Members of the Georgia CxO Forum, an invitation-only group that started approximately three years ago and has expanded from only 20 members at the start to 470 and growing, had the honor of participating in the Georgia CxO Forum Q1, 2011 meeting. The Forum centered on the emerging trend of IT and HR executives partnering to deliver value and drive innovation within their organizations. This concept, which has endured plenty of debate over the years, was discussed at length during the session which was facilitated by Sandra Hoffman, the current CIO-in-Residence for the Advanced Technology Development Center (ATDC) at Georgia Tech and former CIO, COO and Chief People Officer for several notable companies. Hoffman’s leadership has resulted in significant recognition, including being named the Georgia CIO of the Year in 2003 and most recently being the first recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award from Georgia CIO Leadership Association (GCLA) in October 2010. Sandy moderated the guest panel which included Jay Ferro of Chartis Aerospace, Hank Johnson of Towers Watson, Chris Kenyon of Elavon, Bryson Koehler of IHG, Nancy Vepraskas of P2Excellence and Liz Wysong of Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta. This esteemed group of business leaders all have notable careers in IT, HR or both and a great deal of experience, which they shared at the Forum.
From the conversation between attendees and panelists, all signs indicate that the dynamics between HR and IT are changing. What was once a contentious relationship between the two functions in many organizations now appears to be evolving into a significant and cooperative relationship between the two departments. Here’s a look at the main themes that stood out at the Georgia CxO Forum as the panelists discussed what is driving this newfound affiliation and how HR is supporting IT:
1. Mindset Shift. It’s no secret that IT and HR have for years been fighting for a proverbial seat at the C-Suite table. Now, at the start of 2011, regardless of company size and service, it appears that the mindset about IT and HR has shifted. Not only are both functions on equal footing with other functional peers and being looked to for strategic solutions, but they are also working together for the betterment of the organization. Whether out of necessity or desire, this cultural shift is having a profound impact. The two teams are meeting regularly, developing joint goals and sharing challenges and opportunities, all in an effort to help ensure they end up at the same place at the end of the year. Coupled with support from the top down, this cultural shift will ultimately drive innovation and produce better results for the companies they serve.
2. Retention. A specific area that IT and HR are working on together that was discussed at the Georgia CxO Forum is retention. This is always a concern for IT leaders, especially for those that require specialized skills; as the economy begins to see a shift, so do retention efforts. What has been an employer’s market is now shifting to a candidate’s market. IT leaders expressed a healthy amount of concern around what is being done to ensure key talent stays with their company. As the market continues to improve, individuals are being presented with more and more opportunities to consider other positions within different companies. As a result, IT and HR are collaborating to take a hard look at retention strategies, making sure they are doing everything they feasibly can to thwart the loss or theft of star players.
3. Attraction. Likewise, as talent gets tight, IT leaders have a heightened awareness around their efforts to attract top talent. This has presented yet another reason for IT and HR to team up. The two forces are putting their minds together to brainstorm creative incentives to attract talent to work for their organizations. One example of a creative incentive shared by a company at the CxO Forum was giving new hires a credit to choose their own laptop, one that suited their needs best, rather than simply handing off a restored or possibly less desirable device. This simple gesture gives this company a unique edge on competitors and a sense of value to the employee.
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