December 2007 Newsletter
IN THIS ISSUE
News from Dulles Chapter of SHRM and other timely HR information
January Chapter Meeting
“The Hero's Journey: Legendary Leadership and Employee Engagement"
Wednesday, January 16, 2008 (Dinner Meeting)
The late Joseph Campbell, a renowned Princeton Scholar compared the world’s folktales, myths, and religious parables to discover that the “Hero’s Journey” is universal across all cultures, ethnicities and races. He found that all heroic stories follow a specific step by step process – if the hero follows this step by step process, he or she is more likely to succeed. If the process is not followed, something bad happens to the hero; they are turned into a pillar of stone, or end up as the bones on the floor of some dragon’s cave. The application of his body of work to the realm of leadership is quite simple: When you have the responsibility of sending someone out to achieve a difficult task or goal, you are, in a very real sense, sending a Hero out on a quest. Understanding “The Hero’s Journey” provides you with real tools to increase their rate of success.
Participants will gain a mastery of “The Hero’s Journey” through the course of this exciting, thought-provoking multimedia presentation which will provide them with the skills to lead and support their “Heroes” for success. Participants will:
-MASTER the difference between “Heroes” and “Mercenaries”
-MASTER the true role of mentorship
-MASTER this universal method of supporting your people for success and its application to the Gallup Q12.
“The Hero’s Journey: Legendary Leadership and Employee Engagement” is the result of three years of research and was featured in an article published in the April 2006 issue of Human Resource Executive Magazine.
Presenting “A Hero’s Journey” is Chicago playwright, Jeff Mangrum, who has had five full-length plays produced. His most recent, Wendall Greene, was produced by the world renowned Steppenwolf Theatre Company and nominated for Best New Play, 2003 by the American Theatre Critics Association. Mr. Mangrum founded SST Communications in May of 1987. His idea was to develop highly informative professional development programs and deliver them in an innovative, entertaining format. The result was an exciting blend of information integrated with comedic and dramatic scenes designed to amplify the subject matter. Mr. Mangrum’s expertise as playwright, his company of extraordinary actors, and his unique format has brought SST to the forefront of “Corporate Theatre” on the international stage. SST now has over 5000 performances to their credit and over 40 professional development programs of interest ranging from Diversity to Transition Management, Ethics and Leadership to Occupational Safety.
We welcome our January Silver Sponsor, Emond, Berger, Suyama & Associates. Emond, Berger, Suyama & Associates is a financial advisory firm with over 54 years of combined experience focused on pre- and post-retirement strategies for individuals as well as employee benefits consulting for businesses. For businesses, they provide retirement plan design, fiduciary process documentation, benchmarking and due diligence services. Please contact Peter Suyama by phone at 703.359.2660 or by email at peter.b.suyama@ampf.com.
Note: This program has been submitted for HRCI recertification credits.
Register online at www.dullesshrm.org.
Embry Rucker Shelter Donations Update
Members who attended the November meeting donated $50! The Embry Rucker Community Shelter provides 70 beds each night for men, women, and families. In the winter, another 15 beds are made available to prevent hypothermia among people who are homeless. For more on how to help, check out www.restoninterfaith.org.
2007 Report to Members
By Mary Saily, 2007 Chapter President
Dulles SHRM has had a great 20th anniversary year. Our membership grew nearly 20% from November 2006 to November 2007.
Here are just a few our 2007 accomplishments:
* Set a benchmark with our first-ever Annual sponsor, Aerobodies Fitness
* Held 12 Discussion Groups on topics of current interest to our members
* Upgraded our websiteGrew our reserve funds to enable us to response to * member needs with special programs and other services
* Organized a visit to Capitol Hill to lobby our representatives
* Sponsored a certification course
* Participated with Nova SHRM in a peer mentoring program
* Awarded two $1,000 scholarships
* Collected donations to support the SHRM Foundation and Embry Rucker
* Supported the Virginia SHRM State Conference with seed money and volunteers
Thanks to all of our members who worked together to make 2007 a great year. A more complete report of our 2007 accomplishments can be found on our website, www.dullesshrm.org.
2007 Dulles SHRM Scholarship Program Recipients
Contributed by Nidhi Kanungo, Student Chapter Liaison & Scholarship Coordinator
Congratulations to our winners of the 2007 Dulles SHRM Scholarship Program - Roxanne Cole and Andrea Evans.
Roxanne is working on her Master’s degree in Human Resources Management at Marymount University. She is employed as a Human Resources Director at Inova Loudon Hospital.
Andrea is pursuing her Master's degree in Organization Development at American University. She is employed as a Consultant with BearingPoint.
Special thanks goes to our scholarship committee members – Judy Carter and Lynn Beisel, who reviewed the applications received and spent the time necessary to select our winners.
