Having a successful business
means having employees who succeed at their jobs. How does
this happen? Most companies who achieve what they envision
have formulated a plan from the onset and clearly
communicated this to their employees. Many employers feel
that if they hire talented people and pay them well, those
employees should automatically know what is wanted and
needed in their position. This could not be farther from the
truth. Even in the case of highly motivated self-starters,
employees can be working hard and moving along in a
completely different direction than that of the executives
of the company.
How do you avoid this? First of all, be
as clear as you can about what you expect from an employee.
Communicate to them what is needed and wanted, and be open
to input, especially as they become more involved in their
work, because they will most likely have ideas that will
enhance the position even more. Be flexible; show a
willingness to try different approaches and give new ideas a
chance to work out. Most importantly, accept circumstances
that demonstrate that your idea or an employee's didn't
work. Maybe it needed some more details; maybe it would work
under other circumstances. But employees who are not
chastised for "failures" are more likely to continue to try
new and better ways to succeed.
Setting goals together is another
powerful way not only to increase the possibility of
success, but also gives the employee more pride in what they
are doing. Reviewing these goals periodically helps keep
both of you clear where you are going. The best part of this
is that if you continually touch bases about the status of
the objectives, you are more likely to nip problems in the
bud early on.
Additionally, many companies are
confused about the meaning of "at-will" employment and think
that means they can fire anyone for any reason, or they are
worried about "covering their butts" in the case of a
wrongful termination. At-will employment, which is the case
in Arizona, means that either the employee or the employer
is free to end the employment relationship at any time, for
any reason, with or without cause and with or without
notice. This does not mean that you can terminate employees
for unlawful reasons. The aspect of unemployment
compensation must also be considered, because it can be
affected based on the reasons for termination. As a result,
many employers attempt to document performance issues in
order to have some proof if they should ever end up in
court. The problem with this is that if this documentation
is not done consistently, it can just as easily work against
the employer, and it sets a tone of doom with the employee.
By approaching performance coaching by goal setting and
periodic discussions and documenting the meetings where you
are empowering your staff to success provides the proof
should that employment situation ever end up in a
termination. It also creates a relationship whereby the
employer supports the employee in a positive way that
enhances the entire process. <Back>
Defining and Communicating
Performance Expectations
How do
you assure that you are getting the most productivity from
your staff? Designing expectations and determining the most
effective way to communicate them is critical, as is
identifying how to evaluate if your employees are achieving
them. If they are, how do you reward them? If not, how do
you address it in a way that empowers them to succeed, yet
still assuring that you are covered if you terminate them?
A good place to start is by at least considering how you
wish to represent your company, and what type of people you
wish to hire. Then specify job functions and the connection
they have with other organizational functions. For example, if order processing
doesn't meet required timeframes, customer service can't
fulfill client expectations. Define parameters for each area
and the criteria that designate each level of achievement -
from unsatisfactory to excellent. Some generic arenas to
include in addition to their specific work standards might
be:
- Are courtesy, respect, and diplomacy
displayed? Job knowledge demonstrated? Policies and
procedures followed?
- Do they adapt to new situations
positively, and accept/apply feedback in a positive
manner? Are they supportive of your organization and
each other?
- Are they punctual and reliable and
use break times correctly? Do they model appropriate
behavior and express a commitment to ethical conduct and
professional standards?
- Is work consistently performed work
accurately and completely? Are they capable of
prioritizing effectively to multi-task? Is a commitment
to process improvement evident?
- If they supervise others, do they
encourage employees to improve, and treat them fairly
and consistently? Is the work environment free of bias
and harassment?
It is important when defining these
parameters, to quantify wherever possible, and to make sure
employees have sufficient training and appropriate tools to
meet standards.
When communicating
expectations, share the goals process from the initial
meeting, including a presentation of the company vision in
orientation or training meetings. Set and keep agreed upon
follow up meetings for evaluation and review.
For the
purposes of evaluation, decide who will be involved in
evaluations and start with the employee completing a
self-assessment. This will show if you are on the same page
concerning their performance. Request evaluation information
from customers, both internal and external, of the employee
being evaluated. Review the criteria for each area and match
with actual accomplishments. Rate employee on areas that
criteria have been met, as well as areas that identify a
need for improvement. Be sure to acknowledge achievements
and define a course of action (with employee) to remediate
problem areas, and, if necessary, schedule follow up on
improvement areas.
