When Pat Perry assumed the leadership of ERC nearly 20 years ago, the field of human resources was a far simpler game. Many companies still viewed employees as replaceable parts.
What a difference a new economy makes. Today, ERC offers a far wider range of services to employers who hope to attract and retain “top performers,” the better to compete in an age of innovation.
ERC, a leading provider of human resources, workplace training and research in Northeast Ohio, kept pace with the rapid changes and benefited from them, Perry contends. He feels so good about the future of his organization, he’s stepping down.
On Jan. 1, Perry ceded the reins at ERC to a colleague, Kelly Keefe, and transitioned to the role of chairman.
“I’ve always believed when things are really going great, it’s time for a change,” he says. “I love this place, and I love our people, and I love what we do.”
But he’s always desired to be part of a transition, he says, adding, “I think that’s one of the most important things a leader can do.”
Keefe, who was vice president of training, consulting and coaching services, is the first woman to lead ERC in its 97-year history. She arrived a dozen years ago from Deloitte, where she focused on business development. Perry praises her experience but also her thoughtfulness and integrity.
“She’s a leader who will be consistent and will do the right thing for the right reasons all the time,” he says.
Keefe inherits a rare legacy.
The Employers Resource Council emerged from the Roaring ’20s, founded by a group of CEOs to help manufacturers deal with labor issues. Nine decades later, the Highland Heights-based organization serves more than 1,000 members, most of them middle-market companies representing an array of industries. With a staff of 30, ERC provides everything from HR resources to executive coaching to survey data on salaries and benefits.
ERC also offers health insurance for small- to mid-sized businesses. In addition, it has helped to shape the new workplace culture with programs like Northcoast 99, which recognizes employers who have policies and practices that attract great talent.
“The number one thing I hear from CEOs is, ‘Pat, we can’t seem to find and keep good people,’ ” Perry observes.
The key, he says, is becoming “an employer of choice” in a business world that’s no longer a buyer’s market.
Perry joined ERC in 1998 and is the architect of many of its programs. He’s also an author, newspaper columnist and busy keynote speaker.
As chairman, Perry says, he hopes to focus more on his ERC passions, like Northcoast 99, ERC Health and client relationships. He’s lost none of his zeal for workplace culture, which he insists is still evolving at a fast clip.
In the near future, Perry predicts, the five-day work week will vanish, replaced by “a seamless approach to work and life. And I hope to live to see it.”