March 21 Tip of the Week

“Rethinking the Employment Relationship”

As employers deal with the fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic and the impact that it has had on the workforce, it is important to make meaningful changes in the workplace.  The pandemic and the move to working remotely work early on in the pandemic response has made employees rethink their life choices and have caused many employees to leave the traditional workforce – the “Great Resignation.”  Employers are left to scramble to fill open positions and to retain valued employees.  

            Human resources professionals are tasked with finding and retaining workers, often with an emphasis on diversity and inclusion.  For many, it is like finding a needle in a haystack.  The self-motivated, dedicated employee who works well on a team but is an independent thinker is the holy grail of employees, but almost impossible to find particularly with the existing approach to hiring and employee retention. 

            While increased wages are often seen as the best recruitment tool, prospective employees are looking for more than money – they want to feel valued and to have their contributions recognized and appreciated.  While money is one way to do this, money alone will not foster the dedication and commitment needed in today’s workforce. 

            How can human resources professionals help to attract and retain optimal employees? 

1.         Rethink your hiring practices. 

            Rather than looking for a candidate who has been there and done that, look for candidates who have potential.  Entry level employees who have a wide variety of experience, an enthusiasm for working, and a desire to be part of a team can have a greater impact on a workforce than an experienced individual who is moving from job to job in search of a little more money.  It is important to find applicants who like to be challenged and are looking to grow on the job – these will be your go to employees when you need to get the work done.  Using skills based interviewing techniques can assist you in this transition.

2.         Provide training opportunities for employees.

            Many employers offer and, in some cases, require employees to complete, training.  Be careful when making training opportunities available to your employees and avoid allowing supervisors to select employees who will receive training.  All employees should have an equal opportunity to participate in training.  Succession planning, where individual employees are identified as potential replacements for supervisors and other higher-level positions, can have a negative impact on the workforce.  If all employees are not given the same consideration for these roles, employees can become bitter and feel marginalized.  There is also a risk that the individual who has been selected to succeed a manager will not have the necessary credibility to be successful in their new role because their colleagues will feel as though the position was bestowed on the individual and not earned. 

3.         Train supervisors and managers.

            Human resources can only do so much with respect to employee relations if a manager or a supervisor engages in practices that serve to alienate and marginalize employees.  Ideally, employees should be rewarded for their effort and their job performance.  These rewards, however, which sometimes take the form of special treatment – more flexibility for time off, hours worked, and job assignments – that can backfire.  While the employee who is receiving this treatment may be fully engaged and productive, those around them may feel cheated and overlooked.  Often times, employees who have earned these extra considerations begin to rest on their laurels and come to expect them without giving the effort necessary to warrant them and their colleagues see this. 

            Human resources professionals can avoid this by training supervisors and managers on all aspects of employment law.  Discrimination complaints, wage and hour claims, and other legal challenges often arise out of these types of supervisory decisions.  Human resources professionals need to ensure that supervisors and managers are aware of the laws that apply to employees and the importance of following policies and procedures.  Consistency and equal treatment are big factors in establishing a positive and productive work environment. 

            MyHRCounsel has a video library full of trainings that can assist in creating the positive, respectful, and, most importantly, compliant workplace necessary to attract and retain the best talent.