How Technology Can Boost Workplace Safety
This article is from RISQ Consulting’s Zywave client portal, a resource available to all RISQ Consulting clients. Please contact your Benefits Consultant or Account Executive for more information or for help setting up your own login.
More than 14 people per day died while doing their jobs in 2016, highlighting the need for safety and procedural enhancements in the workplace. Employers are starting to embrace new technology in an effort to improve worker safety, including the following:
- Exoskeletons—Workers can wear exoskeletons to transfer weight from repetitive tasks and use less energy when moving objects. The result is a reduced risk of injuries as well as increased strength, dexterity and productivity.
- Virtual reality—This technology replicates physical environments and presents training opportunities for employees. It also allows workers to simulate hazardous tasks and identify safety needs. More benefits are expected as technology matures.
- Wearables—Wearable devices offer real-time monitoring of workers’ vital signs and can alert workers to the presence of environmental dangers. They can also cut health care costs by reducing health risks such as respiratory problems, cancer, dermatitis and hearing damage. An added bonus to employers is that wearables can provide an idea of what may have caused an employee’s injury before filing a workers’ compensation claim.
- Hand-held mobile devices—Although the use of mobile devices can be a distraction and safety liability, there are useful apps that detect safety hazards, log safety incidents, track OSHA requirements and even determine when the heat index is too high on job sites. The key to improving worker safety with hand-held mobile devices is using them responsibly.
- Drones—Sending drones into high-hazard areas instead of humans helps safely assess damage and plan emergency response.
INCORPORATING DATA SCIENCE
Aside from new devices, data science has enabled companies to analyze photos from job sites and then scan them for safety hazards, using an algorithm that correlates those images with their accident records.
Although the technology still needs some fine-tuning, companies can use such algorithms to rate project risks. As a result, the technology could prove extremely helpful in detecting elevated threats and then intervening with safety briefings.
TIME TO GET ON THE CLOUD
By using the cloud, companies have been able to completely overhaul the way they interact with each other and with their workers. The cloud consists of multiple networks of servers that allow apps to be accessed anywhere through the internet instead of confined to a particular computer or network.
Businesses that have projects and crews in multiple locations especially appreciate the benefits of the cloud, since it is efficient and allows for the seamless transfer of information and monitoring of workers’ safety.
SUCCESSFULLY DEPLOYING NEW TECHNOLOGY
New technology can be a waste of money if it is not deployed properly. It’s easy to get caught up in the “wow factor” of technology and lose sight of what the intended improvements are. Without a plan in place for deployment, this technological investment may be wasted.
Before seeking out new technology, consider ways to improve workplace processes. After improving these processes, it is easier to identify gaps that new technology can address. No amount of technology will help if it is processes that need to be fixed.
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Endpoint Detection and Response Explained
This article is from RISQ Consulting’s Zywave client portal, a resource available to all RISQ Consulting clients. Please contact your Benefits Consultant or Account Executive for more information or for help setting up your own login.
Endpoint detection and response (EDR) is a cybersecurity solution that continuously monitors security-related threat information and endpoint data to detect and respond to ransomware and other kinds of malware. It provides visibility into security incidents occurring on endpoints—such as mobile devices, desktop computers, laptops, embedded devices and servers—to prevent damage and future attacks. This article discusses the importance of EDR solutions, how they work and the types of threats they can detect.
The Importance of EDR Solutions
According to the Identity Theft Resource Center, nearly 294 million people were impacted by 1,682 data breaches at U.S. corporations in 2021. As cyber threats grow more sophisticated and frequent, and remote work more common, these advanced attacks have become more difficult to identify in real time. Therefore, it’s important for organizations to prioritize cybersecurity measures that can deflect, analyze and respond to the constant barrage of cyberattacks. EDR solutions can provide a number of features that improve an organization’s cybersecurity risk management, including:
- Improved visibility—EDR solutions continuously collect data and analytics before compiling them into a single, centralized system. These insights can give security teams full visibility into the state of a network’s endpoints from a single console.
- Rapid investigations—Since EDR solutions automate data collection and processing, security teams can gain rapid context regarding incidents and take steps to quickly remediate them.
