Archive for the ‘Human Resources’ category

The What and Why of Au Pairs

October 1st, 2011

It is possible that you are wondering what term Au Pairs means. Basically, Au Pairs refers to people coming from other countries and decide to live in United States of America working and living for taking care children in one of the family that will be providing the payment and some accommodation. The interesting thing about Au Pairs is that they are having an enormous knowledge and also experience dealing with some problems in childcare matters. Furthermore, they also have good education background making them reliable to be hired. They also will stay in the American family within a year and are expected to have 45 hours per week. Their primary duty is taking care the children.

So, why do you have to choose this au Pair service and what is the advantage that you can get by getting them in your house compared to an ordinary baby sitter then? The most important thing from Au Pairs is that they will be one of your family members. They will live inside your house, do some activities together with the rest family of yours and make a close connection with your children. It is important to have someone knowing what your children need and able to bond a close relationship that will give them a chance to learn something new and gain their experience.

Furthermore, your children will have a wide horizon of knowledge dealing with socio-cultural matters from any other country. It will give them an ability to see everything in a much more objective way. It is possible that you are interested to be an Au Pair. Actually, there are also benefits to become them. You will have opportunity to live in the United States and gain experience about culture and any other thing in there. You also can travel different cities and states.

Q and A – David Ulrich, Ross School of Business, University of Michigan

June 20th, 2011

(Dave Ulrich is one of the leading figures in the Human Resources field; a writer, speaker, consultant and professor at the University of Michigan, Ulrich has been acclaimed as “the most influential person in HR” by HR Magazine and as the world’s “Number One Management Educator & Guru” by Business Week. His model of HR roles and activities – the Ulrich Model – is considered the most influential and most commonly implemented occupational structure tool in the field.)

Q: What do you think have been the biggest changes to human resources, both as a field of study and in practice, during your time in the field?

A: HR has had to identify and deliver value: this means not doing more, but focusing on how what we do creates value both for employees inside the company and customers and investors outside. This changes the discussion of HR professionals with HR folks and line-managers. The focus is not on what we do, but what we deliver.

Q: And how do you see HR developing over the next few years: what are the main drivers and challenges you see in play?

A: I see HR being split like other functions: sales/marketing; finance/accounting; IT/strategic information. HR will be administrative- and transaction-driven by costs and strategic- and transformational-driven by value-added. Managing both halves is important.

Q: What impact do you see the current financial crisis having on the HR function?

A: HR becomes more important, not less, because financial capital, business strategies, and other traditional sources of competitiveness are being copied, leaving talent and organizational culture as driving sources of uniqueness. The current financial crisis is not about toxic assets, but bad leadership who made poor decisions.

Q: How has the Ulrich model itself evolved over the last few years since you first published it, and why? » Read more: Q and A – David Ulrich, Ross School of Business, University of Michigan