WHY PERSONNELPOLICIES MATTER

OTA Winter Conference 2013

1Tuesday, January 29, 13

Center for Public Management and Regional Affairs

cpmra.MiamiOH.edu513-529-6959

2Tuesday, January 29, 13

Center for Public Management and Regional Affairs

CPMRA Presenters

• Dr. Mark Morris - Sr. Project Managermorrismh@MiamiOH.edu

• Dr. Randall Davis - Faculty Research Associatedavisrs3@MiamiOH.edu

3Tuesday, January 29, 13

Center for Public Management and Regional Affairs

What we will cover...

• Do you need personnel policies?

• Personnel policies as “good management.”

• Where do you begin?

• Putting it all together.

• Putting it into action.

4Tuesday, January 29, 13

Center for Public Management and Regional Affairs

Personnel Policies?

• Do you have any employees?

• Policies protect employee AND employer.

• Practice = policies in a court of law.

• Just makes good sense.

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Center for Public Management and Regional Affairs

From Red Tape to Green Tape

• 5 Attributes of Rule Quality (DeHart-Davis, 2009)

1. Valid connection between means and ends2. Optimal control3. Consistent application4. Understood purposes5. Written Requirements

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Center for Public Management and Regional Affairs

Benefits of formalized personnel policies from the employee perspective

• Role conflict and role ambiguity are minimized

• Job satisfaction can be increased

• Organizational commitment can be developed

• Employee motivation can be facilitated

7Tuesday, January 29, 13

Center for Public Management and Regional Affairs

Organizational benefits of well developed policies• Elicits voluntary employee compliance

• Reductions in turnover and absenteeism

• High performing employees

8Tuesday, January 29, 13

Center for Public Management and Regional Affairs

Now what?

• Need to make a commitment to complete the process.

• If you have a personnel policy manual, when was it last updated? Does it reflect current employment law?

• If you do not have a manual, begin by collecting all of the resolutions that have been passed regarding employment.

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Center for Public Management and Regional Affairs

PERSONNEL SOURCEBOOK

• 2013 edition

• Complete how to guide.

• Includes electronic sample policy manual.

• Customize to meet your township’s needs.

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Center for Public Management and Regional Affairs

Approach

• Assign leadership and ownership...accountability

• Use employee review committee...buy-in

• Iterative process...write, review, revise, review...

• Get legal review & approval before adopting

11Tuesday, January 29, 13

Center for Public Management and Regional Affairs

Required, recommended, optional• Sourcebook uses this language:

• required = must be included in policy

• recommended = should consider including in policy

• optional = may be included in policy...customize

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Center for Public Management and Regional Affairs

For existing policies...

• Does practice match policy?

• Do existing policies meet current legal requirements?

• Identify missing policies.

• Merge updated & new policies into single document.

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Center for Public Management and Regional Affairs

DO NOT INCLUDE WORK RULESShould be separate manual(s).

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Center for Public Management and Regional Affairs

Do you have...

• position descriptions?

• employee evaluation process?

• township equipment use policy including cell phones and computers?

• credit card policy?

• travel policy?

15Tuesday, January 29, 13

Center for Public Management and Regional Affairs

We completed our policy manual!✓Obtain legal review & approval

✓Adopt through a formal resolution

✓Roll out to ALL employees

✓Recommend obtaining signature page from ALL employees...keep signed copies in personnel files

16Tuesday, January 29, 13

Center for Public Management and Regional Affairs

QUESTIONS?

17Tuesday, January 29, 13