2011 HR Florida Leadership Conference – Cracker Barrel NotesPage 1

2011 Leadership Conference Cracker Barrel Notes

COLLEGE RELATIONS – Facilitated by Toni Mayros, PHR, ()

  • Goal: Ready for improvement!
  • New Chapter:
  • 7 students
  • By September 1st, have to have president, vice president, secretary and treasurer
  • Membership/Recruiting
  • Community Engagement
  • Professional Involvement
  • Chapter Advisor
  • Application – have an interest in volunteering?
  • Talk to friends
  • Offer discount
  • Funding
  • Phone call/contact – guilt!!
  • Reach out to other professional organizations
  • Career days
  • Talk to professors/advisors/faculty sponsors/career centers
  • March 25-26 – Southeast Regional Student Conference at Clemson (30 SHRM and 35 non-SHRM)
  • Networking/registration 30%
  • Chapter business (student chapter) 30%
  • Company/host presentation 20/40%
  • Company tour 10%
  • What Works:
  • Be engaged
  • Make connections
  • Mentor/internships
  • Host a meeting
  • SHRM Membership (sponsors)
  • Career events
  • Scholarships
  • Professional events
  • Sponsor students
  • Hold 50/50 raffle for student chapter funds

DIVERSITY – Facilitated by Inass Riyad, SPHR, ()

  • Goal: Looking for ideas regarding Diversity programs, awards, resources. What works, what doesn’t? How to embrace diversity within the community. Opportunities to partner with other chapters/areas.
  • Resources:
  • Resources available online, on SHRM website and webinars, HR FL Diversity, Annual Diversity Conference.
  • Eric Petersen from SHRM Diversity, SHRM is creating a standard for Diversity to measure diversity metrics and creating a tool/ workbook around what makes Diversity. More to come.
  • Organizations to Partner With:
  • ASSE = Association of Safety Society of Engineers
  • NSHMBA = National Society of Hispanic MBA’s
  • NABMBA = National Association of Black MBA’s
  • AAAHR =-African American Association of Human Resources
  • Diversity Committees:
  • How are they involved, how can we help them drive and where do they want to go. How do we incorporate their ideas and focus into the activities.
  • Diversity Committees should have a mission, vision and definition of diversity and keep it up to date.
  • Diversity Committee can partner with the Workforce group.
  • Diversity Training:
  • A diversity position includes education, communication around what is inclusion and why is it important.
  • Diversity must be tied to the business and how it impacts the bottom-line. What is the value added? It ties to how we retain, attract and keep the best individual and once in the door how do you keep them.
  • A Diversity initiative needs to be led and come from the leadership.
  • Diversity training in one scenario included an employee webinar that was disbursed to all the employees. It allowed connectivity with the field. This was a webinar that was created specifically for an organization.
  • Intercultural Team Training – companies that are global, benefit from multicultural training, i.e., a class on Command Spanish, helps employees with “survival Spanish” and closes communication gaps. This leads to fully engaged employees.
  • Example was given regarding a Diversity Beads game/ exercise. The group is provided with colored beads and each color represents a diverse group. Then you give them a small cup and ask them to place a bead that represents the people:they grew up with, their spouse/significant other, in their school/college, in their church, in their neighborhood , etc. You debrief with them and tell them that this represents an interesting visible picture or indicator. What do they see? Any surprises?
  • At the Annual Diversity Conference they showed the movie Monica and David that discussed individuals with Down Syndrome who got married and wanted to get jobs.
  • Ideas:
  • Mentioned that “no men in HR” were in attendance at the conference. We should have a focus to get more men to attend. Perhaps men in HR don’t need to network, however they should coach, provide mentorship and feedback to others. Example provided re: “wearing a jacket” goes back to building/keeping trust in relationships. Trust will allow informal mentorship.

•As a female or minority, you have to be comfortable and make others comfortable around you.

•At a chapter meeting, have a quick survey (maybe 5 questions) that will be limited to diversity and what the members’ ideas are around diversity.

