Spotlight

10 Questions for Randy MacDonald, Senior Vice President, Human Resources, IBM

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Randy MacDonald joined IBM in August 2000 as senior vice president, human resources. Before joining IBM, he held human resources leadership positions at Ingersoll-Rand Company and Sterling Drug, Inc., and then served GTE (now Verizon Communications) for 17 years.

What are the top three issues you see facing HR professionals in the next five years?

A hot issue now and for the foreseeable future is the globalization of resources and the impact that offshoring has on mature economies. Another issue is the evolution of workforce models and the redefinition of terms between employee and employer. Today's fast-paced marketplace requires new ways to match leading-edge skills to ever-changing business requirements. HR needs to develop solutions that provide the business with maximum flexibility. Related to this is another high-priority for HR — investment in the skills development of the workforce. The competitive nature of today's marketplace requires the constant refreshing of skills and expertise. Learning is the next major evolution of HR!

We understand that one of your goals is to make IBM a "great place to work." Tell us about some of the initiatives you've introduced to achieve this.

As evidenced by external recognition, we are a great place to work — we just want to be better. We're designing physical space improvements and community venues where employees can come together to learn, network and socialize. We also provide employees with a suite of work/life and flexibility options, including resources and information to help them manage their work and life responsibilities. These include webinars, seminars and moderated chats, and help with personal wellness, child care, elder care and technology enablement. Forming the foundation of these efforts are IBM's values: dedication to every client's success, innovation that matters for our company and for the world, trust and personal responsibility in all relationships.