Hey everyone, Mike here. Some of you might know me from my BrassRing days, or perhaps from my time building and leading SmashFly. For over two decades, I've been knee-deep in the world of HR technology, always striving to build solutions that truly make a difference for HR professionals.
These days, my focus is on GraceBlocks, a no-code platform I co-founded because I saw a real need for something different. But more on that in a bit.
Today, I want to talk about a shift in focus for this blog, "The HR Agility Toolkit." We're going to be doubling down on what matters most: empowering small and medium-sized business (SMB) HR teams – specifically, those of you working in companies with up to 200 employees.
Why the change? Because over the past few years, as we've been building and refining GraceBlocks, we've seen a gap. A gap that, frankly, I saw glimpses of during my time at BrassRing and SmashFly, too. While there are plenty of great HRIS, ATS, and CRM systems out there, many of them are not well set up to fully manage custom solutions for employee based data flows. They can fall short for the dynamic, ever-evolving needs of smaller HR teams. And the reality is that the overwhelming majority of HR teams are, in fact, working in these SMB environments.
These teams, often led by what I like to call the "DIY HR professional", are the unsung heroes, constantly juggling a million things, and always looking for ways to improve processes, enhance the employee experience, and make their lives a little easier. They are constantly running into the limitations of what their core HR systems provide. You're likely using your core systems, but you're also constantly on the lookout for that extra something – a better way to manage a specific workflow, a more efficient way to collect and analyze data, a more intuitive system to communicate important information. And most importantly, you are looking for solutions that the HR team can own, manage, update and control.
That's where this blog comes in. "The HR Agility Toolkit" is going to be your resource for navigating the challenges and opportunities facing SMB HR today.
What You Can Expect:
- Real Solutions for Real Challenges: We'll tackle the day-to-day issues you face, offering practical advice and solutions. Sometimes, that will involve no-code tools like GraceBlocks. Other times, it might be a different approach altogether. My goal is to provide value, regardless of the specific tool.
- A Focus on No-Code (and Why It Matters): I firmly believe that no-code platforms are a game-changer for HR, especially in the SMB space. We'll explore how no-code can help you automate tasks, build custom workflows, and create solutions tailored to your unique needs. This is not about replacing your core systems, but about filling in those gaps. We believe that systems that manage data need to have core features like integrated two-way email and SMS, dynamic forms, ability to control access to data at a granular level, ability to easily create public facing forms, and more. These are the features that set GraceBlocks apart from other no-code solutions, and these are the features we think are critical to HR teams.
- Deep Dives into GraceBlocks: Yes, we'll showcase GraceBlocks, but not just as a sales pitch. We'll demonstrate how its unique features, like built-in two-way email and SMS, powerful forms, granular security controls, and a robust workflow engine, can address specific HR challenges. And we'll show you how they can be used not just for internal HR processes but also for your employees. 
- Beyond the Tools: We'll also discuss broader industry trends, like the impact of AI on HR, the evolving role of the HR professional, and strategies for building a more agile and resilient HR function.
- A Community of "DIY" HR Pros: I want this blog to be more than just a one-way street. I envision it as a community where we can share ideas, learn from each other, and support one another.
My Promise to You:
As someone who's spent their career building HR technology, I'm committed to providing honest, unbiased, and actionable content. I'm not interested in pushing the latest fads or promoting solutions that don't deliver real value.
I'm excited about this new chapter for "The HR Agility Toolkit," and I hope you are too. If you're an HR professional in an SMB, and you're passionate about finding new and better ways to do things, then you're in the right place.
Let's build something great together.
In the comments below, tell me about the biggest challenges you're facing in your HR role right now. What are you struggling with? What are you hoping to achieve? I'm here to listen and learn.
Stay tuned for more!
- Mike
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