Category: Archive

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2000 Global Outlook Optimas Award Profile United Nations

United Nations


Real HR: The United Nations has more than 180 member states.


From famine in Africa to war in the Balkans, the organization is charged with addressing some of the most complex and difficult issues on the planet, so it’s imperative that people work effectively together and get things done.


The vision starts at the top: Secretary-General Kofi Annan has been working to modernize the UN.


As part of the effort, he told the General Assembly that the overarching goal for HR is “to align our human resources with our global mission of peace, development and human rights around the world.”


Real Impact: Since 1994, HR has been forging change intended to bring it into alignment with practices better established in the private sector.


The strategy focuses on streamlining procedures, improving HR planning, and promoting staff development.


One initiative has been to hold managers accountable for performance; until recently, they had only been evaluated for fraud and dishonesty.


The staffing process also has been streamlined to make it less bureaucratic so that top candidates aren’t lost. And staff development initiatives help to build skills and prepare employees for other roles.

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Help Your Employees Feel Connected to Your Organization

Four ways employees can gain a sense of belonging:


  • Have open-forum meetings on a regular basis. If employees feel that they are being heard, they will feel a stronger connection to you and the group. Don’t be afraid of grievances, either. Even if you can’t do anything to fix the problem, people feel better just having the opportunity to talk it out.


  • Encourage group outings regularly, and don’t expect your employees to do this on their own time. Consider allowing one paid afternoon per month, as long as it’s a group activity.


  • Give employees time to talk. Managers are often so worried about work not getting done that they discourage personal conversations among their staff. What they don’t seem to understand is that these conversations help employees feel connected to each other.


  • Host informal breakfasts. Your department needs to make informal connections occasionally. In a semi-social atmosphere you can introduce a new project, get creative juices flowing, and just kick off a new month.


 


SOURCE: Love ‘Em or Lose ‘Em: Getting Good People to Stay, by Beverly Kaye and Sharon Jordan-Evans, Berrett-Koehler Publishers, Inc., San Francisco, 1999. Used by permission.


 


 


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Records to KeepAnd How to Keep Them

For the small employer, employee record keeping is hopefully not an adventurous task.


But what records should you keep and how should you keep them? So many companies keep either too much information, the wrong information or none of the correct information. HRMS conversion is a nightmare if you don’t have your records in order.


Here are some guidelines, some of which are mandated and some of which are HR norms:


Each of the following should be in separate files:


  • Information that can affect one’s employment, such as applications, resumes, performance reviews, disciplinary actions and training records. This is generally referred to as the employee’s file and is most often made available for inspection by the employee upon request, so it is best not to clutter up this file with information that is not employment related. You may also keep compensation and benefits information in this folder, if only to keep it handy for reference.
  • I-9 Forms. These are not required in a separate file, but may be convenient if requested by Department of Labor inspectors. If you do your own internal payroll, a good suggestion is to keep these with tax withholding records.
  • Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) records. By law, these cannot be used for employment status issues and shouldn’t be part of the employee’s file.
  • Medical information, such as pre-employment health exams and workers compensation medical evaluations.

How long should you keep these records? Again, practices (and state law) vary but here are some recommended minimum lengths:


  • Hiring Records (not related to hired employees): One year
  • Basic Employee Information (including I-9): Four years from termination
  • Payroll and Benefits Information: Five years
  • Employment Actions (firing, demotions, promotions): Four years
  • Job-related Illnesses and Injuries: Five years
  • Medical Exams: 30 years
  • Toxic substance and blood-borne pathogen exposure records: 30 years

Link to listings of HRMS articles and vendors.


The information and forms contained in this feature are intended to provide useful information on the topic covered, but should not be construed as legal advice or a legal opinion.

 

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IDear Workforce-I I’m Starting an HR Department. What’s the First Thing I Should Do

Q


Dear Workforce:


I am working as the HR Manager in India. I have been recruited by the company to start the HR department for them. There has been no HR department as such in the company before my existence.


My question to you is WHAT IS THE FIRST THING TO DO WHEN STARTING THE HR DEPARTMENT IN A COMPANY? Please answer my question as this is very urgent.
—Manish, HR Manager, India.


 


A Dear Manish:


Run!!!!!


Oh, seriously. First three things:


1) Get a hold of the company’s business plan. If they don’t have one, urge them to develop one. Find out what their plans are over the next three years. See how they plan to ramp up.


2) Develop a separate document, an HR strategy plan. This will be one you develop, based on information you glean from the business plan. It will show who you need to hire, their competencies, the rewards system you’ll need, the compensation system, the benefits.


3) Develop a performance management system. Identify when and how to evaluate people, and how to develop them to move up.


This list could go on, but those are some of the high-level steps you’ll want to take before you move into the tactical.


