Workforce BALANCE—The key to success in today’s business environment

In today’s business environment, the definition of a balanced workforce has evolved from being focused solely on a demographically diverse workforce to a workforce that is balanced in every aspect of human diversity. This not only includes traditional diversity based on race, gender, age, nationality, and sexual orientation, but includes the diversity of thoughts, culture, emotions, and spirituality.

In today's HR environment, Workforce BALANCE is the practice of leveraging the differences in talents, skills, and backgrounds to produce advancement, growth, and innovation. A balanced workforce keeps companies competitive, relevant, and in touch with the marketplace. This is what we call the ideal balanced workforce, which has driven me to maintain a company dedicated to providing solutions to build the ideal, balanced workforce using a blend of expertise, innovation, and collaboration.

Creating a balanced workforce is vital for company longevity. When you create a balanced workforce you are not only working in the spirit of diversity, but you are benefiting from having diverse perspectives from generational, emotional, and cultural viewpoints. Not having these full representations in the workforce robs businesses of critical key elements in the social order.

At the core of your company is its workforce, and in order to succeed in meeting strategic goals your company must find balance within its core. When HR processes are designed with Workforce BALANCE in mind, companies will benefit from the long-term advantages of:

• maximizing workforce productivity
• proactively evolving in their marketplace
• producing advancement, growth, and innovation
• increasing efficiency
• remaining competitive
• reducing liability and exposure to lawsuits

Through Workforce BALANCE, a company strikes the right balance of talents, backgrounds, and experiences-allowing the opportunity to evolve with the marketplace. When HR processes are designed with Workforce BALANCE in mind, companies benefit from the long-term advantages of attracting the right talent, maximizing workforce productivity, applying consistent practices, and reducing exposure to lawsuits. Workforce BALANCE has a long and lasting positive impact on the workplace. Processes and procedures should be created with Workforce BALANCE in mind.

Each company's ideal Workforce BALANCE is different, and can be achieved by utilizing every area of HR effectively, including attracting the right talent, paying equitably, applying consistent practices, meeting government compliance, leveraging data results, identifying the most qualified applicants, and streamlining processes, procedures, tools, and training. I am proud to say Berkshire is the industry leader in helping companies find their unique blend of Workforce BALANCE. With thousands of clients who have turned to us with their core needs, from applicant management, compensation, affirmative action, and workforce planning, we understand the ins-and-outs of an effective workforce, and how to help companies evolve with the marketplace.

No matter where your company is right now with its workforce, keep in mind products and services are a true reflection of a business' workforce. If your workforce looks alike and thinks alike, then your products and services will appeal only to those who look and think like your business. As HR professionals, it is our duty to stay ahead of the curve and create a balanced workforce that truly reflects our company's revenue generating offerings. Our success and survival depends on creating an ideal, balanced workforce.

If you have questions about how to begin to develop your balanced workforce, contact Berkshire Associates at 800.882.8904 or bai@berkshireassociates.com.