In today’s dynamic workplace, employee engagement and retention are more critical than ever. Yet, many organizations, especially smaller agencies, may not have a dedicated HR professional or the capacity to implement every best practice.  

A key concept in HR is the employee lifecycle. These are the key moments in an employee’s journey where leadership, policy, and HR practices can make a positive impact on employee engagement and retention. We created the OIA HR Solutions – Employee Life Cycle HR Best Practices Inventory to help focus your efforts. 

This practical tool is designed to help leaders assess their current HR practices and identify opportunities for incremental improvement. Whether you’re just starting to formalize your HR processes or looking to refine existing strategies, this inventory provides a clear roadmap for progress. 

Why Use This Tool? 

The goal is simple: create awareness and foster continuous improvement. By evaluating your agency’s practices in key HR areas, you can better understand what’s working, what needs attention, and how to prioritize your efforts to support a thriving workplace culture. 

Key Focus Areas 

The inventory is structured around five essential stages of the employee life cycle: 

1. Recruitment
   Are you attracting the right talent with inclusive, efficient, and strategic hiring practices? 
2. Onboarding
   Do new employees feel welcomed, informed, and equipped to succeed from day one? 
3. Performance Management
   Are you setting clear expectations, providing regular feedback, and supporting employee growth? 
4. Rewards & Recognition
   Are your employees feeling valued and motivated through meaningful recognition and market competitive compensation? 
5. Employee Development & Exit Planning
   Are you investing in your team’s growth and handling transitions with care and professionalism? 

How It Works 

Each statement in the inventory is rated on a 5-point scale: 

• 5 – Strongly Agree: This is a consistent and effective practice for our agency. 

• 4 – Agree: This is a focus for our agency, but there is room for improvement. 

• 3 – Neutral: We sometimes focus on this practice, but do not have a consistent and effective approach. 

• 2 – Disagree: We have not had the opportunity to implement this practice. 

• 1 – Strongly Disagree: Not focusing on this practice has had a negative impact for our agency. 

By circling your responses, you’ll gain a snapshot of your agency’s current HR landscape and uncover actionable insights for improvement. You can access the tool by downloading it from the Resource Center. 

Start Small, Think Big 

You don’t need to tackle everything at once. Use this tool to identify one or two areas where small changes could make a big difference. Over time, these incremental improvements can lead to a more engaged, productive, and loyal workforce. 

About the Author

Brian Lawrence is the Sr. Director of Agency Talent Development for Ohio Insurance Agents. He is responsible for providing HR support and resources for the membership. His HR career spans 25 years across Insurance, Financial Services, Healthcare, and Association Management.

Much of his experience includes 20 years at Nationwide, where he spent seven years as an HR Director/HR Business Partner providing strategic support to executive leadership teams across P&C, Commercial and Non-Standard Customer Service Operations, Life Insurance and Annuity Operations, & Nationwide Pet Insurance.