March 2012

The Bold Quest for HR Excellence

It was easy to come up with examples. We agreed that Apple creates excellent products; that Nordstrom has excellent customer service; and that Google would be an excellent place to work. The word "excellence" signifies a standard that we often aspire to, but is not always easy to define without sounding cliché. We agreed it is more than simply the most desired score on an evaluation form. We know it when we see it. We know how it sounds and how it feels.

This led us to ask ‘how does excellence translate into HR practices?’ In a profession that often struggles to justify and measure its impact, excellence may feel like an elusive goal. Yet again, we know it when we see it. We know that companies who are consistently "considered best places to work" have excellent HR practices. We read about the time, effort and resources they invest to keep their employees engaged. We see the results of how they encourage innovation, with work environments that inspire creativity and encourage risk taking. We hear about how they empower employees to make bold decisions and support individual career development. All of these efforts involve excellent HR practices and all require excellent HR leadership.

Our quest for excellence will continue at this year’s spring conference on May 17-18 at the Four Points Conference Center in Norwood. This year’s HR Excellence Event will provide a bold look at how the profession is evolving and how to capitalize on significant changes in the workplace to create excellence in your own organization. For two action-packed days, we’ll hear how companies like Diesel, Gentle Giant, Constant Contact and Google are leveraging excellent HR practices to create a competitive advantage in both the local and global marketplace.

"Our Spring Conference has always been designed to offer a little something for everyone. This year is no different, but there is a twist. In addition to showcasing companies that truly represent Excellence, we’ve got some very special things planned to create a higher level of energy and excitement than we’ve ever had before," said Executive Director Tracy Burns. "The entire two days are packed with great ways to learn, network and enjoy yourself!"

The Committee’s goal this year is to provide a full spectrum of high quality educational sessions and practical resources, featuring best practices and emerging trends in Human Resources; we hope to see you there!

NEHRA’s Spring Conference will be held May 17-18 at the Four Points Conference Center in Norwood, MA. For a complete listing of conference events, and to register, visit the Spring Conference website by CLICKING HERE.

303 Wyman Street, Suite 285, Waltham, MA 02451-1253
www.nehra.com | 781-235-2900 (p) | 781-237-8745 (f)