- Remediation automation—Security teams can allow EDR solutions to automatically perform certain incident response activities based on predefined rules, enabling them to block or rapidly remediate incidents.
- Contextualized threat hunting—The continuous data collection and analysis provided by EDR solutions can allow threat hunters to identify and investigate potential signs of an existing issue.
How Do EDR Solutions Work?
EDR solutions offer advanced threat detection, investigation and response capabilities—including incident data search and investigation triage, suspicious activity validation, threat hunting, and malicious activity detection and containment—by constantly analyzing events from endpoints to identify suspicious activity. These tools provide continuous and comprehensive visibility into what is happening in real time by recording activities and events taking place on endpoints and all workloads. By generating alerts, security teams can uncover, investigate and remediate issues. The primary functions of an EDR security system include:
- Monitoring endpoints and collecting activity data
- Analyzing data to identify threat patterns
- Using behavioral analysis to detect anomalies
- Removing or containing identified threats
- Notifying security personnel
- Researching identified threats and searching for suspicious activities
Overall, EDR solutions can be used to shorten response times for incident response teams and eliminate threats before damage is done.
What Types of Threats Do EDR Solutions Detect?
EDR is an integral part of an organization’s complete information security posture. It can detect the following threats to a network:
- Malware, including spyware, ransomware, viruses and bots
- Misuse of legitimate applications
- Stolen user credentials
- Suspicious user activity and behavior
- Fileless attacks during which malicious software is not installed and therefore more likely to be missed by anti-virus tools
Conclusion
EDR solutions are helpful in protecting both the enterprise and the user while also adding value to a company’s integrated approach to cybersecurity.Furthermore, they are frequently required by insurance underwriters in order to obtain cyber insurance. For more risk management guidance, contact us today.
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KFF Survey Provides Insights Into Consumer Experiences With Health Insurance
This article is from RISQ Consulting’s Zywave client portal, a resource available to all RISQ Consulting clients. Please contact your Benefits Consultant or Account Executive for more information or for help setting up your own login.
A recent health care consumer experiences survey by Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) found that most insured adults feel positively about their health insurance, with 81% rating their insurance as either “excellent” or “good.” Individuals with fair or poor health rated their insurance lower (68%). Medicare received the highest positive ratings at 91%. The survey relied on interview data from 3,605 U.S. adults with employer-sponsored health care, Medicare, Medicaid or Affordable Care Act (ACA) Marketplace coverage.
While most adults rated their insurance positively, 58% reported encountering at least one problem using their coverage in the past year, with a larger percentage of individuals (67%) with the greatest health care needs reporting similar issues. Problems included denied claims, difficulty finding in-network providers, and delays or denials of care due to preauthorization issues. Nearly 17% of insured adults said they were unable to receive their recommended care because of these problems, with 15% reporting a decline in their health and 28% paying more than expected.
Other key findings include the following:
- Adults with worse physical or mental health were more likely to report having problems with their health insurance. Of individuals who received mental health treatment in the past year, 74% reported a problem. Additionally, 78% of individuals with more than 10 health care provider visits in the past year said they experienced problems using their health insurance.
- Many insured adults did not receive needed mental health services or medication. Nearly 43% of insured adults who reported being in “fair” or “poor” health stated they did not receive mental health services or medication they needed in the past year, with 45% rating their insurance negatively when it came to available mental health providers. Approximately 40% of individuals skipped or delayed care in the past year due to costs.
- More than one-third (36%) of insured adults struggle to understand their health insurance. About half (51%) of adults said they find at least one aspect of their health insurance at least somewhat difficult to understand. Moreover, approximately 90% of adults support public policies to make health insurance simpler to understand—such as easier-to-read explanation of benefits, disclosures of claim denial rates and advance notice of whether care is covered and out-of-pocket costs—and help individuals avoid or resolve insurance problems.
“The survey shows that the sheer complexity of insurance is as big a problem as affordability, particularly for those with the greatest needs.”