•Establish monthly diversity topics for the newsletter.

•We should have a diversity focus for the displaced workforce to begin networking with local chapter to develop opportunities.

•One idea was to have a Diverse Symposium and invite different organizations to talk about who they are and what they do. This was done by presenting a professional platform where each group was invited to talk their organization, what their members do and how they can partner with others and invite

•Have a panel of employers who hire disabled individuals to discuss why their business decided to hire them and the successes and challenges. In Orlando one employer is Quest, Goodwin Industries and in Tampa there is McDonald Training.

•HR Tampa and the SHRMA chapter hosted a diversity meeting and showed “The Music Within” about challenges of the disabled and the man who helped establish the ADA.

•The Eye of the Storm – made around 1968, when Martin Luther King was assassinated. A true story of a teacher who subtly uses truths as and embellished to differentiate between blue and brown eyes children.

•Someone mentioned “Boots to Suites” regarding the transition of our military staff into the civilian jobs and how to transition from the military into corporate America.

GLOBAL AFFAIRS – Facilitated by Magali Jarrin, MA, GPHR (|305-716-8631 x132)

  • Culture, Culture, Culture:
  • Culture impacts everything in business overseas – lost in translation.
  • Compensation in Emerging Markets:
  • Base Salary + Government mandated benefits + Employer granted benefits (expensive proposition).
  • Months of pay per year = 12 months (US), 17 months (Ecu), 13 months (Mexico).
  • General Principles of Labor Law:
  • Territoriality – Country law prevails.
  • Employee Protection (no at-will employment; bilateral agreements).
  • Reality Principle (substance over form).
  • Preservation of Employment Relationship.
  • Mandatory Social Contributions.
  • Protection of Right to Unionize.
  • Staffing and Recruitment in Emerging Markets:
  • No staffing agencies with expertise per industry in every country.
  • Territory very dispersed, vast & different idiosyncrasies.
  • Limited sourcing candidates: slim pickings.
  • Online and newspaperads sometimes don’t bring desired talent.
  • Cross cultural communications breakdown.
  • Interview Logistics – lack of time to interview – different cities – lots of decision makers.
  • Reference Checking, Offer Letter Logistics.
  • Immigration:
  • Visas, work visas or legal representatives.
  • Labor Relations:
  • Unions are Unions but different, red, white…
  • Global Mobility:
  • Expatriates, Third Country Nationals.
  • Repatriation.
  • Resources:
  • Legal resources by country .
  • Compensation Practices, Salary Surveys.
  • Blog:
  • Cost of Living Index per country.
  • Global Forum(GMSHRM SIG): meets quarterly @ Sofitel Hotel, Miami for a breakfast (members from other chapters may attend 1 GF at Member cost).
  • Currency Converter.

GOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS – Facilitated by Damian Taylor, Esq. () and Iggy Garcia, Esq. ()

HR CERTIFICATION – Facilitated by Carolyn Moore, SPHR, GPHR (|727-510-2879)

  • Goal: To increase certifications 10-20%.
  • Pay if you pass ($120).
  • Eligibility requirements, testing windows for 2011 on
  • Do you tell people you are taking the test or not?
  • Is material the first time you’ve seen it? Take the test “early” or “later?”
  • Get .5 credits for “blogging.” Coming soon.
  • Get programs pre-certified:
  • Be sure to apply at least 4 weeks ahead; HRCI will give you a “blurb” that you have applied for approval.
  • Apply even earlier – gives you time to get more credits/make corrections.
  • Programs have to be at least 1 hour long – 45 minutes content and 15 for Q&A.
  • Programs have to be on a topic in the HR body of knowledge (BOK).
  • Application submittals for certified programs have to have at least 3 training objectives, session content and/or agenda, and a bio of the instructor/presenter.
  • Make sure the points are clear and concise and on BOK!
  • If get questioned, perhaps contact HRCI first.
  • Objectives must tie to the BOK and be something like “knowledge of…”
  • Break out sessions – if you have 3-hour sessions, break them out otherwise credit will be for the heaviest weighted BOK.
  • Recommendations:
  • Get a study buddy.
  • Make games to help learn.
  • Find out what type of adult learner people are: single learner? group learner? visual learner?
  • Get chapter to help fund teachers, classes, study groups, etc.
  • Reference the certification handbook.
  • Review prior approved course objectives.
  • Look on website for recertification webinars, conferences, publishers, state conferences, member meetings, etc.
  • Promote certification– recognize PHRs, SPHRs, GPHRs at meetings; send a letter to the newly certified’s employer; post on chapter website or announce in chapter newsletter.

