on-line communities can support hr

oN=LINE COMMUNITIES CAN SUPPORT HR

J o h n J . N a i l a n d F r a n c i s J . G u t h r i e

John J. Nail, CLU, chief executive officer of Employease Inc., Atlanta, Georgia, has more than 27 years of experience in employee benefit sales and management. He worked for UNUM Life Insurance Co. in a variety of executive positions, including serving as technology liaison between the field and the home office. He also worked on a wide range of technology and re- engineering projects. Francis J. “Sud” Guthrie, executive vice president, marketing and sales, of Fortis Benefits Insurance Co., Kansas City, Missouri, has more than 30 years of experience in marketing and sales. Previously, he was senior vice president, corporate marketing and communications, of Fortis Inc., a major financial services company that includes Fortis Benefits. He formerly headed his own strategic marketing and communications firm and was a senior executive at UNUM and at a major New York City advertising agency.

ne need not delve into philosophy or sociology to under- stand that the emergence of the Internet has changed these 0 commonly accepted notions about community. Certainly,

human resources executives are more apt to understand what constitutes a community than other corporate executives. The human resources function, arguably, is specifically aimed at sup- porting the welfare and well-being of all members of the workforce community. In very large organizations, the HR function plays a key role in creating the culture of the corporate community by establishing some of the most elemental ground rules under which membership in the community is governed. Different departments might have different rules about protocol and procedure in the workplace, but most companies will, through the HR function, uniformly govern those matters that are important to individual members, such as employee benefits, compensation, and the man- ner in which the individual’s relationship with the organization is formally engaged, conducted, and disengaged.

Through local and national associations, vendors and vendor networks and other support organizations, a broader community exists that can bolster individual HR executives’ efforts toward effective management. This broader community can include many others, both inside and outside the company or the human re- sources industry, whose interests or endeavors affect the success of the HR function.

THE CHARACTERISTICS OF A COMMUNITY To better understand the form and function of both the workforce

community and the broader HR community, consider the charac- teristics that help define a community.

Cl A sense of place. When the word community is brought to mind, the first associationone makes is with a place-where we grew up, where we now reside, perhaps even where we work. To most of us, community has geographic bound- aries, like those of a neighborhood, town, college campus, city. The place in which HR executives function pushes the

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John J. Nail and Francis J. Guthrie

A company’s HR department should be positioned as central to values shared by the corporate community.

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boundaries and extends beyond the specific organization that houses client-employees to encompass other HR executives, support personnel, suppliers, vendors, and consultants. Vital places, therefore, may be anywhere where professionals in a community of common interest congregate. A sense of values. Today, communities are defined more by the common interests made up by the shared values of a groupvaluesthat arenotonlyexpressed,butactedonbythe behavior of people in the group. Acompany’s HRdepartment should be positioned as central to values shared by the corporate community. Otherwise, HRexecutives stand on the outside and try to get inside the community so that they can best support those they seek to serve. The values for which a community stands will drive what a community talks about, which leads to the next characteristic. Shared language. What a community talks about indicates its values and foreshadows the needs of its members. Shared experienceddefining moments. Finding the proper defining moments of our industry and becoming part of them is absolutely imperative to effective interaction in the HR community. The act of introducing a new concept in HR management can be a defining moment in the history of a company’s industry, if done well. The demonstration of a breakthrough application in creating a distinctive advantage for employees will become a defining moment too-not only for the workforce but also for the company as it positions itself with these breakthrough plans. A sense of leadership. Communities must have leaders in order to be sustainable. Human resources executives achieve leadership status when they help their organizations de- velop and sustain a culture that optimally achieves busi- ness goals and serves the workforce as well.

The act of introducing innovative HR programs can establish a leadership position from the very outset. In order for a company’s opportunities to be optimized, its leadership position must not simply arise from the breakthrough innovation; it must arise from a brand leadership emanating from throughout the company.

COMMUNITIES AND TECHNOLOGY If we accept that communities are established by place, values,

shared language, shared experiences, and leadership, then tech- nology creates new opportunities-not only to strengthen and expand current communities, but to establish new ones in ways never before conceived. Specifically, computer and telecommuni-

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On-Line Communities Can Support HR

cations technology combine almost magically to establish rela- tionships that satisfy the characteristics of a community.

In his 1993 book, The Virtual Community: Homesteading on the EZectronic Frontier: Howard Rheingold describes the creation of the new relationships. Similarly, existing relationships-includ- ing workforce relationships within one company-can be en- riched by technological means.

