Human Resource Seminar - November 9, 2007
Main Street HR seminar hits recruitment strategies, legal issues for
smaller employers
In today’s business world, human capital is our most precious resource – managing and
maximizing this asset was the focus of the latest Main Street Institute workshop for small
and mid-sized business executives – “The Ins and Outs of Human Resources,” held on
November 9th at the IU Kelley School of Business on the campus of IUPUI.
The Main Street Institute is a partnership of the Kelley School of Business Indianapolis and the Greater Indianapolis Chamber of Commerce, providing ongoing educational programming for the small and mid-sized companies that make up the bulk of our economy on the Main Streets of communities across Central Indiana.
While larger corporations can afford to mount aggressive employee recruitment campaigns and employ teams of HR professionals, smaller companies don’t often have the resources for these efforts – making human resources a perfect topic to be addressed by the Main Street Institute.
The event opened with remarks from Kelley Associate Dean Phil Cochran, whose
research interests center on organizational leadership issues. Cochran and Indianapolis
Chamber Vice-President Julie Grice introduced a panel that included Brian Cox,
Recruiting Operations Manager for Eli Lilly & Company; Dennis Dunlap, a partner in
HR Essentials; and Maegan Hurley, Vice-President of Human Resources for MKM
Distribution Services. The panel was moderated by Patsy Lentz of Today’s Staffing.
The discussion that followed covered common questions and pitfalls related to
employment law, including harassment and termination policies, issues of exempt versus
non-exempt employees and employer responsibilities under the Immigration Reform and
Control Act. The basic message – employers are navigating an increasingly complicated
set of rules and regulations with regard to employment policies: The best way to keep
your head above water if to remain consistent and fair, and always back up HR-related
decisions with ample documentation.
Related to this, the workshop also covered the process of creating an employee handbook, giving a step-by-step look at the sorts of policies and procedures that should be included for all existing employees and new hires.
Finally, Brian Cox spearheaded a presentation on recruitment that detailed key strategies for attracting top talent with a minimal budget. Topics including generating referrals, tapping into the full network of local college career centers, targeting competitors and leveraging local outreach programs.
The legendary former GE CEO Jack Welch once said, “The team with the best players wins.” It’s a business philosophy that centers on human resources; this month’s Main Street Institute workshop helps provide a game plan for building a better team.
