HR Service Matters: By: Mike Smith

At our recent Client Advisory Board (CAB) meeting we had a great opportunity to hear from our clients and communicate key initiatives currently underway at TALX.  Our CAB is now in its 7th year and our members represent the executive levels of HR/Payroll/Benefits/Tax within their organizations. 

These in-person meetings always include a time to discuss important issues that member organizations are encountering.  Many members mentioned the cost reduction focus taking place at their companies and one commented that the HR team was asked to look in some areas that they had never looked at before for cost savings.  Several mentioned salary freezes and we also heard that 401(k) matches are being reduced. In the midst of all of these issues was the common theme of keeping employees happy.

I’m sure these issues are most likely representative of many HR teams across a wide range of industries. While a recent Watson Wyatt survey (link below) reflects that a growing number of employers are planning to lift their salary freeze soon, employees still feel the sting.

http://www.watsonwyatt.com/news/press.asp?ID=22602

In these tenuous times it is important to let employees know how they too are helping manage costs beyond their pay freeze.  For example, many HR service initiatives have a solid cost reduction component.  Making these cost savings more visible to employees can help them understand how their utilization of HR services is making a significant contribution.  In addition, many paperless employee services support the organizational goal to be more “green.” This represents yet another opportunity to tout how employees are making a difference while promoting the scope of all HR services initiatives.