My Top 10 Tips for HR Tech Conference Attendees #HRTechConf

NOTE: This is a (slightly) updated version of my Top 10 Tips for HR Tech Conference Attendees that I ran last year just before the Conference. Reading it over, I was not surprised how just about all my advice from last year still applies. I am clever that way. Plus, I have the inside scoop. Hope to see lots of readers at the event.

And by the way, you can still register for HR Tech 2015 with Promo Code LINK15 and save an additional $150.00 on top of the $50.00 PreShow rate discount – That’s $200.00 in savings when you register by Midnight EDT Thursday Oct. 15 at www.hrtechconference.com 

It's now a little more than one week until what is in my completely biased view as the Conference Co-Chair the best annual event for HR professionals, the HR Technology Conference in Las Vegas. If you are coming out to the event next week, and I hope lots of readers are, I wanted to serve up my slightly better informed view of than most have and give you my list of the Top 10 Tips for getting the most out of your HR Tech Conference experience.

So here goes, (in no particular order, save this is how they came to me in a semi-coherent state late last night).

1. Take advantage of the Conference's 'Welcome' day activities on Sunday, October 18

Building upon what was a really popular and well-received idea from last year, once again at HR Tech, we will have several pre-conference educational sessions (offered at no extra charge for full conference attendees). These pre-conference sessions kick off at 1:15PM on Sunday with 'Workplace, Wearables, and Workout Wednesday' sponsored by FitBit, and then continue with three more pre-con sessions (from Ceridian, Salesforce, and IBM) at 2:30PM. These pre-con sessions are a great opportunity to jump-start your learning and kick off the Conference experience.

Then in what is a first for HR Tech, we will have our popular "Awesome New Startups for HR" demonstration General Session also on the Conference's opening day, starting at 3:45PM. We have a fantastic set of HR Tech startups this year and you will not want to miss this interactive and dynamic General Session.

And immediately after that, our Opening Reception (with drinks and appetizers) kicks off in the sold-out Expo Hall, (which will too be Open and with the Exhibitors ready and eager to meet you. All in all, the opening day and night of HR Tech should be fantastic and I encourage all attendees to take advantage of these opportunities.

2. Don't go overboard on Sunday night once you leave the Opening Reception

HR Tech is closer to a marathon than a sprint. I suppose it is more like a 10K or maybe even a half marathon. Either way, you jump out of the starting line all full of energy and adrenalin and excitement, but after a couple of miles of running at a pace you know you are not ready to sustain you are definitely going to hit the wall. And it might get ugly. In fact, seeing as it is Vegas, it almost certainly will get ugly. My point is you want to build slowly. And most of the really big, fun, over the top night time social events are on Monday night the 19th and Tuesday the 20th anyway. So have fun on Sunday night, but just remember you are not as young as you used to be. Leave something in the tank for the middle and end of the race.

3. Give something back

This year at HR Tech we are proud and excited to offer attendees the opportunity to 'work' for a good cause while also having some fun. HR Gives Back is working to raise funds towards finding a cure for Parkinson's, which is a cause near and dear to the hearts of many in the HR Tech community. At the Conference, and in partnership with FitBit, attendees will have the opportunity to participate in challenges and activity tracking in order to help raise funds for this great cause. Look for signage and information about these efforts at the Conference, and in the interim check out HRGivesBack.net for more information.

4. Plan out your schedule, but be flexible too, and leave some time to explore

Once again the agenda this year is packed and we have a record number of tracks and concurrent sessions. In most of the concurrent session time slots, there are as many as 10 sessions running at the same time. So you are going to want to spend some time in advance thinking about which sessions you'd like to attend, and even make a backup selection (or two) just in case we have to play nice with the Fire Marshal and cap off attendance in any given session. But also be sure to leave some room in your day to linger a little longer in the Expo Hall or take in one of the vendor demo sessions that will be running on Monday or Tuesday. Or even just to have some time to chat with some of the new friends you have made, (more on that to come). My point is this, it is a Conference, not a synchronized swimming contest - you don't have to know every step you are going to take in advance. 