– KFF President and CEO Drew Altman
Employer Takeaways
This survey confirms what many employers already know: Most employees value having health coverage. However, it also reveals that many individuals have issues when trying to use their coverage. These problems are more pronounced among individuals with poorer health, high utilizers of health care and people who receive mental health care.
The survey also uncovers potential barriers that may prevent adults from receiving needed physical and mental health care services, such as in-network provider issues, difficulties understanding health insurance policies and high costs related to care. While the U.S. Congress has taken steps in the last few years to make health insurance more affordable and easier to understand, employers are uniquely positioned to help employees understand and effectively use their health plans. A better understanding may help employees increase their health care literacy and improve their health and well-being.
Contact RISQ Consulting for more health care resources.
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Strategies for Identifying and Resolving Gaps in Benefits Offerings
This article is from RISQ Consulting’s Zywave client portal, a resource available to all RISQ Consulting clients. Please contact your Benefits Consultant or Account Executive for more information or for help setting up your own login.
In today’s competitive employment landscape, many organizations recognize that employees are their most valuable asset. To attract and retain top talent, employers must go beyond competitive salaries and create holistic and meaningful employee benefits packages that address diverse workforce needs.
Understanding and addressing any gaps in employee benefits is crucial for employers who aim to create an engaged, supported and satisfied workforce. Well-rounded benefits packages often translate to enhanced employee well-being, boosted retention rates and a positive work culture.
This article highlights proactive steps employers can take to assess and identify gaps in employee benefits offerings.
Employer Considerations
Identifying gaps in benefits offerings can be a complex task, as it requires a careful assessment of employee preferences, trends and organizational resources. Consider the followings strategies for identifying and addressing these gaps:
- Review existing benefits. Start by reviewing the current employee benefits package. While taking inventory of benefits, organizations should assess if they offer the basics (e.g., health insurance, sick and family leave) or anything unique compared to competitors or other employers in their industry. This is also a good time to review benefits utilization to better understand if there are any benefits that employees do not or rarely use.
- Analyze employee demographics and specific needs. Demographics, such as age, gender and marital status, can influence employees’ preferred benefits. Recognize that those needs can shift over time, so this is an ongoing exercise.
- Gather employee feedback. Conduct surveys, focus groups or collect feedback through other methods to gather information and opinions directly from employees. Employers could inquire about employee satisfaction with existing benefits, what they value most and if there are any benefits they feel are missing from their package or that could be improved.
- Benchmark against industry standards. Research industry standards and best practices to understand what benefits competitors, and similar or local organizations provide. This can help employers identify any gaps in their offerings compared to competitors.
- Explore emerging trends and employee preferences. Stay informed about employee benefits trends. Current trends include flexible work arrangements, mental health support and student loan assistance. This is also the time to consider employee feedback results and reported preferred benefits.
- Prioritize benefits based on budget and resources. While employers may be faced with a long list of attractive or preferred benefits, the reality is that they must also consider organizational finances and resources to determine the feasibility of new or different offerings. It may be helpful to prioritize the benefits that would have the most significant impact on employee satisfaction and overall well-being.
- Communicate changes effectively. Employers should ensure clear and effective communication with employees when introducing or modifying benefits. Education is critical to utilization, so employers should clearly describe any changes, provide their rationale and explain how benefits changes align with employee feedback, emerging trends or organizational goals.
- Monitor and reassess. Benefits needs and preferences change over time, so it’s important for employers to regularly monitor the utilization and effectiveness of offerings. If drastic changes were made, checking in with some employees to gauge their feedback could be worthwhile. Lastly, keep the conversation going with employees to keep a pulse on their preferred benefits and reassess available options to ensure they meet evolving needs.
Summary
Savvy employers continually evaluate their existing benefits, gather employee feedback, benchmark against industry standards and strategically address any identified gaps. By periodically reassessing benefits offerings, employers can ensure they remain competitive in the labor market and meet the evolving needs of the workforce.
By taking a proactive approach to understanding needs and preferences, organizations can create benefits packages that truly support current and prospective employees. This concerted effort can lead to increased workplace engagement and satisfaction, and, ultimately, organizational success.
