HR , Job Satisfaction & Bar B Q

I live in Springfield, Il. In case you didn’t know I will tell you that it is the Capital City of Illinois (no it is not Chicago). There is very little manufacturing in the city. The economy is driven largely by government jobs, then health care and insurance. Since there are so many folks working in government jobs, there is one theme that re-occurs over and over. The level of job dissatisfaction amongst government employees seems very high based on the comments that so many of them offer. I read time and time again about how those of us in HR need to engage our employees, and do our best to retain them, I look at these folks and I am dumbfounded.

Recently, I called a State of Illinois office in Springfield, and after a few phone trees I was talking to a fellow who seemed only able to communicate in monosyllabic utterances (higher form of a grunt). I asked him how his day was gong. His response, “… Better in 7 hours and 30 minutes.” Ok this guy is a public servant. I feel sorry for this guy. He needs to quit his government job and find something that makes him minimally happy or provides him some level of fulfillment – even if it is less money. This would make his life better. This is so apparent to me.

Earlier this month my wife and I were on a weekend trip to Rolla, Mo to visit my oldest son, who was in town for an alumni event. On Saturday evening we were going to go out to dinner. We decided to try someplace that we had never eaten, in five years of traveling to this Central Missouri town of about twenty thousand. You can hit most of the places in about 18 months as a parent. So my son and his student girlfriend took us to one of the newer establishment in the area. Just about three miles north of I-44 at mile post 185 is Randy’s Road Kill BBQ & Grill. (573)368-3705

The Ryan Clan dining & Randy Standing behind us.

The four of us sat down, looked at the menu and chatted briefly with our server. We ordered our food, and were served some really grand BBQ with all of the trimmings. Not too long after we had dined, a gentleman stopped by our table to see how everything was. After a fashion I had gathered that this was the proprietor. So I boldly asked him, “You must be Randy?” I was right.

Randy Hrovat then spent the next 10-15 minutes conversing with us, breaking away now and again to squelch a potential problem. He told us he had built this building himself. He came up with all of his own recipes. He had hire and trained all of his employees. Randy has done it all. He quit a successful career in sales to undertake this venture. He has leveraged most of his life savings into this establishment. But – Randy is happy and loves what he is doing. He told us that. You can see it in his eyes and his face. He is passionate about everything in his place of business. Randy has it figured out. Unlike my phone assistant who is employed by the State of Illinois.

I have written other posts on loving what you do. I think this is the only way that people will find true happiness in their work. So for those of us in HR we need to help folks find this happiness, even if that might mean moving them out of our organizations.

And in closing, if you travel between St. Louis and Tulsa on I-44 stop in Rolla and see Randy, being sure to order the Roadkill Loaded Chips as an appetizer – and then head over to A Slice of Pie in Rolla [(573)364-6203] for a decadent desert .

 - Dave Ryan Director of Social Media ISC - SHRM

2011 IL SHRM Conference Agenda Is Out

My wife and her new Cadillac.

Last year my wife and I purchased a new automobile. We looked at a lot of different manufacturers, styles and price ranges before settling on a Cadillac SRX. Quite frankly I never saw myself as a Cadillac owner.  However after looking at all of the vehicles that we thought would fit our lifestyle and were within our price range I was truly dumbfounded to find my wife and I purchasing this car.  My point is this, one needs to look closely when making a buying decision. Sometime the particulars are not always what you think they are, 

Now late last week I was contacted by some of my ILSHRM buds letting me know that the agenda for our State Conference was complete.  I had heard some of the topics and presenter names that were on the docket.  I knew they would be thought-provoking and the leading edge HR, but when I saw the whole listing in a matrix format I was amazed.  

When I look at our conference offering, I liken this to my Cadillac purchase.  Given what Illinois SHRM has put forth I feel like we are offering a Cadillac at an affordable price. The programs are cutting edge, out front subject matter presented by some of the most well known folks in our industry.  While you might think that a conference with this caliber of talent and subject matter would be unaffordable, or somehow out of your grasp, such is not the case.  For the early registration fee $350 you can attend both days August 22 and 23.

Over the next few weeks we will be visiting with our presenters in this space, so you can get to know them better and see if you would be interested to hear what they have to say at this year’s  Illinois State Council of SHRM 12^th Annual Conference.

- Dave Ryan Director of Social Media ISC SHRM