If standards are not being met, first
attempt to determine what external factors may be affecting
performance. If follow up meetings demonstrate a lack of
sufficient improvement in problem areas, define the specific
course to be undertaken, furnish information about what will
be offered to assist in the process and detail what is
expected in terms of specific results. Provide clear
timeframes in which these will happen and specify
consequences if results are not produced.
It is also extremely important to
follow through with all commitments in the timeframes
promised. This approach should help clarify for your
employees what is expected of them,thus enhancing the
potential for their success. At the very least, it will help
you to be clear about what they are accomplishing. <Back>
HR Career Path
This month I will address
the educational and career path choices involved in becoming
a Human Resources professional. I conducted an informal
survey with some of my peers and discovered an interesting
fact. Among the professionals who had been in the HR arena
for more than ten years, over half came to this career
unintentionally, or by having the administrative portions of
the human resources function added to their workload.
Today, many
companies recognize the value of employing HR professionals
as part of their strategic teams. They expect their HR
managers to have some education in human resources or
personnel management, as well as some business background,
so today's students are seeking degrees in related fields.
What
curriculum should aspiring HR professionals pursue? Most
organizational leaders agree that a mix of behavioral
science, general business, and labor law is essential. HR
professionals encounter a wide range of issues and a diverse
background is an asset. Some courses that enhance effective
communication, both oral and written, as well as accounting
and economics, are useful.
Master's degrees in human resource
management, industrial relations, organizational development
and behavior, and business administration are becoming a
vital part of preparation for today's human resource
professionals. Ongoing education, including seminars and
certification programs, keep today's human resource team
members up to date on the latest developments in the field.
With regulations, laws and trends changing frequently,
staying current is critical.
In order to succeed in human resources,
it is important to be able to deal with challenges involving
people all day long. Patience, tact and flexibility are
necessary for someone entering this field. An HR manager
interacts with a variety of people, including different
levels of intelligence, education and abilities. There is
also considerable administrative work, which requires
attention to detail and an ability to communicate well.
Human resource
professionals can pursue a range of careers. Someone who
wears many hats and handles all or most areas of HR is known
as a Generalist. This individual will perform activities
such as staffing, training and development, maintaining
compensation programs, developing policies, strategic
planning and ensuring compliance with laws and regulations.
Larger
organizations require specialists with knowledge in a
specific area. This might include Recruiting and Placement,
Training and Development, Compensation and Benefits,
Employee and Labor Relations, Health, Safety and Security.
Human Resource Information Systems is another specialty that
is beginning to grow. This involves dealing with technical
activities, including management of employee database
systems. The growth of global networking has created yet
another field of specialization, which involves
international HR management.
Hopefully this provides some
information on the type of person best suited for a career
in HR, the education one might pursue, and the specialty
areas one might choose. Further certification is available
from HRCI, the Human Resources Certification Institute, the
accrediting arm of SHRM, the Society for Human Resource
Management. SHRM is the foremost professional organization
for HR people. The certification is challenging and has two
levels, PHR (Professional in Human Resources) and SPHR
(Senior Professional). The requirements include a
combination of education and extensive experience, and
passing the exam and receiving certification signifies
mastery of the human resource body of knowledge.
Fore more information on a career in
Human Resources, or more detail about the specialty areas,
contact me at 220-4233. You can find out more about SHRM at
www.shrm.org. <Back>
Human Resources As Strategic
Partners
January, 1999
We are beginning to see a
paradigm shift in many business leaders who are making Human
Resources part of their strategic team, viewing those who
manage their most valuable resources as able to impact the
organization's future. This requires aligning HR core
competencies to business goals, including organizational
development, employee empowerment, management training, and
compensation equity and order.
Intelligent organizations are refining
their vision for the future by including those who direct
their most critical functions. In the same vein, in order to
respond to this, HR professionals need to bring their own
vision into the next millenium.
Many
businesses lacking foresight view HR functions to be
superfluous; they do not see any direct connection to the
core business. Many employees view them fairly passively, as
processes that are done to them, such as renewing their
enrollment in the company benefits plan or receiving a
compensation increase. A more holistic approach views HR as
aligned to the business in its entirety, a significant
strategic partner who provides essential value and in
return, requires cooperation and support to carry out its
mission. HR functions are intensively interactive with
everybody in the company.
