This is the part where I get serious. These five songs teach us lessons not only about life in general but also about work. They also have the added advantage of being a great listen. So put on your headphones and prepare to learn.
You call me all friendly
Tellin’ me how much you miss me
That’s funny, I guess you’ve heard my songs
Well, I’m too busy for your business
This is for all the folks in talent acquisition. Do you remember all those candidates you sent run-of-the-mill, auto-generated rejection emails? Worse still – those who you never called back? They are probably the stars you want on your team right now. Guess what they are saying? Yep, you guessed right. They don’t give a damn. Maybe next time you’ll do better.
It’s everything you ever want
It’s everything you ever need
And it’s here right in front of you
This is where you wanna be (this is where you wanna be)
Learn from that man himself. P.T. Barnum (I’ve written too much about him already) was a great showman and if you are to survive in HR, you need to brush up your marketing skills. For HR is as much about marketing a great workplace as it is creating it.
All of my friends say I should move on
She’s just another girl, don’t let her stick it to your heart so hard
And of all my friends say it wasn’t meant to be
And it’s a great big world, she’s just another girl
Great candidates slip by and top performers leave. The world doesn’t stop. Pull yourself together and get back to work. There are many more fish in the sea. Keep hunting and focus on growing the others in your team. Don’t let the pain of loss keep you from seeing the other stars.
4. You owe me – The Chainsmokers
Say it to my face if you mean it
Say it to my face, but you won’t
We owe a huge deal to our employees (including ourselves), yet we pay them money and think that it is all OK. The workplace, the very space they spend half their lives at, deserves to be humane, a little less stressful and a lot more meaningful. Yet we don’t give them the whole truth, we don’t even tell them how good/bad they are at their jobs. Doesn’t sound fair. The organization doesn’t do employees a favor by hiring them. They often do more for the organization than the organization does for them. Don’t take them for granted.
5. Whatever it Takes – Imagine Dragons
Whatever it takes
You take me to the top, I’m ready for
Whatever it takes
‘Cause I love the adrenaline in my veins
I do what it takes
I heard this song for the first time last year and it quickly became my anthem of the year. Because at the end, everyone does whatever it takes to get to where they want to be. It doesn’t mean they get unethical, it means what they are usually willing to work hard and smart. Figure out what your employee/manager/team member wants, what makes them tick and answer the ‘what’s in it for me’ question. Answer it well. Then step back and watch magic happen.
That’s all for now folks. Enjoy playing these songs on repeat or not. Either ways, definitely give a listen to the other great recommendations flowing in. Follow #HRMixtape2018 on Twitter and rock on.
The HR Business Partner Story 