February 23, 2012

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Save money – promote your employees

Hiring new recruits from external sources can consume a lot of time and money. You have to engage your HR team into the recruitment process, pay consultants for referring suitable applicants, train the new recruits and then go through a waiting period till the new employees fully settles into the job which could take months! Promoting employees within the organization is always the better way to go, especially for small businesses that can’t afford the cost of hiring new recruits. Here are a few tips on how you can use in-house talents t fill up higher posts:

1. If you have a small company, chances are that you will know what skills and abilities every individual working for you has. Make a list of all their educational and professional qualifications as well as soft skills that your employees may have.

2. Keep an eye out for high performers. People who are willing to go the extra mile and show an interest in development are likely to evolve into better roles over a course of time. Remember to be unbiased in your evaluation of your employees.

3. Make sure that every employee has a career path to follow. Have your HR team have one to one sessions with each employee to know how they see themselves progressing in the organization and plot a timeline based graph for their growth.

4. Have in-house training courses arranged that aim at developing employee skills that will benefit your organization. Keep a check on which employees shine during these training sessions.

5. Let your employees know that you are interested in promoting them and encourage them to approach you when they feel they are ready to take on more responsibilities.

Filed Under: Employee Relationships Tagged With: , ,

Effective Employee Orientation

Most companies have an orientation program for new recruits to get them up to pace with the organization. Orientation fast tracks an employee towards better understanding of the organizational goals, the work environment, policies, benefits and lots more. Here are a few points that will make employee orientation more effective for any organization.

1. Have a good orientation plan. Bombarding a new employee with a load of information on the first day is never a good idea so spread your orientation over the period of a month.

2. On the first day, make sure the new employee gets introduced to all their colleagues as well as department heads.

3. Appoint someone from the employees’ department as his or her ‘buddy’. This person will be responsible for making the new recruit comfortable in the new work environment and help them adjust.

4. Create an Employee Handbook that contain all the policies pertaining to HR, administration, benefits, holidays and almost anything that an employee can have a question about. Give this handbook to the employee on the first day and ask them to read it thoroughly, indicating that their knowledge will be tested shortly.

5. At the end of the first week, conduct a quick test to know if the employee understand his or her job role and how their own department functions.

6. AT the end of the month, arrange for an employee orientation day for all the employees recruited that month. Have senior managers and executives of each department brief them on how their department functions. It would be great if you could get a chief officer to explain the organization’s goals, mission and vision.

7. Conduct a final test to know if the employee is aware of all policies of the organization.

Filed Under: Business, Employee Relationships Tagged With: , ,

The Potential Employee

In the cutthroat business world, there is so much riding on the resume and interview. It is very difficult to land a great job, so there will be many different applicants for open positions. Here are a few things to look for when interviewing potential candidates.

Resume

When looking for a potential employee, the first thing you will see is their resume. It’s not just an outline of their work history or their education, it’s also a glimpse into their personality. If you receive a beat up, poorly printed resume full of misspelled words and outdated information, you probably aren’t looking at the next great employee. Only let the applicants through that meet the meticulous standards your company warrants.

Education

While looking at resumes, you will also be looking into the applicants education history. You first want to make sure that they meet the minimum education requirements that the position needs. It doesn’t matter whether it’s from junior colleges, online schools, or even ivy league schools, a commitment to education shows a lot about your applicant. A couple of red flags you want to look out for may be if they changed their major a lot, never finished, or got horrible grades, because indecisiveness, lack of commitment, or doing the absolute minimum required are all qualities you want to avoid in an employee.

Interview

You can learn so much about a person when you meet them face to face. When interviewing potential employees, you want to try and absorb as much about them as you possibly can. The person you want working for you will exude confidence, look you right in the eye when speaking to you, and seem comfortable around you. Although, you may want to be a bit understanding when it comes to nerves, because you don’t want to miss out on a great employee because they were a little nervous in the interview.

