In the wake of supply chain issues and the "Great Resignation" of people from their jobs, Regan MacBain Traub is trying to get CEOs to focus more on the value of human resources, and trying to get ones in eastern Connecticut to beta test a survey she describes as educational, diagnostic and prescriptive.

Traub founded the Mystic-based Human Resource Consortium in 1995. Reflecting over the past year, she realized she needed to build understanding among CEOs and leadership teams of how HR can create higher value for companies. She said leaders are responsible for defining the culture of an organization, and HR is responsible for creating that culture.

Enter the 15-minute survey, which opens June 1. The initiative is for employers in any industry, that are located in or do business in eastern Connecticut and have between 25 and 5,000 workers. To participate, email Traub at rtraub@thehrc.com.

The survey includes questions about who HR reports to; a company's HR budget; where an organization is in its "life cycle," such as startup, growth, maturity or decline; and the priority levels of different aspects of HR, such as culture development, analytics, manager and staff development, organizational communications and rewards.

GreatBlue Research of Glastonbury, which some may know for its work with the Sacred Heart University Institute for Public Policy on public opinion polling, is administering the survey, and the Human Resources Consortium will interpret the data.

Traub said she is working with the Chamber of Commerce of Eastern Connecticut to promote the survey, and once she has the data, she will present a report to chamber members on where eastern Connecticut businesses stand in being able to meet their priorities. That release is scheduled for September.

In addition to the high-level group report, Traub said she will provide individual reports — at no cost — to participating companies about where they stand compared to competitors and the sophistication of their HR, with a roadmap for the future.

Kawel LauBach, a member of the Human Resource Consortium team who previously served as chief human resource officer for the Mohegan Tribal Gaming Authority, noted that many people look at HR as hiring and firing, but it has a role to play in how organizations brand themselves as an employer of choice, and in attracting and retaining the best people.

"In short, you've got to create an environment that then satisfies the type of person that you're hiring," LauBach said. He added, "This is very important right now when you see the Great Resignation. There are so many people that are disenfranchised with their employer."

He said employers are still so focused on compensation but not work environment.

e.moser@theday.com