I don’t know about you, but during this month of multiple holidays and celebrations, I often find myself swept up in a whirlwind of festivities, food, shopping, and family gatherings. Amidst the joyous chaos, it is easy for the month to feel like a blur and unintentionally overlook the things that are happening around me. In thinking about how to reduce the distractions and be more intentionally focused this year, oddly enough I found myself reflecting on the importance of empathy.

My mentor of many years shared with me a definition of empathy that has always stuck with me, empathy is the ability to think and feel into another person’s experience. It does not mean we have had the same experience as others, rather we can find something within ourselves that allows us to connect with the other person’s emotional experience. It is about relating and understanding with compassion without judgment or making the story about us.

During the holidays, when emotions can run high and stress levels can spike, empathy becomes an invaluable tool personally and professionally. It enables us to recognize the challenges and struggles that others may be facing, even when they are not explicitly expressed.

Identifying the challenges others may be facing and providing the support they need can, at times, feel like a great deal of work. HR professionals and business leaders are often asked to provide support to co-workers and colleagues. Yet, how can we offer empathy and compassion when our own care buckets are empty?

As I have learned more about the concept of self-care over the past few years, I have realized it is a form of self-empathy. Through some research, I learned that self-empathy (also called self-compassion) is the ability to understand and share your feelings, especially when you are experiencing difficulty. It is about treating yourself with kindness and understanding, rather than judgment and criticism.

The components of self-empathy include self-kindness, common humanity, and mindfulness. Self-kindness means treating yourself with the same gentleness and care that you would show to a friend.  It means being accepting of yourself and not beating yourself up for your mistakes. Common humanity is recognizing that everyone experiences challenges and setbacks in life.  It is not something that you are alone in, and it does not make you a failure. Mindfulness is about being aware of your thoughts and feelings without judgment.  It means accepting your emotions for what they are, without getting caught up in them or trying to change them.

Empathy and self-empathy are more than feel-good sentiments; they have a real impact on our relationships, workplaces, and communities. I think as individuals, we are often hardest on ourselves. While these realizations have helped me grow, I am by no means an expert on empathy. My hope is by sharing these thoughts they may be helpful to others striving to offer empathy to people in their lives or to themselves. By practicing empathy during the holiday season, I believe we can create more connected, supportive, and compassionate workplaces.

Maya Angelou once said, “The greatest gift you can give someone is your time and attention.” Now, I would modify her thoughtful insight slightly to say that the greatest gift you can give yourself or someone else is your time and attention.

For everyone in the LSHRM community, I hope you find the time for yourself and others this holiday season. Please know you are not alone, you are more than your mistakes, and you are valued.
Regardless of the holiday you celebrate, I hope it is joyous and filled with love. I wish everyone a happy, healthy, and safe holiday season! I look forward to seeing you at our holiday breakfast on December 12th!

Happy Holidays!

My best,
Jen

Earlier this year the Sage Group published a report titled “The Changing Face of HR”.  The report surveys over 1000 HR leaders and C-Suite Executives to uncover thoughts each group has about the state of the HR industry.  The findings are interesting and reflective of perceptions I have heard from friends and colleagues in each group.  As the year is winding down and many of us are in planning mode for 2024, I thought I would share some highlights from the report that stood out. 

The survey found that HR leaders love working in HR but are overwhelmed by the daily challenges and those challenges are coming at a severe personal cost.  95% of HR leaders say working in HR is simply too much work and stress. I was shocked when I read that statistic.  I thought I was the only one feeling underwater. 

The report does not take a deep dive into what changes need to happen to reduce the volume and stress, it does lean into the relationship between HR leaders and C-suite executives.  The report states the two groups agreed that HR needs to take on more of a strategic focus and a greater consultancy role, yet both said the balance of HR work continues to be more administrative and process-focused. 

The disconnect arises when determining organizational priorities.  As the chart below shows, HR leaders feel organizational efforts should be focused on talent management, DEI initiatives, and employee health and well-being, whereas C-suite leaders find financial growth, talent management, and efficiency and productivity to be the top priorities. 

