The Most Common Mistake in HR and how to Avoid...

The Most Common Mistake in

HR and how to Avoid Them

Bradys EnterprisesComputer Service & Repair

623-249-8339

LME Creative HR Solutions

1-800-928-4785

LME Creative Human Resources www.lmechr.com

Avoiding Trouble Take a proactive approach to your HR policies to ensure you’re not reacting to a crisis.

§ OBVIOUSLY, THE DAILY OPERATION OF YOUR BUSINESS IS A TOP PRIORITY, BUT IGNORING SOME EMPLOYEE-RELATED TASKS CAN OPEN YOUR COMPANY TO A LITANY OF LIABILITIES.

§  THOUGH IT MAY BE EASY TO IGNORE A VOLATILE SITUATION UNTIL A PROBLEM ARISES, PREVENTION IN THE FORM OF AN HR CHECKUP CAN GREATLY DECREASE THE POSSIBILITY OF A COSTLY PROBLEM.



623-249-8339


1-800-928-4785

The most frequent HR mistakes made by business owners #1

§  Lack of a comprehensive and updated employee handbook.

§  Your EMPLOYEE HANDBOOK is a fluid document that should be regularly reviewed to ensure it contains all pertinent information. Employees should receive a revised copy or be notified when a new electronic version is posted, and sign a document acknowledging they have read and will abide by the tenets of the policy. If unacceptable and acceptable behaviors aren’t outlined, you’re giving your employees a free pass to use the, “I didn’t know it was wrong” defense.



623-249-8339


1-800-928-4785


§  LACK OF DOCUMENTATION FOR PERFORMANCE-BASED TERMINATIONS.

§  Yes, it is your business, but impulsively firing an employee can create a host of problems. Establishing and adhering to a progressive discipline policy can help your managers ensure that they can establish that an employee was fired for performance-based reasons.

§  “Employers will call us frustrated and ready to pull the trigger, but it’s important to follow a plan and minimize liability,” says Lydia Mannion-Evanson, President of LMECHR.



623-249-8339


1-800-928-4785

The most frequent HR mistakes made by business owners #2 continued

§  LACK OF DOCUMENTATION FOR PERFORMANCE-BASED TERMINATIONS CONTINUED

§  Documentation prior to termination is important. After every discussion about an employee’s performance, conduct or attendance, write down the specifics about the conversation: who was present, when it occurred, what was discussed, where improvement must be made and how to facilitate improvement. Have the employee sign a document acknowledging the meeting occurred and that the employee was made aware of the issue if a dispute should arise.

§  It’s also important to be straightforward in all discussions with employees. Frank conversation may be uncomfortable, but skirting any issues in an attempt to be polite can create another layer of problems. When it’s time to discipline or terminate an employee, keep the discussion professional and concise. Be sure that proper procedures are followed prior to termination and that you can prove an employee was terminated for performance and not unfairly let go.



623-249-8339


1-800-928-4785


§  INSUFFICIENT AND IMPROPERLY STORED EMPLOYEE RECORDS.

§  How thick are your employee files? If the answer is not very, you likely have deficiencies. Each employee file should contain copies of all required documentation. For example, failure to keep a valid I-9 (verification of employee eligibility) on file can be a costly mistake if it cannot be produced upon request by a number of governmental agencies.

§  Take time to identify what regulatory agencies govern your industry and what documents should be contained in an employee file. Also be certain all annual reviews and other routine employment paperwork is maintained in the file. The Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) recommends keeping the items on the following page in the Personnel File.

§  LME Creative Human Resources www.lmechr.com


623-249-8339


1-800-928-4785

The most frequent HR mistakes made by business owners #3 con’t

§  ITEMS TO STORE IN THE PERSONNEL FILE.

§  Application or resume Offer letter

§  Confidentiality/non-compete agreement Handbook acknowledgement

§  Drug testing policy acknowledgment Drug testing consent form Background check consent form Performance records

§  Training records



623-249-8339


1-800-928-4785


§  ITEMS TO STORE SEPARATELY

§  Employee files may contain drug testing results, paperwork from a leave such as the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), return to work letters from doctors, benefit enrollment papers or workers’compensation information. Keep this information in a separate file, made private to all but HR supervisors. This type of protected information typically falls under the umbrella of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA).



623-249-8339


1-800-928-4785


§ WHY STORE SEPARATELY?

§  A supervisor would be able to access the first level of files, such as reviews, etc. Some employers may even want to create a third file containing forms such as I-9 forms, payroll records containing Social Security numbers or other protected information, W-4s and garnishment information.

