February 14 Tip of the Week
“An Unsatisfactory Answer is Better Than No Answer”
Working as a human resources professional is not for the faint of heart. Human Resources is one of the most complicated and difficult areas to manage. HR professionals are responsible for compliance with local, state, and federal laws; for policing supervisors and managers to ensure that employees are treated consistently and equally in the workplace; and for managing employee behavior and performance. In addition, HR professionals are responsible for filling open positions and for finding suitable candidates for open positions in an increasingly challenging labor market.
Effective Human Resources professionals understand the challenges of their role and are great at managing the complexities of the Human Resources function. Here are a few tips to ensure that you can attract and retain a productive workforce.
1. Responsiveness is the hallmark of a good Human Resources Department
In today’s environment, employees and job applicants alike want immediate answers to their questions. Whether it is simply confirming the receipt of a job application and providing an explanation of the next steps of the hiring process or responding to an employee’s question about remote working, an effective HR representative will respond to the request in a reasonable amount of time. Employees and applicants who do not get their questions answered become dissatisfied and often lose interest in the position or feel less valued in their work – this leads to a decline in morale and makes it harder to attract and retain good workers. In fact, an answer that the employee or the applicant doesn’t like is better than no answer at all.
2. Manage expectations with clear communication
The best way to manage employees is to manage their expectations. How does the savvy HR professional do this? Through effective and clear communication. This communication can take the form of well written, regularly distributed employee handbooks or policies and procedures. It can also occur through regular meetings with employees and supervisors to ensure that all are the same page. The vast majority of employees come to work and want to do a good job and be a productive member of the team – in order to do that, they need to understand what is expected of them. What does their role require? What are they doing well? What can they do better? Regular, respectful conversations with employees and supervisors can help to keep those lines of communication open and ensure that everyone is on the same page. Well written and clear job descriptions and performance evaluation tools are an important element of managing employee expectations.
3. Human Resources often must be the middleman between the employee and the supervisor
All Human Resources professionals have, at one time or another, received requests for special treatment or a deviation from the employer’s policies and rules for a specific person. These requests are difficult to manage, as supervisors often make promises to employees that are unreasonable and can create liability on the part of the employer. One of the most important aspects of compliance is fair and equitable treatment of all employees, and special deals or overlooking certain behaviors provide a basis for another employee’s claim of disparate treatment and/or discrimination. These special arrangements can also have a negative impact on employee commitment and morale for those who do not receive special treatment and who can’t understand why someone else is receiving that treatment. An effective HR professional is able to diplomatically hold the line for all employees and to educate supervisors about the dangers of bending the rules or playing favorites.
4. Human Resources is responsible for compliance with all federal, state, and local laws
Compliance is the underpinning of all aspects of the Human Resources function – hiring, benefits, performance evaluation, employee leaves, etc. all are governed by various laws and regulations. For employers with multiple locations, the Human Resources professional’s job can be a Herculean task. Laws changes on a regular basis, often without warning or fanfare, and the HR professional has to stay abreast of those changes and make sure that the employer’s policies and procedures are consistent with those legal requirements.
MyHRCounsel can help human resources professionals meet the demands of their role. Our attorneys are well versed in labor and employment laws in all 50 states and the District of Columbia and we are here to answer your questions and to assist you in managing the work environment.