[Post by Greg Gammie, Implementations Manager at GeoMetrix Data Systems Inc.] The value proposition for implementing a new human resources information system (HRIS), especially if implementing a cloud based Software as a Services (SAS) based model, is often clear and compelling. In fact, it is estimated that organizations spent approximately $10 billion USD implementing such global systems in 2014. How many organizations have recently implemented a new HRIS? What challenges did they face during and after implementation? What outcomes have organizations experienced? Human Capital Media Advisory Group, the research arm of Workforce magazine, in partnership with Mercer, is conducting this global survey to examine the opportunities and challenges faced by organizations while implementing a new HRIS. They’d like your input on these topics. Please take just 15 minutes to tell them about your organization, and they’ll send you a white paper reporting on the results. To take the survey visit: HCM Transformation Survey

[Post by Arden Rose, Account Manager at GeoMetrix Data Systems Inc.] Workforce magazine is pleased to invite you and your colleagues to an exploration of the future of benefits management. Designed by the editors of Workforce magazine in conjunction with researchers from the Human Capital Media Advisory Group, this event explores how employee benefit management is being transformed by technology. From wearables to electronic exchanges and gamification, benefits management is in the midst of a generational shift, giving consumers unprecedented tools to manage their own healthcare and retirement planning. Many employers struggle with the shift, others are finding unprecedented opportunity. The conference will examine the challenges, opportunities and shifts in employee benefit management, pushing the dialogue from vision to action and creating measurable results for employees and employers alike along the way. Informed by research from multiple sources, including the landmark original research from Workforce sister organization the Human Capital Media Advisory Group, this event will put you in direct conversation with colleagues, researchers and management experts to look at the current state of benefit management, where future trends are headed and provide ideas and action steps for creating an employee benefit program that contains costs and attracts talent. For more information visit: Workforce Focus on Benefits

Our annual pumpkin carving contest was a big success again this year as you can see from some of the entries below. We at GeoMetrix Data Systems would like to wish you and your families a safe and happy Halloween.

Our LMS, TrainingPartner, is a finalist in the Best of Elearning! Awards for 2015. As a finalist in this prestigious industry awards program, our product was singled out by readers and professionals from both the private and public sector, who cast more than 4,000 nominations for the best-in-class solutions across 30 product categories. TrainingPartner, which is a component of our GeoTalent Talent Management System, was nominated in the LMS Enterprise category. "Awards such as this are recognition of the dedication our staff has to producing the best learning and talent management products that we can," said Justin Hearn, president of GeoMetrix Data Systems. "We’ve been developing the TrainingPartner product line since 1992 and have recently incorporated it into a larger Talent Management suite called GeoTalent. With TrainingPartner at its core, we expect GeoTalent to be just as popular with users as TrainingPartner has been for more than 20 years. I’d like to congratulate all my employees on a job well done! I’d also like to thank everyone who nominated us. We appreciate the time you took to make this happen." In its 11th year, The Best of Elearning! Awards program is the industry gold standard for excellence. The program is a User’s Choice Award whereby learning professionals vote with their ballot for best-in-class solutions. Eighty-five percent of professionals have personally recommended a learning solution to a colleague over the past 12 months and this awards program formalizes this personal recommendation process. Award recognition is important for buyers, as 61 percent agree that award recognition impacts their buying decision, according to Elearning! Media Group’s research. This year, 100 individual products and solutions are being named as finalists. "Our industry continues to innovate and evolve. We responded by adding the new categories of for Adaptive/Personalized Learning Platforms, Adaptive/Personalized Learning Content, and Content Aggregations Libraries. We are committed to recognizing innovation and user satisfaction across a diverse group of solution providers," reports Jerry Roche, editorial director of the Elearning! Media Group. Winners of each category will be revealed in Elearning! and Government Elearning! magazines in December and honored at the Best of Elearning! Celebration at the Enterprise Learning! Conference. For more information visit: Best of Elearning! Awards Finalists