 


SOURCE: Richard J. Anthony, Sr., The Solutions Network, Inc. Radnor, PA.


E-mail your Dear Workforce questions to Online Editor Todd Raphael at raphaelt@workforceonline.com, along with your name, title, organization and location. Unless you state otherwise, your identifying info may be used on Workforce.com and in Workforce magazine. We can’t guarantee we’ll be able to answer every question

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Tips and Techniques for Effective Exit Interviews

Here are seven Tips & Techniques for Exit Interviews:


  1. Select carefully and train well the people that are going to be doing the interviews. Results depend on the skills of the interviewer. If you don’t have that expertise in-house, find it externally. (Third-party interviewers often do a better job because they are able to be more objective.)


  2. Don’t ask people to fill out a 10-page questionnaire and mail it to an anonymous mailbox. This is impersonal, annoying, and highly ineffective. Exit interviews work best live. Face-to-face is preferred, over the phone if you have to.


  3. Where separations aren’t voluntary and/or where the exiting employee is “emotionally charged,” delay the interview two-three months. By this time there’s a good chance they will have “chilled” and had an opportunity to reflect on their experience. They’re also more likely to have another job and won’t need the reference (which means they’re more likely to be honest).


  4. Make it about them. Most people like talking about themselves. Talking about how one does their job and what they’ve accomplished can provide key information to the organization and make the person feel good at the same time.


  5. Use the exit interview to build a “parting relationship.” Not so much because you don’t want to end up in court, but because you never know when you’ll cross paths again. You may want to hire this person back some day. Also, it’s likely they or someone they know are prospects or customers of your products and services.


  6. Use the information and knowledge collected! Articulate to the troops the value of these exercises and how the information gets used. Give them a reason/incentive to want to contribute.


  7. Round out the exit interview process by adding the other Two Es — Entry and Expert. Entry Interviews enable you to gather information when employees first join the organization — when they have “fresh eyes” and new and different perspectives. Expert Interviews are conducted as they develop skills and become subject matter experts.

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Leverage Exit Interviews to Collect Key Knowledge

Headhunter Nick Corcodilos calls exit interviews “The cockroaches of the HR world: No one knows why they exist, no one can justify or eliminate them, and they will likely survive into the third millennium.”


Although I agree with Nick on most things, I’m not ready to give up on this one just yet. Sure, there are things we need to do to improve the process, but there’s also some real potential here.


What if we used the exit interview opportunity to collect not only the basic HR stuff, but also knowledge about what it takes to do the job? Information that could be used to staff the job, improve the organization, and help incumbents and candidates.


In doing exit interviews with Help Desk staff, we learned the tricks people used to calm down angry people.


And what if we used exit interviews as one of a series of “cradle-to-grave” interviews done to collect knowledge? Like the UK Post Office, for example, who developed–and use frequently –a method called 3E. (TM)


The three E’s are Entry, Expert and Exit. Highly skilled (and well-trained) interviewers focus on capturing key knowledge from people in the organization. Exit interviews are important, but they’re not the only time employees are asked for input.


 


How it Differs


How does a knowledge-focused exit interview differ from a traditional exit interview?


In a knowledge-focused interview, you may collect the typical HR information, but your primary focus is on knowledge — knowledge that would be helpful to the next person in the job or to others in the organization with similar roles and responsibilities. The kinds of questions you’d ask might include: “What did you do? How did you do it? Why did you do it? What skills and competencies are most critical?”


Done correctly, these types of exit interviews are a win-win for both the organization and the exiting employee. The questions enable the employee to articulate their unique contributions to the organization, and in doing so, feel better about leaving, and better about the organization.


 


Look Under the Hood


If you do only one thing to change the way you do exit interviews, ask the kinds of questions that will get to the heart of what the job is all about and what it takes to do the work.


In doing exit interviews with Help Desk staff, we found that two of the most important competencies for the job were: 1) the ability to calm an angry customer, satisfy their needs quickly and have them leave happy; and 2) the ability to deal with the high noise and activity level in the work setting — to be able to think and deal with customers on the phone amidst all the ruckus.


We also learned the tricks people used to deal with the noise and calm angry people. We learned this information by asking employees what frustrated them most.


This is the kind of stuff you’ll want to learn about your employees’ (former employees) jobs.


 


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IDear Workforce-I How Do I Handle Dot-com Compensation

Q


Dear Workforce:


My banking company has just spun off a dot.com company, which as in any dot.com company, the staff are given independence, are allowed to dress differently (dress down) etc, etc. The dot.com is currently treated as a subsidiary of the parent bank, but much support still comes from the parent company.


In fact, the dot.com staff are still employees of the parent company, seconded to dot.com. They still share the same compensation programs, including share options of the parent company. There are–owever–plans to offer the staff under the dot.com company their own share options when it eventually is listed on the stock exchange (as is quite usual with dot.com companies).