Contact RISQ Consulting for additional employee benefits guidance.
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Back Pain Remains the Leading Cause of Disability Worldwide
This article is from RISQ Consulting’s Zywave client portal, a resource available to all RISQ Consulting clients. Please contact your Benefits Consultant or Account Executive for more information or for help setting up your own login.
A new study published in The Lancet Rheumatology medical journal revealed that low back pain remains the leading cause of disability globally. In 2020, 619 million people worldwide suffered from low back pain. That figure is expected to jump to 843 million by 2050. Furthermore, the economic toll on the United States alone amounted to $2.2 billion.
The study identified the following main risk factors that account for almost 40% of cases:
- Smoking
- Obesity
- Work-related ergonomics
Low back pain was higher among females than males in all age groups. The peak impacted age was 85 years, and researchers noticed that most countries lack specific recommendations on how to care for an older person with low back pain.
Fifteen percent of the U.S. workforce report 10.5 lost workdays per year from chronic low back pain.
Employer Takeaways
Researchers estimate that low back pain is the root cause of 264 million lost workdays for Americans. If not addressed, researchers noted that low back pain could also result in chronic health conditions such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, mental health conditions, invasive medical procedures and significant disability.
Various aspects of work can lead to back pain, including sitting at a desk all day, engaging in repeated movements (e.g., twisting and rotating the spine) and lifting or moving heavy objects. To try to get ahead of work-related back pain, employers can consider the following strategies to reduce back pain in the workplace:
- Examine the workplace and look for ways to reduce the chance of injury. For instance, the way materials, parts and products are transported may be able to be adjusted to relieve the burden on employees. Also, consider altering the layout of workstations to be more ergonomic.
- Promote healthy lifestyles, including physical activity and weight management.
- Provide training to management and workers regarding the risks of workplace injuries and ways to avoid injuries.
- Develop company policies that support a workplace culture of good health, safety and injury management (e.g., ergonomics, workplace safety, disability management and return to work).
As low back pain remains the leading cause of disability, employers have an opportunity to develop policies and encourage proper workplace ergonomics in an effort to reduce injuries and disability claims.
Contact us for additional workplace economics guidance.
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Improving Your Self-Discipline
This article is from RISQ Consulting’s Zywave client portal, a resource available to all RISQ Consulting clients. Please contact your Benefits Consultant or Account Executive for more information or for help setting up your own login.
Self-discipline is an important skill that can help you reach personal and professional goals. Developing self-discipline is like strengthening a muscle, as it can be improved with practice. This skill can make difficult tasks seem more manageable and help you achieve your long-term goals.
Understanding Self-discipline
The term “self-discipline” describes your ability to focus on a task or goal to accomplish something. Self-disciplined individuals are generally consistent, responsible, persistent and ambitious. They may have a strong work ethic and can successfully finish tasks that must be completed, even when they find it difficult to do so.
In the workplace, self-discipline can take many forms. Generally, self-disciplined workers will complete both exciting and uninteresting tasks on time. They are also likely to have a productive mindset that enables them to meet goals and reach milestones.
Improving Self-discipline
Like any skill, self-discipline can be refined with practice, and you may only sometimes be successful. Persevering even when you fail is crucial to reaching your long-term goals.
Here are some tips for improving self-discipline:
- Start small. Choose an area of your life that could benefit from greater self-discipline and begin with a simple task, like being on time daily. Practice discipline in this area until it becomes a habit.
- Challenge your mindset. Your thought patterns may be holding you back. Try confronting your notions of what you can and cannot achieve to accomplish more.
- Find ways to focus. Try dividing a large task into several smaller assignments if you’re having trouble completing it. Take breaks when needed to increase motivation and boost energy.
- Schedule time for high-priority tasks. Although multitasking may be necessary throughout the day, creating time to focus on certain essential duties can help you avoid potential distractions and maximize your attention span.
- Avoid distractions. You may be tempted to look at your phone or chat with a co-worker when completing a tedious task, but resisting these temptations can improve your self-control, strengthening your self-discipline in the long run.
- Set achievable goals. Motivate yourself by setting goals that can be accomplished and working toward them. Use your successes to encourage yourself to keep practicing.
