How To Make Your HR Team Invaluable
The Human Resources department is often one of the busiest departments within any organization. With the ever-changing ACA laws, ERISA laws, harassment training requirements, and leave laws we often struggle to stay afloat because of the basic demands of our day-to-day role. How can we make sure that we are not just taking a business-as-usual approach and meeting the expectations when we really want to exceed the expectations? Below are eight areas that let us shine as HR professionals so that we are truly seen as being invaluable to any organization!
- Human Resource Information Systems/Human Resource Management Systems are key. Again, with the continuing technological advancements, HR professionals are not immune to the demands of a robust system to help communicate changes, house data, and deliver analytics…at rapid speed. Managers want efficiencies. Employees want convenience. Executives want it all at the push of a button. And, yes, it’s possible! Streamline practices and processes by consolidating all of your HR functions into one system that can meet the needs of all members of an organization. Be sure to SEE the system. Make the sales representative show you that it meets your needs, not only tell you. Invite all members of the HR team to view a demonstration of the system. Compile a list of questions and must-haves. Review and compare multiple options and narrow it down to your favorites. You’ll be glad you did when those requests start filtering in!
- Implement a wellness program. Let’s face it…HR is not a department that brings in money for the company. However, wellness programs can save a company thousands of dollars over time as they encourage healthy habits that employees might not make on their own. With the rising cost of healthcare, wellness programs are a must for any company that wants to offer a competitive benefit plan. They not only save the company money on healthcare costs, but they also encourage healthy habits that lead to happier and more productive employees. Spend a little now, save a lot later!
- Be change agents. People don’t like change. We are often in the middle of making changes that we know will benefit employees in the long run, but they don’t see it that way. Fear of the unknown and resistance to new ways of doing things are often a huge issue for companies. HR professionals have the unique opportunity of being an organization’s change agent, or cheerleader. We have the opportunity to determine how change will be communicated and when change will be communicated. By anticipating the many possible reactions to change, we can be a positive force in moving an organization forward as changes are implemented.
- Take performance seriously. Ah, yes, the dreaded performance appraisal – hated by managers and employees alike. But why? Isn’t this the time for us to recognize rock stars, assist lower performers, determine growth and opportunity, and analyze goals and objectives? It is, so make that clear to all involved in the performance appraisal process. Point out the value of the process and set clear expectations. Recognize the rock stars and develop a plan for those who aren’t yet rock stars. Use this opportunity to work on succession planning, get buy-in from the top down, be consistent, and connect performance to rewards. Which leads us to number five…
- Recognize and reward. Recognize “everyday heroes” and reward top performers. When implementing an employee recognition program for an organization a couple of years ago, we had a team of employees who provided feedback on what they would like to see in a recognition program, and we spoke with top executives to determine what they felt was important in such a program. Unfortunately, it wasn’t a match made in heaven right from the start. However, it offered insight into what was important to each group and gave us a good place to begin. In the end there was a nice compromise that promised monetary rewards, verbal recognition, and tangible items. Everyone was happy, and we didn’t need to purchase a fancy system to make it happen. The bottom line is that people want to feel valued and appreciated. Happy employees result in loyal employees which result in happy clients. See the pattern?
- Promote and demonstrate training and development. Recognizing that training is something that should be encouraged from the top down is an important step to developing all levels of your organization. Oftentimes companies simply do the required training or only train employees when there are performance issues. However, an effective training plan should be in place for all levels of employees and should begin early at the time of hire. Employees should go through training that helps them to understand the company culture your organization is striving for, managers should be trained prior to being promoted to a managerial position, and all levels of the organization should participate in harassment and diversity training. By having a thorough training plan up front for each employee/role, Human Resource professionals can stay one-step ahead of the curve when handling performance related issues and when working through succession planning.
- Be transparent. Employees like to be in-the-know. Whether it’s about the financial stability of the organization, policy changes, employment opportunities, or product changes, employees like to be included in the conversation. With employees feeling less and less secure among the ever-changing job market, it’s important to handle communication carefully. Do you have a new PTO policy you are rolling out in the next six months? Give employees a heads-up. Let them know that you are looking to make changes to the policy and try to explain the reasons behind the change, if possible. Are you not meeting your annual sales goals which may impact merit increases? Provide quarterly sales updates showing that the numbers are falling behind, and explain the plan to increase the numbers in future quarters. Chances are that most employees know there are issues anyway, and by leading the conversation you are promoting a culture of loyalty, knowledge and understanding. Employees know what the issues are and know there’s a plan in place to correct the issues. In addition, if they don’t get as big of a bonus as they originally hoped for, they’ll already have an understanding as to why.
- Know your organization’s vision. What are your organization’s goals? What is it’s objectives? Where are they wanting to go in the next 3-5 years? If you know the answers to these questions then you will be able to determine your role in assisting your organization in reaching its goals. Is the organization wanting to double it’s size in the next two years? What will that mean for your recruiting efforts? What talent is available in the areas in which your offices are located? Is the organization wanting to expand into states in which you do not currently have employees? What are the state laws within those states, and do you have the resources to meet those needs? Understanding your organization’s vision will allow you to be a successful strategic partner, and your HR team will truly prove to be invaluable!