Human Resource Tips and Tricks

Nine HR Management Tips to Keep Employees Happy and Companies Running Smoothly

As leaders, human capital is the most valuable asset we have. Managing people is complex and rewarding, and sometimes, we could all use a hand in our journey to do right by our employees. Read on to learn about our top tips and tricks to make every HR professional’s life easier, and ultimately, drive your company forward.

1. Know your Employees’ Personalities

Each of the employees under your company’s management brings a wealth of knowledge, personal experiences, and unique personality traits to the table–and that’s a great thing!  Depending on your industry, your human capital can lean toward a certain set of personality traits. For example, personality data shows that generally, engineers hate to be blamed for things that aren’t their fault; attorneys value clear feedback on how they’re performing, and software developers love having their privacy at work.

Consider distributing Enneagram or Myers-Briggs personality tests to find out more about how your employees might feel about collaborative versus independent work, leadership styles, and work-life balance. The best HR managers have a deep understanding of what employees appreciate, and personality data does an excellent job of relaying that information concisely.

2. Follow the Golden Rule

Everyone is familiar with this concept, but it helps to keep the idea salient. We can all use a gentle reminder from time to time to follow the Golden Rule: treat others how you would like to be treated.

When interacting with a potential employee during the recruitment process, imagine yourself in their shoes. Each of us remembers the fear and anxiety job-seeking entails. Responding quickly, kindly, and respectfully to potential employees goes a long way to ease trepidations on their end – and can help your company stand out when sourcing top candidates.

3. Take A Proactive Approach to Employee Health and Wellness

The best defense is a good offense, and the best way to take care of your employees’ health and wellbeing is by demonstrating that you value and will reward a healthy lifestyle. You can encourage your employees to pursue an active lifestyle by gifting Fitbits or Apple Watches as holiday gifts or budgeting for gym memberships as part of your benefits package.

4. Create a Strong and Positive Culture

According to research by Deloitte, 94% of executives and 88% of employees think the culture of their company is crucial to the success of the business as a whole. In the same survey, a correlation was discovered indicating a strong positive link between employees who feel happy and valued at work (and want to stay at their company) and employees who say their company has a “strong” culture.

What are the best ways to create a strong, positive culture at your company? Research shows employees rank great benefits, a company’s investment in their learning and development, schedule flexibility, and even snacks as among their most valued perks at work.

5. Know when to Consult HR & Compliance Experts

Human Resources is a complex and dynamic field, and the job requires a lot of foresight!  HR professionals have to be abreast of state and federal laws, ACA regulations, wage and hour laws, and PTO rules, inter alia. Even things that seem small, such as knowing whether to classify a worker as an “employee” or an “independent contractor,” has huge implications for your company both legally and tax-wise.

Not every company has the resources of a team of in-house counsel to provide legal advice. Knowing when to consult an expert is crucial to your company’s success.

6. “Just ask!”

In trying to make our workplaces into the kind of environment where employees want to stay, grow, and invest their time, a lot of HR professionals try to re-invent the wheel. It’s easy to forget that we have the single greatest and most accurate resource at our fingertips—the employees themselves! It’s easy to under-, or worse, over-estimate employees’ happiness with a specific benefit or policy when you don’t ask them how they’re feeling and what they need.

A recent study from 2020 shows that 91% of C-level executive and vice presidents think their employees are happy with their environment and perks, though nearly a third (31%) of their employees polled actually said they weren’t. As an HR professional, asking about and listening to what your organization’s employees need more of will go a long way in keeping your best people around.

7. Partner with a Financial Advisor to Explain Financial Benefits

You’re providing excellent employee matches and wonderful 401K benefits, but do your employees appreciate them or know how to use them to their full advantage? Consider having a Financial Advisor from a local firm with fiduciary advisors, such as Morgan Stanley or Merrill Lynch, hold a catered seminar to educate your workforce.

It’s important to take great care to select a fiduciary advisor for introduction to your employees. Fiduciary advisors have the legal responsibility to put their clients first financially and do the right thing for each individual they serve, while “non-fiduciary advisors” do not have that responsibility. Financial Advisors will welcome the opportunity to prospect in front of potential clients, and your employees will be happier with their benefits package if it makes better sense to them.

8. Attract Qualified Candidates through Social Media

Your marketing team has likely designed your company’s social media presence with one audience in mind: the client. But they should also be concerned with what your organization’s image is saying to potential employees. As an HR professional, you know your company is only as great as the synergy created by the individual people under its employ. Now is a great time to get some cross-department communication started: discuss the strategy of attracting top candidates on social media with your marketing team.

9. Invest in a Single HR Platform

Switching between applications or re-typing information that an employee has already filled out can be a time-drain and an HR nightmare. Technology will help you streamline your benefits and HR work so that you can manage benefits and HR from one central location.

Benely: Easily Manage Your Benefits and HR

When looking for the perfect platform for your company, you need something that is intuitive and can be used by all employees–not just HR professionals. For example, Benely provides a platform that helps companies easily onboard employees, allows employees to enroll in health insurance plans themselves, and even streamlines your enrollment with insurance carriers. Ready to simplify your HR work? Contact Benely or request a demo.