Conclusion
Self-discipline can make the difference between knowing your goals and achieving them. Setting small, achievable goals and staying focused when working on tedious or repetitive tasks can help you become more disciplined. This can help you accomplish your personal and work-related goals in the long run.
Contact your manager for further guidance on self-discipline practices at work.
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Pay Equity Audits
This article is from RISQ Consulting’s Zywave client portal, a resource available to all RISQ Consulting clients. Please contact your Benefits Consultant or Account Executive for more information or for help setting up your own login.
It’s becoming clear that pay transparency is not a passing trend. Pay transparency is the practice of an employer openly communicating pay-related information through established methods to current and prospective employees. In 2021, Colorado was the first jurisdiction to enact pay transparency laws. Since then, more states and localities have enacted such laws; by the start of 2023, a fifth of all U.S. workers were covered under pay transparency laws. The nationwide normalization of pay transparency is leading employers to prioritize pay equity. Additionally, the recent dramatic increase in equal pay litigation, sometimes resulting in multimillion-dollar settlements, has more employers addressing pay equity issues.
Despite this increased focus, many employers may not know where to begin when implementing pay equity measures. For most employers, utilizing pay equity audits is the likely answer. These audits can be a powerful tool for employers to evaluate and ensure they comply with federal, state and local pay equity laws.
This article provides a broad overview of pay equity and discusses the importance of pay equity audits.
What Is Pay Equity?
Pay equity is the practice of compensating employees the same when they perform the same or similar job duties while accounting for factors such as experience, job performance and tenure. This practice takes into account all forms of compensation, such as salary, overtime pay, bonuses, stock options, profit sharing and bonus plans, life insurance, vacation and holiday pay, cleaning or gasoline allowances, hotel accommodations, reimbursement for travel expenses and other benefits.
Employees’ right to be free from discrimination in their compensation is protected under several federal laws, including the Equal Pay Act of 1963 (EPA), Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. For example, the EPA requires that men and women be given equal pay for equal work in the same establishment. The jobs need not be identical, but they must be substantially similar. It is job content, not job titles, that determines whether jobs are substantially similar. Specifically, the EPA provides that employers may not pay unequal wages to men and women who perform jobs that require substantially equal skill, effort and responsibility and that are performed under similar working conditions within the same establishment.
Why Is Pay Equity Important?
Ensuring employees are paid equitably can help increase organizational efficiency, productivity and profitability. Employers who prioritize pay equity may experience the following benefits:
- Improved workforce productivity and morale
- Increased organizational commitment
- Reduced employee turnover
- Increased attraction of key talent
- Decreased risks of discrimination or pay inequity lawsuits
- Greater compliance with equal pay laws and regulations
What Is a Pay Equity Audit?
A pay equity audit is the process of analyzing compensation data of employees doing similar work within an organization. It can be an effective tool for providing employers with information to identify pay disparities among workers. Performing pay equity audits can help employers determine if any pay discrepancies are based on legitimate, nondiscriminatory reasons, such as seniority or education. If pay discrepancies cannot be explained by nondiscriminatory reasons, the audit allows employers to correct them.
The purpose of pay equity audits goes beyond just identifying whether pay disparities exist but helps explain why they exist. This can include reviewing specific pay decisions and policies. Such audits can help employers evaluate and improve their compensation practices, address pay gaps and limit potential legal risks. In some states, conducting a self-audit of pay practices can protect employers against legal claims based on pay inequities.
Benefits of Pay Equity Audits
Pay equity audits can help organizations identify and correct pay discrepancies, reducing potential legal risks. They can also increase employee morale and productivity. Ensuring employees are paid equitably for their work helps strengthen an organization’s culture. Employee morale, turnover and retention rates, and performance often improve when workers feel valued. Paying employees the same when they perform the same or similar jobs is a key component of helping workers feel valued, which can lead to generally more committed and productive employees. In turn, this helps drive organizational productivity and profitability.
