The HR Advisor

The COVID-19 crisis has unfolded so rapidly and escalated so dramatically, that businesses and leaders have not had the luxury of time to prepare for the extreme challenges put in front of them.

The many moving parts of this unprecedented health and economic crisis means that leaders have a significant task ahead in not only keeping their business afloat but also ensuring that their team stays positive and productive. 

Many business owners and managers are becoming increasingly concerned and unsure of what to do in relation to Coronavirus to minimise the risk of infection and transmission amongst their teams, while ensuring business continuity.

Remember that great TV commercial by BUPA in which people met the healthier version of themselves. Fitter, healthier and happier. Who wouldn’t want to be that version?

As we start 2020, it’s time to ask ourselves if our business is living it's best life? Is it the best version of itself? Or is it straying from best behaviours and as a result suffering?

Christmas is only nine weeks, which means your work Christmas party is probably only a month away, maybe sooner. Aside from dealing with the fact that I only have two months left of the year and still so much to do, the thought of summer and Christmas gets me excited.

The responsibility of organising our office Christmas Party is often mine. It's a job I love to do - but being an HR Practitioner gives me an advantage. Many of my friends and clients who don't have an HR background are more than happy to plan for the fun, but dread the thought of being responsible for any HR issues.

So, to help you (and them) avoid an HR disaster, here are our top HR tips for the festive season.

One of the most counter-productive practices of corporate life is sitting down with employees once or twice a year to set their goals and review their performance.  The annual or half-yearly performance review process is not motivating for employees and is dreaded by most managers, so why do so many businesses still have this model in place?

Even the fact that the word ‘review’ is still used is puzzling.  While reviewing past performance is part of the process, there is so much more to driving employee performance than evaluating the previous six or twelve months.

Nothing impacts an organisations' culture more than the behaviour of its leadership. The way leaders conduct themselves has a direct influence on how employees behave and can significantly impact the performance of a business.  But what is it that makes a good leader? And can this be taught?

Leaders are skilled at engaging people to connect with the bigger picture and vision of the organisation. That way, everyone is focused on the now while also being aligned on the promise of the future.

Recruitment and selection is arguably the most challenging and impactful HR function. There are so many moving parts to get right, from positioning your business as an 'employer of choice' to ensuring new hires are a cultural fit.

Many businesses resolve to merely hire the best of the candidates that apply within a defined timeframe. But, what if all the candidates that apply are not suitable? How do you get to a point where you can choose between A's, not C's?

For many businesses, their HR policies exist inside an induction manual, which is loosely referred to on an employee's first day and beyond that does nothing more than line the bottom drawer of their desk.

However, truly successful companies don't see their HR policies as just a compliance requirement. They recognise that these vital components set the guidelines and parameters for how their business operates.

They don't choose to create policies because they are successful; they are successful because they have well-developed policies.

If you ask a chef what the key to their signature dish is, they will tell you that having the right ingredients and applying the proper method are the foundations of every great meal.

There are a number of crucial ingredients to a successful new hire, each of which must be applied systematically, much like baking a cake. Effective reference checking should be a key element in your recruitment and induction recipe as it allows you to substantiate the thoughts and data that you have gathered through the interview process.

Here we outline three essential elements for conducting effective reference checks.

Designing your employee recognition programs to align rewards to the employee’s performance is standard practice. After all, you want to encourage your team to make a significant contribution to business growth and profitability.

But what if you have a reward structure that is based on employee performance and yet your revenue, team morale or business performance has not improved?

Could we be missing the mark and rewarding our employees for the wrong things?