MEMBERSHIP – Facilitated by Lori Goldsmith, SPHR, GPHR () and Kay Wilson, SPHR ()

Here are all the best practices and ideas that we all shared!

Strategic Planning / Marketing / Partnerships / Volunteers
Membership as a business decision
Top industries in area
CEO marketing plan
Engage non-traditional hr folks
Spinning the web SHERMIE implementation
Answer the “BIG QUESTIONS”
Succession planning, consistency
Value Proposition
Understand what members want
Track retention rate & other key indicators / Communication methods/branding
Community engagement
Free workshops
Social Media Engagement Plan
LinkedIn and FaceBook to promote
SHRM eblast to At-large members
Promotions for referrals / Join Chamber of Commerce
Workforce readiness
Send SME to other organizations to speak
Network with schools, professional speakers, community organizations / Contest for board members
Personal invite from board to volunteer
Advertise volunteers needed
HR Certification Institute / Programs / Why People Join / Best Practices
Recruiting
AFC Program
Certification study group
Offer Certification Class for cost or cost plus of membership
Offer free HRCI certified workshops
“The Value of HR Certification Around the World” / Program quality
Survey members for program needs-survey monkey / Welcoming, fun environment
Be part of a group
Networking
Professional Support
Social event
HRCI Credits
Info/education
Business opportunities
Personal relationships
Career advancement
Mentoring
Colleagues/
Friendships
Exploring options
Transitional Membership/Services
Buddy program
Resume critique / Potential members – offer free event to learn about SHRM
Member referral incentive
Membership drives
Business cards for recruiting
Offer senior level programs -bring CEO to meeting
Grow international membership
Grass roots campaign
Members bring most new members-get them involved
Discounts to bring guests
Ambassador to orient guests
Hospitality director
Contact via email or note card to guests after meeting
Board required to have committee
Best Practices
Engagement / Best Practices
Renewal / Best Practices
Reinstatement
Personal contact-phone
Warm/Fun
Members & Guests greeted upon arrival
Members & Guests
thanked for coming as they leave
Board members do not sit together
Engage w/attendees
Points, attendance incentive
HR Florida raffle
Discounts advance registration, lunch
Drawing for members bringing nonmembers (sponsor donated gift cards)
Orientation ambassador for new members
Membership appreciation events
Formal networking built into meetings
Multiple meeting attendance card – 4 meetings get one free
Ambassador to orient new members
New member breakfast
“Rock Your Chapter” by Ben Eubanks / Early renewal discounts
Early bird cross marketing / Phone calls to non-renewing members

SHRM FOUNDATION – Facilitated by Pete Eiden and Stephen Tanner (foundation@@hrflorida.org)

  • Education (Make it relevant):

What does the SHRM Foundation do and why do we support it?

Why should my chapter members care about the SHRM Foundation?

  • Get free articles for newsletters, etc. at
  • Get free PowerPoint presentations at
  • The Foundation will send you free marketing materials – just ask. You can also find at SHRM’s Volunteer Resources.
  • Make sure to talk about scholarship opportunities and publicize deadlines (certification and education).
  • The Foundation offers scholarships by region: $500 for certification.
  • Partner with your Certification Chair.
  • Be informative.
  • Use social media to publicize events/results, provide scholarship deadlines, etc.
  • Fundraising (Make it fun):
  • Set a goal this month for 2011 and report on progress (not just financial goals).
  • Host a leadership campaign – encourage all members of oard to be SHRM members
  • Take advantage of chapter opportunities – item raffles, 50/50 drawings, etc.
  • Host a silent auction (there’s a great guide at
  • Plan a golf tournament or even a mini-golf fundraiser.
  • Partner with Membership.
  • What opportunities ae appropriate and what aren’t?

