Linq HR - Blogs (Information) #long service leave

Top 3 Challenges Faced by HR Teams When Sourcing New Vendors

Tue, 30 Aug 2022 08:00:00 +1000

The rapid growth of the HR tech and outsourcing industry means there are many options to choose from. The HR tech market’s growth for instance, is projected to grow from $24 billion in 2021 to $35 billion in 2028.

Unfortunately, an ever-expanding HR marketplace doesn’t make things easier when it comes to choosing the right vendor.

Whether you’re hiring external recruiters or looking for the best HCM system, the process of identifying and screening vendors is challenging, and can be a major distraction from the everyday responsibilities of HR.

Top Vendor Sourcing Challenges for HR Professionals

Although HR can readily define the company’s needs, successfully identifying and engaging vendors remains a challenge.

Here are some of the top challenges which have the biggest business impact.

1. Lost Hours Identifying Vendors

Researching different vendors takes a lot of time and effort. It could take you days or even weeks going through vendor websites and brochures comparing product features.

There’s also the time spent researching customer reviews on websites like G2, searching for market providers which match your industry needs or geographical spread or asking for recommendations from colleagues.

While there are no shortcuts to this—unless you outsource the process, the biggest issue here is that this time could be spent on critical HR activities such as employer branding and identifying workplace training needs.

2. Challenges Conducting Vendor Analysis

After filtering your initial list of potential vendors, it’s time to assess their suitability. Ultimately, qualifying HR vendors comes down to vetting them on the basis of factors like:

Service Quality – can they provide the service better than what you can deliver internally? Are their services truly best in class? Do they maintain high service levels?

Track record and consistent delivery – does the vendor deliver consistently across different companies and industries seamlessly? Can you verify their track record with current clients?

HR Expertise – is their sales focus stronger than their HR knowledge? Do they have strong HR processes supporting their services? Do they stay current with or lead in HR expertise?

Value - does the vendor provide overall value? Will your Line Managers and Finance be satisfied with the value of services being purchased? Will the vendor provide the expected impact? Will employees ultimately benefit?

3. Finalising Contracts and Vendor Engagement

Negotiating HR vendor contracts is arguably the most challenging part of the process due to the cost-related risks involved. Keen on maximising revenue, vendors can lead you into signing contracts which make the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) or charges for underutilised services way higher than it should have been.

As a general rule, if you don’t have a skilled negotiator in your team, make sure you involve Finance. Even if Finance isn’t skilled in negotiations, they can easily spot loopholes and clauses which have the potential of leading to unnecessary costs.

When preparing to engage the new vendor its important to agree on expectations upfront before work starts. Ideally this would be in the form of measurable performance standards or at least an agreed description of outcomes expected over the first 3-12 months. Ensure the vendor has all the necessary information and access to staff in your organisation they need to start successfully.

Do You Need Help Sourcing New HR Vendors?

Using our experience in the HR marketplace we can save you valuable time finding the right HR vendor for your organisation.

If you’re searching for a new HR vendor, just reach out to us by calling 1300234566 or filling this enquiry form.

Maybe its time to Rethink the Modern Day mix of Employee Leave Entitlements?

Wed, 03 Aug 2022 13:52:25 +1000

Given the recent Australian Government’s jobs and skills summit its probably as good a time as ever to think about our employee’s leave entitlements and their purpose.

When I first started in Employee Relations my mentor (long time Employee Relations specialist) told me I needed to understand the fundamentals behind each leave type. Being a bit younger back then the whole story of Long Service Leave (LSL) originally being set around the time it took for a holiday break, including a ship ride to visit the UK or Europe, wasn’t that interesting to be honest. LSL seemed just as distant as getting access one day to my locked up preserved superannuation.

Then there was the reason for casuals. Paid a premium to offset the benefits received by permanent employees as their employment ended each time they finished work on a particular day.

Today new types of leave are steadily emerging or already available including Family Violence leave, Life Leave, Gender Affirmation Leave, Grandparents Leave, and even Pawternity Leave to support our furry friends. These all have real intentions and reasons behind why they exist.

From a HR/People perspective so many leave entitlements can be difficult to manage. It can be confusing for supervision as well.

Leave entitlements in total seem to be gradually increasing. Although I understand they are only entitlements and not all fully granted without a need to take. Is this making employment potentially more expensive or is it a talent attraction for those forward thinking companies? Should the old leave types like Long Service Leave be replaced with more contemporary and relevant leave types to recognise today's employee and company needs?

Whatever the answer ends up being, it won't be decided anytime soon but I think we are at the start of a journey towards redefining the modern day mix of leave entitlements for a changing workforce.

Linq HR are specialists in HR Consulting, Career and Vendor Selection. Ph 1300234566.

Why are my Employees Constantly being Headhunted?

Wed, 03 Aug 2022 13:52:25 +1000

As a manager and leader of people you constantly have multiple things to focus on.

It can be busy and distracting at the same time depending on your challenges and workload.

Your employees seem happy and performing okay. No real issues have been raised.

Then you are shocked when they start to resign. Particularly when your best employees leave first.

Here are a few questions to consider to prevent your employees from being tempted by a Headhunter;

Leadership Style - are you approachable, do you set achievable targets, do you let employees bring their best selves to work. Do employees respect or just tolerate you as their leader?

Engagement - is there a high level of employee engagement? This is the level of enthusiasm and connection employees have with the organisation. High levels of engagement make it difficult for employees to be headhunted as their commitment to stay is high.

Employer Value Proposition (EVP) - Your EVP is the culmination of all your company's offerings in things such as compensation and career development which balances out what an employee brings to you. Is your EVP in balance with employee expectations?

Mobility - are employees able to transfer across the organisation in support of their career growth? Or do they have to leave to move ahead.

Performance - Is non-performance actively managed so that employee contributions are evenly distributed based on effort, skills and abilities?

Flexibility - are employees who can effectively do their roles remotely allowed the opportunity and trusted to work away from the traditional workplace?

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) - Does your company operate in the best interests of society and the environment and its efforts are genuine and visible.

Addressing these questions will help your employees be less tempted in moving when approached by a Headhunter. Particularly your best talent.

Linq HR are specialists in HR Consulting, Career and Vendor Selection.