5. Don't travel (all the time) in the same pack

If you are attending the Conference with some of your co-workers, (which is great), make sure to not spend all of your time traveling in tandem. Split up and cover some different sessions, make sure to engage with other folks during general sessions and meals, and maybe even (horror), hit some different parties after hours. You want to make sure you are not just seeing and interpreting things through the same lens that you use back in the office, sometimes breaking away from your co-workers, even for a little while, can help you to do this. Besides, you have the other 361 days of the year to spend with these people, and they are probably sick of you too.

6. Say 'Hi' to me, or rather, anyone that you really want to meet and connect with

Of course I want to meet as many people as I can, but you do too. And chances are you might want to meet and chat with one of our amazing speakers or one of our industry experts that will be leading panels and sessions throughout the event. So make sure you do! All of these execs and leaders are extremely approachable and generous with their time and their insight. So if there is someone, anyone, you want to meet, then don't let a long line of people stop you from doing just that. One of the best aspects of the HR Tech community is how much everyone wants to help, especially HR leaders that are interested in how HR technology can help them and their organizations move forward. 

7. Take a rest somewhere in the middle of the run

Ok, much like I am ready to take a breather half way into this post, (at about the 1000 word mark and counting), at some point during HR Tech you will want/need to take a little time to recharge. This could mean ducking out a little early from one of the parties, taking a power nap back up in your room after the last session of the day and before heading out for the evening, or it could be as simple as passing on that third dessert from the buffet. All I am saying is you probably can't go full speed all day and night in Las Vegas for too long and come out feeling good on the other side. Find a spot to get some rest, maybe hit the spa or the pool, (it will be pretty hot), and get ready for the last part of the run.

8. It is ok to talk to the vendors in the Expo Hall. Even ones you have never heard about.

I know for attendees the overwhelming tendency of Expo visit time is spent walking from place to place, checking out the vendors you are familiar with and/or interested in learning more about, and maybe entering a contest or two. And while you can easily spend hours talking with vendors and people you know, or maybe are currently using in your organization, I really recommend spending some Expo time checking out and actually learning about at least a few vendors that you have never heard about before. Now I don't want to name specific names, (because there are just too many and I will get in trouble as I would have to leave some out), but you know who you don't know, (if that makes sense), and I can assure you there are dozens of amazing solutions just waiting to be discovered. And don't miss our Startup Pavilion, where a record 30 HR Tech startups will be exhibiting in one area. If you are not sure who to check out, send out a Tweet on the#HRTechConf hashtag and just ask. Not using Twitter? Well that is a problem we will have to solve another day.

9. The General Sessions are big and crowded and long. Go to them anyway.

Yes the General Session rooms are massive. And crowded. And by the time you get there lots of the good seats are taken. But you still should attend them anyway. We have the industry famous 'Awesome New Technology' showcase for the more established HR solution providers on Tuesday morning and we will follow that up with the demonstrations from the first-ever HR Tech Hackathon on Tuesday afternoon. Both of these General Sessions are the kinds that audiences at HR Tech love - a chance to see up close and personal the best in HR tech. You definitely want to be blown away by the latest and greatest innovations in HR technology in the 'Awesome New' session and in the Hackathon. These General Sessions bring the entire community together and you simply have to be a part of that.

10. Don't skip Wednesday.

Assuming you made your travel plans accordingly and are still going to be in Las Vegas on the final morning of the event, you want to make sure you drag your tired, sorry self out of bed to make it down for the last half day of the Conference. We have a fantastic closing day keynote from Jim Whitehurst, President & CEO of RedHat. And in a first for HR Tech we have a great 'Ideas and Innovators' session planned, where 10 HR and HR Tech rock stars will speak using the fast-paced and popular 'Ignite' format. This session will include great people like Mike Psenka, Eric Winegardner, Trish McFarlane, Yvette Cameron, Kris Dunn and many more. Trust me you will not want to miss this, it is the closest thing to a live sporting event or a piece of performance art that you will ever see at a conference.

And in true Spinal Tap fashion, here is an 11th tip...

