Human resources top 10 tips

Human resources top 10 tips

Do you have the following top 10 HR procedures incorporated into your business operations?

1. Staff induction & orientation program

Workplace health & safety, sexual harassment, workplace bullying

The orientation of new staff is usually seen as comprising a short one-off briefing session and the provision of basic information, e.g. in the form of an information kit.

Induction refers to the process of helping people make the transition into a new workplace, role, or area of responsibility. Typically induction starts with contact prior to taking up employment and proceeds through arrival, first days/weeks on the job, and generally up to the third month or even first 12 months of employment.

2. Staff psychology profile tests

These are most commonly used for recruiting and retaining staff, motivation of staff, increasing productivity, increasing sales, and improving communication and team dynamics. They include behaviour analysis, DISC® Work Pair Analysis, Team Analysis and Open 360.

3. Employment contracts

Casuals, contractors, permanent part-time, full time

The contract of employment provides the parameters for the relationship between an employer and employee. The principal documents that can impact on employment contracts:

  • letter of appointment
  • individual contractual document
  • award or collective agreement
  • apprenticeship or traineeship document (under special statutory provisions)
  • unregistered collective agreement

4. Job description forms

Typical content includes the following:

  • description of the job
  • job expectations and responsibilities
  • risk management
  • key result areas
  • key performance indicators
  • service standards

5. Key performance indicators

Key performance indicators (KPIs) are ways to periodically assess the performances of organisations, business units, and their divisions, departments and employees. They are commonly defined in a way that is understandable, meaningful, and measurable.

6. Key result areas

Key result areas (KRAs) are those things that you absolutely, positively must do to fulfil your responsibilities and achieve your business goals; providing your staff a target to aim for and a standard they can aspire to.

7. Individual staff-development plans

The ideal individual staff-development plan (IDP) leverages your strengths, talents and skill gaps, providing new skills and knowledge to help you perform well in achieving your goals.

8. Individual performance appraisals

An individual performance appraisal is a two-way communication and negotiation process combining both written and oral elements, whereby staff members and management evaluate and exchange feedback on job performance.

9. Staff training plans

The first stage in developing staff training plans is to conduct a training-needs analysis – this determines the skill gaps and provides a timeline for completion of the new skills.

10. Staff capacity model

This is a structured process used to calculate estimated staffing levels, determining adequate staff requirements and identifying staff resource gaps. It can be used to create a basis for future staffing reassessments when environmental conditions change, e.g. when work volumes increase or decrease substantially. Through a balanced application of Lean principles and staff capacity modelling, staffing optimisation can become a reality.

Stephen Bowerman, Business Advisor, Presenter, Coach, Central Coast Business Enterprise Centre, Tuggerah, NSW

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