{"id":4833,"date":"2020-12-31T10:00:00","date_gmt":"2020-12-31T11:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sonusbenefits.com\/getting-the-competitive-advantage-optimizing-hr\/"},"modified":"2021-02-12T15:44:19","modified_gmt":"2021-02-12T15:44:19","slug":"getting-the-competitive-advantage-optimizing-hr","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sonusbenefits.com\/getting-the-competitive-advantage-optimizing-hr\/","title":{"rendered":"Getting the Competitive Advantage: Optimizing HR"},"content":{"rendered":"

Your HR team worries about a lot <\/em>of things.<\/p>\n

They worry about compensation, compliance, retention, engagement, attraction, productivity, company culture, and more. Over the past few years, HR has gotten more and more attention as leaders recognize its ability to drive results and growth.<\/p>\n

If your C-Suite hasn’t yet, it’s well past time to start strengthening the ties between HR and your leadership teams. With the right direction, HR can provide insights into different levels of your organization that direct managers, individuals, and high-level leaders can easily miss.<\/p>\n

Uncovering the competition<\/h3>\n

A large part of attracting and retaining top industry talent is standing out among your competitors. This requires an intimate knowledge of the different factors employees care about right now<\/em>, not what ten years ago.<\/p>\n

HR has a unique window into this subject. They have access to internal team reviews, the benefits you offer, and professional development plans. They’re there for interviews and can track what questions candidates ask about the culture, what you offer, and how your business is run.<\/p>\n

All this is a roundabout way of saying HR has the hard data you need.<\/p>\n

If you’re wondering why a clutch of employees all left at the same time or why you don\u2019t see a strong ROI on your benefits plan, your HR team has the answers in substantial, verifiable numbers. Their insight can be invaluable when deciding what perks to offer or how to develop company loyalty and engagement.<\/p>\n

Setting you up for success<\/h3>\n

While HR may have a lot of insight into your organization’s critical parts, it’s essential to remember they are busy.<\/em> Without a concerted effort on behalf of the leadership, their wisdom can go unspoken, unused, and wasted. To make sure you don’t waste your opportunity for development, take these steps.<\/p>\n

Start the conversation<\/h3>\n

At the beginning of every year, sit down with your HR team and start a high-level conversation about your organization’s current state. Ensure you hit the major talking points: benefits, employee engagement, retention, compliance, and culture. Get a gauge on where they think you are on the competitive landscape. Think about and ask such questions as:<\/p>\n