2008 Dulles Membership Renewal
Contributed by Lynn Padgett, Vice President, Membership
It is that time of year and our online system is set for you to renew (or join) your membership for 2008. Dulles SHRM Membership is paid every January; your National membership is most likely on a different schedule. Please visit through our “membership form” link on the home page www.dullesshrm.org or http://www.dullesshrm.org/join.htm.
Your 2008 membership will give you full membership privileges, including discounted chapter dinner meetings, where you will have the opportunity to network with your peers and hear from speakers on a wide range of HR topics. In addition, free monthly Chapter Discussion groups which are held at various locations in the Reston/Dulles area. For our student members, we are offering a free 2008 membership, as well as, discounted meeting rates. For our members in transition, Dulles SHRM is offering discounted meeting rates; please see our website for more details. In the spring, all members receive a copy of the Chapter's Membership Directory.
When you submit your online membership renewal form, you may pay your $30 dues payment online through PayPal (our preferred method). You may also pay by check or cash at any chapter meeting at the registration desk or via mail to Dulles SHRM and mail to: Dulles SHRM P.O. Box 1249 Herndon, VA 20172-1249.
If you have any questions, please contact Lynn Beisel, Vice President of Membership at Lynn.Beisel@gd-ais.com or Joseph Gregory, Assistant Vice President of Membership at joseph.gregory@accenture.com.
Are You Considering Joining SHRM for the First Time?
As you know, all Dulles SHRM Chapter members are required to be SHRM National Members. But, did you know that the Southeast Region has its own code for discounted membership for NEW SHRM members? Yes, it’s true; any new members that want to join SHRM for the first time can join at the rate of $145.
The code is CHSED. When joining SHRM this should be placed in the field for promotional codes. Begin using it as soon as TODAY!!
Your Foundation at Work: “Making a Difference”
Contributed by Marlene Mouanga, Foundation Representative
You know what excellence is. It's people…with talent. People who are dedicated and work hard to continually improve themselves, to be the best they can be. They are able to work with others, to be part of a team and to achieve something bigger than themselves. That's what the HR profession is all about. You work behind the scenes to help your employees and companies achieve excellence. You play a major role in finding talented and dedicated people and you help them develop as individuals and team members. This is an exciting time to be an HR professional. The opportunities to provide leadership in your organization have never been greater, but you must continually increase your professional knowledge and stay one step ahead of the rapid changes taking place all around you. The SHRM Foundation helps you to meet these challenges through its support of research, publications and education. The Foundation enables HR professionals like you to make a difference.
The SHRM Foundation: 40 Years of Advancing the HR Profession
Creating a Culture of Recognition
December 12, 2007 5:00pm – 8:00pm
HRA-NCA, the DC SHRM Chapter, invites you to attend a very special Chapter Event and dinner at The Capital Hilton in Washington, DC. Joining them will be Dr. Bob Nelson, author of “1001 Ways to Reward Employees”, speaking on the topic: Creating A Culture of Recognition. Dr. Nelson will expand your thinking of what recognition means and how you can recognize those you work with better and more frequently! They would love to include you as a part of this program. To register, go to http://www.hra-nca.org/events/. Attendees will receive 1.25 recertification credit hours toward PHR, SPHR, and GPHR through the Human Resource Certification Institute (HRCI).
Reinvent Your Career…
With a little help from the NOVA/Dulles Mentoring Program!
Contributed by Chas Sumser, Certification Representative
Whether you’re looking to refine, refresh, or reinvent your career, the NOVA/Dulles Mentoring Program has something to offer you. We are excited to announce our 2008 recruitment drive. Please visit www.dullesshrm.org to download an application.
Our award-winning mentoring program can help you to:
Enhance your network of HR professionals,
Overcome obstacles to reach career success,
Clarify professional goals,
Learn mentoring, coaching, and feedback skills,
Gain access to the alumni network and a career coach, and
Earn credits towards PHR/SPHR/GPHR recertification!
NOVA and Dulles sponsor a combined 14 chapter members a year to participate in the program, which integrates aspects of several mentoring techniques, including: group mentoring, peer mentoring, and virtual mentoring. NOVA SHRM, the founder of the program, received a Pinnacle Award for Excellence by the Society for Human Resource Management in 2003 for this innovative mentoring model. Participation in this program has resulted in promotions, lateral career moves, and new job opportunities for approximately 70 percent of alumni.
Mentoring meetings will be held the second Wednesday of each month from 6:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. in the Tyson’s Corner area. There is no cost for participation in the program, however, participants must be members in good standing with either the NOVA chapter or the Dulles chapter.
Please contact Mary Kitson, Mentoring Program Director, at mkitson@fmpconsulting.com or Chas Sumser, Dulles Liaison, at chas@fgm.com with any questions.
