FULHAM ROAD — It’s official. For me anyway. I have come to the conclusion that the market has changed. I recognise that it may only be temporary, but it feels longer-term than that.
Where once businesses were interested in concepts and ideas… most now are being far more practical. “I want you to do something that I could do, but I don’t have time,” a friend explained last week.
We talked to one of the world’s biggest diversified businesses last week and they said that they have reinstated pay-rises. They have put even more money into the spot bonus pool… but they have told everyone to reduce spending in Q1. And they’ve set the sales-force higher targets.
And maybe that’s why we’re working more and more with Human Resources. The recession and the re-alignment that has been happening in industry has changed things. Companies are investing in system changes. Not people changes. They are looking at practical, actual, factual changes. The theory — engagement, social media, employee brand, etc. etc. — are all being eclipsed by more tangible things.
HR helped make businesses more efficient in 2009. With some every simple (and often brutal) work. So they now have some of their bigger projects back on the boil. As a result there is more consulting work to be had in changing, fixing and even developing new systems for businesses.
This isn’t about ‘wellness programmes’ or learning accounts, or even total reward statements. It’s about managing people more efficiently: setting better targets, planning for your future workforce, training people to be more efficient faster.
The motto might be right out of Jerry Maguire: Show me the money! But it’s a different goal now: Show me how much we can save by doing this…
Fortunately, we’re still able to do that. But it doesn’t half take a change in mindset.
/df
HOME — I’ve been wearing my dad’s tie all week. It’s a university tie from Bishop’s University outside Montreal. My dad was president of the University earlier this century. He was always quietly dapper without being too flash. [Okay, the man-bag he carried while we lived in Paris was a bit cutting edge.]
There’ve been some nice things written about my dad in Canadian papers last week.
By today’s standards 72 is quite a young age to die.
Like all dads he was my hero. He did amazing things as a political journalist, a foreign correspondent, a history buff, a francophile, an African aficionado, an actor and someone who loved a good laugh.
I wish you could have met him.
/df
WESTFIELD — Human Resources departments and Corporate Communications departments have a great deal in common. Including a mutual suspicion and occasionally antagonism.
Both:
• focus primarily on people
• believe they can use their systems and processes to make people think / do what they want
• don’t like people much
Someone called last night and said: “What is it about Communications people, that they are all so timid? They never say anything.”
And the same can often be said of Human Resources professionals. With some notable exceptions they tend to be quite modest and happier working quietly behind the scenes. However, in working behind the scenes they can also have quite a strong sense of self-importance and self-belief.
If more people listened to them — they are convinced — the office would be a better place.
Communication people know in their bones that they can get ideas across to people. They can move people and make the business better in a multitude of ways. They have creative powers. Awesome powers that are being under-utilised.
HR people on the other hand have processes that are flawless. They can organise, advise and design systems that will make the business run like clockwork. (If only the people didn’t get it wrong so often!)
Fran at Connected Communications recently pointed me towards this brilliant blog: My Hell is Other People.
It’s almost too good to be true. The author claims to be a major London HR Director.
It sums up the frustrations of HR professionals. Not necessarily in a way I agree with, but certainly in a way that I recognise from working in HR half my working life.
The fact is that HR people have great ideas that people don’t understand. And Communications professionals have great ways of teaching people stuff but not enough good content.
If HR and Communications professionals could find common cause — even if it has to be an antipathy towards people — the the world of work could be a better place.
/df
LONDON — There are a whole variety of reaction to the news of Kraft’s seemingly successful bid for Cadbury in today’s media. Many reactions are about more than just the gut reaction to the “uneven narrative of corporate finance”.
We’ve put out press release that you can read by clicking on the link.
What do you think?
/df
CHELSEA — I realised yesterday that I have not lived in North America for more than a decade. So it’s hard for me to fully understand what companies like Verizon and Comcast are all about. But even from this distance it’s clear they’re having trouble with service delivery.
A few years ago I found this brilliant [...]
TOOTING BEC — I have just seen my first ‘Santander’ sign on a high street: in Balham. The plastic signs have been covering new ones for a few weeks now. You might have noticed. They even said ‘temporary sign’ down in the corner.
Monday is the official day of change. And the TV commercials start Monday [...]
PICCADILLY — The reports are in. Almost half of the working population “worked from home” yesterday.
How do you do that?
Our receptionist worked from home yesterday.
What? How do you do that?
At our Sainsbury’s near the office on Tottenham Court Road the shelves are all getting a bit bare. I am guessing that’s because the delivery guys [...]
“Galloway has been identified as one of the darkest places on the planet.”
– The Independent, 05 January 2009
GREEN PARK — There’s plenty to be joyous about at the start of a new year. And it’s not just the FTSE rising to a 16 month high, the pending snowstorm in London, or [...]
ON THE SOFA — Change management and communications are needed in China and India. World-class change and comms.
I know there are many capable people in both countries. I know that they already manage big change. I know that there are language and cultural issues that are distinct to both countries.
But I am still sure that [...]
OUNDLE — There’s always some good that comes every year. I get great pleasure out of those little celebrated innovations. Here are a few of my favourite from this past year.
The end of tinned food [...]
