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Networking

Networking for HR and payroll professionals

Networking can offer a wealth of knowledge, giving you the opportunity to learn from some of the most experienced professionals in your industry, who in essence, have been there, done that, and bought the t-shirt.

This month, we help you identify and make the most of your networking opportunities, so you can learn from the experts and pass on your knowledge to your teams - achieving an all round more motivated and productive workforce.

External versus Internal

It can be easy to relate networking to purely external contacts, however learning from your peers goes far beyond this. Some executives network internally with their colleagues and superiors to gain hands on intellect. This could mean signing up to a mentorship program, taking part in case studies or even arranging social get-togethers.

Networking across departments is something which, ideally, all HR and payroll professionals should partake in – afterall, both parties work to serve the employees of the company. Networking can therefore help to achieve improved customer service and synchronisation between departments.

Social Media versus Face-to-Face

The introduction of Social Media over recent years has also started to play an important part in bringing industry professionals with similar interests together to brainstorm and share success stories. Facilities such as Facebook and LinkedIn all provide platforms to open up discussions for the reader, however, are these mediums lacking the personal touch that the traditional forms of networking provide? It’s been argued that although it can be a convenient tool, often discussions on Social Media sites can be translated incorrectly, leading to a break down of communication.

The importance of socialising face-to-face, with groups of like-minded individuals, must not be ignored. Many HR and payroll professionals are fortunate enough to be invited to specialist seminars and workshops, which are often set up by external bodies with the aim to provide interactive education on core topics. If you’re not receiving invitations to such events, you can sign up to be added to a broad range of mailing lists by searching online – and some companies even let you do so free of charge.

Ceridian organises a range of annual events, with the aim to engage, educate and interact with professionals in the industry – so where better place to start growing your network than with one of the leading HR and payroll providers in the country.

In particular, attending Ceridian’s Customer Network (CCN) conference provides perfect opportunities for customers of Ceridian to meet with each other in a setting perfect for brainstorming and education.  The CCN delves into industry legislation updates and what is waiting for us in the future.

The CCN 2010 sees payroll updates from the HMRC and Ceridian’s Simon Parsons, sessions on employee engagement and the power of positivity in the workplace, amongst others.

Other key industry events and conferences worth attending in 2010:

• IPP’s Annual Payroll Conference and Exhibition (5 - 6th October 2010, Solihull)
• CIPD Annual Conference and Exhibition (9 - 11th November 2010, Manchester)
• Softworld (19 - 20 October 2010)

To profit from this annual networking opportunity, customers of Ceridian can register by visiting www.ceridian.co.uk/events