Filed Under: Business, Employee Relationships Tagged With: , ,

Employee Morale too Low in the UK

Workplace dissatisfaction is running high in the world, with employees being overworked due to shortages in revenue, stagnating the hiring process and creating a workload too heavy for the current employees. The workers who are left have all the work piled upon them, making them tired and discouraged as other jobs are given to them on top of what they‘ve always done, and they aren‘t being fully compensated for it.
King’s College in London recently took a survey of over 500 HR managers and found that over 46% of employees experienced or witnessed stress-related problems on the job and 42% expect the situation to worsen in 2011. The survey shows there’s been a direct link between higher levels of stress and stress-related illness and absence in the workplace.
Over half of the survey respondents indicated working overtime due to staff shortages and although they’re doing more work, they aren’t getting raises or bonuses like they should. This causes stress for the managers as well as the employees, and the survey also shows that poor relations with managers are responsible for the higher number of grievances being reported. This also results in growing levels of employee absence.
Everybody needs their jobs, but overworked people don’t produce as much and unhappy people add to workplace unrest, which raises turnover levels. The thing is, not all companies can afford to replace and train people, so when some quit they aren’t replaced, adding to the already heavy workload on those that are left.
The survey revealed that workers anticipate seeing a further deterioration in employee relations and the number of employee grievances will climb even higher. Morale is just too low.
Employers and HR managers that try to involve their workers in workplace events and offer a light at the end of the tunnel or at least open communication have workers with less stress-related absence and less open unrest. Employers must remember that without these workers their business could not run at the current pace, so making a more comfortable place to work can only behoove them.
Filed Under: Business, Business Costs Tagged With: , ,

Are Former Employees Sharing Your Information?

Hilton Worldwide

Image via Wikipedia

In light of the latest scandal between Hilton Worldwide and Starwood Hotels and Resorts Worldwide, business managers all over should pay attention. When people move from one job to another they often take  knowledge and clients with them, even if they signed a nondisclosure contract. A person cannot “un” know something, and chances are, they were hired at the new position because of what they know.
Hilton hired two of Starwood’s management people who took proprietary information with them. New projects of Starwood’s not only became knowledge to Hilton, but even pertinent details of the new project came out in Hilton’s version of the same idea.  Of course, a lawsuit was born and then settled in December of 2010.
HR managers take note: there are things that can be done to minimize the conflict that’s naturally created between the new hire’s old job and the new job. There are steps that can be taken to ensure a smoother transition without litigation.
HR Managers can Prevent Proprietary Information Dissemination

  • 1.) There has to be a thorough background check, first to avoid criminals and second to get an idea of what the person knows. This includes showing old contracts to potential employers, talking about experiences and sharing the policies and procedures about clientele lists, among other things.
  • 2.) All new hires must go through a process of orientation where they learn policies about confidentiality of information and procedures. They need to know how secret that information should be kept, and that the company has a zero-tolerance policy for sharing or reproducing information.
  • 3.) When an employee states an intention to leave the company, the HR department needs to act right away. Considerations are locking the person out of computer files and servers, collecting property like computers, rolodexes, etc. Take inventory and do an exit interview where the person is reminded of the legal ramifications of information sharing.
Filed Under: Business, Employee Relationships Tagged With: , ,

The Training Session

The training of your employees in the way that things are done at your particular business is a very important part of making your business run smoothly.  Well trained employees are less likely to get frustrated and quit before they even know the ropes, and more likely to incorporate themselves into the daily workings of your business properly.  Creating the proper atmosphere for learning is important, as well as keeping the material relevant to what you want to teach.

If you are planning to train a large group of employees it is a good idea to start out with what all of the employees need to know.  Maybe a video presentation or a talk from your Human Resources representative on hours, time off, break time, lunch time, benefits, etc.  Laying out in clear terms what is acceptable and what is not will alleviate problems later.  Having done that, it is probably a good idea to break the training session up into groups.  The training can then be concentrated on each different department or job.  The employees need only learn what is needed by them.

One of the most important parts of the training session is the question and answers.  Listen to the questions, ask some yourself.  Let your employees know that at any time if they have further questions they will be directed to the proper channel and make sure the question is answered.  Make sure that everything you have gone over is either accessible on the employee’s desktop or hand out a folder or packet with all the necessary information, as well as contact names and numbers.  Make sure the contact people are aware that they may be contacted.

Proper, thorough training benefits the boss as well as the employee.  The employee feels confident that he has learned what he needs and the boss gets confident employees right from the start.

Filed Under: Human Resources, Training Tagged With: ,

Terminating An Employee

Every boss hires new employees with the thought that this could be a long-term working relationship.  The boss is hoping this is the case, as is, in most cases, the employee.  Both parties are willing to work through the rough spots, to get to that place where the employee is comfortable with the work and the boss is confident in the employee.  Sometimes this takes longer than other times.  Some employees need more training, a little more help to get them started working on their own.  If their work is good and you are happy with their performance, this does not seem like such a big investment to you.

There are those employees who just never seem to catch on.  You are beginning to think that this may not be the right job for them.  You obviously hired this person because you felt they were good for your company.  Maybe there is another position they are better suited for.  Unfortunately when all avenues have been exhausted it may be time to terminate your relationship with that employee.  It may just not have been a good fit.  Obviously he or she is not the right person for the job.  They may feel the same way.  Maybe this is not what they expected this position to be, or it is just too different than what they are used to.  They have tried, but nothing seems to be clicking.