The notion of place may seem to be the most difficult commu- nity characteristic to satisfy in a technological sense. In fact, the characteristic of place is easily met in a technological community, once one accepts that a place can be a state of mind as well as a physical location. One term often used to define this place is cyberspace, or "the name some people use for the conceptual space where words, human relationships, data, wealth and power are manifested by people using computer-mediated communica- tion," Rheingold writes.

That there are shared values is fully understood today. Com- munication on the Internet follows a broadly understood eti- quette. Using all capital letters in an electronic chat room, where people sitting at computers in far distant locations can exchange messages with others simultaneously sitting at their computers, is considered to be the same as shouting in a conversation.

More fundamentally, the character of sites on the World Wide Web extends to cyberspace the same values already existing throughout the universe of communities in the world today. Creators of Web sites pay as much attention to the image of the site as an architect does to the design of a home. In both cases, they realize that the images created convey the values of the owner.

Thus, visitors to academic sites, for example, will have an expectation that references and appearances meet certain univer- sally accepted academic values. Sites created by artists are more creative; those created by businesses are more formal. As with any community, not all the values are necessarily lofty.

Shared language in the virtual community derives in part from the technology itself. The Internet, the World Wide Web, chat rooms, news groups, and the aforementioned cyberspace are but a few of the terms created and understood by these new commu- nities. Netizens (another word that demonstrates the new shared language) are known for their punctuation codes, such as :-), which, turned on its side, is a smiling face. Even without real presence, a member of the virtual community can smile-or frown . . . :-( -at another.

Fundamentally, the shared language already used by an exist- ing community extends to the virtual community. As in a real

The already used by an

extends to community.

language

communify

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John J. Nail and Francis J. Guthrie

understanding how the recipient of computer-media ted comm unica tions perceives the sender of those communications is the key.

community, shared language might be exclusionary, whether intentionally or not, to facilitate the unification of the community members. Accountants speak one shared language, biomedical engineers another. This reality does not change in the virtual community, with the possible exception that access to the commu- nications might be available to those who previously did not have access.

The fourth characteristic of a community-shared experi- ences/defining moments-already has occurred in the virtual community. There was a widespread protest of Internet censor- ship efforts in 1996. Many popular Web sites were altered by using black screen backgrounds as a demonstration against efforts to impose guidelines. Widespread outages of major Internet service providers, such as America Online, are every bit as significant to the Internet community as a hurricane in Miami or a tornado in Tulsa are to the real world.

The fifth characteristic, leadership, takes many forms in any community-political, business, civic, religious. The virtual com- munity is no different, except in one significant respect discussed by Rheingold: ”Computer-mediated communication technology offers a new capability of ’many to many’ communication,” he writes. This is different from the ”few to many” model that characterized community communications through most of this century. Heretofore, access to the media-newspapers, maga- zines, television, books, and advertising-was available to those who were leaders by virtue of power, be it economic, political, charismatic, or some other form. Today, only an inexpensive computer and a phone line are needed to gain access to potentially vast numbers of individuals.

Understanding how the recipient of computer-mediated com- munications perceives the sender of those communications is the key to understanding how leadership can be exercised in the future.

”Because of its potential to change us as humans, as communi- ties, as democracies, we need to try to understand the nature of computer-mediated communications, cyberspace and virtual com- munities in every important context-politically, economically, socially, cognitively,” Rheingold says. “Each different perspec- tive reveals something that the other perspectives do not reveal. Each different discipline fails to see something that another disci- pline sees very well. We need to think together here, across boundaries of academic discipline, industrial affiliation, nation, if we hope to understand and thus perhaps regain control of the way human communities are being transformed by communications technologies. ”

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A n HR executive knows that a disability situation offen will require dealing with a network of people who will represent the company to the employee.

THE HUMAN RESOURCES COMMUNITY Human resources generalists know that their responsibilities

touch many areas, any of which may have specialists of their own. These areas include compensation, insurance, labor law, commu- nication, workers’ compensation, and many more.

One such area is disability, which uniquely presents a situation that touches on many other areas. An HR executive knows that a disability situation often will require dealing with a network of people who will come into contact with the employee and, in a sense, represent the company to the employee.

A typical example is pregnancy leave, during which various employment relations issues must be accommodated, ranging from services for the worker on leave to filling her position while she is gone, or rescheduling of assignments. An internal HR employee or an outside case worker might be engaged to monitor progress of return to work, anticipate any problems, and provide support as appropriate.