Many
companies see that HR is there to serve the organization,
and that employees are accountable for understanding their
role in these processes and taking responsibility for
participating. Defining processes should involve employees
as often as possible, not only getting their input into how
policies and procedures are designed and evolve, but
engaging them in the fundamental activities of HR. For
example, instead of performance evaluations based on
expectations that have never been communicated, utilize a
shared success program that records the employee's input on
their goals and objectives up front.
HR staff
historically operates as reactionaries, responding to
emergencies or needs, doing damage control, countering
current predicaments with advice and action. The
organization is better served when HR operates proactively,
defining front end strategies to deal with long term issues.
This approach requires support and involvement from the
executive team. In order to impact the strategic planning of
an organization, HR must be used as a partner in planning,
part of the architecture team, not the custodial team to
clean up the aftermath of bad decisions.
Another
antiquated assessment of HR is that of information brokers.
HR does manage a wide variety of data, and always will. But
HR professionals should also be creators of dynamic
processes. HR is perceived as the "communicators" of the
organization, providing answers to questions ranging from
terminating employees to HMO coverage. A more valuable
method is to utilize HR as educators. I would prefer to
train a manager to intervene in an employee circumstance
than to continually be called upon to intervene.
The most
unpleasant component of HR is that of watchdog. This is a
natural consequence of executives utilizing HR as a police
force, to protect the organization, often at the expense of
the employees. It is in a company's best interest to allow
HR to be the conscience of the organization instead, looking
out for equity and consistency for everyone, as well as for
the needs of the business. Not only will this keep you out
of court (the key reason executives bring HR professionals
on board), but will gain the trust of your staff. If you
treat your employees fairly, when you need loyalty, you will
have earned it. This creates an environment that attracts
and retains good people.
HR professionals in the '90's don't
want to police your organizations, they want to eliminate
bureaucracy and design processes around people. They want to
be kept in the loop at the executive level so they can
respond to employee and organizational needs. If an
organization allows HR to coach its management team into
that corporate culture, it will reflect on the bottom line.
Anne Caldwell is President and Founder
of Outsourcing Solutions, a Human Resource consulting firm
providing innovative human resource approaches to companies
in rapid growth or transition. Outsourcing Solutions
specializes in designing HR plans for high tech companies,
but will work with organizations of any size or industry. <Back>
Interviewing & Hiring I
A Two Part Series
February, 1999
Effective interviewing is an
integral part of not only the hiring process, but of
managing a successful business. It is important to select
the best qualified individual, as well as one who will fit
most closely with your organization's culture, but it is
equally imperative that business owners comply with many
constantly evolving regulations. This month we will address
the basics of interviewing, including many of the questions
that are illegal to address.
There are as many ways to approach
interviewing as there are management styles. Some prefer to
be highly prepared and present the same questions to each
prospective candidate. Others elect an intuitive approach,
choosing to allow the interview to take on a life of its
own. Each of these approaches has its own value, but a
slightly more structured format is advised for those with
less interviewing experience.
Asking open-ended questions allows the
interviewer to obtain more information from the candidate,
as well as gaining some sense of their personality, their
views on the subject matter and their confidence level under
pressure. Keep the questions relevant to the job or to work
experience. Do not ask the applicant about their personal
life. If they offer this type of information, respond
briefly but politely, and lead the conversation back to the
issue at hand. This avoids the potential of later being
accused of making a decision (especially failing to hire
someone) based on some personal information they disclosed.
Watch the body language and any facial
expressions that may provide you with further understanding
of the candidate. For more details on this aspect of the
process, contact Outsourcing Solutions.
Most people are aware that you cannot
ask an applicant any questions based on race, sex, color,
national origin, religion or age as addressed in Title VII
of the 1964 Civil Rights Act. The Americans with
Disabilities Act of 1990, protects qualified individuals
with disabilities from discrimination in employment. If you
need specific information that may touch on any of the above
categories, make sure that it relates specifically to a job
related qualification. You cannot ask if someone has a
disability, but you can present the job requirement of
lifting 50 lbs. and ask if they can perform the requirements
of the job.
There are other ways in which an
employer can obtain information without violating any laws
by carefully phrasing the questions. For example, you cannot
ask if someone is a United States citizen, but you can ask
if they are lawfully employable in the United States
either by virtue
of citizenship or by having authorization from the INS and
the Labor Department. As a matter of fact, you are required
to have this information in order to allow them to work for
you.
You cannot ask their age, but
you can question on your application or in your interview if
they are over the age of eighteen. You cannot inquire if
they have any children or about their arrangements for child
care, but you can tell them the work schedule and ask if
they can meet it.
