From the Panel to Practice: OneDigital’s Colleen Pfaller on Building a Workforce That Thrives
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In her recap of the Cincinnati Business Courier’s HR Forum, OneDigital’s Colleen Pfaller explores the evolving challenges facing HR leaders, from rising benefits costs and employee wellbeing to workforce risk and compliance, and how organizations can use AI strategically to gain workforce insights and make data-driven decisions that support a thriving workforce.
The workplace landscape is constantly evolving, and building a workforce that thrives has never been more critical. From navigating legal and regulatory shifts to the rapid rise of AI in the workplace, leveraging analytics, and strategies for employee wellbeing, the challenges facing HR leaders today are both complex and urgent.
Recently, I had the privilege of participating as a panelist in the Cincinnati Business Courier’s HR Forum alongside some of Cincinnati’s forward-thinking professionals in employment law and workplace health. Moderated by Courier Market President and Publisher Jamie Smith, the conversation was timely and packed with insights every business and HR leader should hear.
3 Key Takeaways From Cincinnati Business Courier's HR Forum
Why HR Leadership is More Complex Than Ever in Today's Workplace
It's no secret that HR professionals are being asked to do more than ever before. When I think about what HR encompasses today, the scope is staggering. OneDigital has documented over 99 distinct services in the employee life cycle from hire to retirement. No single person can be an expert across all of them.
The issues I hear HR leaders wrestling with most right now are clear: breaking the benefits inflation cycle, taking a proactive approach to employee financial wellness and mental health, and staying ahead of risk. These aren't just operational issues to manage. They are boardroom conversations, and HR should be a part of those conversations.
What Employees Value Most At Work: Insights from 2000 U.S. Workers
When it comes to attracting and retaining top talent, I always come back to a question many employers don’t consider: do your people value the investments you're making in them? At OneDigital, we set out to answer that, surveying more than 2,000 full-time U.S. workers across various career and life stages, from entry-level employees to executives, in our Employee Value Perception Study.
The findings were eye-opening. Employees ranked compensation, work-life balance, company stability, health benefits, retirement, and flexibility as their top values, but what drives satisfaction day to day tells a different story. Both flexibility and meaningful work rise to the top, and both shift significantly depending on age and tenure.
The good employers — destination employers — are personalizing and digitalizing experiences, seeing people as individuals and not as a collective group
Why AI Needs a Workforce Strategy, Not Just a Technology Strategy
AI is most powerful when it's guided by intentional, organization-wide strategy. While HR consultants can use it for tasks like sorting resumes and analyzing exit interview patterns for trends, the bigger opportunity is in unlocking workforce intelligence at scale.
I would challenge people not just to think of [AI] as a way to get rid of some busy work, but what data and information can it now analyze and provide real insights into your workforce.
To help business and HR leaders navigate this shift with confidence, OneDigital created an AI Hub for Employers, a resource offering practical frameworks, governance guidance, and workforce readiness tools to turn AI activity into people-first strategy.
Building a Competitive Advantage Through People-First Workforce Strategies
The takeaway from our time together was clear: the employers who will win are the ones who stop treating workforce strategy as a checkbox and start treating it as a competitive advantage. That means seeing your people as individuals, making data-driven decisions, and having the right partners in your corner.
Achieving that requires more than good intentions. That's where partnership makes all the difference. OneDigital's team of fierce advocates works alongside employers across the country, bringing deep expertise in benefits consulting, compliance, risk management, and more to help organizations navigate challenges and implement solutions that drive meaningful results.
Interested in diving into the complete panel discussion? Read the full Cincinnati Business Courier HR Forum article here.
If you’re ready to build a workforce strategy that puts your people first, connect with OneDigital today.