June 2008

I have dedicated a significant portion of my life to finding the best hamburger on the planet.  And while I was in Chicago at the SHRM conference, I just might have found it.

Rockit Bar & Grill is my kind of place.  Comfortable like your favorite neighborhood bar, Rockit blends great music and design.

A few of my peeps indulged in the Lobster Burger, the 2007 reigning king of BURGERFEST.  Had great things to say about it.  They actually let me try one of the sweet potato fries (note: they only let me try one).

But for me, it was the Rockit Burger.  Kobe beef, melted brie, fried shallots, medjool date aioli and truffle fries.  I washed it all down with their Pear Martini…serious nirvana.

Lots of things going on at the SHRM Annual Conference in Chicago.  Most people are scurrying back and forth between concurrent educational sessions just soaking in the knowledge.  Some are networking like crazy.  And let’s not forget the seemingly endless after-hours receptions.

There’s a huge expo hall with literally hundreds of vendors - all offering a wide variety of products and services aimed squarely at the HR professional.  Businesses spend megabucks to be here for their one big chance to get in front of this audience.

So why are the booth staffers just standing around just talking with each other?  Some are sitting behind their little tables not paying any attention to what is going on.  One was checking her emails.  Someone told me that the Yahoo people were visiting the CareerBuilder booth about finding a new job. 

It’s not everyone, of course, and I understand that some of it might just be that fine balance between marketing a business and managing a life.   But every day the media reports we’re in a recession and all of these companies are here to help improve their respective bottom lines.  Why isn’t there a high level of employee engagement to support this critical sales effort?

Have these people simply checked-out while on the clock?  If this is the behavior in front of such a large crowd, what are your employees doing in the relative security of their cube?

Sometimes even your friendly bartender needs advice…

Here at the SHRM Annual Conference, I ran into a fellow human resources consultant who had heard about a difficult decision I’ve been noodling over.  He decided to offer some advice….but his words of wisdom were more than a little disconcerting.

He said that human resources professionals are basically ‘warm and fuzzy’ people who want to do ‘warm and fuzzy things’.  And, that anyone in the profession not subscribing to the ‘warm and fuzzy’ mantra is really a business person masquerading as a human resource professional (his translation: fish out of water).

This was about as eye-opening as a double shot of espresso in the morning.  If people within the profession have this attitude…why would people outside of our profession think any differently?

Folks - if we aren’t going to stick up for our profession, no one else will either.

This week, I’m busy preparing for the annual pilgrimage of HR folks to the SHRM Annual Conference.  Don’t get me wrong…I like conferences.  HR can be a lonely profession - one minute you’re having a beer with co-workers and the next you could be processing their termination paperwork.  So, it’s important to hang out with fellow HR-types to swap ideas and learn new stuff.  I always manage to learn at least one thing that justifies the cost of admission.

Not to mention that Chicago is Mecca for foodies…I’ve been scouring Chowhound for places to try.  Any suggestions?

A month or so ago, I was in Knoxville talking with a group of students about email etiquette.  I was surprised at their response…email is passé …it’s all about IM.

Email emerged on the scene during the 70’s.  It’s considered a mainstream communication tool for almost every company.  And, some would argue, it’s overused and abused.

But, companies are just starting to develop their email culture.   We’re seeing tips from people like Tim Sanders offering advice like “Don’t email people on their summer vacation”.

Is this a sign that we are behind the times and email is the new snail mail?  Or is it that, without email protocols in place, people will use whatever form of communication they are most comfortable with?

…sucks.  That’s all there is to it.

Ever watch someone take credit for something that you know they didn’t do?

Ever listen to someone rant about everything they claim to have done?

It’s so tempting to call that person out…but, something tells you to step away from situation. Let a cooler head prevail.  It’s that little voice inside you that says, “Take the high road…”

Just once, I would love to set the record straight.  But I know that I will regret it like that last margarita hangover from Cinco de Mayo.