Human resources is a continually evolving, dynamic field that is essential to any organization. For many companies, it may be easy to get caught up in the day-to-day operations of HR, like fielding employee questions, onboarding new staff, and other important, yet time-consuming and redundant tasks. However, this reactive, operational view of HR can lead to frustration for HR staff and other employees. This is where strategic HR comes in. But, what are the most important strategic questions to ask HR leaders? Let’s go over a few questions to consider.

strategic questions to ask hr leaders

How will the organization respond to evolving employee expectations?

Taking a strategic approach to HR is about looking at the big picture and anticipating what the future will bring. One major expectation that continues to shift is employee benefits. In fact, benefits are currently one of the most important elements of a job offer, with nearly two out of every three prospective employees carefully considering benefits before accepting a job offer. Additionally, 80% of employees would prefer additional benefits over increased compensation. This means that now and into the future, companies need to maintain competitive benefits packages to retain and attract the best employees.

However, as a company’s workforce grows, it can be difficult to manage the benefits. This is where outsourcing benefits administration can help companies strategically prioritize their efforts. Rather than HR leaders spending an exhaustive amount of time overseeing benefits administration, an outsourcing partner can relieve this burden. Instead, HR leaders can focus their time on more strategic initiatives that will drive the company and HR department forward.

How will the organization adapt to evolving employer regulations?

Employment laws change all the time, and if you’re not compliant, there is a lot at risk. Ensuring that your company remains up to date with these changing regulations can be difficult if your HR staff is focused on day-to-day tasks that take up the majority of their time.

As an HR leader, identifying ways to ensure compliance is critical for long-term success. Fortunately, working with an HR outsourcer like Corban OneSource makes this a much more streamlined process. Our team always has our finger on the pulse of employment regulations so we’re always prepared when they go into effect. As a result, we work with you to ensure that everything from payroll to general HR administration complies with all applicable laws. This protects you and your employees from fines, penalties, and other legal consequences.

How can we leverage HR data to inform future strategies?

There is a wealth of insights that can be gained from data collected by the HR department. When determining the strategic questions to ask HR leaders, how they intend to leverage this data for future decisions should be on the list. HR teams can evaluate data such as retention rate, turnover rate, diversity, and other metrics to inform hiring and employee engagement strategies.

Working with an HR outsourcer like Corban OneSource, which has experience working with companies that have between 75 and 6,000 employees, we can help you collect and analyze this data to paint an accurate picture of the state of your HR practices. An HRO can help you extract meaningful data and work with you to brainstorm ideas on how to best apply it.

There are many strategic questions to ask HR leaders. Fortunately, working with an HR outsourcer that handles benefits administration, payroll, and general HR administration can remove the burden of redundant day-to-day payroll activities so they can actually spend time planning for the future. In addition, outsourcing HR can also help the organization control costs.

If you’re looking to learn more about strategic HR solutions for companies with between 75 and 6,000 employees, look no further than Corban OneSource. Contact our experienced team today to see how we can help you.