Amanda Wilkinson, Editor, Employee Benefits: The hard work of compensation and benefits practitioners often goes unnoticed in an organisation. Employees expect perks by right, finance perceives them to be a cost burden, and senior management often fail to understand the contribution that benefits can make.
This lack of recognition can be frustrating for those who practise in this field. The only way that you can make others appreciate not only the impact that benefits strategy has on the organisation, but also your own contribution is by making your mark and demonstrating your worth. This can be achieved to great effect by making sure that the scheme or project is delivered on time, within budget and, most importantly of all, meets strategic objectives. Delivering cost savings via salary sacrifice arrangements, reducing sickness absence rates and boosting employee engagement levels are all achievements to shout about. New and innovative ideas that contribute to organisational strategy will also help to raise your profile, and boost interest in benefits.
Reward and recognition should theoretically then follow. And indeed if the latest salary research from the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development is anything to go by you will, at least, end up better paid than other specialists within HR. But, if that promotion or salary increase is not forthcoming you may wish to pursue other opportunities.
Either way, it is essential that if you want to get ahead and climb the career ladder, you must stand out from the crowd. This means setting out what you have achieved in terms that link to business strategy. It is also worth raising your profile, and that of your employer, externally through networking at conferences, by pursuing speaking opportunities and by entering industry awards, such as our own Employee Benefits Awards which launch this month (see right). Both your organisation and yourself will also benefit from the increased knowledge that comes with attending and swapping ideas with peers at industry events.
So don't hide your achievements under a bushel, let them sparkle and you may then get the rewards that you deserve.
Amanda Wilkinson, Editor