You cannot ask what clubs or
organizations they belong to, but you can request if they
belong to any professional or trade groups that they
consider relevant to their ability to perform this job.
You may not request any information
regarding previous workers' compensation claims during the
pre-offer stage. You can research this after they have
accepted an offer.
It is also not permissible to ask when
they graduated from high school, as it is another way to
determine age, but you can ask what schools they have
attended.
Asking about a maiden name can be
construed as attempting to ascertain ethnic background, but
it is appropriate to ask if they have ever been known under
another name.
You cannot ask if they smoke, but you
can inform them of your company's smoking policy and ask if
they have any problem adhering to it. You also are
prohibited from asking about any medical conditions,
including HIV/AIDS.
Next month: The hiring process itself,
and the different employment categories within which
business owners can employ staff (intern, independent
contractor, permanent, temporary, leased, exempt,
non-exempt, etc). <Back>
Interviewing & Hiring Part II
March, 1999
You've found the person that will fit
your position. Now you need to determine the employment
category for that person. In conventional employment, the
organization directly hires, supervises, pays and provides
benefits to individuals; all other staffing arrangements are
considered alternative. But the alternative category
includes many different types of staffing arrangements.
Temporary or permanent? Exempt or non-exempt? Do you wish to
retain them as an independent contractor or do they fall
under the definition of intern? Each of these categories is
sufficiently complex to fill an entire column. Employers
should contact an expert source before making final
determinations, but here are some tips on how to approach
this determination.
Intern, Independent Contractor (aka
1099), Leased Employee
There are many alternatives to
traditional staffing methods. It is important to understand
the basics that differentiate the categories, especially as
it relates to the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). FLSA
defines an employee as performing activities controlled or
directed by "an employer." The FLSA notes that people who
work for their own interest are not employees, but may be
independent contractors or students and trainees acquiring
experience. Many businesses misinterpret the meaning of
these phrases and inadvertently violate the FLSA.
Interns spend time for their own
advantage to gain experience. The employer can't promise
future employment or compensation, and the intern cannot be
part of the production of the company's routine business.
The business cannot use the intern to further its goals or
meet commitments. This suggests a company should view the
role of an intern's "mentor" as time donated by the firm. If
a position is defined as a paid internship, it is probably
better to categorize it as a trainee position to avoid
confusion with any unpaid interns present within the
organization.
What if you wish to
hire the individual to do the work, but not as an employee?
There are more than twenty tests to define an independent
contractor, but there are six basic issues:
- Does the organization control how the
work is performed or merely define the expected outcome?
- Does the contractor have a skill
special or unique to the company?
- Is the service provided integral to
the business?
- Is there a degree of continuity in
the working relationship between the individual and the
company?
- Is there the potential to the
individual for loss or profit, depending upon results?
- Does the individual have an
investment in equipment or materials necessary for the
work?
The amount of direction provided to the
individual is key to the definition as an independent
contractor. This is only one of the litmus tests necessary
to accurately categorize a contractor.
A leased worker is one who is employed
by an agency; the employer pays the agency a fee, which
includes the leased worker's wage plus a percentage mark-up
for the agency's fee. Even so, there have been court cases
where it was determined that, based on how the employees
were managed, leased workers were entitled to company
benefits.
Permanent vs.
Temporary
Has this
position been developed because the workload has become too
extensive for your present staff? Do you anticipate this
volume to continue? If so, you will probably want to define
the position as a permanent, full time position. Is the work
seasonal or in response to a specific offer that has a
limited lifetime? Then maybe a temporary position will be
preferable.
Exempt vs. Non-exempt
This is another category defined by the
FLSA, also complex with a variety of tests involved to
ascertain the appropriate classification. It refers to
exemption from overtime pay. A non-exempt employee is one
who is usually paid by the hour and is eligible for time and
a half for any hours worked over forty in a given week. The
basic approach is to use the short test, which examines
duties and salary. If an individual is paid more than six
and one half times the minimum wage, that satisfies the
requirement for exemption in most cases. The duties test
examines independent judgment, supervisory responsibilities
and sometimes, education.