Another example is a worker with a chemical dependency. This worker may be referred to an employee assistance program, which may in turn refer the employee to a rehabilitation program. The supervisor may be inclined to dismiss the employee, which may not be possible under the Americans with Disabilities Act. There certainly will be some turmoil within the employee’s de- partment if the dependency disrupted the workplace. Absence during rehabilitation also will be an issue. Combined, these com- plicate a smooth return to work-and that presents another HR management issue.

To retain the services of employees who will return under either scenario, the HR department likely will tap a wide range of assistance. In the first example, the company may assist in secur- ing services that the mother and new child might need, such as child care. In the second example, the company may become involved in assisting the employee’s family. In any case, the company also will want to ensure that the employee is aware of and obtains other employee benefits that may be available. The case worker or assigned individual should facilitate communica- tion between the employee and the company throughout the process. There likely will be a need to reindoctrinate the employee to ensure a smooth reentry to work.

Suddenly, the employee, the HR department, and perhaps the employee’s supervisor are becoming involved with various agen- cies and individuals. Complicating matters is the fact that all such communications most likely will be problematic because they deal with privileged medical information. Situations usually must be treated with confidentiality.

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John J. Nail and Francis J. Guthrie

W rth effective use of Web sites, electronic mail, h yperlinks, and other mechanisms, communications regarding disability situations can be effectively managed.

The careful management of these issues is of vital concern to the HR executive. The successful management of these situations is essential for all the reasons that companies employ HR execu- tives in the first place. The well-being of the workforce, the integrity of the company’s reputation, and the core values of the business enterprise are at stake.

The employee will understand that a rehabilitation specialist will not necessarily be an employee of the company, but the specialist will represent the company to the employee. A positive experience with these individuals will reflect well on the worker’s perception of the company. A bad experience will do the opposite. The HR executive is responsible to be cognizant of this and to manage the situation effectively. The ultimate outcome of the situation will create the perceptions that are critical to maintaining the commitment and loyalty of the workforce. Each individual contact should be as positive as it can feasibly be. The entire disability experience should be managed carefully for maximum benefit to the company and to the individual worker.

Happily, technology is available to accomplish these objectives. With effective use of Web sites, electronic mail, hyperlinks, and other mechanisms, communications regarding disability situations can be effectively managed. Like any other tool, the technology must be managed carefully-inthis case,bytheHRexecutive. Itwouldnotbe appropriate, for example, to have supervisors reviewing confidential details of drug treatment progress, or communications between a new mother’s doctor and a case manager for the company. However, reports can be tailored so that appropriate levels of communication are facilitated. Companies can set up intranets-restricted access information channels based on Internet technology-to convey de- tails of benefits that are available, or to facilitate communications among various parties. Web sites can be created to inform employees how to deal with coworkers that return to work following a disability, and to communicate company policy on disability situations.

Coordination of communication among the disparate indi- viduals who will serve the worker must be effective and efficient for maximum success in managing the temporary absence of the worker. The company’s HE executive has various tools available to ensure that this happens.

AN INTERACTIVE DISABILITY WEB SITE In 1997, Employease Inc., a benefits management network

based in Atlanta, Georgia, teamed up with Fortis Benefits Insur- ance Co., a group disability insurance company based in Kansas City, Missouri, to create a Web site focusing on disability insur- ance issues.

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The site allows participants to exchange ideas, viewpoints, and questions about disability and disability insurance issues.

Employease operates an HR and benefits administration ser- vice that uses Internet technology to automate all components of employee benefits management, bringing employee benefits ad- ministration to the desktop in a simple form called the Benefits Management Network. The company provides Web-based solu- tions to problems associated with employee benefits administra- tion for today’s small and midsized companies. Fortis Benefits specializes in nonmedical employee benefits, including long- term and short-term disability, life and accidental death and dismemberment coverage, and dental insurance.

The idea behind the site is the strengthening of current commu- nication with technology. It is an example of how society has recently broadened the idea and definition of community through technol- ogy. The site is an on-line community where people of similar interests, whether educational or practical, can meet to discuss those interests and find answers to difficult questions. (The site is accessible at http: / /www.employease.com/disability.)

The site allows participants to exchange ideas, viewpoints, and questions about disability and disability insurance issues. Among the features on the site are a disability calculator that can be used to determine how much disability insurance an individual should carry; a question-and-answer e-mail service; a chat room; and real-life stories of individuals who have returned to work follow- ing a disability.