Note: Applications must be received NO LATER THAN Friday, February 1, 2008!
It’s Coming!
2008 Greater Washington Employer Benefits and Work/Life Survey
Dulles SHRM is pleased to co-sponsor the 3rd Annual Greater Washington Employer Benefits and Work/Life Survey to be launched next month. Our co-sponsors are NOVA SHRM, WTPF, the Metropolitan Washington Work/Life Coalition, and Wachovia Insurance Services.
There are several survey enhancements and changes for the upcoming year:
- A new survey tool, Snap Survey, will provide logins/passwords and the opportunity for participants to update prior-year responses rather than re-entering all survey data.
- A non-profit cut to enable non-profit organizations to benchmark their benefits against other non-profits.
- Survey category additions including questions on increasingly popular opt-out credits, tri-care supplements, generational benefits, salary band-based employee contributions levels, benefits stratification, and enhanced wellness and telework/flexwork sections.
- Industry definitions to minimize industry miscategorization by survey participants.
As in prior years, the survey will close in February with survey results released during the first week of April. The survey is FREE to employers who complete the survey. Last year, over 250 companies participated in the survey. Our goal is to increase participation for the upcoming year. Look for more information in the weeks ahead.
Welcome to New Members
Contributed by Lynn Padgett, Vice President, Membership
The Dulles Society of Human Resource Management SHRM welcomes our newest members. Thank you for choosing our chapter.
Suzanne Burnett
Melissa Carroll, Senior HR Specialist, Raytheon
Dr. Nicole Richardson-Sicre, Director, Active Family
For members that join or renew and pay at the door, please remember to log into our system at www.dullesshrm.org and complete a new and/or renewing membership form if you haven’t already done so. Thank you.
Chapter Discussion Group
“Measuring Employee Engagement"
Thursday, January 3, 2007
A new global workforce study conducted by Towers Perrin reveals that only 21% of employees around the globe are fully engaged at work, meaning they are willing to go the extra mile to help their companies succeed. Collectively, companies with the lowest percentages of employee engagement suffered 33% declines in operating income and 11% declines in earnings per share. With those disturbing statistics in mind, what can we do as HR professionals to increase our senior management’s awareness level and help drive improvement in this critical area? Come participate in our discussion facilitated by Kristen Coker of HumanR, who will help us think through the use of Life Cycle Surveys as a method to reverse these statistics.
In preparation for this discussion, please review the study (http://www.clomedia.com/in-the-news/2007/November/1973/index.phpeflect) and reflect on the following questions:
- How do the senior leaders in my company demonstrate inspiration, vision and commitment?
- Employees are tuned into WIIFM (What’s In It for Me) but is my company tuned to the same station? If not, why not?
- What specific issues may affect employee engagement at my company?
- What surveys, if any, have I used in the past and with what results?
Come join the discussion around this topic and share your experiences working with this issue. If you have had no previous experience in this area, consider this an opportunity to learn from other professionals. You are welcome to extend an invitation to interested colleagues.
No fee is charged for attending. However, registration is required on-line, at least 24 hours in advance, via the Dulles SHRM web site www.dullesshrm.orgCareer Growth/Chapter Discussion Groups. If you have questions, contact Janet Geib at 703-303-4427 or jgtrain@verizon.net. Participation is limited to the first 25 people who sign up.
Date: Thursday, January 3, 2008
Time: 7:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m.
Place: HumanR
2251 Corporate Park Drive
Suite 150
Herndon, VA 20171
Phone: 703.435.5911 Contact: Kristen Coker
For Directions to this meeting from Mapquest, click here.
Mark Your Calendar
2008 Chapter Breakfast/Dinner Meetings:
- February 20th (Dinner) – “Succession Planning: Best Practices and Practices to Avoid” Presenters: Deanna Banks, Banks Consulting and Alice Buchanan, Buchanan Consulting, Focus: Succession Planning
- March 12th (Dinner) – Topic: Creative approaches to benefits and recent developments in health insurance. Presenter: Chris Bartnik, Wachovia, Focus: Benefits
- April 16th (Breakfast) – “Action Learning in Action – A Powerful New Tool for Solving Problems and Building Leaders, Teams and Organizations” Presenter: Mike Marquardt, President, World Institute for Action Learning, Focus: Performance Management
- May 21st (Dinner) – Topic: Hiring and Terminating Presenter: Theresa Burke Wright, Jackson Lewis Law Firm, Focus: Hiring and Terminating
- June 18th (Dinner) – “New Leader Integration” Presenter: Lynn Lorenz, AOL, Focus: Training and Development
- July 16th (Breakfast) – “The Hidden Dimensions of Organizational Change” Presenter: Bob Marshak, Professor, American University, Focus: Organization Culture
- August 20th (Dinner) - TBD
- September 17th (Dinner) – Topic: Employment law issue to be determined after annual member interest survey. Presenter: Misti Mukherjee, Odin, Feldman & Pittleman, Focus: Employment Law
- October 15th (Breakfast) – “Challenges in Integrating Cultures During a Merger or Acquisition” Presenter: Terry Mellendorf, Retired VP, Human Resources, Nextel, Focus: Mergers and Acquisitions
- November 19th (Dinner) – “Get ‘Em Started Right – Enhancing Performance and Retention Through Effective On-Boarding” Presenter: Ilona Birenbaum, The Wynhurst Group, Focus: Retention
- December 3rd (Dinner) – Holiday Party
Emergency Evacuation Procedures for Persons with Disabilities
To ensure the safety of all employees, it is important for businesses to include and consider individuals with disabilities when planning for emergencies or disaster. The following is a checklist from the Job Accommodations Network (JAN) that provides important tips for assisting persons with disabilities in case of an emergency evacuation.
