- So we've talked about a lot of different topics,
everything from how the workforce is changing,
how our employees are changing.
And now we're going to talk about
how HR needs to change itself.
And more than anything, it's this mindset
that we started this course off with,
moving from a place of tactical management
of processes, of getting things moved
through a pipeline of hire, train, and retain.
And I want to reinforce again
that the most important thing that HR needs to do,
in order to go through the digital transformation,
is to think about everything
through the lens of a relationship.
It begins and ends, and will always be about relationships.
And HR needs to hold this for the entire organization.
I think of HR being the conscience of the organization,
to remind people, this is why we're here.
We talk about that the most important assets
of the company are the people who go home every day.
How do we hold them in a place
where they can become their full selves?
Now, in order to do that, let me talk about what that means.
That means that you think about the entire lifecycle
of that relationship, from the day you start
talking to them as a candidate to when you bring them on,
through the onboarding process.
And most organizations do a pretty good job of that.
But in the first year, in the first five years,
in the next 20 years, how are you
evolving that relationship?
And just as importantly, how do you maintain
that relationship when somebody leaves the organization?
How do you exit them?
Do you kick them out and say good riddance,
you disloyal employee?
Or do you say, you were part of our family?
You will always be part of us.
I think a company like McKinsey
does a fantastic job of this.
They set the expectation from the day people start
that one day you'll probably leave.
Most people are either up or out,
and most people are out.
And yet, when they leave, they go,
you will always be part of McKinsey,
so they have an alumni program.
They're very smart about this because they know
that these highly qualified people
will probably be their clients one day.
Similarly, for your employees, if the only time
you pay attention to them is when you're trying
to recruit them and you bring them on,
but then you ignore them for the rest of your tenure,
how would they feel when they leave?
Will they refer people to you?
Will they tell other people, yes,
that's a great company to do business with?
And because relationships are at the center
of everything that HR needs to do,
digital becomes a big part of that.
Because we know that relationships are developed
and deepened, again, through these digital channels.
So HR needs to make digital a part of its DNA,
something that is a natural part of the way
that you function and the way that you are,
really taking on this really strong digital mindset,
culture, capabilities, and practices.