§  SHRM recommends employers conduct routine audits of employee files to ensure thatall pertinent information is thorough and accurate. It’s also important to verify that information is being properly protected since the potential for human error in such areas is high.



623-249-8339


1-800-928-4785


§  POOR HIRING AND PROMOTION DECISIONS.

§  Not properly screening potential employees and candidates for promotion is the most common mistake committed by business owners, says Lydia Mannion-Evanson, LME Creative HR Solutions President. Correcting poor hiring decisions can be costly in terms of employee engagement, retention and even replacement. Though patiently waiting for a candidate to best fit your company’s needs can be tough, hastily hiring a candidate can be disasterous.

§  “Keeping people in the wrong jobs for a long time is a common mistake,” Mannion-Evanson says. “So is promoting people who are good at one job to management. Somebody may be a great worker, but if he or she is placed in a supervisory position without training or developed managing skills, they won’t succeed.”



623-249-8339


1-800-928-4785

The most frequent HR mistakes made by business owners #4 Con’t

§  POOR HIRING AND PROMOTION DECISIONS. Selecting the best person for the job using pre-employment screening can help ensure a favorable outcome. Such screening has become increasingly affordable for even small businesses hoping to identify a candidate’s inherent strengths and weaknesses.

§  “If, for example, you’re looking for someone who’s detail-oriented, screening can tell you if a candidate meets that requirement,” says Mannion-Evanson.

§  While a person can capably perform job tasks that may not mesh with his or her inherent personality traits, a person’s natural strengths should match his or her job requirements.

§  “You can’t force someone who’s not detail-oriented to become detail-oriented,” adds Mannion-Evanson.



623-249-8339


1-800-928-4785


§  DISREGARD FOR TRAINING.

§  All industries grapple with how to best utilize and maximize their human capital. The difference between best-in-class and laggard companies often lies in the strength of the workforce. Taking time to better yours is a valuable investment in the future of your enterprise.

§  Many employers often opt to implement a training program in order to improve profitability, customer service, quality or efficiency.

§  “Companies are knowledge-based businesses, and you’ve got to provide the knowledge,” says Greg Evanson, an LME Creative HR Solutions Vice President.



623-249-8339


1-800-928-4785


§  DISREGARD FOR TRAINING.

§  When establishing an effective training program, it is important that you, as the business owner, know what you want accomplish and how the program will best benefit your company.

§  For example, providing tuition assistance would be a great benefit to the employee, but it may not yield a high return on investment for your business. However, sending an employee to train as a notary public so you no longer have to pay an outside source for notary services would be a benefit to your business.



623-249-8339


1-800-928-4785

DID YOU KNOW? § Not sure what to do? If you have a

question concerning your HR needs, LME Creative HR Solutions’s specialists are here to help via phone or email. More than 95 percent of callers get what they need during the very first call – that’s more than 20 percent higher than the industry average of 75 percent for first-call resolution.



623-249-8339


1-800-928-4785


§  Lack of adequate HR policies.

§  All employers should have the following in place:

§  Employee grievance plan An employee grievance policy is a step-by-step method that allows employees who feel they have been wronged to address their concerns. A grievance policy can also alert management about the problem or issue. A fast and effective solution can benefit everyone involved; the employee is again happy and productive and management has avoided what can be a lengthy and expensive process of resolution.

§  In a sample employee grievance policy, SHRM suggests that employers establish a written plan for how employees should go about informing management of a potentially detrimental situation. Such a policy should be clearly delineated in the employee handbook and easily accessible to all employees



623-249-8339


1-800-928-4785

§ How LME Creative HR Solutions can help

§  RECRUITING AND RETAINING TOP-TIER EMPLOYEES REQUIRES TAKING CARE OF THEIR HEALTH AND WELL-BEING SO THEY CAN STAY HONED IN ON THE TASKS THAT DRIVE YOUR BUSINESS FORWARD.

§  LME Creative HR SolutionsTM takes the guessing game out of choosing health care. With LME Creative HR Solutions, you’ll find a variety of health care plans, and all of them are backed by a full-service approach that helps you steer clear of dramatic cost increases and remain in compliance with ever-changing government regulations.

§  LME Creative HR Solutions makes the most of the latest technological advancements available to make life easier for you and your employees to manage their benefits.



623-249-8339


1-800-928-4785

Date post:	15-Aug-2020
Category:	Documents
Upload:	others
View:	2 times
Download:	0 times

The Most Common Mistake in HR and how to Avoid...

Documents