11. And this is the most important one - Connect with as many people as you can.

This is kind of a boring tip since everyone who gives advice about these kinds of things always includes something like this. But just because everyone tells you to do this, doesn't mean it is bad advice. The truth is the most enduring value anyone (even me) gets from HR Tech or any large event comes from the people you meet, the relationships you build, and the connections you forge. Your next customer, next vendor partner, next boss, next employee, or maybe your next new best friend just might be at HR Tech next week too. But you have to take some initiative to connect. And for some folks, (again me too), that is not always the easiest or most natural thing to do. But you should try anyone. Even if you set a simple goal of connecting with even one or two new people each day at the Conference it will be worth the effort. And if you are finding that to be too hard, then find me and say 'Hi'. I am easy to spot, as I will be the best-dressed guy at the Conference. Ask anyone.

Ok, that is it, I am out. I also want to thank regular blog readers who might have gotten a little tired of all the HR Tech Conference content on the blog lately.  Next week there may not be much new here (probably) while I am doing final prep and heading out to the event, but I will get us back to the regularly scheduled nonsense after that.

Have a great weekend!

PODCAST - #HRHappyHour 222 - Live from New York! - #HRTechConf

HR Happy Hour 222 - Live from New York with ADP!

Hosts: Steve Boese, Trish McFarlane

Guest: Don Weinstein, SVP, Product Management, ADP

Recorded Live at the ADP Innovation Lab in New York City, Friday September 25, 2015

LISTEN HERE

This week on the show, join Steve Boese and Trish McFarlane in an episode we recorded LIVE at the ADP Analyst Day in New York City.  We were thrilled to have Don Weinstein, SVP of Product Management at ADP, join us to talk about HR technology, the future needs of the workplace and share some of the exciting things ADP has been working on that are being released.

Don talks about how ADP is addressing the pain points of HR leaders and of business leaders in general with innovative solutions that touch literally hundreds of thousands of organizations and millions of employees.

The discussion then hits upon the ADP Marketplace, ADP's innovative solution for extending ADP's platform to a growing ecosystem of partners (and one that has been named a 2015 "Awesome New Technology" and will be showcased at the upcoming HR Technology Conference),  There are 60+ apps already available in the Marketplace, which will be expanded to the more than 350 partners that are in the pipeline.  ADP is transforming HCM by interconnecting the technology with the expertise they have and all the data that they have too.

You can listen to the show on the show page HERE, or using the widget player below:

Check Out Business Podcasts at Blog Talk Radio with Steve Boese Trish McFarlane on BlogTalkRadio

ADP is going through a great deal of innovation right now from the hiring process to the time that an employee leaves a company.  Tune in to hear how they are working to not only address the pain points leaders have, but to anticipate what the future needs of the organization will be.  Thanks to ADP and Don Weinstein for your hospitality at ADP Analyst Day and for sharing some of the exciting approaches you are taking to HCM and to work!

And remember you can subscribe to the HR Happy Hour Show on iTunes or using your favorite podcast app - just search for 'HR Happy Hour' to add the show to your favorites and you will never miss a show.

How to quickly solve your engagement, retention, and employer brand problems

If you (and the people in your organization) are representatives of what has been happening more generally in work and workplaces over the last decade or so then you are likely working more hours, remain as disengaged as ever, and now, more acutely, are struggling to find and retain the needed talented people for many of your key roles.

These challenges of work/life balance, engagement, and retention collectively have had about 4,958,909 articles and 'advice' pieces written about them in the last few years, (I looked it up), and yet most organizations and people still struggle with one or all of these problems. But what if there were one simple change to the design of work and workplaces that actually could improve the situation across all three of these measures? What if there were the equivalent of an HR/Talent/Org Design magic wand that you could wave and you'd pretty quickly see employees happier with their work/life balance, become more enthusiastic and engaged with their work, and be much less likely to leave your organization to search for greener pastures?

When you hear this idea (especially if you are from the USA), your first reaction is almost certainly going to be 'There's no way that will ever work here', but I ask you just suspend your cynicism for three minutes and at least allow your imagination to play with the concept - it's Monday morning and you are having a hard time getting going anyway.

So here it is, the easy solution to burnout, engagement, and retention:

Change your standard workday to 6 hours.

