Where's your edge? This is the question Sounds True founder Tami Simon asks her New Age guests. Their answer is usually the most interesting part of the interview.
So I ask you the same question. What are you doing in HR at your company that excites you? What are you doing that's cool, different, outrageous, experimental, and otherwise really edgy?
If your answer is silence, you have a serious problem. What will happen if your competition is focused on creating an edge and you're not? Think of the contrast between low-cost, innovative firms and more traditional competitors.
Pushing for the edge helps keep us going here at HR That Works. We focus on doing the HR blocking and tackling as well as we can, but we also want to make sure our clients keep looking for their edge.
For example, what if you distributed the Creativity Checklist and Employee Suggestion forms to your entire workforce? You might discover a lot of edge lying dormant at your company. One good idea can more than repay your investment in HR for years to come and can do wonders for your career.
What we're doing to build our edge
- Job Security Program: We produced a Job Security Program and companion book to fill a gap in literature about how to be a great employee. Allow employees 90 minutes to watch the program and then task them to complete the exercises in the book.
- Time Management Program: We released a Time Management Program after extensive member feedback. In a squeezed economy, time is your most precious asset and this program offers practical steps for employees and managers.
- Upgraded website and social media: We upgraded our site and brought on a partner to revamp social media implementation when we realized execution was the bottleneck. Using a trusted third party can accelerate your progress.
- Cutting-edge webinars: We continue to bring in experts to educate managers and leaders. HR should be viewed as a driver of strong employee relationships and trust, which also reduces risk. Our growing library of stored webinars is available for on-demand learning.
- Improved site navigation: We've added the ability to attach documents to audits, quizzes, and surveys and are making it easier to upload your own materials to the portal.
I could go on, but that's plenty for now. Keep asking yourself, "Where's my edge?" To compete in today's business environment you need to be creative, proactive, and ahead of the curve.
If you want help aligning HR programs with broader risk and consulting support, see Human Resource Consulting Services Insurance.
To learn more about recruiting and retaining leaders as part of your edge, see Attracting Leadership Talent and HR Opportunities.
If benefits strategy is part of your competitive advantage, review Executive Benefits.
Playing catch-up guarantees problems for your business and your career. If you want to review options for protecting your HR initiatives, talk to an agent.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does "finding an edge" mean in HR?
Finding an edge means identifying practices or programs that set your organization apart, such as unique training, better communication, or faster decision-making.
How can small companies discover employee ideas without a big budget?
Start with simple tools like suggestion forms, short focus groups, and recognition for implemented ideas; small experiments often reveal high-value changes.
How do you measure whether an "edge" initiative is working?
Use a mix of metrics such as employee engagement scores, productivity measures, turnover rates, and feedback from managers to evaluate impact.
What are low-risk ways to test new HR programs?
Pilot programs with a single team, collect quick feedback, and iterate before scaling to the whole organization.