There is information about the disability insurance aspects of hot topics, such as the Health Insurance Portability and Account- ability Act, and panel discussions can be convened on the site as events warrant.

The forum came together because Employease wanted to set up partnerships on several different levels. Other forums address- ing other topics can be developed with different providers of employee benefits. In terms of technology and the Internet, Employease realized that many insurance companies and brokers arenot familiar with the power of the Internet and what it can help companies accomplish. Employease wanted to connect with com- panies like Fortis Benefits, to establish a rapport and business relationship with an influential and powerful force in the insur- ance industry.

In order to make this connection, Employease sought to work with Fortis Benefits on a project in a nonbranded manner. This way, Employease could demonstrate to Fortis Benefits’ executives that people from all walks of life are plugged into the Internet as a medium. Employease also could familiarize Fortis Benefits with the advantages that the Internet offers.

The idea was that Fortis Benefits would see firsthand how

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The Benefits Management Network is an example of how an on-line community provides advantages to all companies involved.

companies benefit by bringing other companies and experts to- gether in an on-line community. The Benefits Management Net- work is an example of how an on-line community provides advantages to all companies involved.

The Benefits Management Network provides companies with a shared resource that has Fortune 500 functionality without the huge price tag generally associated with advanced HR technol- ogy. The company leases access to the system and its functionality, costing less and making the benefits administration process easier and quicker.

Employease’s vision was to join forces with Fortis Benefits in a two-part project. In the first part, the site would be used to help Fortis Benefits become more comfortable with the Internet’s more advanced tools and functions, while at the same time, provide a rallying point for the company’s Internet projects.

Employease saw the site as a way to establish credibility with Fortis Benefits and to create a relationship that would lead to the second part of the project: a partnership to use and distribute the Benefits Management Network.

Fortis Benefits saw the Web site as a way to garner attention and to demonstrate the company’s leadership in technology in the insurance field in a nonbranded fashion. It allowed the company to gain experience in an Internet enterprise by capitalizing on the experience of a company deeply involved in the technology.

Although the company operates its own Web site for market- ing purposes, the Benefits Management Network allows Fortis Benefits to explore other capabilities .of Internet communication. Of particular appeal is the notion of being part of an interactive information center in which experts from Fortis Benefits and other partners in the group, including Employease and Disability Con- sulting Group Inc., Portland, Maine, respond to questions posed by visitors. In this way, Fortis Benefits provides an educational and informative service while secondarily making its brand name widely known.

CONNECTING TO COMMUNITIES OPEN TO US Internet technology represents a new way to strengthen cur-

rent communities as well as to establish new ones. In many cases, individuals or groups share values or purpose but are not unified as a community. They may not be aware of each other because of geographical separation or other factors. The Internet creates an opportunity for disparate communities to become connected so that members can support, nourish, enrich, and benefit from each other-as they would in any community.

Potentially millions of individuals are part of the HR commu-

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nity, both directly and indirectly. Potentially millions of others may have a need or desire to interact with that community. A portion of this community includes those with a special interest in issues related to disability. This community can include those who are responsible for HR management of the very largest organiza- tions, the Fortune 500 companies, all the way down to the recently injured worker at an entrepreneurial start-up who may have a question about whether she is eligible for a disability benefit payment. Those in between who need-however temporarily-to become part of the disability portion of the HR community could include a rehabilitation counselor, a worker's supervisor, or a doctor's office accounting assistant who needs to understand claims submission procedures to the spouse of an injured worker.

To serve the needs of this community, Employease and Fortis Benefits jointly established an interactive Web site. The site is designed to attract and serve the needs of individuals who have an interest in disability or disability insurance matters.

Interactive Web sites present an example of the potential of new technology to build communities. This example can be ap- plied in many ways. Human resources executives who believe that their companies have no need for such technology are missing an important opportunity for the future of their businesses, no

The reality of the Internet goes beyond the significant impact that other new communication technologies, such as the tele- phone or the fax machine, presented to business in the past. The Internet is an infrastructure that has the power to re-define and establish relationships in ways never before conceived. The pow- erful potential of the mechanism mandates that HR executives seize the opportunity to manage changes that the Internet can bring. +

Interactive Web sites present an example of the potential of new technology to build communities. matter what industry.

NOTE 1. H. Rheingold, The Virtual Community: Homesteading on the Electronic Frontier, Harperperennial Paperback (1993). In keeping with its theme, the entire book is available on the Internet at www.well.com/user/hlr/vcbook, although the author also invites site visitors to acquire the "ink-and-dead-trees edition" as a gift for others.

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