This month I am happy to be the guest host for Shauna Moerke’s Carnival of HR. The Carnival of HR is a long running blog carnival that focuses on human resources and has active participation from bloggers around the world. For this edition, I had no special theme. I just wanted to collect the wisdom of knowledgeable professionals. As usual, there is a great collection of thoughtful articles  on the function whose focus is on the human element of business.

We’ll start with a group of articles that concern the organizational function of HR. I call it the World of HR and we have thoughtful commentary on a variety of topics that impact human resource professionals, the HR function, and ultimately the entire organization.

The World of HR

What’s the state of HR technology? Should you be optimistic or guarded? How are software architects and product strategists doing as they design HR software? Do these tools really promise better efficiency, decision making, and business outcomes? Naomi Bloom of In Full Bloom explains that there is real reason to hope in her article, I’m Feeling Optimistic About The State Of HR Technology! — HR Technology

Sometimes it is difficult to get people to accept something new! The unlikely pairing of rocker Peter Frampton with the Cincinnati Ballet reminds Steve Browne of Everyday People of potential combinations for HR with the business function. As he explains in his article, HR is a Rock Ballet !!, great HR isn’t about getting acknowledgement to sit in an Executive Level meeting. — HR Customer Service Orientation

As Karin Hurt of Let’s Grow Leaders explains, words matter! In her article, 10,000 Human Beings, she explains why the HR function must be more than labels. One of her colleagues models the importance of word choice. As she explains, he doesn’t speak of “resources,” “headcount” “people” “employees” or even “team members.” He talks about humans. — HR Customer Service Orientation

Our next group of articles address the common bond that every manager shares with other managers. It does not matter the industry or company where a manager works. One fact is true: every manager has HR responsibilities!

Every Manager Has HR Responsibilities

Some employees do not know their worth. Like a person who cannot see their own attractiveness, the self-assessments of some employees are skewed. As Julie Giulioni explains in her article, Beauty, Perceptions, and Feedback, managers that provide balanced, candid feedback about performance to their employees can help them get a clearer picture of how they are doing and how they can excel. — Performance Feedback

Getting employees to be excited about feedback can be a challenge—especially when the word “feedback’ is used. Jennifer Miller of People Equation believes that the hesitation of employees to feedback is the approach. In her article, Are You Using the Good Cop/Bad Cop Feedback Method?, she provides a 5-step alternative approach. — Performance Feedback

Sometimes it is important to spend time in the middle of the path! As Jesse Lyn Stoner of Seapoint Center explains, this is especially true where supervision and delegation are concerned. In her article, The Space Between Supervising Closely and Delegating, she explains that this middle space is where growth happens and relationships are forged. — Leadership

Are you experiencing resistance from your employees as you try to get them to take on more work? Or, are you just experiencing resistance from them period? This might be a performance issue that you need to address. It might also be your approach as I explain in my article, There’s Room for Vroom in Employee Motivation. — Employee Motivation

This concludes the Carnival of HR for early May. Summer is around the corner and so is the next edition of the Carnival of HR. Stay up to date on insightful HR articles from Internet thought leaders.

Regards,

Robert