The role of stakeholders in the benefits package, Part 2

Benefits affect everyone in the organisation. But not every benefit has the same impact, and not every stakeholder needs to be involved at the same time. A workation, for example, directly concernsIT and Security, while an unpaid leave scheme is primarily relevant toPlanning.

In this three-part series, I walk you through the most important stakeholders in benefits projects:

• Part 1: HR, Leadership & Management and Communication/Branding
• Part 2: Finance, Legal, IT & Technology, Facilities
• Part 3: Planning, Learning & Development, External Service Providers, Employees/Works Council

For each stakeholder, I explain: when to involve them, what their role looks like, and what to keep in mind when implementing new or updated benefits.

📊Finance

The financial impact of benefits on organisations is significant. It therefore makes sense that Finance is a key stakeholder in benefits projects. Think of modelling new benefits, simulating scenarios, and providing cost data on existing schemes.

That's why we always bring Finance on board from the outset and include them in the project team we put together.

🧾Legal

A stakeholder very comparable to Finance. Legal expertise is essential when reviewing the benefits package, as the consequences in implementation can be far-reaching. We always say: the beauty of benefits is that there is ample room for customisation and differentiation. At the same time, that also means careful consideration must be given to how a benefit is offered to the employee and whether it is legally sound.

💻IT & Technology

This stakeholder has a dual role. IT & Technology needs to be involved in the substance of certain schemes, for example, when employees start working remotely. They also play an important role in execution. Which portal do employees use to spend their home office budget? How do they flag that a candidate has come in through a referral? And can IT help automate these processes?

🧱Facilities

The role of Facilities is becoming increasingly important. With the popularity of remote working, getting employees to come into the office has become more of a challenge. A welcoming office as a place to connect, rather than simply a place to work, is therefore becoming an ever more important benefit. Facilities are also increasingly involved in initiatives such as an in-house gym, company lunches, or after-work drinks.

From stakeholder analysis to practice

At Not Secondary, we work with this dynamic every day. OurBenefitsDatabasenow contains160+ fully developed benefits, each with22 data points. Think legal, fiscal, and financial implications, as well as the stakeholders you need to involve for each individual benefit.

This database forms the foundation ofTotal Benefits, our SaaS solution. A handy feature: you can add stakeholders directly in the software and actively involve them in implementing the benefits where they have a role to play. This helps you build buy-in, create structure, and maintain control over the timeline.