[Post by Arden Rose, Account Manager at GeoMetrix Data Systems Inc.] Bersin by Deloitte is presenting a free webinar on November 12 titled, "Onboarding: The On-Ramp for Employee Success." Senior Research Analyst Sally-Ann Cooke will discuss a Bersin by Deloitte report and review Why onboarding matters; Components of a good onboarding program; and Technologies that can help. Register for this complimentary webinar at: Bersin Webinar: Onboarding

[Post by Karla Willems, Account Manager at GeoMetrix Data Systems Inc.] Join Chief Learning Office magazine November 17 and 18 for the online edition of the Fall CLO Symposium. Being there when CLO relives all the best moments from thought-provoking discussions to stirring idea exchanges — all inspired by the multiple expert speakers from the Fall 2015 CLO Symposium during the Online Edition. Access to this encore presentation is free — no cost, no travel! Hear how learning leaders are experimenting with and applying new approaches as well as transforming traditional models to meet the demands of the modern workforce. As an attendee, you will have the opportunity to network with fellow attendees and receive HRCI and SHRM credit. Take advantage of this unique opportunity to share the most exclusive learning and development conference in the industry with a colleague, or experience it for yourself firsthand from your location of choice at no cost. For a look at the agenda, visit closymposium.com/online. To register visit: CLO Fall Symposium Online

In honour of Remembrance Day, we are posting a poem written during World War 1 more than 100 years ago in May 1915 by Canadian military doctor and artillery commander Major John McCrae (1872-1918). In Flanders fields the poppies blow Between the crosses, row on row, That mark our place; and in the sky The larks, still bravely singing, fly Scarce heard amid the guns below. We are the Dead. Short days ago We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow, Loved and were loved, and now we lie In Flanders fields. Take up our quarrel with the foe: To you from failing hands we throw The torch; be yours to hold it high. If ye break faith with us who die We shall not sleep, though poppies grow In Flanders fields. Please note that the province of British Columbia in Canada has chosen to designate Remembrance Day, November 11, as a statutory holiday. Our head office is in British Columbia, and we are closed for the day. Photo from Wikimedia Commons

[Post by Arden Rose, Account Manager at GeoMetrix Data Systems Inc.] Harvard Business Review estimates that by 2020, over 50% of the worldwide workforce will be virtual. In this complimentary webinar, best-selling author, Kevin Sheridan, will discuss the benefits of allowing employees to work remotely, the attributes to look for when hiring for remote positions, employment engagement drivers for virtual workers and how organizations can overcome the barrier of trust. This one-hour webinar hosted by Training magazine is being held on Wednesday, Nov 18, 2015 at 10AM Pacific/1PM Eastern. Can’t make that time? No worries. If you register and don’t show up, you’ll get a link to the recorded event that you can listen to later. To register for this free webinar visit: Training Mag Events

[Post by Karla Willems, Account Manager at GeoMetrix Data Systems Inc.] Training magazine’s 2016 Emerging Training Leaders awards program is open for nominations until January 18, 2016. This program recognizes training professionals who are relatively new to the training/learning and development industry (minimum of two years and maximum of 10 years in the field) and who have demonstrated exceptional leadership skills, business savvy, and training instincts. The criteria for the awards says that nominations must come from managers, co-workers, peers/colleagues—each company can nominate ONLY 2 candidates (no self-nominations). The candidate must be in the training industry for a minimum of two years but no more than 10 years experience and must have taken on at least one new responsibility in the last year. For the rest of the criteria, visit: Emerging Training Leaders The competition will be judged by Training’s Top 10 Hall of Famers and the editor of Training magazine in January and February 2016. Winners will be notified in March 2016 and featured in the May/June 2016 print issue of Training magazine. For more information visit: Emerging Training Leaders

[Post by Greg Gammie, Implementations Manager at GeoMetrix Data Systems Inc.] For the past seven years, Training Industry Inc. has surveyed learning leaders from a variety of industries to identify the process capabilities and practices that define great training organizations. Over 1,600 learning leaders from 1,300 organizations across the globe have contributed their expert opinions. The current study continues this research and investigates the processes and practices that define great training organizations like yours. Please take a few minutes to contribute to this valuable industry research and you’ll receive a copy of the benchmark report, summarizing survey findings and providing a personalized scorecard. To take the survey visit: Survey Monkey