HR Happy New Year

The HR Happy Hour Show will be live tonight from 8PM - 10PM EST for a special 'HR Happy New Year' show.

The call-in number is 646-378-1086, and we encourage you to ring in and participate in the show.

I think New Year's Eve is the most democratic holiday, since really everyone can participate equally. If you had a great 2009, then awesome, you get to ring it out wth a big celebration.  And if you had a lousy 2009, then what better than to raise a glass and put the entire year in the rear view.

The New Year's Show has no guests, no specific topics planned, it is just you guys calling in and talking about whatever is on your mind as we close out 2009 and head in to 2010.

I hope you can spend some of your New Year's Eve with us on the show!

HR Happy Hour - 2010: Looking Ahead

Another shameless plug for the HR Happy Hour Show!

Episode 23 - '2010:Looking Ahead' - Thursday December 17, 2009 at 8:00 PM EST www.blogtalkradio/steve-boese

The HR Happy Hour will polish off our crystal ball and look ahead to 2010 in the world of Human Resources and the workplace. Some of the topics open for debate tonight are:

What will be some of the major trends in 2010?

What issues are the most pressing for Human Resources and Talent Management professionals?

Will this recession ever really end? (and no I don't believe the 'official' recession is over statistics).

The 2010 Looking Ahead show is being presented in conjunction with the SmartBrief on Workforce (yes, I am on the Advisory Board, how cool is that?), special 2010 preview edition.

Joining us on the show tonight will be SmartBrief on Workforce Senior Editor Mary Ellen Slayter, and fellow Advisory Board members Sharlyn Lauby, aka HR Bartender, and author/columnist Alexandra Levit.

I hope you can join us for what will surely be an interesting, lively, and fun show.

HR Happy Hour - 2009: A Year in Review

Admit it - come Thursday night your mind turns to just one thing - the HR Happy Hour Show!

I like to think the show is like the old 'must-see TV' shows back in the day, an audio version of 'The Cosby Show' or 'Seinfeld'.

Only with far inferior production values and much, much more geeky.

Tonight on the show, 8 PM EST,  we will have a look back at 2009 in the Human Resources and Workforce worlds.

Fear, pain, malaise - anything else about 2009 that sticks out for you?

Listen right here - or call in 646-378-1086 to get in on the discussion.

The show was planned and organized in conjunction with the great folks at SmartBrief on Workforce and the 2009 Year in Review special edition of the Brief. 

Aside - if you have not already signed up for the free, daily SmartBrief e-newsletter, what the heck are you waiting for?

Sign up here

Joining Shauna Moerke and I on the show tonight will be Mary Ellen Slayter, Senior Editor at SmartBrief, as well as SmartBrief on Workforce Advisory Board members Mark Stelzner and Susan Strayer.

It should be a fun and interesting show, and I hope you will listen and call in.

Let's say goodbye to 2009 in HR Happy Hour style!

The Employer Branding Show

Tonight on the HR Happy Hour show at 8PM EST, we are talking 'Employer Branding'.

So like a good host, I figured I'd better do some research on Employer Branding, since to me, while it is a term that most of us have heard of, it is really widely misunderstood. 

Sort of like fuel injection or megapixels.  We know we want them, they are important, but we're not really sure why.

So what is 'Employer Branding' anyway? The simplest definition I came across is on the Whatever You Think blog:

(Employer Branding) is the real and the perceived experience of what that organisation is like to work for.

What is a company really like to work for?  What do the people that work there say?

How about folks Flickr - jacicitathat have left, do they generally feel good about their experiences?

Why as an employee of the company am I compelled to stay?

And why as a candidate am I interested in joining?

Pretty basic right?

But the hard part I think is how that perception is shaped, how the 'experience' is articulated, and perhaps most importantly how it is communicated to those brand consumers (employees, applicants, prospects) that you are trying to influence.

Is this marketing? PR?  Recruiting? 

Some combination of all three?

Or is the whole notion of the 'Employer Brand' really not at all important in a recession.  Most employees are simply happy to still have their jobs, and most candidates just want a job, any job. They don't give a hoot about your 'brand', or do they?

So we will kick these topics around tonight on the HR Happy Hour, 8PM EST, join the fun by calling in on 646-378-1086.

See you at the HRevolution

Today I, along with about 50 smart, talented, and fantastic HR folks will descend on Louisville, KY for the first ever HRevolution.

The HRevolution is the original and only 'Unconference' for HR professionals focused on blogging, social media, technology, and a little topic called 'The Future of HR'.

The event is a classic and wonderful example of a community coming together to share, learn, and try and make ourselves and the HR profession better.

But communities have to have something to rally around, and they often need leaders that can motivate and inspire people.

And in the case of HRevolution those leaders are Trish McFarlane and Ben Eubanks. Trish and Ben have created a concept and an incredible community has rallied around their idea. They, along with Crystal Peterson whose tireless efforts in organizing the logistics of the event, have engineered what has really become a kind of phenomenon.

Creating an event, working it into what is already a crowded fall conference and event schedule, and having it connect and resonate with so many people is really a testament to the community, and to the Trish, Ben, and Crystal's efforts.  I have been honored to be a (small) part of the planning for this event.

For folks who can't make it down to the HRevolution, there will be a lively Twitter stream under the #HRevolution tag and special Episode of the HR Happy Hour Show, 'Live from the HRevolution' on Saturday, November 7 at Noon EST.

Special thanks also to HRevolution sponsors:

Sanera

Nobscot Corporation

Xceptional HR (Blogging4Jobs)

Fustion Frames & Award Frames

Monster.com

The Human Race Horses

They have been generous with not only financial support, but advice and ideas to help make the event really meaningful and special.

I can't wait to get to Louisville (even if it means a ridiculous 5:00 am drive to the airport).