To maximize the results of a critical four-day meeting held in Canton, MA, key managers from across the United States, the EU and Europe participated in a kick-off Team Building Session designed and delivered by Consulting Resources + Training.  Having worked independently from each other prior to this meeting, these international managers benefited from the facilitated, interactive session designed to solidify corporate and team goals, bring the team together in support of those goals, and set the foundation for productive interactions during the four days of meetings…and beyond.

Devereux Foundation’s management knew that achieve their aggressive goals, it would be imperative that they work flawlessly as a team.  To assure that occurred, the Foundation retained Consulting Resources + Training, Inc., a full-service human resource and training consultancy based in Norwood, MA, to guide them through a leadership development and team building process.

CR+T assessed individual and group strengths as well as opportunities for growth, and then structured a series of one-on-one and group meetings to enhance both team and individual performance. The combination of CR+T’s consulting expertise — with a particular depth of experience in human services — plus years of hands-on senior management and director-level experience provided a solid framework for their work with the management team.  Additionally, CR+T’s established talent in process facilitation and follow-up helped to assure active engagement of every team member as well as successful achievement of their goals.

The Devereux Foundation’s commitment to leadership development and team excellence coupled with its confidence in the proven expertise of Consulting Resources + Training, Inc. has set a solid foundation for the organization’s future success.

I was recently asked to facilitate a meeting with senior level HR professionals. They wanted to hear about the latest trends in Human Resources – what’s hot, what’s not. In addition, they wanted to know how HR can add more value to their organizations.
(more…)

One of the most fundamental things that employees want/need to know is whether or not they are being compensated fairly. While people’s interpretation of what is “fair” can be quite variable, when companies engage in the process of reviewing market trends related to compensation, your employees will feel more satisfied and retention will increase. The analysis and resulting compensation strategy is one piece of a company’s strategic employee retention program. However, by offering competitive salaries, you will be well on your way to attracting and retaining the most qualified employees for your business.

(more…)

If you take the view that “human capital” is a company’s biggest and most important asset, you will agree that the start up of a Human Resources function is one of the most critical factors in the success of any organization. However, to begin an HR organization, a myriad of building blocks need to be in place. These building blocks provide the infrastructure of organizational success. As a Human Resources consultant, I have been tasked with developing and leading HR organizations for companies across a wide spectrum of industries. Drawing upon my experience as a consultant, this article will detail the elements necessary for HR and overall company success.
(more…)

One of the core competencies of all HR practitioners is training. While not all HR people possess the “stand-up” training skills that others may, HR plays a pivotal role in ensuring that their managers and employees have access to relevant training opportunities.

So what needs to be put in place in order to develop and implement a successful training program? Let’s explore…
(more…)

At its inception, Human Resources or rather, “personnel” departments were often viewed as obstacles or impediments to a company’s growth due to HR’s insistence on inflexible policy implementation and a lack of overall business acumen. Nicely, HR’s role has evolved into occupying seats on the executive team. However, in order for HR to “keep their seat” work has to be done!

So how does HR make its way to the executive team? Let’s explore…
(more…)

As I think about the issue of career development, I am reminded of a conversation I once had with an employee who told me, “it is not my job to develop my career, it is yours”. While I certainly don’t agree with this notion, it gave me pause for thought. The conclusion I came to is that in order to be effective, career development processes need to be collaborative in nature. The development of a career development structure entails the following:
(more…)

In previous columns I touched upon the business partner-aspects of HR as well as the impact of training in HR. In thinking about the term “human resources” I want to focus on the latter part of the term. In order to be successful, HR people must have vast resources available to them.

Let’s see what tricks we need to have up our sleeves…
(more…)

Tufts University, Medford, MA

New England Controls, Mansfield, MA

adidas Group, Canton, MA

Saint-Gobain, Northborough/Worcester, MA

Reproductive Specialists of New York, Mineola, NY

Gibson Engineering, Norwood, MA

Pratt & Whitney, Bloomfield, CT

Captivate Network, Chelmsford, MA

Audiodev, Agoura Hills, CA

Otolaryngology & Facial Plastics Group, Great Neck, NY

Enigma Software, Waltham, MA

Axis Communications, Chelmsford, MA

Curtiss Wright Controls, Littleton, MA/Charlotte NC

Univisions Crimson Group, Syracuse, NY

partners+Simons, Boston, MA

Electronic Environments, Marlboro, MA

Hypertronics, Marlborough , MA

PI Worldwide, Wellesley, MA

ID Biomedical Corporation, Northborough, MA

Ruby Wines Inc., Avon, MA

Arbor Networks, Lexington, MA

Wayside Youth & Family Support, Framingham, MA

Mount Saint Vincent, Wellesley, MA

Child Welfare League of America, Quincy, MA

Family & Children’s Association, Mineola, NY

Children’s Friend, Worcester, MA

Community Program Innovations, Cambridge, MA