We often get called in by organizations have experienced a lot of growth in a quick timeframe and the CEO or VP, Finance is ready to move HR off of their plate. They want to have a solid infrastructure built and someone who their employees can go to. And, they don't want to lose the great culture they've created. They're concerned that employees won't get taken care of in the same regards if they opted for a PEO, for instance, and they aren't quite ready to hire a full-time HR leader yet. So that's usually where we come in. At Helios, our HR outsourcing consultants are more than just a tactical resource or strategic advisor who you never actually meet. We serve as an extension of your team, and can serve in foundational, operational and strategic partner capacities as needed. We partner with executive leadership to understand your business goals, current challenges, and develop a plan to approach your human capital. We meet with you and your employees on an ongoing, regular basis and are the conduit between your employees and senior management. One of the most important parts of an effective Human Resources (HR) department is the trust developed through goal alignment, proven results, regular accessibility and face-to-face interactions of the HR team members. How can trust be earned through an HR outsourcing function?

"What is an Affirmative Action Plan?”, “Does my company need an AAP?”, “How do we implement it?”, “What do I do if we get audited?” These are all frequently asked questions I hear just about every week as the resident Affirmative Action Plan expert at Helios. Let me first preface by sharing that Affirmative Action Plans (AAP’s) are designed to satisfy the equal-employment opportunity/affirmative action responsibilities for minorities and women under Executive Order 11246, as amended; people with disabilities under section 503 of the 1973 Rehabilitation Act; and covered veterans under the Vietnam Era Veterans’ Readjustment Act of 1971.

Apollo Honoree, Salient Federal Solutions, shares the challenges of merging two cultures and what they do to help employees engage and embrace the change. Read more about how Salient brings cultures together in this interview with their Senior Vice President & Chief Human Resource Officer, Kay Curling, below.

What drives the use of employee development programs? Are the funds used mostly around the time of an annual review as a result of an employee realizing they are eligible for a raise by obtaining an industry specific certification? Are the funds used primarily as a result of the criticism on a deliverable or a behavior being recognized as needing improvement? If so, it may not necessarily be the availability of the benefit itself causing the disinterest in the program. It may be that the program needs to go beyond that which develops employees. The program must be designed so that it strengthens employees.

Have you ever known a colleague that never participated in social activities, avoided all group activities, and managed to keep a very "high wall" around their area in the office? It's likely that person was not moving up through the ranks, not receiving impressive peer reviews or performance evaluations, and they were not being recognized for outstanding contributions to the organization. The power of networking should not be underestimated because of the many possibilities it can bring forth in personal, career, and business development gains.