Atunis Consulting – Pioneering HR Solutions for the Fourth Industrial Revolution and Sustainable Development Goals through Total Reward Management and Global Human Capital Strategies

In the realm of Human Resources, a fresh perspective is emerging—a new era marked by innovative strategies and a commitment to meeting companies' needs. Atunis Consulting stands at the forefront, dedicated to addressing these needs through pioneering, streamlined approaches in Human Capital, Business Administration, and Total Reward Management. Their vision is rooted in transparent, law-compliant Total Reward Management, leveraging technology to personalize Fringe Benefits and cultivate unwavering loyalty.

Anchored in values emphasizing continuous development and social responsibility, Atunis strives to become the pinnacle of admiration through transformative projects. Their mission is clear: to enhance the quality of the employee experience, activate effective Total Reward Management, keep pace with market evolution, and deliver optimal outcomes. For organizations facing HR project hurdles requiring external support, Atunis Consulting stands ready to offer assistance.

In an exclusive interview with CIO Bulletin, Can Suntay, the Founding CEO of Atunis Consulting, shed light on how his company is revolutionizing talent acquisition and retention methodologies with comprehensive HR solutions.

Interview Highlights

Q. Could you share the story behind the founding of Atunis Consulting? What motivated the establishment of the business?

Atunis has emerged as an alternative service provider in the Turkish market, aiming to align HR practices with evolving business methodologies. The company intends not only to advocate for the individualization of Comp&Ben management but also to simplify administrative processes, emphasizing the significance of tax benefits, social security premiums, and economies of scale. Atunis is dedicated to assisting clients in transitioning from outdated methods of managing Comp&Ben, encouraging a greater focus on individualization and its paramount importance.

Q. Can you provide an overview of the core products and services that Atunis Consulting currently offers in the market?

Currently, Atunis represents a government-supported Personal Inventory system that major private schools and companies are adopting. This inventory is the world's first smart algorithm personal inventory system using the proenneagram methodology. At Atunis, our aim is to assist your family in understanding your children’s professional personality types, strengths, potential risks, and educational needs. Our objective is to help major Western-style schools integrate with the government’s educational program while freely adapting to Western cultures. If your family plans to send your child abroad for education in Western countries, our system will facilitate seamless integration with the local business landscape in Turkey in the future.

Furthermore, Atunis supports schools in finding suitable teachers for private schools and assists in their integration. We also offer Coaching and Mentoring programs for professionals in career management or life. Leveraging our personal inventory system, we assist your company in recruitment processes, promotion planning, and the development of retention and attraction strategies. The system enables the harmonization of different departments and the creation of a SWOT analysis for your company based on personality types.

Currently, we are actively involved in helping companies with their Performance Management and Goal Setting processes. Our goal is to assist your company in growing sustainably while aligning with the evolving business landscape.

In addition, Atunis is in the process of developing a tool to streamline benefits administration, manage Flexible Benefits Programs, Total Rewards Statements, and calculate specific Social Security Premium Exemptions and Tax Advantages. This tool will also be our latest addition focusing on the management of Health-Life and DC Pension Plans.

Q. What unique strategies or tools do you employ to enhance the total rewards offered to employees?

Our unique strategy involves introducing a perspective to the market where employees have the freedom to determine how they spend their Comp&Ben merits. While companies often heavily invest in specific benefits to combat inflation, we recognize that employees value receiving benefits that align more with their current needs. To achieve this, we aim to establish an extensive supplier network covering the US, UK, Europe, and Asia. This network will enable individuals to enjoy privileges such as discounts, pre-use opportunities for certain technology products, conveniences like purchasing a house abroad, participation in educational programs abroad for themselves or their children, and private local or international trips through selected travel agencies.

Additionally, we plan to focus on dealer rewards through our program, promoting and rewarding exceptional performances through our Flexible Benefits Program.

Utilizing the personal inventory system, we aspire to help families instill a global citizenship perspective in their children. Our goal is to assist families in understanding the world, embracing different cultures and languages, fostering friendships, and building relationships. This journey begins with the parents. Therefore, tailoring individual Comp&Ben policies and encouraging a global perspective is crucial for raising successful citizens for the future.

Q. Can you elaborate on the concept of "Flexible Reward" and how it differs from traditional Flexible Benefits Programs?

Our Flexible Reward program goes beyond traditional benefits by including not only benefits but also other cash equivalents like sales and performance premiums. The program features a specific module that displays the Total Rewards of an employee, directly integrated with the Flexible Rewards module. This means our focus is not solely on benefits but also on the effective management of the Total Rewards Concept. Our system is designed to assist clients in aligning benefits with the International Position Evaluation System used worldwide, making it a pioneering and unique program.

