It’s definitely true that “one size does not fit all” when it comes to the attraction, engagement and retention of talent. HR professionals understand there are numerous components that satisfy employee needs including some of the basic items in the HR wheelhouse: compensation and benefits. While an organization’s ‘employer brand” is not solely dependent upon benefit offerings, Total Rewards, and the psychological contract created, continues to be as important as culture, the work environment, and the opportunity to do interesting and meaningful work.

1. Comp and Benefits as a
Talent Attraction Strategy
Robin Schooling, SPHR, SHRM-SCP
North Alabama SHRM
September 2015

2. Employee Benefit!!!!
unemployment insurance
FMLA
worker’s comp

4. why?

5. total rewards
h/t to Caeser’s Entertainment

7. Compensation: Pay provided by an employer to its
employees for services rendered (i.e., time, effort,
skill). This includes both fixed and variable pay tied
to performance levels
Benefits: Programs an employer uses to supplement the
cash compensation employees receive. These health,
income protection, savings and retirement programs
provide security for employees and their families.
Work-Life Effectiveness: A specific set of organizational
practices, policies and programs, plus a philosophy
that actively supports efforts to help employees
achieve success at both work and home.

8. Recognition: Either formal or informal programs that
acknowledge or give special attention to employee actions,
efforts, behavior or performance and support business
strategy by reinforcing behaviors (e.g., extraordinary
accomplishments) that contribute to organizational success.
Performance management: The alignment of organizational, team
and individual efforts toward the achievement of business goals
and organizational success. Performance management includes
establishing expectations, skill demonstration, assessment,
feedback and continuous improvement.
Talent development: Provides the opportunity and tools for
employees to advance their skills and competencies in
both their short- and long-term careers.

9. Foundation stuff
compensation: job evals, pay philosophy, pay structure
benefits: medical, dental, 401(k)

10. year after year...
• plan year
begins
utilization
review
• action
items
bid/renewal
• roll out
and open
enrollment
plan year
begins

11. why?

14. Design &
Redesign of
Total Rewards

15. 2014 Global Top Five Total Rewards Priorities Survey

16. 2014 Global Top Five Total Rewards Priorities Survey

17. 2014 Global Top Five Total Rewards Priorities Survey

19. Summary of findings
¡ majority of organizations have offered the same
amount (58%) of ER sponsored benefits or have
increased (35%) the number of benefits offered
¡ few are eliminating health care benefits
¡ many are changing composition of health care
plans (i.e. preventative)
¡ many shifting greater burden of costs onto
employees

20. increasing
¡ HSAs and
contributions to HSAs
¡ mental health care
coverage
¡ contraception
coverage
¡ vision insurance and
laser surgery
decreasing
¡ Flexible Spending
Accounts
Health Care

21. increasing
¡ health and lifestyle
coaching
¡ smoking cessation
programs
¡ premium discount for
risk assessment
decreasing
¡ on-site stress
reduction
¡ nap rooms
Wellness

22. increasing
¡ Roth 401(k)s
¡ one-on-one
investment advice
decreasing
¡ defined contribution
plan loans
Retirement Savings

23. increasing
¡ spot bonuses
¡ nonexec signing
bonuses
¡ donations for charity
events
decreasing
¡ auto subsidy
¡ credit unions
¡ payroll advances
Financial

24. increasing
¡ pay cards
¡ shopping discounts
¡ pet insurance
decreasing
¡ postal services
¡ subsidized on-site
cafeterias
¡ executive club
memberships
Services

25. “Benefits plans should be
viewed by HR professionals
as a vital tool in their
retention and recruitment
strategies.”

26. Global Workforce Insights for Compensation: Q2 2015
1. vacation time and PTO policies
2. healthcare benefits
3. retirement savings

27. 1969

28. BENEFITS QUARTERLY, 2014
Neil Howe, LifeCourse Associates
56% of Gen Y agree: benefits important for
selecting their employer
25 points higher than older boomers!
63% of Gen Y: benefits are reason they’ve
stayed with employer

29. BENEFITS QUARTERLY, 2014
Neil Howe, LifeCourse Associates
• financial planning
• tax preparation assistance
• hands-on relocation assistance
• education programs on individual
finance/retirement planning
• ...and voluntary benefits
what benefits matter?
Gen Y ...NOT boomers!

31. Alignment with
Strategy & Brand

33. competition or collaboration?

34. do your Total Rewards repel?

36. do your Total Rewards attract?

37. what employee benefits have you added/
removed as a direct response to needs/
want of employees or in order to improve
talent attraction?
how much importance are candidates
placing on benefits?
which of your benefit offerings are
specifically designed to align with your
employer brand or your organizational
strategy?

38. Challenges &
Opportunities

39. a story from the HR trenches

41. “I can’t afford the gas to get to work.”

42. alignment: brand & strategy
benefits
¡ retirement plan redesign
¡ sick leave; eligibility &
carry-over
¡ vacation – pay out
talent development
work-life effectiveness
¡ on-site gym
¡ additional vacation
¡ floating holidays
compensation recognition & rewards

43. Communication

44. Branding your benefits -
#sexyHR
#unsexyHR

45. Global Workforce Insights for Compensation: Q2 2015
1. vacation time and PTO policies
2. healthcare benefits
3. retirement savings
candidate attraction

46. employee retention
¡ a voluntary benefits scheme needs to be
well communicated and promoted to
ensure employees engage with it
¡ using benefits champions and savings
examples can help engage staff
¡ communication must be ongoing and
kept relevant to maintain employee
engagement
employeebenefits.co.uk“How to build engagement with voluntary benefits,”July 2015

47. my POV
what can we learn...?

48. total rewards should be
meaningful to employees,
differentiate the company, and
align with brand and strategy

49. thank you!
@RobinSchooling
robinschooling.com
robin.schooling@gmail.com

50. additional resources
¡ Employee Benefit News benefitnews.com
¡ Employee Benefit Research Institute ebri.org
¡ International Foundation of Employee Benefit
Plans ifebp.org
¡ International Society of Certified Employee
Benefit Specialists iscebs.org
¡ World at Work worldatwork.org
¡ Employee Benefits employeebenefits.co.uk