The realities of today’s economy are causing radical changes in the field of human resources. Corporations have shifted rapidly from workforce expansions to layoffs, and corporate mergers are increasing, yet the new economy has made developing human capital more important than ever before. How should human resource managers prepare themselves for these volatile times in the workplace?

This question will be explored at DePaul University’s “Re-inventing Human Resources: Adjusting to the Changing Economy,” a free symposium that includes a panel discussion and presentations for human resource professionals and people interested in entering the field. The event will be held from 2 p.m. to 5:30 p.m May 15 at the DePaul Center, 1 E. Jackson Blvd., Room 8005.

Speakers and panelists include:

· Helen LaVan, DePaul professor of human resource management, will moderate the panel discussion. In addition to her academic experience, LaVan is a certified career manager, licensed professional counselor and human resource consultant. She brings to the discussion her expertise on employee downsizing, human resource legal issues and career planning.

· Don Allen, industrial psychologist and human resources executive for Home Depot, will discuss how Home Depot human resource managers are adjusting to the changing economic environment.

· Jane Halpert, DePaul associate professor of psychology, will bring to the discussion her expertise on workplace discrimination and personnel psychology.

· Robert Greene, CEO of Reward Systems, Inc., will speak on “Effectively Managing Intellectual Capital: Critical Challenge for Human Resources.” He is a consultant to organizations on formulating and evaluating human resource and compensation strategies and designing, administering and evaluating compensation programs.

· Dan Koys, associate dean of DePaul’s College of Commerce, will discuss the reputation of human resources and his research examining whether positive employee attitudes and behaviors influence business outcomes, and vice versa.

· Stuart Sidle, DePaul visiting assistant professor of management, will discuss the dysfunctional relationship between human resources and Corporate America, which chased after top talent in 2000 only to begin downsizing in 2001. Sidle is a consultant to a wide variety of organizations in the area of leadership development and change management.

The event is organized by Sidle and other faculty members in the uniiversity’s new Master’s in Human Resource Management (MHRM) program. The program’s faculty plan to make the event an annual affair for Chicago human resource managers to discuss the latest trends in the field, Sidle said.

“This event will be a great opportunity for human resource management practitioners, students and academics to share knowledge relating to effective human resource practices during this economic roller coaster,” Sidle said. DePaul’s Kellstadt Graduate School of Business will begin offering the new 18-month MHRM program in the fall. The program was created in response to growing student interest in enrolling in a master’s degree program that focuses on human resources rather than an MBA concentration in human resources. The interdisciplinary, 14-course program combines study in the human resource functional areas of strategic management, staffing and compensation with courses in core business areas, law, management, public service and psychology. The program not only awards master’s degrees but also helps students to prepare for human resource managers’ certification examinations.

“The multidisciplinary approach to DePaul’s MHRM program is unique and valuable,” Sidle said. “Today’s human resource managers can’t operate in a bubble. They must be able to see the big picture so that the can create people-management systems that are consistent with a company’s strategy and external demands such as a changing economy.” Although formally housed in the Kellstadt Graduate School of Business, the program’s interdisciplinary nature allows the flexibility to facilitate career changes into human resources from other functional areas in both the public and private sectors, he said.

For more information about DePaul’s “Reinventing Human Resources: Adjusting to the Changing Economy” event call Sidle at 312/362-8487. For more information about DePaul’s MHRM program, call 312-362-6677.