think this issue resonates for anyone in
the hotel, resort and vacation ownership
industries, because you’ll see that people
move every two to three years. I don’t
think we are going to find people willing
to do this in the future.
Another challenge is to stay in front
of technology, because we have such
a geographically dispersed workforce.
We also have many people who have
to manage virtually, but there are still
Succession planning and
talent management are key
for us — we have to ensure
we have successors in place
for all of our key markets
and projected growth.
people in today’s workforce who don’t
understand how to do this effectively.
There are organizations that have been
more successful than others, and you can
recruit people from those organizations
who have a better understanding of this.
C: Does certification help you in your job or
field? How so?
KM: Absolutely. For me, and I’ve met
others like me, certification has helped
because I started in the accounting
consulting industry. I began as a
consultant and then went into the audit
side of the business. I earned my CPA
and did that for a number of years. I
moved into human resources a third of
the way into my career. I can tell you that
the coursework and information I went
through to prepare for the Professional in
Human Resources (PHR®) really allowed
me to establish a baseline of technical
skills.
I think it’s easier for people to make a
lattice move in an organization when they
have something like that. When a function
has an established baseline of technical
abilities, it creates a level playing field.
It’s the same with the CPA, which creates
a level playing field — you know what
other CPAs know. I feel it’s the same way
with an HR certification. My certification
helped me to make a lateral move and
then move upward. The resources that are
available to help you prepare for an exam
are huge in helping you to prepare your
technical skills baseline.
C: Do you see it helping others?
KM: I have a gentleman on my team who
came from the learning and development
area of another company and then
transferred to WVO. He really wanted
to make a move into an HR director
role with a generalist focus. He chose
to get his Senior Professional in Human
Resources (SPHR®). He felt it would give
him the baseline he needed to make that
Our teams are focused
on not just today, but are
continuously looking at the
future.
transition because he already understood
our company.
He’s good at what he does, he’s well
respected, but that piece was missing for
him. He earned his SPHR, and we moved
him into an HR director role. He has done
beautifully, and other people were able
to look at him and say, “Yes, his skills are
there and they are transferable.”
My certification helped me
to make a lateral move and
then move upward.
C: What does your organization do that
is forward thinking for the future of the
workforce?
KM: At WVO, we have a long-term talent
management strategy in place. We have
a large focus around each of the key
areas that are important to our talent
management strategy, including acquiring,
developing and retaining teams now and
in the future. This may be something that
many HR teams do for the year ahead, but
I think very few plan three to five years
in advance for a strategic plan or