Steve Miranda

Managing Director

The Cornell Center for Advanced Human Resource Studies (CAHRS)

www.ilr.cornell.edu/cahrs

Steve is the Chief Global HR and Content Integration Officer for the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM). In this role, Steve is responsible for both the development of best-in-class HR programs for the world’s largest professional HR organization as well as globalization and planning strategies focused on serving both existing and future members.
Steve is a former HR Vice President at Lucent Technologies where his work took him around the world, including a 3 ½ year assignment as head of Lucent’s HR operations for the Asia Pacific region. Other specific responsibilities included the creation of global talent development initiatives, assessment methodologies, leadership development programs, and organizational design / effectiveness strategies.

Workforce trends can change the whole cultural dynamic of a business because some trends will have a positive impact on your business and others a negative one. Our intention here is to educate you on the top five workforce trends you can use in 2012. We will examine the role of advisory boards, the effect of hyper-specialization on efficiency, how location will impact your tax liability, ways to motivate your leaders and how best to manage your employees’ skill set in response to ever-changing operational demands. Boards of advisors are emerging as a result of disillusionment with company boards of directors; they provide insight into specific marketing, operational or product development issues. But, why are boards of directors not meeting expectations and what criteria should determine the selection process for advisors? We intend to answer these and many other questions. Expanding on the 2011 trend toward customization of products and services, businesses are increasing efficiency by introducing hyper-specialization. There are concerns that dividing projects into bite-sized chunks may mean specialists lose sight of the big picture. We will look at the pros and cons and compare hyper-specialization among different industries. States desperate for more revenue are looking at taxing businesses according to where the work takes place in addition to location-based taxes. Individuals who work or contract in more than one state will be affected. The question remains as to whether this is a feasible option or whether freelancers and contractors will fight back. With the digital era creating a culture or need for instant gratification, we will examine what incentives are being employed to keep high level executives and strategic planners motivated throughout long-term projects where results may take years to show. When we look at changing workforce needs, we will research what skills will be critical to businesses in the next few years. Your employees are more likely to remain loyal if you provide ongoing training to meet the demands of the job. With seemingly endless pressures on businesses to survive and remain successful, now is the right time to fine-tune your operation and keep your work force happy. Stay tuned in 2012 for the top five workforce trends that will benefit you. To prepare for 2012 and beyond, consider the following. Design an advisory board to spur growth. Accelerate processes using hyper-specialization. Keep your eye on how states define where you work. Measure and motivate leaders differently. And lastly, prepare for unique future workforce needs.