Your Vacation is Over… Now What? Finding Your HR Mojo for Fall August 4th, 2009

Heather McCulligh

For a lot of us, vacation has come and gone, and it’s back to reality. I’m the type of person that is always planning a vacation. So much so that when I came back from my family trip to Florida last winter, I had a girls’ weekend planned for the spring within 72 hours. I truly do love my vacation because it provides a break, not just from work, but my day to day life in general.

So maybe you’ve come back relaxed and refreshed and are raring to go. Or maybe you’ve just come back from vacation more drained than when you left after two straight weeks of visiting family and little down time, and work is a vacation for you! Either way, fall is just around the corner, and it’s time to find your mojo and gear up. With that in mind, here are just a few things to consider as we get into fall planning and execution mode.

• The end of the year is coming. We’re in the back half of the calendar, which means time is running out on all of the big and not so big projects that you’ve committed to. It’s the perfect time to assess where everything is at and adjust your plan accordingly. Maybe timelines need to change, or you need to manage expectations now on where things will be at year end.
• For HR, the end of the year often also means it’s time for annual performance reviews. Now is the time to get your managers moving on noting performance highlights so things are relevant and done well in advance. This is also a great way to ensure on-time completion as managers can avoid a last minute scramble.
• A new calendar year often brings with it a new budget, so start thinking now about your wish list for HR. Maybe it’s new headcount, a new talent management system or an entirely new approach for an old initiative. Thinking ahead will help you secure support and/or the budget you need as we get closer to 2010.
• Challenge yourself to learn something new by the end of the year. Social media is a must-do on an HR pros’ list, so why not delve into LinkedIn or Twitter and see what it can do for your professional development and/or to help with your HR programs such as recruiting.

What else can you do to find your mojo for fall? What things should HR be doing before the end of the year?

Tags: employee performance reviews, talent management, Web 2.0