HR Thoughts…Week Ending 4.5.2024
We’re at the end of another week, so it’s time for some HR Thoughts.
Have you revisted your benefits lately? Do you know what matters most to you team?
Have you been renewing your same benefits package every year, going forward with the standard insurance rate increase without revisiting your package, asking your employees for feedback or simply shopping for alternatives? If this is your approach, you’re going about it all wrong. Your benefits, on a fundamental level, should benefit your employees. And you, as an employer, should want to benefit them in the best way possible that works within your budget. Benefits are for your team, but they are for you too. They are one piece of the puzzle that makes people want to continue to work for you and be happy while they do that work.
What may have worked five years ago for your employees, may not be as beneficial today. Make sure you have insight into that and take meaningful steps from there. A benefits survey that is comprehensive, with quality questions and that is acted upon is an incredibly value tool. In addition informal conversation can provide data points to consider. You also need to look at companies like yours who rank highly as employers are doing. You don’t have to copy their package, but you can find areas where you may be able to do more for your team in a way that aligns with industry trends.
Skill-sharing internally can be both a skill-builder and culture builder.
I imagine your team is loaded with skills. They get work done and probably exceed expectations (Go team!). Guess what! The skills that one employee has may help others within your organization grow in their roles. Internal lunch and learns, where one team member trains other team members, can be an invaluable culture and learning add for your organization. First, they recognize talent and spotlight great work. If structured well, the program can be a major confidence booster for the presenter. Second, they allow people across the organization to see their colleagues shine in a way they may not otherwise get to. And they also get to interact as well — either in person or in a virtual setting. And lastly, your team members learn skills that they may be able to utilize in their own role. It’s a win-win-win!
If you’re not attracting your ideal candidates, you may need to rethink your job descriptions.
Have you ever spotted a job title that looks interesting only click into the job description and immediately be turned off? It happens all the time. As someone who works in HR, I read job descriptions for research, and sometimes I literally cringe at what I read. If you’re not getting the type of candidates that you want for a job, you may need to have a look at the job description. If you’re getting hundreds of applicants, with only a few that you’d like to interview, it’s likely the JD. It could be that you’re using keywords that just aren’t relevant to your ideal candidate, or your language creates bias in some capacity, or that you’re just not accurately describing the role you’re hiring for. It could be a number of things, but if the candidates aren’t flowing to you, it’s time to start from the foundation and look at the job description.
Looking to level up HR within your organization? Let’s chat!