That's it. Keep everything else (salary, benefits, performance standards, org structure, etc.) the same. Just cut the workday from the 8 hours down to 6, and remind everyone that you still expect and require the same productivity and outcomes as you did on the 8 hour day, but you now only 'require' them to work for 6 hours.

This is an idea that has been in the news again lately, based on a few experiments both in the public and private sectors in Sweden, and are reviewed in this recent piece in the Guardian. Organizations that have either tested or totally adopted the reduced hours have consistently reported improvements across the three key objectives I have been mentioning - work/life, engagement, and retention.

From the Guardian piece, the experiences of a tech startup, (a type of company much more commonly associated with 12 or more hour days):

For Maria Bråth, boss of internet startup Brath, the six-hour working day the company introduced when it was formed three years ago gives it a competitive advantage because it attracts better staff and keeps them. “They are the most valuable thing we have,” she says – an offer of more pay elsewhere would not make up for the shorter hours they have at Brath.

The company, which has 22 staff in offices in Stockholm and Örnsköldsvik, produces as much, if not more, than its competitors do in eight-hour days, she says. “It has a lot to do with the fact that we are very creative – we couldn’t keep it up for eight hours.”

And what about a more 'normal' job, say as an auto mechanic? Well their is evidence that shorter workdays can be successful there as well:

Martin Geborg, 27, a mechanic, started at Toyota eight years ago and has stayed there because of the six-hour day. “My friends are envious,” he says. He enjoys the fact that there is no traffic on the roads when he is heading to and from work. Sandra Andersson, 25, has been with the company since 2008. “It is wonderful to finish at 12,” she says. “Before I started a family I could go to the beach after work – now I can spend the afternoon with my baby.”

I know what you are thinking - there is no way a 25% reduction in work hours without a reduction in comp and ben costs will EVER work for you. 

The bosses will never go for it, and for US companies, it just sounds too 'European' and vaguely socialist an idea to ever merit serious consideration. But if you can get past your instinctive reaction as an HR pro and just consider the notion as an individual employee you might think differently.

How much time, really, do you spend each day on 'non-work' - catching up on your idiot friends posts on Facebook, calling to schedule a Dr. appointment, or doing the lunchtime 'bank/dry cleaner/pharmacy' trifecta? 

How many of your kids school activites to you either miss or have to guiltily sneak out of work to try and attend?

How many times to you sit in traffic from 5:45PM - 7:00PM only to reach home completely frazzled and wiped out?

And after all of that, how much work, actual important and quality work did you get done that day?

Definitely some, you are a solid pro, but definitely not 8 hours worth, that is for sure. Work expands to fill the available space and time provided, often crowding out the other, 'non-work' parts of our lives. And, if your job is similar to many of the other folks I know, it never really is 'done' anyway - no matter how much time you spend in the office.

These small experiments with shorter working days all seem to turn out the same - employees are more focused, have more energy, provide better service, are happier, and are much less likely to leave what they perceive to be a great working situation.

What's not to like about that?

Nah, it would never work here.

Have a great week!

Should you ask for a 1200% raise?

Hey it's October!  The best month of the year by far. If you don't believe me, check out Months, ranked and get up to speed.

So happy October. 

Hey question for you career-minded folks or for those of you who might sit on the other side of the compensation table, making decisions about comp offers, raises, and bonuses for your teams.

Should you (or anyone) ever have the gumption to ask for a 1200% raise?

Sounds kind of ridiculous in the land of 3% annual salary increases, (maybe 4% if you are a 'top performer'), and with organizations continuing to do everything they can to resist the inevitable upward pressure on wages that an improving economy with falling unemployment will drive.

But 1200% of a pop? You would have to be really confident to make that kind of a salary demand.

Why is that particular figure on my mind?

From reading recent piece on Business Insider, Vikings part ways with their mascot after he demanded a 1200% raise.

From the piece:

Ragnar, the Vikings' unofficial mascot, and his motorcycle have been a fixture at Minnesota Vikings games for over two decades, but that appears to be over as the two sides have been unable to reach an agreement on a new contract.