Utilizing AI, we streamline the benefits design process by collecting personal information directly from employees and customizing the program based on their responses. The program generates personalized messages and suggestions for employees, along with statistical tracking for admin users to facilitate timely reporting of choices. Managing Health Insurance selections and automating spouse and children’s choices are simplified for ease. This ensures that the partial financing of certain benefit plans and their management are much more straightforward through our portal.

We have a dedicated section where the program calculates tax and social security advantages for Health-Life and DC Pension Plan products. Additionally, the program generates suggestions for employees to increase participation in the plan and helps clients conform to legislative changes in the benefits area. Partnerships with Health and DC Pension companies are planned to enhance customer satisfaction through our tool. Collaborations with Private Schools and Education Centers aim to encourage companies to finance certain costs associated with their employees' children. With these combined features, our tool is set to become Turkey’s first to offer such a comprehensive suite of capabilities.

Q. What challenges do you foresee in managing wages and benefits on a global scale, and how does Atunis Consulting address them?

Atunis Consulting operates in compliance with the provisions outlined in the International Labor Organization's agreement with Turkey:

In adherence to the Wage Protection Convention, employers are prohibited from restricting employees' freedom to use their wages as they see fit. If wages are allowed to be partially paid in kind, the items provided must be suitable for personal use by both the worker and their family, and must be in their best interest, fair, and reasonable.

Our commitment extends to establishing and advancing open, flexible, and complementary systems related to general, technical, and vocational education. We also focus on educational and vocational guidance, as well as vocational training, both within and outside the formal education system, aligning with the Convention on the Development of Human Resources.

Furthermore, we engage in studies covering career advancement opportunities, working conditions, safety and hygiene at work, and economic, social, and cultural activities. Our efforts span across various sectors and all levels of responsibility.

In light of this information, we seek to globally emphasize the principle that every individual is free to use their earnings as they wish. Starting this awareness locally, we aim to elevate this issue to a global concern and a key area for improvement in the working world through global publications.

Q. Could you share a notable success story or client experience that highlights the impact of your products or services?

Atunis is currently assisting a local insurance brokerage company that has been fully acquired by a US-based company. We are awaiting approval for the implementation of our services.

As the owner of the company, during my tenure at Mercer Turkey, I served as a thought leader in the Flexible Benefits concept. I played a pivotal role in assisting over 100 companies in integrating the Flex concept into their benefits program management. Providing comprehensive services encompassing Feasibility, Design, Implementation, and Communication, the concept has been initiated directly through Mercer for over 15 years. With the establishment of Atunis, our goal is to introduce a new concept to the market and elevate the standards for the effective management of Total Rewards.

Q. What is the long-term vision for Atunis Consulting, and how do you see it evolving in the next 5 to 10 years?

Over the next 5 years, we aim to establish ourselves as the premier new consulting company in the market, representing the fourth Industrial Revolution and its digital footprint through AI. Additionally, we plan to offer our services to political parties and government organizations.

Looking ahead to the next 10 years, our goal is to amplify our impact internationally and become a globally preferred consulting company in the HR and Management field.

Q. What message would you like to convey to the readers of CIO Bulletin and your existing clients?

Our message to the readers of CIO Bulletin is that Atunis Consulting is established within the framework of compliance with the following United Nations Sustainable Development Goals:

• Continuing the increase in per capita income in accordance with national conditions
  
  
• Supporting development-oriented policies that endorse production activities, create decent employment, encourage entrepreneurship, creativity, and innovation, and foster the formalization and growth of micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises through access to financial services
  
  
• Protection of employees' rights

We commit to our clients and the business world that we will consistently position ourselves and focus on these development goals of the UN. In doing so, we urge our clients to strive for the Greater Good, fostering global connectivity while raising our children responsibly and cultivating positive interlinked cultures worldwide. In this manner, we aim to grow rapidly and assist our clients globally in establishing certain standards and values that will be passed on to subsequent generations.

About | Can Suntay

Can Suntay, Founding CEO of Atunis Consulting, is a Bilkent University Business Administration graduate and holds an MBA from Istanbul Bilgi University, specializing in Marketing and Finance. With over two decades of experience, he pioneered Flexible Benefits Programs in Turkey, earning recognition from the TR Undersecretariat of Treasury and the Turkish Insurance and Reinsurance Brokers Association. An accomplished HR Consultant for 19 years, Mr. Suntay contributes insights on the economy, organizational development, and HR to esteemed publications.

“We aim to establish ourselves as the premier new consulting company in the market, representing the fourth Industrial Revolution and its digital footprint through AI.”