Striking a balance between the business and people is the target for most HR teams. Protecting the business is essential and smart. Putting “best practices” first will always be, well, sufficient. However, to really get to see progress and success your organization MUST focus on the people experience.
“In contrast to a Human Resources function, a People Experience team is much more about engaging and inspiring individuals in their place of work and appealing to them as discerning individuals who make active choices about what they’ll do, when and where they’ll do it and for whom. There’s no compulsion -only choice- which means the most successful companies will have to have a deep and meaningful look at the value proposition to appeal to the best.”
– Anne Allen, Chief People Officer Milton Keynes College
What does that mean? The People Experience.
We believe the people experience starts the moment a candidate enters the recruiting process and continues through the entirety of their time with ISOutsource.
Our People Experience team is about making work more enjoyable, more meaningful, and more supportive. This aligns with our company tagline “Happy, Productive, and Supported”. Yes, we also manage the operations and compliance side of HR. But we lead every endeavor with how it will affect the people experience. Can team members be their authentic selves at work? Can we reduce the stress related to work? Can we make work a place where they belong?
Making Work More Enjoyable. Today, it’s not enough to just advertise a job and watch the applications roll in. Candidates want to know that they will come to work in an inclusive, positive, and fun culture.
- We created a committee of team members of all tenures to pay attention to culture. They plan events, trivia, and ways for people to connect like pop-up happy hours. But they’re not just party planners. They are thought leaders and have real impact to our culture. They use their voice to impact where they work. Members of the committee look at employee satisfaction survey data and dive into those focus areas that need attention.
- We send weekly “High Five Friday” emails where we celebrate successes, new team members and anniversaries.
- We gave our team members a way to give anonymous feedback. We respond to every piece of feedback openly in High Five Friday emails within the same week to let our team know we’re listening and value transparency.
Making Work More Meaningful. Giving team members a connection to the “how” makes coming to work worth something.
- Internally published salary bands help team members know they will be compensated as they grow in skill and experience.
- Career paths are connected to salary bands to show the next level of competencies and skill.
- Individual Learning Plans, which include learning reimbursement, are used to promote professional development.
- Implementing a 4-day workweek. Having an extra day off to rest and manage life promotes a positive work/life balance.
- Generous bonus programs to incentivize and grow financially.
Making Work More Supportive. We endeavor to provide team members with the support they need to be their best authentic selves at work.
- Regular team member check-ins are conducted to ensure they have helpful touch points along their journey.
- An immersive onboarding experience provides engagement between team members and leaders. It also highlights how their role has real impact on the business and the business of our clients.
- A strong Employee Assistance Program that provides workshops on topics such as reducing stress and financial planning.
- A formal Mentorship program that will pair leaders in our organization with team members. (In process for H2.)
The evolution from traditional HR to People Experience has only been possible with the effort and creativity of many. Being able to watch a team member enjoy their work and continue to choose ISOutsource is incredibly fulfilling. This fuels our continued efforts to make ISOutsource a great place to work.
Staci Botts
Director of People Experience