Your Mama’s HR Doesn’t Recruit in a Down Economy

W.W.S.H.R.D.?

In my last post, I discussed the differences between “Your Mama’s HR” and the revolution of “Strategic HR.” Continuing with that discussion, I want to implement the new mantra that every HR Manager should have somewhere in their office to meditate on daily as they make crucial talent management decisions: W.W.S.H.R.D.? This lovely little acronym stands for: “What Would Strategic HR Do?” 

What Would Strategic HR Do?

Typically in a down economy, Your Mama’s HR does not recruit. In fact, they usually are involved in massive layoffs. The recent downturn in the economy has shown this typical HR behavior to be rearing its ugly head again. So if Your Mama’s HR does not focus on recruiting in a weak economy, what would Strategic HR do? 

Drum Roll Please…

Strategic HR aggressively recruits the top talent in a down economy! If that answer surprises you, please read my previous insight and then come back to this spot after you have been properly introduced to the revolution of Strategic HR. I’ll wait; go ahead…  

Welcome to the Revolution!

Okay revolutionaries, why does Strategic HR advocate recruiting for top talent in a down economy? The answer is simple. In fact, Chairman of the Board and CEO of Administaff, Inc., Paul Sarvadi, explains the answer to this question clearly with his comments in the company’s first quarter earnings release statement of 2008, “Last quarter I mentioned our efforts to upgrade staff for our clients and fill our own open positions taking advantage of layoffs at large firms. Our success in hiring new reps this quarter is directly related to this strategy.”

Huh. So what Mr. Sarvadi seems to be saying is that by strategically using his HR department to recruit the top talent laid off from larger firms---as a result of the recent downturn in the economy---his company has been able to upgrade the staff of not only their client companies, but also their own company, by hiring stellar new sales reps. What a great example of Strategic HR at work! I think that Sarvadi is advocating this tactic because he has the numbers to prove it worked (which he did); but also, because he knows that the companies with the top talent outgrow a weak economy faster and stronger than those companies who do not employ this recruiting strategy, thereby giving him and all other companies like his the upper hand in their industries. Which company do you want to be?

Avoid the “Monster Breeding Ground”

In conclusion, I would be remiss if I did not bring your attention to a scene from the Season Finale of the T.V. show The Office that recently aired. For those of you who do not watch the show or missed this episode:

1. The HR Manager of the Scranton sales branch office of Dunder Mifflin (paper sales company), Toby, retired to Costa Rica.
2. Michael Scott, the branch regional manager (who never liked Toby), after meeting Toby’s replacement, made this insightful statement:

"Thanks to Toby, I have a very strong prejudice against Human Resources. I believe that department is a breeding ground for monsters. But what I have to consider, though, is that not all monsters are bad…like E.T., for example.”

Well put, Michael.

So do you want to be an E.T. or a Godzilla? If your goal is E.T., then make your new mantra W.W.S.H.R.D.?—and live by it. Your employees and business owners will be extremely grateful. Hey, if all HR Managers strove to become good monsters, maybe articles like, “Why We Hate HR” would cease to be written?

In my last post, I discussed the differences between “Your Mama’s HR” and the revolution of “Strategic HR.”