The following areas are researched through the HR Benchmark™ Best Practices Survey.

1. Organisational Strategy: What are the organisation’s talent management priorities?
2. The HR Function: The functioning of the HR department and its alignment with the overall business strategy.
3. The Leadership of the Company: What is the level of active involvement of the executive in talent management as a driver of employee engagement?
4. Communication: What are the lines of communication between employees and the company, and what is the impact of this?
5. Diversity management: How is the company responding to the diversity imperative (Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment).
6. Corporate Social Responsibility: How is the company responding to SA’s social development imperatives and how are employees engaged in order to achieve this?
7. Knowledge Management: How is this aspect of the business managed, and how does this translate into organisational success as knowledge is gained and shared?
8. Talent Management and Employee Engagement: Assesses ‘vital’ statistics on employee entry and exit, and how this is managed.
9. Employee Training and Development: How are employees nurtured, mentored and developed in order for both them and the organisation to reach their goals?
10. Performance Management: Performance agreements and competency framework assessment.
11. Rewards and Recognition: How are employees recognised and rewarded for their achievements and successes?

Each area has an overall score that can be achieved, and some areas are weighted more heavily than others.