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 If
I had to describe 2017 in a
single word, I would choose
disruptive.
First, there were announced
mergers (Discovery Communications
and Scripps Networks), ongoing
efforts to finalize mergers
(AT&T and Time Warner),
rumors of mergers (Verizon and
Comcast as well as Verizon and
Charter), and the aftermath
of mergers from 2016 (Charter
Communications/Time Warner Cable/Bright
House Networks as well as Altice
and Cablevision). Mergers are
often drawn-out and messy. They
can create a state of uncertainty
for employees on both sides
of the fence and they present
enormous challenges in terms
of logistics, the integration
of corporate cultures, the alignment
of org charts and much more.
In addition
to mergers, we saw the seismic
impact of companies such as
Netflix, Google and Amazon on
digital media salaries. According
to CTHRA's
2017 Annual Compensation Surveys,
the boom in digital viewing,
fierce pressure for talent from
an ever-expanding competitor
base and continued MSO consolidation
is transforming compensation
in the industry. Digital natives
are aggressively wooing sought-after
talent with higher base, bonus
and long-term incentives than
in cable. Another disruptive
factor in 2017 was the revelation
of sexual harassment in several
industries. Brave women, and
men as well, came forward to
identify bosses who abused their
leadership positions. From this
sad state of affairs arose the
powerful #metoo movement.
Throughout
the tumultuous year, HR was
resilient. In fact, in hindsight,
it seems rather prolific that
13 months ago, CTHRA’s
Symposium Committee decided
that the theme for the October
event would be “Disruptive
Thinking.” We didn’t
just endure the disruption of
2017, we embraced it. Time and
time again, I have seen industry
HR professionals play a significant
role in the success of a company
going through significant changes.
These moments make me proud
of HR’s ability to not
only rise to the occasion but
transcend the most demanding
circumstances.
As HR professionals
we must be ever vigilant in
our efforts to protect, engage
and empower each of the 2.9
million employees in our industry.
We must embrace technologies
to help us work smarter and
leverage analytics to enlighten
our strategic decision making.
And we must identify how we
can be catalysts for transformative
change that will help our companies
thrive not only in 2018, but
far into the future.
Fortunately,
we have CTHRA to help us succeed.
One core benefit of membership
is that you have access to a
knowledge pool that is comprised
of 3,000 industry HR professionals.
Whether you post a question
on CTHRA’s LinkedIn
page, network with 250+
attendees at the HR Symposium
on October 2 in Philadelphia
or gain insight into best practices
and successful initiatives by
reading this publication, CTHRA
keeps you connected to colleagues
across the industry. In
addition, the board of directors
is continually seeking new ways
to fulfill our member needs.
If you have
an idea for a new program or
resource that CTHRA can provide,
I’m all ears. If you’d
like to pen an article for HR
Pulse, our editor
would love to hear from you.
If you’d like to serve
on one of CTHRA’s Subcommittees
or host an HR roundtable in
your city, please contact CTHRA’s
Executive Director Pam
Williams, CAE. If you know
of a deserving individual or
HR team, please submit an Excellence
in HR Awards nomination.
There are many ways to get involved
in CTHRA, and speaking from
my own experience, I can tell
you that the more engaged you
are, the more value you will
receive from your membership.
Together we can make 2018 a
banner year for CTHRA’s
3,000 members.
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