I have had the true pleasure to know Dr. Sandy Miles for several years now, as part of the ISO HR committee. Aside from being an absolute pleasure to have on a committee, I came to realize that I was sitting next to one of the world’s thought leaders on Employee Engagement and it’s underlying structure - which focuses on how the Employer and Employee brands interact. It is my pleasure to share with you a brief interview that she kindly did with me.
1. First of all, please tell everyone a bit about yourself? What drew you to Human Resources?
Currently, I am a Professor of Human Resource Management at Murray State University. In addition to an earned doctorate, I have been certified as a SPHR and GPHR; and mostly recently earned the global distinction of Academic Fellow through the Chartered Institute of Personnel Development (CIPD) in London.
My road into the HR profession was quite accidental. I graduated with an undergraduate degree in Marketing and landed a job as a Corporate Trainer for a regional retail organization. I quickly learned there was a big difference between training new employees and seasoned employees, as well as the culture of different stores regarding their levels of enthusiasm and desire to do a good job. It was this observation that stirred my curiosity. The question in my mind was “What happens between day 1 and year 3 to transform once enthusiastic committed employees to minimalists in terms of effort and enthusiasm?” I returned to graduate school, and upon graduation was hired by Murray State University. I was given the opportunity to develop and grow an HR program at the University. The program is now certified through SHRM/AACSB criteria and linked to the Professional Group through my volunteer efforts at both the state and local levels in the Professional HR organizations. Most recently I became actively involved with International Standards on Human Resource Management (ISO/TC 260).
2. Within Human Resources, what is your passion and the focus of your research?
My original curiosity or question “What happens between day 1 and year 3 that transforms once enthusiastic employees to minimalists?” is still at the core of my research, with another link added: “How can we prove the value of the organization’s human assets?” My original question brought my research focus to internal processes within the organization. I spent many hours talking with Dr. Glynn Mangold, a prominent scholar in Marketing about this, and we pioneered the research in the employee brand arena. HR research was heavily focused on how the organization looks to prospective employees, with little attention to how employees impact customer perceptions of the organization. The employee brand perspective views the organizational systems as a series of messages formal and informal; as well as targeted internally or externally. It is these messages that cue employee behavior. The employee brand typology provides a framework for organizations to diagnose the strength and direction of their employee brand, and the likelihood that it aligns with the organization’s desired brand image. The organizational context derived from the typology has set the stage for my research focusing on employee voice.
Employee voice can be a strategic tool for organizations who can channel it correctly. The key for organizations is to channel negative issues internally and positive messages that reinforce the organization’s offerings and image externally. In the age of social media and emerging technologies, and a legal system that supports freedom of speech, an organization’s ability to manage employee voice via internal and external venues will be instrumental in developing a sustainable competitive advantage through employees. The next link is being able to quantify the value and impact the employee brand has on the bottom line. Once this is done, the C suite and EXCOMM will view Human Resource Management through a very different lens, and will have necessary proof of the value of it human assets.
3. Given the rapid change in the world (e.g. technology, geography, etc.) - how do you see HR changing of the next 5 to 10 years?
Just as customers revolutionized marketing practices through social media and emerging technologies, employees will revolutionize the field of HR. HR will be heavily influenced by external forces and will have to provide better balance of both internal and external forces in order to bring value to the organization. It is an exciting time, to realize all organizational stakeholders have the ability to connect and influence each other in real time in astronomical proportions. Organizations who realize this opportunity and embrace it will realize the usefulness of technology as a way to financial sustainability. Hence, HR professionals will have to transform themselves into strategic thinkers and become process oriented in order to bring optimal value to the organization.
4. Last question. You get to work with college students, and with all of the millennial research - what do you see? What would you tell us about this up and coming generation?
Christa McAuliffe’s famous quote was “I touch the future, I teach”. This quote is near and dear to my heart. It is a privilege to be part of a bridge on the journey to helping college students realize their professional dreams and providing guidance on their short stay at MSU. Millennials have been influenced by political scandals, 911, and have learned words off the lips of grownups are often times empty. Consequently, living the example that is being preached is key. It is not enough to have words for this group, actions are for more significant. Hence, my impetus for earning professional certifications beyond the doctorate helps me to set the stage for guiding them down the path of continual learning and the importance of professional certifications. For organizations wanting to harness the energy and capabilities of this particular group have to align words of leaders and actions of the organization in which they operate.
These kids are value based and purpose driven, and want balance in their lives. They are not interested in “living for work” as some of the boomers. These kids are heavily influenced by technology and access to immediate information and connections with their inner circle. Connectedness via technology is very natural and their ability to multi task is phenomenal! Allowing integration of their natural tendencies allows them to learn and grow. The challenge for organizations will be handling of proprietary information and containment in house. Clearly communicating expectations will be key. For instance, in the classroom professors have different policies on allowing electronics in the class room. Some view electronics as a threat, however, I have learned these kids are pretty adept at operating devices in a covert manners. Hence, my policy is to encourage technology in the classroom, but to channel its usage—it is clearly communicated usage is restricted to learning more about HR at some level. This philosophy has fed in some interesting streams of what corporate America is doing via social media. Some students follow tweets of some of the organizations relaying real time what is going on in the world. This augments learning going beyond the text and keeps them engaged.
For HR managers a key in harnessing the capabilities of these kids is first and foremost focus on matching value sets of the organization to value sets of the individual. If values are aligned, they will embrace their purpose within the organization, and deliver a positive impact.
Her specific information is as follows!.
Sandy J. Miles, PhD, SPHR, GPHR, Academic FCIPD
Professor of Human Resource Management
Arthur J. Bauerfeind College of Business
Murray State University
Murray, KY
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