Yes, HR provides support – but its programs and products are just as important.
I have complicated feelings about the word “support,” at least when it describes our work in Human Resources (HR).
On the one hand, it’s true – a good HR function provides employees with the right level of support at the right time. But a great HR function? We do so much more than that.
I’ve spent nearly seven years at Delta Dental of California, working with an incredible group of leaders who turn ordinary programs into strategic products. They understand the value of comprehensive, innovative programs and translate those insights into strategies that fulfill our organization’s current and future needs.
At Delta Dental, we’re on a journey to become a healthcare company and a leader in oral health. We strive to ensure our employees have the care, resources, and work/life experiences they need to achieve their career goals and deliver exceptional care to all stakeholders in our ecosystem. This means creating equitable programs – or products, if you will – that create opportunities for advancement, foster meaningful connections, and improve the well-being of our employees and their families.
That’s how we arrived at our People Operating System – it frames the experience we provide to our employees, as represented through three interconnected products:
- LeadWell offers a shared understanding of what it means to be a leader at Delta Dental. It’s a set of expectations – rooted in our vision, purpose, and values – designed to empower our leaders to create the experiences needed for employees to feel engaged, supported, recognized, and cared for.
- WorkWell provides employees with a framework for how we work at Delta Dental. It aims to define our flexible work environment so we can better understand the work/life experiences our employees need to achieve their ideal balance. This multi-year initiative encourages flexibility and facilitates in-person connection and collaboration.
- LiveWell represents our full health and benefits package—it’s where our total rewards strategy meets the needs of our employees, both within and outside of work. Through LiveWell, we aim to ensure a fulfilling work experience, prioritizing the health and safety of our employees and their loved ones.
So, if a good HR function provides support, what does a great HR function do?
They create exceptional experiences that promote and protect the well-being of their company’s greatest asset – its employees.
The importance of and commitment to well-being is essential to these programs. In my upcoming blog series, I’ll unpack each program within our People Operating System and explain why well-being plays such an important role in every single one.
About The Author
Brian Sherman is Executive Vice President and Chief People Officer for Delta Dental of California and its affiliates. In his role, Brian manages a team of experts across the Talent, People Operations, People Experience, DEI, and Organizational Effectiveness functions. Additionally, Brian oversees enterprise Business Resilience and the Delta Dental Community Care Foundation.
With more than two decades of people operations and strategy experience. Before Delta Dental of California, he served as Chief Human Resources Officer at Healthy Living Network, Vice President of Human Capital at Optum, and Human Resources Director at Dignity Health.
Brian received his B.A. in Human Resource Management from California State University, Chico, and his master’s degree in Organizational Development from the University of San Francisco.
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