Things are moving fast in the world of benefits. Healthcare costs are skyrocketing, companies are cutting back fast, work-life issues are rampant, and outsourcing sometimes seems like a now or never responsibility. A person could get windburn around here.
And because of this, most organizations no longer have the luxury of time to sit back and observe how other companies are doing it and what their results are. Most have to know five minutes ago.
So what do we know? We know that voluntary benefits are looking better and better, the retiree population is rising and affecting benefits and work-life, HR departments have to become more efficient and more effective, work-life programs are padding salaries in the quest for balance, and outsourcing is really working-for some companies.
Keep an eye out for the press release of new research from The Hackett Group tomorrow. Their hard data argues the popular belief that outsourcing and technology improve HR performance. This will be a well-timed slap in the face for the far too many people who insist on believing that if they simply outsource or get some new, flashy technology, all of their prayers will be answered. Outsourcing and technology do not magically transform an HR department into a team of strategic dynamos. It is merely a step on the way to transforming an HR department into a team of strategic dynamos. Other steps consist of communicating the need for change, the plan for change, and the results that change will hopefully bring about; re-training a hefty slice of the department so they can adjust quickly and effectively; and reorganizing the workflow so that it is optimal and efficient.
We also know that there is never, ever a silver bullet. What a disappointment, but has anyone even seen one of those? The closest we can get to a guarantee is to depend on research and due diligence and base our decisions on those-old-fashioned but effective nonetheless.
Good luck, and be sure to protect yourselves from the winds of change.