HR Strategy Session: Beyond Benefits: Employing 4 Methods to Elevate Employee Spirit
"Unhappy with Your HR Experience?" This provocative title for a New York Times article sparked both insightful discussions and heated debates about the challenges faced by HR teams and professionals. The scope of HR's responsibilities has significantly broadened, but anticipation hasn't kept pace, resulting in higher pressure and expectations.
Regrettably, there are still C-suite executives who don't perceive HR leaders as strategic partners worthy of a seat at the decision-making table. This situation forces workforces to implement policies that don't consider their perspective. Even when senior leaders recognize the evolved role of HR, individual employees may have outdated perceptions of our roles, methods, and what they can anticipate from us.
Four Pivotal Strategies to Bolster HR Teams
Whenever employers resort to providing perks and benefits as an attempt to boost morale, it rarely addresses the core issues such as sense of purpose, value, and opportunities for growth. The predicament of HR teams' morale won't change unless we implement substantial solutions. Here are my top four strategies for tackling it.
1. Identifying Connections
Success in HR comes from understanding the organization's products, strategies, and hurdles. The more thoroughly your HR team comprehends the business, the more confident and competent they'll be in their roles. They should possess a clear understanding of how the daily tasks they perform contribute directly to the company's mission.
Help your team members identify connections by describing how the separate components of your organization fit together and how talent management figures in. When employees recognize how their work drives organizational success, they will feel that their tasks are purpose-driven, providing them a greater sense of fulfillment. In the face of challenges, this sense of purpose will keep them motivated.
As an HR leader, I never wish my people to experience unexpected business decisions they'll need to convey or enforce. I strive to bring them into the circle of trust and inform them of impending changes as early as possible, to the extent that it is feasible. (If you feel your team cannot be trusted with confidential information, there may be a more fundamental issue to address.)
2. Diving Deep into Data
The importance of data in organizational success is widely recognized, yet HR often lags behind other functions when it comes to data-driven decision-making. Data from sources like exit interviews and engagement surveys empowers HR teams to propose and fine-tune decisions that benefit the entire organization.
At 1Password, our people function is bolstered by a dedicated data scientist. She aids us in making informed decisions and, crucially, supports them with data-backed explanations. We've discovered that employees are more receptive to changes when we share the data that led to those changes, particularly because they don't typically expect us to speak the language of data. When we do, it alters expectations. Of course, data alone is insufficient; human intuition remains a crucial aspect of our work.
3. Speaking Directly
Delivering unwelcome news is an inherent part of our roles. Regrettably, some employees may greet HR communications with skepticism or immediately assume the worst. It can be tempting to sugarcoat messages, but consider the consequences of spending time deciphering messages intended to obscure information instead of clarifying it.
We must treat employees as mature individuals by communicating with them frankly and providing context for company decisions. Share crucial information with your team, and consider consulting with various business representatives before sending key memos to ensure your message will address their concerns.
Accompany the detailed description of the specifics with a concise summary for employees who are more inclined to skim rather than read thoroughly. Then, schedule a Q&A session, which will assist in minimizing criticism and allowing team members to focus on mission-critical tasks, ultimately enhancing their reputation for candor.
4. Learning to Say 'No'
To fulfill the enhanced obligations of HR, our teams must shake off outdated expectations. Until everyone in the organization recognizes what is and isn't fair to expect from us, we need to become comfortable saying 'No.' Team members may require your assistance with prioritization to concentrate on the most significant activities. Addressing inquiries like "What are we aiming to achieve with this?" or "How will this advance our goals?" will help identify the tasks that hold the most importance for the organization.
HR leaders can contribute to this by establishing a more strategic role, such as implementing new talent management processes if managers fail to offer timely feedback or encouraging self-service options to alleviate the burden on your team.
In my early days, our field was considerably simpler and less complex compared to what it is now. By redefining the role of HR within an organization and adjusting expectations to match the current situation, we can empower our team to approach this challenging role with tenacity and intrigue.
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Katya Laviolette, from 1Password, plays a crucial role in bolstering their HR team's data-driven decision-making. She serves as a dedicated data scientist, providing informed decisions and data-backed explanations, altering employees' expectations of HR.
As the HR leader in the text discusses the importance of HR saying 'No,' Katya Laviolette, representing the HR function at 1Password, highlights the need to establish new talent management processes if managers fail to offer timely feedback, emphasizing the need for HR leaders to redefine their roles and adjust expectations to match the current situation.