Ragnar, whose real name is Joe Juranitch, was seeking a new contract that would pay him $20,000 per game, according to Michael Rand of the Star Tribune. That would translate to an annual salary of $200,000 for eight regular season and two preseason games, and an increase of more than 1,200% from his previous pay of "about $1,500 per game" last season.

I have never been to a Vikings home game, so I am really not too sure what exactly Ragnar brought to the table, and particularly what he thought would be worth about $5,000/hour (game lasts about 3 hours, add 1 hour for pre and post game work). But it is pretty clear from the way the Vikings basically responded to this demand with a 'Thanks Ragnar, it's been really nice working with you. Good luck!' that Ragnar had severely overestimated his value and his leverage.

What can us normals take away from this little viking adventure, even if we are just trying to secure a reasonable bump, say 10% or so?

1. Have some idea of how much actual value, (revenue, increased customer retention, tangible cost savings, etc.), we are directly responsible for creating. 

2. Have some idea how painful it would be to the company if we actually walked out when our crazy demands were not met.

3. Have some idea of the market more generally for folks who do what we do.

Our pal Ragnar pretty much failed on all accounts. He likely did not generate any appreciable revenue for the team. Even though his Facebook page was full of comments from fans expressing support and anger towards the team, it would take an enormous stretch of believability to conclude that any actual fans would refuse to attend games due to his absence. 

He also didn't really grasp that the games would carry on pretty much unaffected once he was no longer a part of the show. The team preparation certainly would not be affected. His absence actually would create less work not more for the game day operations staff. In fact, other than the small number of fans who missed his performance at the game, everyone else lives got a little bit easier.

Finally, there is almost no chance that Ragnar surveyed the landscape of professional sports mascots to come up with market comparables that led him to make a $20K per game demand. If team mascots were really pulling down anywhere near that kind of scratch, there would be line hundreds of people long to try out for those gigs. More than likely, one of Ragnar's buddies got into his head that he was somehow underpaid and under appreciated, (and that he was WAY more important to the product than he was).

Look, I get wanting to make every last dollar you can. We are probably all underpaid for the amount of crap we have to put up with. But the key question is knowing just how much you are really underpaid, and making sure you are honest about your value, how replaceable you are, and your ego.

Happy October.

PODCAST: #HRHappyHour 221 - HR Gives Back

HR Happy Hour 221 - HR Gives Back

Recorded LIVE at ADP Analyst Day, Friday September 25, 2015

Hosts: Trish McFarlane, Steve Boese

Guest: Mollie Lombardi

LISTEN HERE

Hosts Trish McFarlane and Steve Boese recorded this episode LIVE at the ADP Analyst Day in New York City. They were thrilled to have Mollie Lombardi as their guest to talk about her project....HR Gives Back.  HR Gives Back to a Future without Parkinson’s is an idea started by Mollie Lombardi, Mike Pauletich, Teresa Thieme and Jeanne Achille. It is a way to help raise money and awareness for the fight against Parkinson's Disease.  It will live on as a way for HR to give back to other charitable organizations in the future. 

This year Mollie and her friend Mike are competing in a fundraising effort leading up to the HR Technology Conference October 18- 21 in Las Vegas.  There are some fun ways to get involved in raising money and awareness and we encourage you to learn more at www.hrgivesback.net.  

October 21, 2015 marks the day that famous DeLorean landed in the future. It also marks the last day of the 18th annual HR Technology Conference and Expo. What better time to help HR give “Back to a Future” without Parkinson’s than a fundraiser supporting The Michael J. Fox Foundation (MJFF).  Join members of the HR technology community in a virtual marathon October 1-21, raising funds and running or walking 26.2 miles over 21 days to support the cause, and at the HR Technology Conference Oct. 18-21 for an onsite challenge sponsored by FitBit.

You can listen to the show on the show page here, or using the widget player below:

Check Out Business Podcasts at Blog Talk Radio with Steve Boese Trish McFarlane on BlogTalkRadio

Join us for a lively show about this outstanding event as well as an update on ADP and a little flash back to the 80's at the beginning!

And remember you can subscribe to the HR Happy Hour Show on iTunes or using your favorite podcast app - just search for 'HR Happy Hour' to add the show to your favorites and you will never miss a show.