Remember, these are oversimplifications
of some highly intricate definitions comprised of multiple
components. If you are not absolutely certain, it is best to
consult an expert source. Fines by the Department of Labor,
which publishes various periodicals regarding the FLSA, can
be large. The Internet is also a good source of basic
information, or contact Outsourcing Solutions. <Back>
Management Techniques For A
Changing World
December, 1998
Coaching managers for
success in this age of information and technology involves
balancing the personal and the professional. How many people
have spent the last decade working to succeed, only to find
that the experience is not satisfying. We feel stressed with
no time to recharge. How did this happen in a world where
technology is supposed to save us time?
One factor is that, although technology
has created more time for us, the sense of what is necessary
in our lives has increased. Activities our parents might
have considered frivolous are integral to our frenzied
schedules - working out, taking our children to soccer or
dance. Even quality time is scheduled.
So, we're working hard at our jobs,
searching for meaning for ourselves. We look for techniques
to improve our lives, and often find our work environment
does not reflect our values. We see questionable ethics,
rampant incompetence, and a universal lack of
responsibility. This adds to our sense of alienation and
impotence, and therefore, to our stress.
How to combat this feeling and impact
our jobs, our organizations, our relationships? It is
possible to improve your working experience by employing
some empowerment techniques, and by refusing to compromise
your own commitment to joy, in the workplace and elsewhere.
Be prepared. Adhering to these notions will have an affect
on others in your environment. Many will love it; others
will feel threatened by it and will attempt to derail you.
Stay committed. Remember, only you are responsible for your
behavior and responses, and you are responsible only for
your behavior and responses.
|
DON'T |
DO |
| Don't continually deflect
responsibility for your actions onto others. Blaming
others provides no power to change the situation. |
Do take responsibility for your
own behavior. Implement what you've learned. Use new
information to challenge yourself. |
| Don't lament about the culture of
your organization, or accept it. |
Change your interactions to
change the culture. |
| Don't push processes ahead and
perform the due diligence later. |
Stop to review what is
appropriate and legal or consistent. |
| Don't focus only on dollars; that
is short-sighted and suicidal. |
Assess the overall growth of the
company, including yours personally. |
| Don't make assumptions. |
Check your facts before basing a
decision or conclusion on them. |
| Don't expect team members to read
your mind. |
Communicate expectations and
check to see if they're reasonable. |
| Don't assume that in a sea of
activity, yours is the only priority. |
Be flexible. Realize everybody is
juggling multiple tasks, and be respectful of that. |
| Don't drop the ball. |
Follow through; think about the
steps you need to take to do so. |
| Don't be egocentric in terms of
what is important to the organization. |
Walk in the other guy's
moccasins. |
| Don't view other players in the
company as obstacles to your success. |
View them as your partners, and
as resources to aid you in meeting your goals. |
| Don't gossip and pass on bad
news. |
Demonstrate respect for yourself
and others by the way you talk. |
| Don't bankrupt your personal life
to be successful professionally. |
Balance is key in the four main
areas of your life: work, intimacy/social, spiritual,
community. |
| Don't be so wrapped up in what
you're doing and forget the simple things. |
Display common courtesy, be
considerate and respectful of others. It will buy you
more than you can imagine. |
| Don't stay stuck on old beliefs.
|
Be open, even excited, about
dialogue, new ideas. |
| Don't violate your personal
integrity. |
Integrity allows you to make
authentic connections, not just with others, but with
yourself. |
| Don't believe that you are alone
in this or that you have nothing to teach. |
Mentor others in growing and
believing in themselves, and partner with them. |
| Don't believe that you are alone
in this or that you have nothing to learn. |
Be open to constructive input, or
new ways to approach old tasks. |
Employing these techniques may enhance
your own experience of your day, and will make you a
valuable partner to whom others will be drawn. This will
make your job easier and more essential to the organization.
In addition, you will be modeling behavior for others that
could make the entire working environment better for
everybody.
Anne Caldwell is President and Founder
of Outsourcing Solutions, a Human Resource consulting firm
providing innovative human resource approaches to companies
in rapid growth or transition. Outsourcing Solutions
specializes in designing HR plans for high tech companies,
but will work with organizations of any size or industry.
Call 228-9191 for more information. <Back>
More On Performance: What Factors
Help Employees Suceed?
Examining elements that
enhance performance, it is important to remember that
success is not merely a function of the employee's
competence. We must review the environment in which they
perform. Studies have proven that if good performers are
placed in bad circumstances, the systems will prevail. Our
success is based on the interaction of the person with the
environment.
Publications on employee performance
provide a wealth of data that ascribes employee achievement
issues to the setting. If this is accurate, perhaps we
should look to the systems, as opposed to following
traditional methods which involved more instruction or
correctional actions.