- Have all employees been consulted and asked to contribute to evacuation and emergency plans?
- Has a “buddy system” been established where volunteer co-workers can alert and assist people with disabilities in an emergency?
- Are employees aware of ways to report safety hazards?
- Are employees encouraged to make a list of medications, allergies, special equipment, names, addresses, and telephone numbers of doctors, pharmacies, family members, friends, and any other important information?
- Are alternate methods of evacuation practiced and evaluated through announced and surprise drills?
- Are local fire, police, and rescue departments periodically consulted about issues such as whether people with disabilities should remain in their workplaces, assemble in an area of refuge to await the arrival of rescue workers, or immediately evacuate?
- Are maintenance activities conducted regularly and evaluated for efficiency and safety?
- Are pieces of furniture and other items secured to provide multiple barrier-free passages?
- Are manual pull stations mounted at a height that is within the range of 48 to 54 inches?
- Is the building in compliance with all federal, state, and local codes?
- Are lighted fire strobes and other visual or vibrating alerting devices used to supplement audible alarms? Note: Lighted strobes should not exceed five flashes per second due to risk of triggering seizures in some individuals.
- Have areas of rescue, locations that are relatively safe from immediate danger, been established?
- Have signs been properly constructed and placed?
- Are storage areas provided in several accessible areas for emergency supplies, which should include packs or backpacks that attach to walkers, wheelchairs, or scooters? Are storage areas provided for necessary evacuation aids?
- Have emergency procedures been distributed in Braille, large print, text file, and cassette tape formats?
- Are employees trained on what evacuation techniques to use, particularly how to carry or assist individuals who use mobility aids, basic sign language to effectively communicate with individuals who are deaf, and the instructions for those individuals who use assistance animals?
For more information on establishing evacuation procedures that cater to individuals with disabilities, go to http://www.jan.wvu.edu/media/emergency.html
Keep Employees Safe When They Travel Abroad
From the Professional Safety website - http://www.professionalsafetyrx.com/
Question: What kind of guidelines should a company have for employees traveling abroad?
Answer: In recent years many of our clients have asked our assistance in developing guidelines for international travel. In response to this need, we have developed the following considerations to make all employees aware of before they embark on that overseas business trip:
- For international travelers, include the phone and location of the closed United States Embassy or Consulate. For that information, visit http://travel.state.gov/.
- Be sure that you have a profile on every employee traveling either overseas or among the states. Update all traveler profiles to include cell numbers, pager numbers and home contact information.
- Keep a hard copy of traveler itineraries; don’t rely on electronic access.
- Increase pressure on travelers booking outside the corporation to use the preferred travel agency for better tracking purposes.
- Print emergency contact numbers on all travel itineraries or confirmations.
- Share your itinerary with at least one of your business colleagues as well as your family members.
- Advise all parties of changes to your travel plans.
- Photocopy the first page of your passport. Carry one copy with you along with extra passport photos and leave one at home or the office. This will make it easier to replace your passport if lost.
- For international travel, be aware of how to make long distance and emergency calls.
- Check security advisories in the country you are visiting. You can do this online by visiting http://travel.state.gov/.
- Have two forms of identification in separate locations. Carry medical information with you that may be required should you be injured and incapacitated.
International travel policies can differ, depending on which countries are visited and the length of the trip. Whether or not a separate travel policy has been established, the primary policy should cover such important international travel issues as passport and visa acquisition, health certificates, security and where to turn in case of an emergency. As a general rule when traveling abroad, we recommend keeping a low profile and dressing to blend in rather than attracting attention. Need a Solution? Do you have a workplace question you would like to see addressed? Email questions to info@professionalsafetyrx.com.
That’s all for this month unless you have any ideas or suggestions? This is your chapter - let us know what’s on your mind!
Sarah Cower, PHR
President
Dulles SHRM
sdcconsult@hotmail.com
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