Human Resources Management (HRM) encompasses a range of activities to manage human capital, which is a company’s most important asset. Managing human resources encompasses everything from hiring to performance management and legal boundaries. HR professionals must wear a number of hats throughout their day including wellness expert, strategic decision maker and mediator.
Andrea Chan, human resources professional and HR consultant to the founding members of the Canadian Printing Industry Sector Council (CPISC), has a wealth of knowledge on the subject of HRM.
“One of the key issues is talent acquisition. People can’t find good people with the right skills. If you don’t have good people, you’re not going to be able to run a good company.”
Today’s fast-paced and ever changing business landscape forces employers to find new ways to attract and retain top talent. Organizations must offer a compelling reason to work for their company, above and beyond: “I will provide you with a steady paycheck.” Andrea explains that something that may be valuable to one employee may not be valuable to another. It is important to understand what motivates various individuals within an organization and then create a workplace that caters to their wants and needs.
“Different generations of employees are all very different and have different wants and needs. In today’s workforce there are four generations all working together. They all have different perspectives. The employer needs to understand what is important to whom and shift as necessary.”
Some employees may appreciate the option for compressed work weeks, working from home and daycare on-site. Others may appreciate tuition reimbursement for pursuing continuing education. Some may value buying shares of the business at a reduced rate, while others appreciate casual dress and ample vacation time.
“If you know the environment to cater to, you can create that and retain talent,” says Andrea. “You really have to have a hard look at your people to see what they want.”
Additionally, companies have to re-evaluate their working conditions all the time: “Everybody wants to work for a company who is deemed the best employer. This will help with attraction and retention.”
Andrea also expressed the need to understand your place in the competitive landscape pertaining to HR: “Are we paying them right? Are the benefits and perks in place? Are we being competitive? Are we being fair in the marketplace? Are their managers motivated and know how to train their people?”
Finally Andrea reminds us about what’s important to remember above all of the incentives, perks and benefits: “More than anything else, people want to be treated fairly.”
In-Action Example
While not every business will be able to match the perks offered by large organizations, here is a look at what Google’s employees in Silicon Valley, California have to look forward to everyday, above and beyond their paycheck.
For starters, Google employees have access to an on-site fitness facility, including swim-in-place swimming pools that boast on-duty lifeguards to keep everyone safe. Do you feel like your hair is getting too long? Not a problem! Head over to get a free haircut on-site when you have a few spare minutes. If you’re looking for some much needed downtime, head over to play some ping pong, billiards or video games with your colleagues. If you are feeling overworked and the games room isn’t enough, head over to the massage therapist. If you are feeling ill at work, doctors are available to see you.
Innovation, creativity and lots of funding enable Google’s employee perks program to thrive. This type of program can (understandably) feel unattainable for small to medium-sized companies; however, with a little outside-of-the-box thinking and some hard work, it is possible for any company to implement some employee-retaining perks. Here are a few ideas to get you started…
Website Resource
The Canadian Printing Industries Sector Council
The CPISC is a not-for-profit organization that addresses the issue of human resource and workforce development within the graphic arts industry in Canada. Their website contains a number of resources about HR and training, including the ‘HR Toolkit’ which contains information for small and medium sized printing companies to better understand HR. Topics include health & safety, skilled staff, setting goals, positive workplaces and planning and organizing. The toolkit also contains modifiable templates to assist with important HR functions.
Top 10 Low Cost Employee Perks
1. Fun & Creative Staff Space: Why not have your staff room perform double duty? It can act as a place to heat up lunch, as well as a lounge, complete with bright wall art and comfy couches.
2. Bike Rack: Encourage eco-commuting! This will not only impress eco-conscious employees, but will also impress your eco-minded customers.
3. Flexible Work Hours: Time is our most valuable asset. Many successful companies are embracing the idea of “results-focused” work environments versus a 9 to 5 work week. The theory is that as long as the work gets done on time and to the best of the employee’s ability, the organization should not dictate how and when that work gets done. When employees feel that their time is being used effectively, they often feel much more satisfied with their work.
4. Company Brainstorming Sessions: Once a month, host a catered company pow-wow. Have open discussion and share stories and ideas from those within all levels of the organization. Make it a positive and inviting event and the ideas generated will undoubtedly outweigh the cost of lunch.
5. Start a Club: Why not start a book club or running club or movie lovers club? This doesn’t cost anything to implement and it shows employees that you value work/life balance.
6. Rewards and Recognition Program: Although there are a number of costly rewards and recognition programs available to employers, a simple recognition-focused meeting, lunch celebration or ceremony will make your employees more aware of how much you appreciate them (and can be just as effective as an expensive option).
7. Gaming Systems: Take a break with video games like Nintendo’s Wii gaming system and have a blast! Employees of all ages love to get involved in these laugh-out-loud games. Promote fun and creativity in the office by having your next meeting over a game of Wii golf.
8. Create a Scholarship Fund: Do you already have an employee profit sharing program in place? Why not incorporate a scholarship component, whereby a portion of the profit sharing funds is allocated to a scholarship to help send an employee’s child to school. This shows you have the employee’s greater well-being in mind and you’re helping foster a young mind.
9. Encourage Your Entire Team to “Think Marketing”: No one understands the ins and outs of your company better than front line employees. Why not hold a contest to help with future marketing campaigns? It’s free and it takes advantage of important intellectual capital within your organization because who knows… maybe Bob from accounting has a secret gift for writing great one-liners!
10. Multiplying Positivity: Why not create a “Wall of Positivity” to help your employees remind themselves why they love working for you. A simple bulletin board where employees are free to post feel-good customer stories and positive messages will go a long way to showcasing why you are an amazing company to work for. Hang the board in a central location so that current and prospective customers can see it too.
