Lauren Morgan to join Psynergy as Senior HR Manager
May 21, 2018 - A steady pattern of growth at Psynergy Programs sparked the need for a senior HR professional to facilitate employee engagement, retention and education, says founding partner Jean Edwards. Edwards, who has been serving as director of human resources in addition to her role as chief communications officer, is excited about the new hire.
“Lauren is going to be an integral part of taking our business to the next step. She will increase our presence for recruitment, as well as handling implementation of benefits and workers’ comp matters. She will be working alongside Jessica Garrison in our HR department,” says Edwards. “Her detailed knowledge of the labor laws and understanding of employee management will help us implement new information we’ve gained through a recent 360 review process. We’re counting on Lauren to help us evolve our culture in a positive way.”
Morgan, who holds SPHR and SHRM-SCP credentials, previously managed human resources operations in the advertising and resort industries, as well as in health care. She plans to reach out to the community in a proactive way through area nursing associations and job fairs, and through year-round recruiting. Her emphasis will be on finding the right long-term candidates for Psynergy rather than simply filling vacancies. She envisions a deeper level of involvement with potential candidates than has been possible in the past.
“I really want to be able to sit in on meetings with the staff, and be a resource for them,” says Morgan. “Psynergy conducted a survey recently that speaks to employee concerns as well as management goals. I will be studying the results and addressing issues that emerged. Retention is a real priority for HR professionals today. In addition to bringing in a new employee, we need to get them to stay. So I will be working with managers to set goals and follow up on them, and to make sure that the annual review process is proactive, accurate and fair.”
Morgan characterized herself as a “walk-around” HR manager. “In my last job I knew all the employees by name. I like to see what they are doing, how busy they are, and keep the relationship visible and open. I want to let people know that I am there and interested.”
She also addressed some of the education incentives that Psynergy offers employees, and the need to balance the incentive with the expense, to achieve a balance that is fair for everyone. “I think a concern that employers have is that as soon as an employee has been repaid for their education, that they will leave,” says Morgan. “We need to find a way to structure the education incentive so that it works for both parties. We also need to create ‘career ladders’ for employees that allow us to promote from within– that’s a smart strategy for everyone.”
According to Morgan, Human Resources is a very large piece of the puzzle when it comes to achieving business success. “It is a delicate balance between the people side and the business side. HR should always be invested in both the people and in making the business a success,” she says. “Today when unemployment is low, companies have to have a very good grasp of what they have to offer and what they need, but also how they compare with their competition. Turnover is expensive, and retention is paramount – the higher the level of the job, the more important it becomes.”
Lauren Morgan is joining Psynergy Programs in Morgan Hill on May 21, 2018.
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