Do you have a future in HR

If you are a talented HR professional, the following edited news story written by Michelle V. Rafter in this month’s electronic edition of Workforce Magazine, may be disconcerting.

Before September, Jacqueline Reses had never formally worked in human resources, let alone managed the people side of a Fortune 500 company.

Today, Reses, 42, holds what is arguably the most high-profile HR job in the country. Yahoo Inc. CEO Marissa Mayer recently named the former private equity partner executive vice president of people and development.

Reses’ mission: to reboot Yahoo’s corporate culture and, by association, its financial footing by revamping its workforce. She takes over for longtime HR head David Windley who Mayer replaced along with several other top HR executives as part of a wholesale regime change meant to right the struggling tech giant.

Even before Reses was onboard, Mayer was making moves to win back the hearts and minds of Yahoo employees by reinstating perks such as free food at its Sunnyvale, California, headquarters. To succeed, observers say Reses will need to overhaul an outdated compensation structure that has led to an exodus of top talent for better-paying opportunities at Yahoo’s Silicon Valley competitors. There’s also speculation that Yahoo’s workforce revamp could include more job cuts.

Though Reses has no formal HR training, she’s not a stranger to workforce issues. Before joining Yahoo, she spent 10 years at the New York-based private equity firm Apax Partners, where she was involved in the firm’s recruiting and training, according to TechCrunch.

So do you think that Yahoo’s HR related actions will be properly guided by Reses? For a sample perspective let’s review the following:

·       Is she aware of the WARN Act and its implications as the firm faces layoffs?

·       Does she know anything about job factor analysis as she begins to address compensation?

·       Does she know anything about the Lilly Ledbetter law?

·       Does she feel that free food actually improves productivity?

·       How familiar is she with how to manage the rising cost of insured employee benefit programs?

·       What experience does she have with employee litigation matters?

·       Since she has virtually no people supervision experience, how is she expected to advise  management on how to deal with the various employee issues that are bound to surface in such a turbulent environment?

·       Does she have experience with employee onboarding, integrating employees due to acquisitions, employee engagement programs, etc…?

But there is yet hope for the dedicated HR professional. Maybe Mayer will promote one to be a private equity partner. I understand there is a vacancy at Apax.

From Michael Salisbury with the Human Resource Alliance (HRA) at www.hralliance.biz