To Add to the Holiday Sugar Load

As promised in our last HRST class ...

A classic, make-it-fast dessert for sharing:

S'mores bars (from Joanne Fluke's book Carrot Cake Murder)
Graham cracker sheets (most of 1 package within a box)

2 cups mini white marshmallows

1 cup cashews

1 cup (6 oz.) semisweet chocolate chips

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup dark brown sugar, packed

1 teaspoon vanilla

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Non-stick spray a 9x13 baking pan.
• Lay out graham crackers in pan.  Break some in half or in quarters to fit. The original recipe says that overlapping is fine but it doesn't work out all that great.
• Sprinkle marshmallows evenly over graham crackers.
• Sprinkle chocolate chips evenly over marshmallows.
• Sprinkle cashews evenly over chocolate chips.
• In a small saucepan, melt butter over low heat, stirring constantly.  Stir in brown sugar, stirring constantly until the sugar is dissolved.  Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.
• Drizzle evenly over pan (be sure and get the edges well).
• Bake 10-12 minutes or until marshmallows are golden.  Cool in pan on a wire rack.
• Once cool, cut into bars and serve.  Store covered chilled or at room temperature.

Happy holidays!

The Case of the Nosy VP

For my Human Resources Systems and Technology (HRST) class, we were given several case studies to consider.  Here’s my take on #2:

“You are an HRIS Analyst and have been asked by the VP of Finance for the following information from the HRIS system: Name, Job Title, Manager, Salary, Birth Date, Ethnicity, and Social Security Number.

What do you do?”

First, I would need to know why he needs this information and what he intends to do with it.  This information isn’t typically allowed out of the HR team as it contains private and secure information.  We have a corporate Comprehensive Information Security Policy as well as a Department-Specific Information Security Policy.  Also, our corporate headquarters is in Massachusetts and they have a law (201 CMR 17.00) safeguarding their residents’ personal information.  So, I’d need permission from the HR Director to aggregate this information for distribution outside of our department.

Once it’s all settled, above-board, law-abiding and the VP has pinkie-sworn to burn or swallow all incriminating information, then I’ll need to know what kind of file the VP needs – Excel, Word, Accounting Software Specific?

I’d be strongly encouraging Excel since I believe our HRIS is capable of running a report that generates all of the required information into an Excel spreadsheet.  If not, it’ll take a little more time to generate separate reports and combine the information in Excel using Pivot Tables.  I have done Pivot Tables in the past (and our class saw a quick primer/refresher last week), so I’m estimating that the turnaround time for this information is a day or two.

Putting together the pieces

This past week in HRST class we studied integrated systems and 'best of brand' applications (that are combined with other applications to form a customized system.  As I am not a full-access member of our firm's HR team, I do not know the whys and wherefores but I do know that we do not use an integrated system.  Our HRIS is provided by ADP, our timekeeping and CReMP is provided by Deltek, payroll is by ADP, and recruiting is through Monster.  To my knowledge we do not have a talent management application.  Kind of amazing to me that I know any of that - things you pick up, huh?

It was interesting to sit down with another Deltek user and look into the product.  I had no idea that Deltek has an integrated system, for example.

Starting somewhere

I read many blogs - long enough that many of them feel like friends - unmet friends.  But I confess that I'm unsure how to start this blog, my own blog.  Especially as the instructor of the HR Systems and Technology class I'm taking (hi Jun!) encourages us to work on 'building our brand'.  I think one reason that I'm struggling to define my brand is that I'm in the process of a career transition - so something that has defined me for over ten years will no longer be a major player in my life, my psyche.  That seems like an explorable theme to start.

Bloggers often refer to themselves as naval-gazers.  I think I should be up to that challenge.  However, social media has changed introspective journaling by adding opportunities for dialog.

So, share something with me.  I'll do the same.