Well, it’s that time of year again and some of us turn our minds to the year ahead while quietly reviewing the year that has been. How was your year? Better than you had expected? Worse? Or pretty close to what you thought it would be?
Whatever sort of year you’ve had there are some HR issues you should consider for 2016 and beyond. Think of them as new year resolutions for your business:
- Always assume you’re being recorded whenever you’re talking to someone at work! This may seem like a strange one to start with but the number of people I know who have been stung by someone recording meetings/private conversations at work suggests that, with everyone having a mobile phone, this is becoming a big problem. Think before you speak and only speak if you aren’t angry! That’s probably good advice anyway, be it at work or at home
- Make sure you and your managers are having regular catch-ups with staff. By regular I mean at least once a month but preferably even more often than that. The catch-up doesn’t need to be terribly formal or documented. It’s absolutely vital that you don’t just rely on an annual performance appraisal process as your only means of discussing performance. Employee performance and a strong focus on improvement should always be on your management team’s agenda and you and your managers should make it the number one priority for 2016
- Get your managers and staff trained in workplace harassment awareness. Avoid the on-line versions of this type of training. They are purely a tick-the-box response and deliver very little learning. A better way is to use a skilled facilitator to conduct short workshops (around 1-2 hours) for managers and employees. Managers will learn how to handle a complaint and your staff will know you’re serious about eliminating harassment in the workplace.
Try these 3 simple initiatives – if you need help find a good HR consultant! Better still, call me on 1300 900 741.