Additionally, pay equity audits can help employers develop better workplace policies and procedures related to compensation. This can include establishing consistent starting pay ranges, factors for merit increases and promotions, as well as other incentives. Audit results can also inform an employer’s training efforts to ensure fair pay decisions are made throughout the organization.
Risks of Pay Equity Audits
While an organization’s intentions behind conducting pay equity audits are often noble—determining whether pay disparities are lawful and, if not, correcting them—audit results can be extremely damaging if disclosed. Inadvertent disclosure of audit results or analysis can harm an organization’s reputation and expose it to lawsuits or other legal action.
To protect against these potential risks, many employers utilize the attorney-client privilege or work product doctrine when conducting pay equity audits. Employers can do this by engaging legal counsel to initiate and lead the audit. Employers can also determine how best to communicate pay equity audit results to their employees and incorporate those results into organizational pay practices.
Takeaway
Conducting pay equity audits can be an effective way to ensure employees are paid equitably for the work they do. However, these audits are often only the first step for addressing pay equity issues in the workplace.
For more workplace resources, contact RISQ Consulting today.
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Financial Safety Nets for Employees
This article is from RISQ Consulting’s Zywave client portal, a resource available to all RISQ Consulting clients. Please contact your Benefits Consultant or Account Executive for more information or for help setting up your own login.
Money is a top stressor for employees, and a looming recession has reinforced that fact. Employers are uniquely poised to help support employees with much-desired financial guidance and resources. When employees experience less financial stress, employers may see greater employee productivity and morale and lower absenteeism. Those positive feelings can also translate into a strong employee retention rate and help employers attract top talent. Economic recovery will take some time, but voluntary benefits could help decrease employees’ financial stress.
More employers are looking for ways to help employees save for unexpected financial emergencies. This article explores ways that employers can offer financial safety nets for employees.
Employer Considerations
The reality is that many Americans worry about covering living expenses and unexpected expenses. In fact, 57% of U.S. adults are unable to afford a $1,000 emergency expense, according to Bankrate’s Annual Emergency Fund Report. Lacking sufficient funds to pay for a major medical emergency or other urgent needs can jeopardize an employee’s food and housing security for several years.
A financial safety net will mean different things to employees, depending on their age and personal financial goals. The following common employee benefits can offer valuable financial protection:
- Life insurance—Employer-sponsored coverage can be offered in a variety of ways. Employers may offer a term policy, permanent coverage or both. Though life insurance is an important asset for future financial security, many employees don’t realize its importance. Teaching employees about the value of life insurance may increase loyalty to the organization as they better appreciate this benefit.
- Disability insurance—Disability insurance has become an increasingly valuable part of a comprehensive employee benefits package and can fill gaps in financial protection offered by other programs, such as Social Security. While employees appreciate the peace of mind they receive as their income replacement benefits are being paid, employers can use the resources offered by insurers to manage time and productivity losses and find the most effective ways to return employees to work.
- Retirement accounts—Whether employees are close to retirement or have decades left in the workforce, saving for retirement is a key component of their financial security. Offering a 401(k) account or other retirement benefits as part of employee benefits packages can increase employee loyalty, especially if employers offer a contribution match. Good retirement benefits are also a great recruitment and retention tool. However, benefits are only helpful if employees are aware of and understand them.
- Financial planning or coaching—Employee assistance programs support workers facing various challenges, including financial ones, by offering resources and counseling. Employees with access to financial education and tools are more likely to increase their savings and make progress toward their financial goals. Furthermore, employees with a plan or access to help are less likely to feel stressed or overwhelmed by their financial situations.
- Emergency savings fund—An emergency savings fund helps offer peace of mind and resources employees may use instead of their retirement savings or other accounts. Employers can offer guidance for starting an emergency savings fund regardless of how much employees may have for an initial investment. Many employees may believe they don’t have enough money to build one, but employer-provided education and guidance can help them understand that even a small amount of cash can help start an emergency savings fund. An alternative approach for employers may be to offer an employer-sponsored emergency savings account alongside traditional benefits. Although an emergency savings account is a top benefit wish of many employees, very few employers offer them. Still, by helping employees build emergency savings funds, employers can boost their workers’ confidence in navigating finances and increase happiness in the workplace.
