The world of the human resources practitioner has changed quite a bit over the years. I used to use really fancy tools like fax machines, Lotus123, and WordPefect to help me. I carried a digital pager (oooohhhhh, fancy!), had a cell phone that came in a bag for my car, and thought a hard copy printout of my calendar on ringed paper for my daily organizer was sophisticated.
But That’s All Changed Now
Now I can (almost) work exclusively from my iPhone. I don’t carry pens or paper to meetings, nor do I keep handouts for very long (hello recycle bin!). The laws and regulations have changed a lot too…some of them are even helpful, but not all.
The pace of change seems to have accelerated over the last few years too: social media, web-based everything, mobile societies, and my never-ending attempt to balance work and home in a reasonable way (see iPhone comment.)
As the tempo has picked up in my HR practice I’ve noticed that not all of my colleagues have fared well during this time of change.
Whether they use the excuse that they are close to retirement and don’t need to learn new things; or they are afraid to appear obsolete; or they believe deep down that they are no longer relevant in the “new world” of HR, they continue to stand on the sidelines.
How About You
It’s time for that to change. If you see a colleague who is struggling to stay current you should consider reaching out to them. If they are a true colleague they will appreciate your kindness and support to help them get in the game again. Sometimes a small gesture is all that is needed to make a big difference.
I’d love to hear from you.
No Excuses.