Optimal HR – Treating Resources as Human

The most progressive companies, and those that score highest in employee surveys, are the ones that treat their people best – as the assets they are…

My wife and I attended an outdoor spring orchestral concert recently. The emcee had a few opening remarks, one of which was to thank a prominent local firm for having a company-sponsored outing at the event. This company is well-known in the area and has a reputation as a great place to work – as evidenced by the support of the employees attending the outing.

According to data compiled by a number of resources including Forbes, Fortune and Fast Company magazines on the best places to work in 2015; people are looking for employers that provide a challenging environment, a relaxed yet productive atmosphere, great rewards (compensation packages with incentives) and perks (like company outings), an employer they can be proud of, a fulfilling work/life balance, and interactive communication with a positive management team. In fact, over two-thirds of people surveyed are willing to accept a lower salary to work for a company with a great employer brand, according to a Candidate Study by CareerBuilder.

The recession of the past few years gave employers the upper hand in hiring while many workers were laid off due to the economy. Today however, power has shifted back to candidates as employers find themselves scrambling to keep their top talent from defecting to other companies. Attracting, hiring and maintaining top talent has become a priority for firms and the impression that the company is serious about treating its employee’s well needs to start during the recruiting process.

There are several ways that firms may accomplish these goals through implementing engaging, more interactive management tools, and adopting a more open and communicative management style. Improved recruiting and management strategy can be greatly assisted by automating the human resources processes used – a boost to both efficiency and effectiveness that won’t go unnoticed by both new hires as well as current employees. Rolling out an HR Shared Services Center to process administrative hiring forms, policies and procedures – while also providing a means for employees to keep up on company news, securely communicate with HR & managers and get the answers they seek – provides an engaging, productive and ‘feel good’ experience.

As the old saying goes, ‘you don’t get a second chance to make a first impression.’ These days, when it comes to candidates careers and company job interviews – that cuts both ways.