Q2 = Gecko HRM

So, as I was listening to him, a person could easily dive into himself or herself, reflect on things that really matter, and think about where he or she is in Covey’s 4 Quadrants. In terms of personal and professional life.

In short, the main idea of the 4 Quadrants is to spend as much time as possible in Q2 because this is where a sense of fulfillment, happiness, and balance comes to life. Of course, it is very cozy just to hang around, interrupt others with non-important issues, make phone calls all day long, and go through emails and Google news every minute (Q3, Q4). This place of taking little responsibility and being used to doing everything with no special effort is also known as the comfort zone. And sometimes, this zone is so warm it is hard to step out of it. 

I was once at a meeting with the CEO of a well-known and big firm where I had an opportunity to talk about these 4 quadrants. Not only was he totally surprised by this method because he had never heard of it but he was also unable to name a few activities that were important but not urgent (Quadrant 2). He was, as I say, a professional fireman and the firm was a professional fire brigade. Excellent at putting out the fire but also excellent at lighting it. Although these kinds of actions are highly stressful, this is what he was good at and this was his comfort zone.

But once you step out of comfort zone, wonderful things can happen. 

Let’s take, for example, a classic role of an HR department in the past. It performed a so-called personal HR function with the focus on day-to-day operational activities, such as pay roles, labor contracts, and administration, safety at work, etc. Not until the late 1990s did the idea of HR as a strategic and business partner become more prominent, also known as an Ulrich model. Talent management, performance management, succession, competency models, etc. were all new terms in HR terminology. Adding measurements and different kinds of analysis really made it possible for HR managers to support business processes.

If a classic HR administrative worker in the past could use spreadsheets to calculate salaries or annual leave (because this was his main role in the organization), it is nearly impossible today to calculate annual leave or salaries for the whole firm using a calculator and a piece of paper. Or to analyze by hand each performance review in a firm with 100 employees to give an opinion on who performs very well and who needs additional support.  

Sadly enough, there are still firms that operate as described because their CEOs are so caught up in Quadrant 1 they cannot see the benefits of doing things more productively in the long term. And having more engaged employees. On the other hand, however, more and more CEOs and HR managers understand the importance of strategic HR and the benefits of supporting and embracing employees’ different needs and expectations. They know the value of Quadrant 2. In order to ensure this role, a modern HR manager can’t go without “a little help of a friend”. And that’s where our Gecko kicks in.   

Friendly, flexible, powerful and safe: Gecko

Gecko is a friendly software solution, accessible to all employees and from anywhere, allowing quick access to vital information while on the go. It supports team collaboration, letting every part of the team stay in touch and share ideas.

Gecko is a very flexible solution, made to support administrative and strategic HR processes. This includes implementations of all HR workflows and other business processes, such as content sharing, social collaboration, project management, etc.

Gecko is also a very powerful solution because it is much more than just a storage for information. An HR manager or a leader can create reports on everything concerning employees and their performances. Doing analysis by hand is a thing of the past. The HR function can provide fast and accurate information to the management supporting business decisions in a completely new way.

Besides the fact that Gecko is also a completely safe solution because it is built on the Salesforce Cloud technology where security is the top priority, I must emphasize that the biggest value of having a Gecko is the extra time you get to spend with your employees. Building relationships, helping each other, and not turning your back on an employee when he/she needs you the most because now, you have time for him/her is priceless. Putting spreadsheets and numbers aside and having time for one another. That’s what counts. 

Or, as a wise man called Goethe once said: “Things which matter most must never be at the mercy of things which matter least.”  Having a healthy and supportive working environment where people feel good about themselves is undoubtedly one of the things that really matter. And Gecko is a great companion on this journey. It is not an urgent solution. However, it’s definitely a very important one.