These days most businesses are aware
that employees need clearer goals, shared between the staff
and the managers. This helps to shift the orientation from
specific task competence to a more holistic approach of the
staff and the organization as symbiotic parts of a whole.
Tom Gilbert developed a six-step model
for looking at these areas called the Behavior Engineering
Model. The first three areas, information, resources, and incentives,
depict the work environment factors, which need to be
assessed first. If these arenas have been thoroughly
reviewed, the next step is to analyze issues with the
employees, who are related to the last three topics, skills and knowledge, capacity, and
motivation.
Communication of information includes disseminating
what employees are expected to generate, in addition to
supplying data on policy and procedures. Appropriate resources are necessary, because no
matter how competent an employee, if they are not provided
with the tools, materials, and training that their position
requires, they cannot be successful. Incentives can be anything from a
corporate culture that supports the entrepreneurial spirit,
appreciation for good work, to 401k's and childcare centers.
Skills and
knowledge are the keystone to employee selection. We
hire people that we feel have the experience to do the job,
or the ability to learn. Capacity addresses choosing someone
for a position that has the potential to achieve success
within the specific parameters of a job. Past performance
and evidence of adaptability are factors to take into
consideration when determining someone's capacity for a
position. Motivation is key to
staff success, but is so individual when attempting to
identify the best way to encourage an employee. The best
managers determine, often through direct communication with
the employee, what is most effective in motivating them.
Some may be inspired by the attention given to asking them
what they need; others want written instructions, flexible
work schedules, or mentor-training systems. All of these
efforts are minimal in cost and often very effective.
If we examine these factors and
consider their impact on productivity, we may achieve
exceptional performance. Organizations recognize that
employee awareness evolves, and a sequence of programs over
the years has dealt with achieving success. From total
quality management to reengineering and business process
redesign, these programs have attempted to enhance working
conditions to improve performance. This establishes a more
global approach to organizational success than merely
looking at training and disciplinary action as the keys to
motivating employees. <Back>
Small Business Checklist
You've started your own
business, found the right niche for your product or service
and gotten a tremendous response. You've had to hire more
people, and before you know it, you actually have a company.
You spend most of your time focusing on marketing and
finding new business, as well as meeting your customer's
needs.
What else should you be thinking about?
You may think that with only six, fourteen or twenty
employees, you don't need to be concerned about structure or
policies and procedures. But actually, it is advantageous to
think through how you want certain aspects of your company
managed, even if you are not planning on continued growth.
Some strategic planning in these areas will enhance your
ability to make decisions without trauma, and avoid the
inclination to "shoot from the hip." If continued growth is
anticipated, putting structures in place while you are still
small will increase your effectiveness, and eliminate the
strain of transitioning to a larger format. It is especially
important to define structures to avoid discrimination.
Here are some of the areas you might
want to think about.
Benefits
administration: What sort of benefits do you wish to
offer? Who is eligible for them, and who pays for them?
Do you pay all or a portion; same amount for single and
married? Will you combine vacation and sick time into
Paid Time Off? How will PTO be defined? Will it accrue
or be awarded on a calendar basis? Will it be dumped or
can it be carried over, and if so, how much, and will it
be tracked by calendar or anniversary year?
Compensation structure - internal and
external equity: How do your wages compare with your
competition? Do employees of similar experience and
tenure have equal wages? How do you determine increases?
How often, what percentage and with what criteria?
Recruitment,
recognition, retention: How do you attract and
retain the best possible staff most cost effectively?
Policies and procedure handbooks: Do
you have policies that define what you expect? How do
you address harassment? Hiring? How do you effectively
communicate performance expectations, and address when
they are not being met in order to maximize the
potential of success for your staff? How do you address
disciplinary issues in a way that empowers your
employees? Do you have ways to resolve employee relation
issues efficiently?
Compliance issues: How do you keep current with
prevailing legal updates? Are you required to comply
with the Fair Labor Standards Act, the Department of
Labor, Family Medical Leave Act, American with
Disabilities Act? If not, do you want to adopt a
modified version of any of the above?
Not all of the above categories will
apply to every business, but the question is, do you know
which apply to yours? The more professionally you run your
business, the more professional and efficient you appear to
your clients and customers, as well as eliminating the worry
of these day to day types of decisions so that you can focus
on your core business. Feel free to contact us with any
questions regarding these issues. <Back>
E-mail a friend about this site
