A marketing WORK-HORSE.

One of the leading magazines in the human resources industry, Workforce has a distinct point of differentiation from its competitors. The Workforce Optimas Award is the only substantive competition that recognizes excellence in the field.

A goal of this promotion is to reach CEOs of FORTUNE 1000 companies. (We make it to third base when a CEO expresses an interest in the award to his or her senior HR executive.) Accordingly, Brent Green crafted a letter for the signature of Workforce Editor-in-Chief, Allan Halcrow, as follows:

Here's the letter text to Lou Gerstner, IBM's recently retired CEO.

Dear Mr. Gerstner:

My media colleagues are missing something critical. Many are fixated with the Internet and e-commerce as panaceas for sustaining competitive advantage.

And why not? Fifty thousand more people jump online every day, and we are catapulting toward a global network of more than one billion. This is part of the problem.

Internet strategies will not be the most important factor influencing future revenues, earnings per share, stock price, or customer satisfaction.

At the end of the day, what separates robust companies from stragglers is how successfully they recruit and retain quality people – visionary workers who can stake claims in the digital frontier. Consider this:

The American Management Association found that the percentage of US job applicants who lack math and reading skills to be successful on the job has increased from 19% to 36% during the last two years. This disturbing statistic, coupled with low unemployment, has created a smaller pool of job seekers who can help your great company capitalize on a growing digital economy.

During the last decade, human resources departments have been evolving beyond administration to becoming a strategic asset. Senior executives are realizing that in a service and knowledge-based economy – an Internet world – workforce excellence is axiomatic to enhancing shareholder value.

Mr. Gerstner, because your HR team is extraordinary at taking care of the workforce side of IBM, how motivating would it be for them to receive the highest honor in their profession?

Since 1991, the Workforce Optimas Award has become the sin qua non of achievement, providing credible endorsement that HR is working.

In a few days, your senior HR executive will receive a nomination package from Workforce Magazine. Please offer your support. Your concern that they enter and compete will also be rewarding.

When your HR staff wins an Optimas Award, IBM wins – with current employees and with prospective recruits seeking world-class employers.

Best personal regards,

Allan Halcrow

Publisher/Editor-in-Chief

AH:bg

The mailing package included an advertisement reprint:

The results have been interesting. For example, the CEO of Hewlett Packard behaved as we intended and passed our letter to his senior HR executive, who, in turn, contacted WORKFORCE publisher Allan Halcrow for more submission details.

"We received about 50 entries, which is more than we've ever received before by quite a lot. There were a fair share of Blue Chip companies such as FedEx and Hewlett Packard. The overall quality of the entries was much better – about half of this year's winners were self-nominated, versus one or two in previous years. I think you and your team should feel great about how things turned out."