PROGRAMS – Facilitated by Dawn Shovestull, Lake Sumter SHRM ()

  • Use the Speaker’s Directory on the HR Florida website (
  • Use the Volunteer Leader resources on the SHRM website (
  • Check these folks out for potential speakers: members, local leaders, elected officials, Chamber of Commerce.
  • Take advantage of HR Florida’s board members and district directors.
  • Use the SHRM Foundation DVD’s; with a facilitator can get recertification credit.
  • Use membership surveys, evaluation forms and feedback.
  • Local issues – tap into the Chamber of Commerce.
  • Partner with other chapters and other organizations – ASTD, FL League of Cities, FACC, GOOD.
  • Start a LinkedIn group to share speakers and reviews
  • Connect HR Florida website to chapter website.
  • Email between chapters for speakers.
  • Use sponsorship money to help pay for speakers.
  • Try
  • Program Ideas:
  • Social Media
  • HR Metrics for Calculating ROI
  • Understanding the Language of Business
  • Healthcare Reform
  • Downsizing Alternatives
  • HR Analytics Workshop (by SHRM Research – in progress)
  • Session Participants:

Dawn Shovestull, PHR – Lake Sumter 407-832-6110

Sandy Edelson, SPHR – HRA of Broward 561-715-9219

Vincenza Billisi – SHRM 904-378-7027

Dean Rosenquist – Space Coast 321-474-6594

Vanesa Canterbury – North Central Florida 352-378-8844 x421

Maria Ferrante Wilson – HRA of Broward 786-210-4441

Priya Hiraga – Big Bend 850-297-0114

Becky Withstandley – Treasure Coast

Scott Chamberlain – Space Coast

Cindy Fairgrieve, PHR – Lake Sumter 352-365-8217

WEB/TECHNOLOGY – Facilitated by Stephen Harrison ()

  • Goal: To increase chapter revenue.
  • Purpose: Social media, membership management, information management, marketing, communication, advertisement, education, record retention, training/development…
  • Web Hosting: Affiniscape, C-Vent, SHRM National, Association Magnet, third party…
  • Training: Where to go? Who to call?
  • Audit: check, verify information, keep current.
  • Can use: Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin, Google apps, Gomeeting.com
  • Who uses: Website director, diversity director, HRIS, Big Bend SHRM-communications director
  • Blogs:“HR Mouth of the South”
  • Recommendations:
  • Prepare for when your key webmaster/HRIS person leaves or can’t do the job. Have a person trained.
  • Determine who has administrator rights to the website.
  • Create a tech-team of 5 people for communications on the website. Ask: is message consistent?
  • Use a public relations person.
  • Who has time to get communication out on website?
  • Have membership partner with Jobing for their website (no cost, in-kind services).
  • Membership: HRCI – SHRM – Chapter. Get feeds on certification of members. Members should update SHRM profile when they become certified and keep it updated with all relevant data. Chapter members should also note on SHRM profile that they belong to a chapter. Consistency of membership info is important.
  • Consistency in branding, color scheme of information on website is important.
  • Ncfshrm.com linked to Twitter, Facebook and Linkedin.
  • 283 tweets for a conference.

WORKFORCE READINESS – Facilitated by Abby Walker ()

We spent time discussing:

1) How to engage the career transitioner. How do you reach those who don't believe they necessarily need help. i.e., those employees terminated after many years of employment in senior/high level positions. They haven't interviewed in a long time and they probably haven't updated resumes in years.

2) How do we encourage employees to "re-up" their skills? How can employers assist their employees with up/re-skilling?

3) How can we work with employers to ensure they are supporting and grooming their current employees so they remain encouraged and motivated.

4) How do we help employees remain motivated, committed and encouraged.