- Student loan debt assistance—Student loan debt weighs heavy on many employees in the United States, but some employers are trying to help by offering student loan debt assistance. Employers can offer various forms of support beyond loan repayments, such as student loan payment counseling, third-party low-interest or interest-free educational loans, debt consolidation, and refinancing services.
Summary
Ultimately, having a financial safety net can translate into peace of mind for employees. As more employers consider ways to help employees save for unexpected financial emergencies, they can offer employee benefits that help workers achieve their financial goals and save more of their hard-earned money for both expected and unexpected expenses.
Contact RISQ Consulting for additional resources.
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Getting Buy-in on HR Initiatives
This article is from RISQ Consulting’s Zywave client portal, a resource available to all RISQ Consulting clients. Please contact your Benefits Consultant or Account Executive for more information or for help setting up your own login.
While today’s HR professionals are tasked with many organizational goals ranging from improving employee engagement to attracting and retaining talent, such initiatives take time, resources and continuous effort. As such, building and maintaining successful HR initiatives can be challenging without support from the overall organization and leadership. HR professionals need stakeholders to listen, understand, and support their views before any initiative can get off the ground.
This article explores strategies for HR professionals to obtain organizational buy-in on their initiatives.
Winning Over Stakeholders
To start, buy-in is the encouragement or support of one’s ideas. Getting buy-in does not mean 100% agreement with a plan or initiative, but it’s receiving the support of key team members or stakeholders—even if they don’t wholly agree. HR professionals will spearhead a myriad of initiatives for an organization. Common initiatives are related to talent and learning and development efforts, or it could be more specific, such as integrating new technology or artificial intelligence. Before an initiative kicks off, others in the organization must approve it or give their blessing. Support may also require a financial investment (e.g., expenses and labor costs) depending on the initiative.
Regardless of the nature of the initiative, there are general strategies HR professionals should consider when trying to pursue a new idea but may be facing roadblocks within the organization. Take into account the following tips:
- Lead with a clear vision. A well-defined vision demonstrates confidence in the proposed idea. Developing a clear vision involves:
- Identifying the problem
- Providing examples of the proposed solution
- Leaning on data and metrics to substantiate the solution
- Considering potential risks associated with the plan
- Align with business goals. An initiative is more likely to gain support if aligned with business goals, core values and other companywide efforts.
- Establish credibility. With a proven track record, leaders and key stakeholders are more likely to support HR professionals and their new initiatives.
- Know the audience. Everyone has different perspectives and opinions, so knowing the stakeholders is essential. A successful pitch will address an important issue to that person or deliver on success for the organization. Strong interpersonal skills help HR professionals build relationships before the next big idea. Still, they can also help them navigate these conversations better by knowing what piques the interest of certain individuals.
- Leverage metrics and data. Harness the power of HR data to help prove the need for an initiative and perhaps ways that others have experienced success. Facts and figures don’t lie, so HR professionals can use data to prove their points.
- Calculate the return on investment (ROI). ROI is often the ultimate measurement tool and the key piece of information stakeholders are interested in. Many organizational leaders understand and relate to ROI, and including this information can help validate the proposed initiative.
- Practice the pitch. Before meeting with stakeholders, practicing the pitch to become more comfortable presenting the idea and supporting information is essential.
- Expect common questions. While it’s important to be prepared for the actual pitch, it’s just as critical to be ready for stakeholder questions. Make a list of expected questions and answers to be properly practiced beforehand. It’ll help show confidence in the plan by not faltering on a question.
Being open to feedback or inviting others to expand on the idea is critical. This collaboration could strengthen the idea, demonstrate a willingness to compromise and build stronger interpersonal skills.
Summary
HR professionals are critical in driving significant impact and transformation within organizations. There are countless options for implementing HR initiatives, but securing stakeholder support is vital for them to either go anywhere or, hopefully, be successful. By selecting the appropriate workplace initiatives and striving to get buy-in from leadership, HR professionals can help bolster their influence and achieve notable results for the organization.
Contact RISQ Consulting for more HR resources.
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