HR policies and procedures are fundamental for effectively managing staff in the workplace; however, too many of these can cause confusion among staff, especially when several different policies need to be resolved on top of one problem. When managers and HR administrators need to make a decision about how to approach a situation they often end up in conflict. It is essential that these problems are solved in an orderly manner, but the careful planning of individual shifts often makes it difficult to implement. When problems occur, there are a number of steps that can be taken to manage the problem and effectively return the company to a smooth and efficient working environment.
Defining what you want to achieve
The first step towards successfully implementing an HR policy for the workplace is to define what exactly it is that you want to achieve. This will involve looking at the goals and aspirations of your organisation as well as those of your staff. Having a clearly defined vision, mission, and line of communication can help to keep staff motivated and also ensure that they remain committed and focused. Your HR policies should be written in a language that your staff can easily understand. Having a defined set of responsibilities within your remit and the processes that they must follow, will help you manage them effectively.
Staff may also feel undervalued by their manager or the company if the message sent across is that they are unnecessary and their contribution is simply a cost. This can lead to staff feeling devalued and may result in them losing confidence in the company. This can have serious repercussions on productivity, morale and cause other problems such as low staff retention and recruitment. If this is happening in your workplace, it may be necessary for you to look at introducing some type of workplace wellness or physical health policy into your company.
HR Polices
There are a number of HR policies that every single branch and office must adhere to. These include general fair dismissal rules, employment contracts, redundancy arrangements, disciplinary procedures and health and safety issues. Ensuring that all lines managers and departmental heads are fully aware of these policies and procedures can go a long way to ensuring that everyone adheres to the rules and regulations and understands how their position impacts the business as a whole. There are certain times when implementing a health and safety policy into your workplace can prove to be detrimental, for example, during the festival season and in the summer months.
Common Polices Include
- General Fair Dismissal Rules
- Employment Contracts
- Redundancy Arrangements
- Disciplinary Procedures
- Health And Safety Issues
Managing Staff In The Workplace
Managing staff in the workplace requires not only good communication within the team, but also within the company as a whole. Communication within the company should aim at building and maintaining good relationships with each member of staff. Communication within the company should also aim at ensuring that any problems, concerns or questions that arise are addressed appropriately and quickly so that they do not impact on the daily operations of the company. A good staff management system can help you do this effectively and proactively.
Staff Management Software
The best part of staff management software is that it will empower you to make decisions about the best ways to improve your workflow, encourage good staff practices and make your workplace more secure. This means that you will be able to take control of your business more effectively and meet all of your HR objectives. You will no longer have to worry about whether or not your HR department is meeting their targets or if your staff are up to the task of completing your work on time. Staff management software will help you manage your workforce, your time and your budget. When it comes to managing staff in the workplace effectively, HR management software is the solution.
Implementing Polices And Procedures
The first step to implement workplace policies and procedures is to define them. A brief description of the function, process or policy is necessary to make it easy for staff to understand and implement. This can then be referenced when interviewing and hiring personnel, if appropriate. Where this is not possible it may be helpful to use a form or manual to provide some guiding information on the best way to implement the policies and procedures.
Once an understanding of the purpose and procedures is established, it is time to determine how to implement them. Staff should be given as much information as possible about implementing policies and procedures so that they can decide which parts of their day-to-day activities may need to change. There are several ways in which this can be achieved. Providing training and other guidance to staff is one way. Sometimes it is also beneficial to involve the employees in the implementation process so that they can learn from others’ experiences and get other ideas for improvements.
In addition to staff becoming familiar with implementing policies and procedures it is important to have regular feedback on their effectiveness. Formal feedback should take the form of assessments using validated forms and feedback systems such as Problem Finding, Identification and Assessments, pilot testing and so on. Staff should also have informal feedback available through such things as questionnaires and focus groups. All of these methods of informal feedback are particularly valuable when staff struggle to remember or misunderstand a part of a procedure or policy.
Consider the future
When implementing policies and procedures, it is also important to consider the future. Staff need to be informed about changes that will affect them so that they can plan how to deal with them. They should be provided with information and with guidance about what they need to do to meet the needs of their customers. Where this is not possible, it may still be possible to arrange for staff to attend seminars or training sessions to learn about the impact of implementing polices and procedures on their own career development.
Major Considerations
A major consideration when implementing polices and procedures is whether they are likely to reduce or increase the workload. This is a tricky area to regulate. The easiest way to work out a rough idea of the additional workload is to assume that any new workload will increase the demand for time by at least 10%. This may mean that even if your procedure does not raise the number of pages to need printed, it may require more research or rewriting. It may also mean that you need to hire an administrative assistant to oversee the printing. This person could be a dedicated specialist or someone who works in a different department.
Taking Options Into Account
One of the main reasons why implementing polices and procedures can be a lengthy and difficult process is that there are so many options and considerations to take into account. At the end of the day, the goal is to try to implement the best policy or procedure from the available options. While this may sound like a difficult task, it is necessary to carefully consider all the possible options and then choose one with the highest chance of success. Careful consideration of all the possible options can also help you decide how to implement polices and procedures that have been set out by your company.
Another reason why implementing policies and procedures can be a lengthy process is that some polices and procedures are implemented slowly in order to make sure they are effective. For instance, a five year program regarding the handling of toxic substances must be implemented over a period of five years in order to ensure that it works. The first step in implementing policies and procedures is to formulate a written code of practice for your company. Once the code has been established, it is important to constantly review it to make sure that it is being followed and any new updates are made according to the original version.
Concluding
Finally, it can take considerable time to implement policies and procedures correctly. You may find yourself having to revise certain parts of your policies and procedures a number of times before you start to see results. This is why it can take some time before you start seeing any positive changes in your company’s productivity. However, once your company implement effective policies and procedures, you will find that things begin to run more smoothly and efficiently.
