40 Reasons to Love HR.

 

Have you ever attended a trade show? Regardless of the industry or size, common threads in this experience are:  an expansive exhibit hall, rows of vendors promoting their services, and organized piles of trendy giveaways on display tables.

There is also an expectant energy in the air.

Employment Technologies recently exhibited at two state-wide HR conferences. One of those groups was celebrating its 40th anniversary. To encourage conversations, we created a 40 Reasons to Love HR poster and invited attendees to share their thoughts. Sharpie markers proved magical for inspiring creative thinking.

Reflecting on the two-day event and reading the completed poster, these two truths were confirmed:

  1. HR is a pretty cool profession.
  2. People love to celebrate.

HR Is a Pretty Cool Profession

In reading the poster, which now acts as a sort of traveling trophy in our home office, you recognize certain terms of endearment:  love and care for people. You also read words of affirmation, appreciation, and purpose.  Humor is there, too. Here are a few of our favorites:

“You can’t spell H-E-R-O without HR!”

“Because our employees are #1”

“Helping others”

“We work to keep business working”

“Love people, love HR!”

This reminds us of this quote from Mother Teresa, “The miracle is not that we do this work, but that we are happy to do it.”

People Love to Celebrate

When plans were being made to create the 40 Reasons poster, an unspoken question lingered, “What if no one wants to participate and our poster is mostly blank?”

Fortunately, from the first hour of the show, people were eager to share. Then we remembered: people love to celebrate, especially when the subject is something or someone they hold dear.

Celebrations offer a much-needed pause in the work day. When we step away from the routine, our perspective is likely to expand, inspiring a sense of gratitude. Group celebrations also reinforce the sense of community and belonging. According to executive coach Judith Glaser, “Our brains are designed to be social and the need for celebration is greater than the need for safety.”

Try It Yourself

Use these 3 simply guides to direct your planning.  

  1. Pick a milestone that resonates with your company and culture.
  2. Connect it to something true about your business or people.
  3. Invite all team members to participate in the planning or execution.

 Some examples:

  • When it’s time to fall back or spring forward with time, a clock goes to the staff member who is always prompt
  • Go the Extra Mile Award is given during the months that have 5 Mondays
  • For a 10th anniversary, survey the staff for their top 10 candy bars and make them available at meetings.

The tension for anyone planning a celebration is managing the planning process. Less can be more. Wisdom is knowing when Sharpie markers will get the job done or when you need to up your game!

 

Keep Reading

This blog post from Vistage Research Center offers scientific reasons why celebrations at work make good sense.

In this article from Inc. magazine, you’ll learn more about the value of corporation celebrations.