Parent company staff are getting jittery and we see the beginnings of envy–as they have to provide the IT, financial accounting, and other support to the people working in dot.com but will not see the fruits of the valuable share options of dot.com when it eventually is listed…and all sit within the same building.



What are some of the compensation implementation issues which have to be carefully addressed to make the compensation changes successful?


–Patricia, VP of HR, Singapore


A Dear Patricia:


Traditionally, compensation for entities awaiting IPO was set very low and very simple, in order to improve the pro-forma financials for the underwriting. The lure for employees would be stock and stock options.


However, it seems that recently no one cares much about pro-formas when doing an underwriting (no profits, no foreseeable profits, very little revenue), and I have also observed high cash compensation as well as options to attract the employees.



There are also some technical issues. I don’t think “secondment” answers the crucial question of common law employment. Presumably these employees are common law employees of the dot.com. Offering options to these people in the dot.com stock prior to the underwriting has been causing SEC issues recently (this is assuming we are dealing with a U.S. offering, and the employees are protected by U.S. securities laws).


 


SOURCE: Jim Klein, an attorney and partner with Deloitte & Touche.


E-mail your Dear Workforce questions to Online Editor Todd Raphael at raphaelt@workforceonline.com, along with your name, title, organization and location. Unless you state otherwise, your identifying info may be used on Workforce.com and in Workforce magazine. We can’t guarantee we’ll be able to answer every question.

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What to Include in Risk Management Training

Which areas of risk management should be included in training for supervisors?


  • Company policies, postings, reporting responsibilities and contact information, including proper methods for documentation.
  • “Do’s and Don’ts” of pre-employment interviewing.
  • Employee safety relating to physical hazards in the immediate work environment. Where are emergency exits and first-aid provisions located? What is the Company’s Injury Prevention Plan?
  • Workplace Violence. Being aware of threats, agitated and hostile employees or visitors. Knowing the firm’s plan for on-site high-risk occurrences.
  • Sexual harassment. A review of different types of harassment, particularly more subtle forms and “hostile workplace” issues. Suggest ways to handle incidents, complaints, and follow-up action.
  • Discrimination. An overview of protected classes of employees and applicants. An explanation of relevant aspects of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Examples of situations to be aware of and how to report and respond.
  • Responsible technology use, including computer, internet, and voice mail communication.
  • Performance feedback. How to relay on an on-going basis and in an objective and professional manner.

Don’t overlook valuable free and low-cost training resources among your existing professional services and vendors. Worker’s Compensation carriers can provide a risk assessment walk-through, ergonomic experts and handouts for employees.


California’s State Compensation Insurance Fund, for example, offers free fliers from general topics, like back-injury prevention, to industry-specific safety material, such as their on-line “tailgate” newsletter which can be used to meet training guidelines for the construction industry (see http://www.scif.com)


Check with your existing vendors on available training resources:


  • Furniture and equipment suppliers can provide literature, videos, and representatives to demonstrate proper ergonomic and safe operation of their products.
  • Sexual harassment training is frequently conducted by corporate outside labor counsel.
  • EAP contractors can provide sessions on substance abuse and violence prevention.
  • The public library and public television are also sources for free and low-cost videos on a wide range of risk prevention for businesses.

 


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How HR Can Prepare for Risk Management Training

Human resource professionals participating in the design and implementation of supervisor risk management training will want to consider the following general issues:


  • Begin with an overall explanation of the importance of this training to the employer and its employees.
  • Establish a checklist and document completion of each area of training, including training which may be shortcut due to the previous experience of the supervisor.
  • Determine which areas of training should be addressed during a new supervisor’s orientation and which should be staged over the subsequent introductory period.
  • Consider whether outsourcing areas of training makes sense, depending on budget, expertise, available time, location, and other factors.

 

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Are Untrained Supervisors Putting Your Company At Risk

Few things could be more devastating than being personally named in a discrimination or harassment lawsuit for conduct that put oneself and one’s employer at risk.


Most human resource professionals are prepared, through specialized and on-going training, to assume a high level of responsibility alongside of their employers. Line supervisors, however, often lack the training and awareness to know which activities and behaviors foretell legal complications. They may even operate under the mistaken belief that this is someone else’s responsibility.


“Line supervisor” is really a misnomer in the “new economy” where infrastructure blurs the supervised and the supervisor. Lack of structure, even in the dot-com world, does not alleviate employers from the rules-of-the-game.


If the employee has the authority to hire, fire and “control the conditions” of even one other employee, this constitutes the definition of supervisor for legal action. As a result, employers are well-advised to think broadly in design and implementation of risk management training and to include these key employees.