'get' what's being revealed here?
What would you do about rectifying this?

If organisations are going to morph into the "Workplaces of the Future" (22/11/07), where does that leave HR and how will they handle this transistion?

Link: http://acetalentnet.com.au/secrets_exposed.php

Last Friday I had the good fortune to be invited to the Secrets Exposed Series Contributors Extravaganza... and that is was. All contributors to the series were invited, totalling 214, with about half being able to make it. And make it they did! From all parts of Australia and NZ, and even a visitor from Canada.

Try networking and talking and controlling to an agenda people such as the contributors, who were all equally as excited to be in the same room as each other. To their credit, Dale Beaumont and Emma Lyons did manage to have the herd pay attention and the day went along swimmingly. And then of course the dinner was mandatory! into the wee small hours.

What has come to front of mind since Friday is this... when we agreed to do my chapter in the book, we had no concept of where this could connected community could lead. Given what Dale has planned for 2008, the connection to the Secrets Exposed series is going way beyond writing a chapter for one book, and instead will include all sorts of exciting things which we will bring to you in time... suffice to say HANG ON TO YOUR HATS, THIS IS GOING TO BE ONE HELL OF A RIDE! and one we are really looking forward too...

Link: http://www.theage.com.au/news/web/think-before-pressing-the-send-button/2007/11/25/1195962828236.html

Lia Timson - The Age

AUSTRALIANS are impulsive email users and oblivious to online etiquette, new research has found.

The study among a representative sample of full-time workers in all Australian states found the majority are trigger-happy emailers who often send communications to the wrong person or in the wrong tone because they don't stop to think.

Does this sound familiar?
Do you have your own stories to add?
How does email assist/hamper you?

And as Leon Gettler points out in The Email Tide... Check through your inbox today and ask yourself how many of the emails that have come in have been worthwhile? How many are just pointless exercises in corporate cheer-leading, arse-covering or conversations that have nothing to do with you? And that's not even talking about spammers and phishers.

However, from our point of view, email is a fabulous thing for the busy entrepreneurial mothers. aCE talentNET is run on email, and the phone, as it can be accessed and used at any time. However, as noted 15/11 in When The InBox is on the Outer, there are many ways to manage your usage, and manage it you must.

Link: http://smallbusiness.theage.com.au/growing/workplace/decision-time:-election-countdown-901059535.html

With the countdown to Saturday's election well and truly over (thank goodness), Mysmallbusiness asks business groups to sum up the offerings of each party and outline what they would like to see from the new government.

How will the new government effect what you do?
Will their new offerings have much impact on your organisation?
And what about you personally?

In addition to this, during 2007 ICA had extensive liaison with the ALP on its independent contractor policies. They published ALP statements and commentary. Featured is a consolidation of the key ALP statements and the ICA comments. ICA are assured by the ALP that these statements are the firm policies that it took to the November 24 election and ICA assume they will be the polices implemented during this term of its government.