(yea, I’m back)…

I’m blessed with having really great clients.  Some push me (and my products and services) to higher and higher levels of quality.  Others invite me into strategic discussions about talent management.  Still others ask me to involve myself in their process improvement efforts related to workforce engagement and customer satisfaction.

And then there are a couple that I like to work with because they do cool stuff for their employees.  And one of those folks put forth a human resources initiative that is causing quite a stir, a good one.

My client’s organization is going through a major transition, tens of thousands of employees are being affected, work is changing, responsibilities are shifting…  things are in a state of flux and will be for quite a while.  However these changes are also providing opportunities for many of the current workforce.  As jobs and job duties shift inside the organization, employees are being encouraged to apply for other jobs that better fit their skills and interests.

But many of these employees haven’t filled out an application in years, let alone have an updated resume.

So my client did the unthinkable.  She hired a colleague of mine who specializes in recruiting and selection to work with internal employees and help them update their resume and improve their interviewing skills.  Instead of letting a company reorganization displace workers who have done commendable work in their current job, my client is actually spending money helping them find another job inside their organization.

Employees want the ability to move up, move over, or they’re going to move out.  By giving the affected employees the tools and resources to continue their career inside the organization, the company is again reinforcing the notion that they care about the short and long term careers of their employee. It’s why they are a leader in their industry.  It’s why their company continues to thrive in a down economy.

What a refreshing way to treat employees.