HRLR Compensation and Benefits Plan

Introduction

It is important for employees to feel valued and supported by their companies. The 21^st century has provided employers with numerous innovative opportunities to compensate their workers. Currently, financial stability remains the biggest motivator for employees worldwide. However, implementing short-term recreational and educational programs can be an effective way to boost employee engagement. Based on these findings, it becomes evident that the job market is changing and workers may require new approaches to benefits distribution. The purpose of this paper is to present an evidence-based compensation and benefits plan for a chosen organization.

Background of Organization

The organization that needs an efficient compensation and benefits plan is Human Resources and Labor Relations Department in Macomb County. It is responsible for administering services related to employment in the area. The department’s official website notes that the staff working at HRLR specializes in “recruitment and selection of qualified applicants for vacant positions; administration and maintenance of a competitive benefit program; maintenance of employment records” and much more (Human Resources and Labor Relations Department Macomb County, n.d., para. 1).

The team at HRLR also negotiates and administers human rights policies, labor agreements, and employee compensation programs. The staff at the organization includes team coordinators, training assistants, human resources and labor relations consultants, as well as retirement specialists.

There are certain traits of government organizations that are important to consider while creating a benefits plan. For instance, as a government entity, HRLR is obligated to provide their employees with the health plan, life insurance, paid leave, and a defined contribution 401(a) retirement plan (Human Resources and Labor Relations Department Macomb County, n.d.). However, the department has a lot to improve by providing their workers with additional compensation options.

Additionally, it is important to acknowledge that diversity has been a topic of discussion as of late. The need for inclusion is evident in Human Resources and Labor Relations Department in Macomb County. Therefore, the program entitled “Diversity Inclusion, Equity, and Advancement for People of Color” has been proposed. It focuses on the utilization of improved recruitment and training framework to ensure the inclusion of people of color (POC) in the workforce. This is why it is crucial to keep in mind this POC initiative while drafting a compensation and benefits plan.

Compare and Contrast of Industry

It is difficult to accurately examine the government sector when the program requiring employees is somewhat revolutionary. People working on the “Diversity Inclusion, Equity, and Advancement for People of Color” program are going to include educators, human resource consultants, diversity experts, general managers, and coordinators. However, it is possible to assess the competitive compensation and benefits for similar government units.

As examples, Genesee County HRLR, Lake County HR Department, and Contra Costa County HR Division are going to be analyzed. It is essential to compare and contrast the benefit packages of these three human resources and labor relations organizations in order to draft an improved plan for Macomb County HRLR.

When it comes to compensation, none of the aforementioned organizations disclose their salary propositions and averages. Therefore, an external source must be used to analyze a competitive salary for a general manager/training specialist/consultant. According to Glassdoor (2020), the average salary of an employee relations consultant in the United States is $60,757. This informations will be helpful in determining the salary presented in the compensation and benefits plan.

Engagement

An engaged workforce is beneficial to an organization’s performance, profits, and overall public image. Fostering high levels of engagement among employees is essential in order to maximize any company’s capabilities. It makes sense that employers of the 21^st century are involved in the assessment and optimization of employee engagement. In 2013, Gallup Inc. published “the mother of all employee engagement surveys” (Lipman, 2013).

According to Gallup’s (2013) findings, “70% of American workers are “not engaged” or “actively disengaged” and are emotionally disconnected from their workplaces and less likely to be productive” (p. 12). If only 30% of the company’s employees are fully committed to their work, organizational performance suffers greatly.

Findings indicated that employee’s relationship with their manager had the most influence on engagement. Therefore, it is extremely important for employers to invest time and energy in creating the most positive work environment. As for benefits, the job market of the 21^st century values flexibility. According to Lindsay Horn (2017), “1). Better health, dental, and vision insurance. 2). More flexible hours. 3). More vacation time. 4). Work from home options. 5).

Unlimited vacations” are some of the most common benefits employees want (p. 8). Allowing employees to custom design their individual benefit packages gives them an opportunity to use their benefits in accordance to their current needs and future plans (Horn, 2017). In addition, employee financial security remains crucial.

The most successful companies in terms of employee satisfaction are the ones that maintain diversity of benefits (Horn, 2017). In other words, they understand the long-term financial security that all workers appreciate. At the same time, they allow their employees to take advantage of ‘fun’ opportunities in the moment, including educational courses, memberships, gifts, and bonuses.

Proposal for Benefits

• A compensation that consists of $75,000 salary and an end-of-year bonus of up to 10 percent of the salary amount.
• Monthly bonuses based on team performance.
• Access to flexible spending accounts.
• Maternity and paternity benefits.
• Refugee benefits.
• Paid vacation and sick leave.
• Health benefits, COBRA, life insurance.
• A defined contribution 401(a) retirement plan.
• Educational resources, including those at Central Michigan University and Davenport University.
• Additional benefits, including recreational games, gym memberships, work-related devices’ reimbursements.

The combination of a competitive financial compensation, long-term security benefits such as a 401(a) plan, and various educational/recreational opportunities are proposed to be incorporated at Macomb County HRLR. A starting salary of $75,000 for a training specialist/HR consultant is comparable to the national and state average.

The salaries of general managers will be slightly lower. However, all employees are hopefully going to be engaged more in their work as a result of these improvements. It is crucial for any organization to acknowledge their workers’ long-term stability as well as short-term satisfaction. The compensation and benefits plan accomplishes both by providing employees with an abundance of financial, educational, and recreational opportunities.

Conclusion

It is apparent that employees of the 21^st century require a different approach to compensation and benefits planning. In order to keep workers engaged, employers have to incorporate new concepts, such as flexibility and diversity in their planning. Companies are starting to realize that workers need a combination of long-term benefits and short-term, ‘fun’ opportunities. A good compensation plan includes both the competitive financial benefits and recreational/educational programs.

References

Contra Costa County Human Resources (n.d.). Employee benefits. Web.

Gallup Inc. (2013). The state of the American workplace: Employee engagement insights for U.S. business leaders. Washington, DC: Gallup.

Genesee County Human Resources and Labor Relations (2020). Benefit information. Web.

Glassdoor (2020). Employee relations consultant salaries. Web.

Horn, L. (2017). Keeping employees loyal and content in the 21st century (Master’s thesis, Murray’s State University, Murray, KY). Web.

Human Resource and Labor Relations Department Macomb County (n.d.). Welcome to human resources and labor relations. Web.

Lake County Illinois (n.d.). Human resources. Web.

Lipman, V. (2013). Surprising, disturbing facts from the mother of all employee engagement surveys. Forbes. Web.