Often leaders and managers are so busy with the work that builds the business and drives revenue, they don’t realise that something as simple – and yes, somewhat mundane – as having well written and well communicated policies in place, may just save them a whole lot of angst.
For example, having your leave policies written up clearly outlining what the entitlements are, how to apply for them, who needs to approve them and specifies where the forms are stored can, and will, save you time. It’s also going to add layers of protection from potential trouble as your team will have clarity around what they need to do and when they need to do it minimising confusion as to their obligations around leave applications and use. Factor in the many different types of leave aside from your regular old annual leave – you’ve got personal, family and domestic violence, compassionate, long service and parental leave. You are making a life significantly easier for both yourself and your team when you have clearly laid out information they can access as opposed to you answering the same questions repeatedly!
Now think about other more serious types of policies that you really should have that are required by law such as alcohol and drugs policy, smoking policy, grievance procedure policy and harassment & victimisation & workplace bullying policy. Aside from the legal consequences, these policies define the standards expected of employees and will support you in managing your people should anything go wrong.
Best practice when it comes to policies is to have them written clearly, eliminating any possible confusion as to expectations and standards of behaviour as they pertain to your company. This needs to be followed up by making sure every single employee has read and acknowledged them so that there are no excuses for poor, inappropriate or dangerous behaviours. And they need to be always accessible so that ALL team members can refresh themselves on the detail if they are uncertain.
Of course, we can help you write relevant policies for your particular business needs but HR Staff n’ Stuff also utilises a bespoke program that allows all policies to be stored online and will record who has seen which policy and when which can be extremely important when you need to investigate a matter or find yourself with a Fair Work complaint. Let us know if you think this cloud-based option would support your business and we can take you through the options.
2.IGNORE IT AND IT WILL GO AWAY
Sadly, even your best employees may behave badly or have an ongoing and noticeable drop in performance and pretending it’s not happening can make the situation worse. Unfortunately, some poor behaviour also seems to be contagious so nipping it in the bud is always going to be the best choice. Not everyone is a natural at performance management of employees but that’s where your friendly HR consultants come in as we can make sure you follow fair and legal process that is aimed at securing the best outcome for you and your employee.
However, there are times you are going to address poor performance or bad behaviour yourself and there are five key things to remember to avoid further complications:
- Don’t ignore the problem – they rarely resolve themselves.
- Get on top of the matter quickly. The longer you leave it, the longer it has to fester and impact colleagues and/or clients and damage your business.
- Get yourself familiar with what is required to conduct a fair and legal procedure. The HR Staff n’ Stuff HR consultants can talk you through this if you require extra surety, you are handling the situation correctly.
- Document everything! Keep records of any communications you have regarding the problems and also examples of when the problems occurred along with the date and time. Details matter!
- Call the HR Staff n’ Stuff team for help because sometimes these matters are really complex and that’s what we are here for!
Ultimately, if you handle it well, you will be able to resolve the issue and end the experience with a reengaged and productive team member. Mismanage it and you may find yourself with a disgruntled ex-employee who has a good chance of being really toxic in the business and even pulling you into a Fair Work process and no one wants that!
3.CONTACTS AREN’T JUST FOR BUSINESS DEALS
Whether you have one employee or thousands, employee contracts are vital. They define your relationship and establish the terms and conditions of employment. They address the matter of full or part time, casual, contractor (you need to be careful here as they are a very specific type of contract), hours and location of work, Award coverage and classification or otherwise, notice periods, probationary periods, the list goes on. And to be clear, a contract can never override the minimum legal entitlements set out in the National Employment Standards. While a handshake deal is a nice idea, a contract will deliver legal peace of mind for you and your new, or even existing, employees!
4.RECRUITING RIGHT
Walk down to the local shops and there are HELP WANTED signs everywhere now. Our tight labour market is causing many businesses to grab the first person that comes along and while desperation is understandable, putting the wrong person in your business can be highly detrimental.
Key to getting your recruitment right – even in these challenging times – is knowing exactly what the role requires and what skill sets you need from potential candidates. You need to assess the must haves, the nice to haves and then the skills that you can train if the boxes are ticked on the key attributes.
And don’t forget the less tangible qualities and ask yourself, will this person work well with my current team? How do they fit within the established culture? You are doing yourself and your team a massive disservice if you bring someone in who completely upends a cohesive team so be selective. It’s always a risk as a recruitment process, no matter how exhaustive, isn’t always able to peel back the layers of a candidate’s true self so make sure you keep an eye on the probationary period timeframe if they aren’t working out. Remember also that probation swings both ways as it allows your new employee the opportunity to determine if this role is right for them too. Note also that notice periods apply, and annual leave entitlements accrue during this period.
Well, there you go, four important areas to consider when it comes to building and managing your team. Employment law compliance, interwoven with best practice methods and then mixed with the intricacies of human behaviour can be overwhelming when you are trying to keep all the balls in the air, so contact us now if you need support! We are here to help when you need us.
