Week 5 Learning Log

Overall Observations/Reflection:

Over the last four weeks, I have been actively using Blogger alongside SHRM connect. SHRM Connect is a part of SHRM (Society for Human Resource Management). SHRM Connect is a community where a member of SHRM can create discussion posts, ask questions, reply, and get answers on a variety of HR-related topics. It is used by students and HR professionals alike and is also a great way to get connected with others in the HR field as well as to obtain relevant ideas. Blogger is the tool I used after gathering information from my fellow SHRM members about the weekly topics at hand and apply them to my current studies with the topics from my HRM501 class.

The weekly topics were as follows:

6 Paradoxes Facing HR:

I became familiarized with the six paradoxes of HR. I focused my research as well as a blog post on the organization and individual paradoxes, and how it's critical as an HR professional to be aware of employee needs within an organization and work with them so that their success and growth will be reflected on the organization.

Capability Audit:

Not only was I able to complete a capability audit for my current organization, but I was also able to determine which areas need improvement. With the input from other discussion threads on SHRM connect, I was able to determine that it is essential to gather the input of others within the organization on what areas they feel need the most attention for improvement. After gathering this information, the HR professional can share their findings with management to make an executive decision and plan of implementation. This way, everyone is aligned and on board with the changes to better the company.

Communication Audits:

It is common knowledge that "communication is key," and this expression is especially applicable to HR professionals in an organization. In Week 3, I was able to learn how communication audits work and how they are used for collaborative purposes. Communication and collaboration go hand-in-hand, and HR professionals must be aware of the current conditions of both aspects within an organization

Social media/collaboration tools in HR:

Tying in with the previous week, one significant way HR professionals enable effective communication and collaboration across an organization is through social media tools and platforms. During week 4, I investigated what other students and HR professional use at their companies through SHRM connect, as well as how these tools impacted communication throughout their organizations.

Relation to this course/group project:

I feel that a lot of the topics discussed in the weekly blog connected well with the course material as well as the group project. For example, in the first week, I blogged about the importance of an individual and an organization. A big takeaway from this week's research of SHRM connect was how streamlining formation across groups in an organization is critical for organizational success. I feel that this especially pertained to the group project because we need to be streamlined with our work and communicate our ideas and plans to complete the project. As an HR professional, it is crucial to be able to align business initiatives across an organization. This is done all while gathering input from employees and their views on the business initiatives. One of HR's main goals is to streamline all activity for the success and development of the company.

Another example is the use of collaborative tools and technology. HRM501 had all the students get out of their comfort zone and use tools such as Prezi and Audacity for the group project, as well as Blogger and SHRM Connect for our weekly logs. We also used NECB Canvas as a form of communication, and I found that these tools were essential to success as well as communication in this course. As an HR professional, you need to be able to adjust to the continuous changes in technology and business.

Future Relationship with HR:

I feel that after completing this process, I achieved great insight into not only my class but my future career in HR. Along with the research completed for this course, I also took notice of other discussion posts within the SHRM connect community. I saw that many were posted by current HR professionals looking to either connect or get a current/relevant question answered for their current practice (i.e., labor laws, business plans, policies career advice, and more). The SHRM connect community is very welcoming, and it looks like everyone is on board to share their ideas and input so that everyone can be successful and help others with their HR career. I feel that as I continue my education as well as a career in HR, SHRM as well as SHRM Connect will be useful tools for my success as an HR professional.