Leadership Onboarding in 2009

What's ahead for leadership onboarding in 2009? With all the dreary economic news, it seems that organizations will typically cut discretionary spending and focus their time and money on what will successfully drive their businesses into the next year and beyond.

A survey that I just read today, published by the International Association for Human Resources Information Management (IHRIM) reports how human resource leaders said that they would spend their information technology dollars next year. The findings say that of the companies making investments in software, 12% will be spent on core HR management systems, 25% will be spent on benefits management solutions and the most will be spent on onboarding tools at 28%.

This result indicates that more and more HR leaders are recognizing the business need and competitive advantage to providing a formal onboarding process. How many of these will have a dedicated focus to leaders is unclear. But the numbers are encouraging.

The article goes on to report that there is still an indication that companies will continue to cut budgets and staff in the slumping economy. These cuts will probably include development-like programs such as leadership coaching, team development and leadership onboarding. I was at a conference this fall and a key-note speaker from Home Depot said the their leadership onboarding was "suspended indefinitely" to save cost as their sales declined.

Unfortunately, this is a big mistake. Top talent will go to companies with these types of programs and organizations risk losing their competitive edge.

Now, more than ever, is the time to protect your biggest investments, your leaders.

Read the full article about the survey

Onboarding: A Tool to Becoming a Business Partner

At a recent conference the presenter told the audience (made up of VPs and Directors of Talent Management) that "we need to improve our practioners of Talent Management and be solid business people" This has been a common theme for HR conferences and articles--made more timely by the Fast Company 2005 cover story-- Why We Hate HR. Many articles and studies support this by describing the lack of business knowledge and savvy in HR functions in companies of all sizes.

During the Q and A of the conference presentation, someone actually asked, "How do you/we develop our Talent Management teams to have and demonstrate Business Acumen?"

I was shocked and embarrassed for this person. It is bad enough that the Talent Management function does not possess these skills, it is worse that they do not even know HOW to possess or develop these basic skills. This is even more bothersome considering that the Talent Management group is responsible for creating and implementing strategies to support the business people in the organization!

Partnering with hiring managers and new leaders, as well as newly promoted leaders, is an excellent opportunity for talent management professionals to show value. By coaching both the hiring manager and new leader on: establishing objectives, building knowledge about the organization and role, building relationships that will support objectives, providing cultural context and direction, and gathering and sharing feedback, the talent management partner can get the new leader up to speed more quickly and help him/her avoid derailment. The talent management partner can also provide the hiring manager with valuable insight and coaching on how to help his/her new team member be successful. To be a successful onboarding partner the talent management partner needs to be an expert on the organnization, how it works, as well as the market place it is in.

Hopefully, leaders in Talent Management will wake-up soon and realize that to be successful (in the eyes and minds of the business leaders they support) they need to dive in and truly understand and enjoy the business they are a part of. This is the only way they will gain respect and have a place at the desired table!

Onboarding Conference

For immediate release

Connect the Dots will present at Onboarding Conference--January 2008

Connect the Dots Consulting will present a pre-conference workshop, a keynote presentation, and an exhibition booth at Onboarding Talent: Proven Strategies for Onboarding and Retaining Talent from America's Best Employers Conference in Atlanta, Georgia. The conference will be held at the Omni Hotel at the CNN Center from January 28th through 31st.

The keynote will be a joint presentation with Connect the Dots' client, TJX Companies, on the impact of their leadership onboarding process on their business.

Connect the Dots presenting:

Onboarding 101: Building the Bridge from Recruitment to Engagement

Executive Onboarding: What Your New Leaders Need But Don't Know to Ask For

Other presentations include:

• The Gold Standard for Onboarding
• Onboarding Technology
• Retaining Talent Through Onboarding
• ROI of Onboarding
• Benchmarking Onboarding Programs

Organizations that will be represented:

• TJX Companies
• Ann Taylor
• FedEx Kinkos
• Starbuck's Coffee Company
• Jet Blue Airways
• Sun MicroSystems
• General Mills
• Blue Cross Blue Shield
• The Coca-Cola Company
• The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company
• Texas Roadhouse
• Hewlett-Packard

For more information and registration go to www.iqpc.com/us/onboarding or call 1-800-882-8684.

Hope to see you there!