It happens.  At times like these a boss has to do the one thing he probably enjoys the least, let the person go.  Be the consummate professional.  Sit the employee down and let him know you feel he or she tried and that you hope he or she realizes that you did too.  However, you feel at this time that this is not the right position for him, it is not working out for you and you think he should look elsewhere for employment.

Filed Under: Employee Relationships, Human Resources Tagged With: ,

Negotiating The Contract

Not all businesses require their employees to sign contracts.  Whether or not you actually have a signed contract between you and your boss, there is an implied contract.  If you have been hired to do a certain job, you must do that job to the best of your availability.  You need to show up when you are supposed to, use your benefits properly and live up to your end of the contract.  The implication is that if you do not stick to your end of the bargain, the boss then has the right to take action up to and including letting you go.  This is a straight forward contract, with both parties being aware of the rights and consequences of keeping and/or breaking the contract.

Then there are those positions which require a signed contract, an agreement between boss and employee on different points of the job.  Most contracts state what is required of the employee, what will be done if those requirements are not met, as well as any bonuses or extras if the job requirements are met regularly.  When you are hired, your boss or your Human Resource representative will approach you with the actual contract.  This is most likely something you discussed with your employer at the time you were hired.  You may have even negotiated some of the terms of the contract, for example giving up some paid time off for a little more in the paycheck.  All of these things should be listed in your contract.

Just remember not to sign a contract that does not clearly state exactly what was agreed upon between you and the boss.  It is the duty of the Human Resource department to make sure that you understand every aspect of the contract, making sure that both boss and employee are well represented and have agreed on all points of interest in the contract.

Filed Under: Human Resources Tagged With: ,

Termination Without Condemnation

When hiring new employees, most bosses or management personnel have already sent out a job description, have seen a resume, spoken to the person, checked the references and made the job offer.  Both parties are hoping that this is the beginning of a long and prosperous relationship.  What if it is not?

Maybe this job was really just not the right fit for the employee.  They just don’t seem to be catching on as well as they should have.  The job seems to be too difficult or confusing for them.  You have spoken to them and given them a second or even third chance.  Still not working.  It is time to let them go.  After all, you are running a business and if the employee is not performing as is required, that employee is no longer an asset to your company.

You are not a horrible person and you feel bad about having to let an employee go.  It would be easy if there was a blatant serious infraction.  It is not so difficult to let someone go who is stealing from you or deliberately trying to undermine your business.  It is easy to let the person go who does not care about their job and really has no intention of performing in the necessary capacity.  It is the gray area that is more difficult.

If your employee handbook is clear about job duties and responsibilities, this should make your job easier.  You can easily point out where this particular employee is not working out.  Being a good boss means knowing how to be tactful when necessary.  If you have to let someone go who is just not doing what you need them to do, let them know that you appreciate their effort, but this is just not the right fit for either one of you.   Your reputation as a boss depends on you being able to handle this very difficult part of management.

Filed Under: Human Resources Tagged With: ,

Perks In A Precarious Economy

Every good boss knows keeping the employees happy can only help your business.  Management is more than aware that unhappy employees do not produce to their potential, and can make the work place a “not so pleasant” place to spend your day.  The employee/management relationship can be one of the best, if management knows what they are doing.  It is difficult to hand out cash bonuses and free lunches in an economy that may not allow it.  You may be working on a shoestring budget, and monetary bonuses are few and far between.

“Necessity is the mother of invention.”  We are in a time where management needs to get creative and find ways to keep the employees happy.  There are lots of little ways to say thank you to the people who make your business run more smoothly.  You should keep in mind that your business would not be where it is if every employee were a guy in a suit, sitting in a meeting, talking about how to make the business more successful.  Without the little guy, the worker bee if you will, your business would not be where it is.  While management is important, and a good management team will keep your employees, as well as the higher ups happy, bonuses and “thank-you” perks should be fair across the board.

If your business is one in which everyone needs to look professional every day, maybe you could allow a “dress-down” day for a profitable week.  Everyone can wear casual clothes, with some restrictions.  If your employees all work on computers, perhaps a wrist rest or new quality headphones for those who are in compliance and going the extra mile.  Of course cash bonuses are always welcome, and they should be awarded when your employees cause your company to have a successful quarter, there are lots of small ways to say thank you, and let your employees know you appreciate what they do.

Filed Under: Business, Human Resources Tagged With: , ,
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