The report also notes that HR leaders find the biggest challenges and barriers to success are the increased workloads, limited budgets, a lack of resources including HR technology, and not having the right skills on the HR team.  Conversely, the C-suite highlights the need for financial resources to pay for talent and invest in systems to improve productivity and efficiency. 

It feels like a chicken-and-egg scenario.  While each group may have valid points and a strong case as to why their objectives need to be the priority, we know that “everything” cannot be a priority.  Deciding where to start can be complex, emotional, and challenging.  So what can HR leaders (especially those who are not in the C-suite) do to influence meaningful changes?   

I think it is important for both groups to remember that being caught in the debate will yield little to no results.  This is a time for negotiation and alignment.  By aligning on what the organization is trying to achieve both parties can support the activities necessary to get there. 

Of course, this is easier said than done.  So, as we meet with our teams, leaders, and stakeholders over the upcoming weeks and run into some of these inevitable challenges, I think it is important to remember that perhaps there is a win-win solution.  Neither group may have all their wishes granted but hopefully, the two groups can work together to help the organization take a collective step forward. 

Food for thought before your Thanksgiving feast.  In this month of gratitude, I want to say a heartfelt thank you to all our volunteers and sponsors who make our programs and offerings possible.  Your time, hard work, and efforts are deeply appreciated.  And to our members, you truly make a difference in the communities you touch.  Thank you for your membership, your unwavering support of LSHRM, and your dedication to professional growth.  Together, we are truly elevating and advancing human resources in Lancaster County. 

I wish everyone a happy, safe, and healthy month of November and Thanksgiving holiday!  I look forward to seeing you soon! 

My best, 

Jen 

Hello LSHRM Community!  We have exciting news to share with you this month!  If you attended the Fall Legal Conference on September 29th you learned that the LSHRM Membership Committee has been pedaling so hard in their spin classes this year that they surpassed their goal of 450 members, and we are now at 460 members!  This is a tremendous achievement, and it speaks for the hard work and efforts of our Membership Committee.   Congratulations and thank you! 

Growing our organization is about more than numbers and size, it is about the opportunity this creates for us collectively.  The LSHRM Programming Committee has long been dedicated to inviting experts to discuss the latest trends and challenges impacting the field of Human Resources.  Our DEI Committee identifies thought leaders to speak with our members and provide guidance and best practices on the evolving realms of diversity, equity, and inclusion.  The efforts of our board and Workforce Development Committee have yielded multiple, strategic workforce partnerships.  Through these partnerships, we have been able to expand our reach and connect with business and non-profit leaders to offer insight and build relationships with a wider audience.  

And these are highlights of only a few of our committees!  It takes a lot of time and effort to be able to continually offer a high-quality product and service to our members.  While we are small in proportion to the total population of Lancaster County, we constantly strive to make a positive impact and strengthen our community.  With our growing membership, we believe we can continue to exceed our goals and live out our mission.  To paraphrase Margaret Mead, “Never doubt that a small group of committed people can change the world, indeed it is the only thing that ever has.”  

It is the work of our entire team of over 70 volunteers who worked together over the past 12 months that allowed Lancaster SHRM to be honored by the PA State Council of SHRM as the Chapter of the Year!  This is the 3rd time LSHRM has been the recipient of this award, making the Lancaster Chapter the most recognized SHRM chapter in the State!  (Pennsylvania has 25 SHRM chapters with over 5,000 collective members.) 

Being recognized for our collective efforts and achievements feels wonderful.  The acknowledgment brings a smile to my face and reassurance that we are heading in the right direction.  That being said, I am even more excited about the possibilities of what we can bring with our growth.  I love the increased energy, the additional talent, and the ideas coming forward.  I truly cannot wait to see where we will be a year from now. 

I am sincerely grateful to all of our members, volunteers, speakers, and sponsors.  Thank you for continuing to build Lancaster SHRM into an organization we can all be proud to represent. 

I hope everyone has a safe and healthy month of October!  I hope to see you at our breakfast on October 10th! 

My best, 

Jen