Can Your Employee Relations Actions Handle the Truth?

Employee relations actions are a fact of life in human resources.

When preparing an action is it important that fact-finding investigations are properly conducted, evidence is fully developed, charges are properly written and employee due-process rights are protected. 

Hidden agendas and emotion do not translate to reasonable cause and with awareness, you can use your employee relations expertise to change behavior - and not merely make a point.

What are you made of?

It used to be a point of pride for me as a young HR professional to say that my employee relations actions had never been appealed outside of the organization. Did I chalk it up to my obviously awesome skills or beyond reproach reputation? Who knows what actually went through my young mind then but I can tell you now that whatever it was, it was misplaced.

Unchallenged means untested and you don't know what you are made of until you are tested. How you respond when tested says more about you as a professional than the outcome of any one case. Think about this before you jump to conclusion, put emotion before fact or pounce on a witness.

What are your actions made of?

Readying an action for appeal (because appeals are another fact of life in human resources) involves reviewing the evidence "through the eyes of another" and preparing your witnesses to testify. After testimony is given, it never fails that a witness will wonder aloud, "Did I ruin your case?"

In response I ask, "Did you tell the truth?" Telling the truth is the only thing you need to worry about. If my action does not hold up under the truth, then I didn't have an action in the first place. If you did not tell the truth, my action is the least of your worries.

Can you handle the truth?

What do you think employee relations pros? Can you handle the truth?

Tough Time Recruiting? It May Be Your Benefits Package.

If your benefits plans have faded into the background of your daily HR happenings, now is the time to bring them to the forefront.

According to 2012 Employee Benefits: A Research Report by SHRM, if you are having a hard time recruiting top talent, it may be because of your benefits.

"More than one-half of organizations reported having difficulty finding skilled workers for specific job openings, with engineering, medical, technical, scientific and executive positions being especially hard to fill. Organizations that continue to have problems filling key jobs should examine their employee benefit offerings as a way to retain top talent."

Employees have different family situations, different wants and different needs. Benefit plan design does not work well with a one size fits all approach - even one that includes "the kitchen sink." Health plans are at the top of the list that can also include retirement, leave, professional and career, relocation and retention, travel and child care benefits.

Dusting off a benefits package is not a mandate to change, your package may be just what the organization needs. Do you know if yours is?

In taking the first step to assessing the effectiveness of your benefits package, ask yourself a few questions:

• Is our compensation plan competitive?
• Do I know what benefits we offer and why we are offering each?
• Is our benefits package aligned with our strategic business objectives?
• Are we making the most of low-cost initiatives such as workplace flexibility?
• Do employees value and understand their benefits? Are we communicating well?
• Are prepared to assess a request for additional benefits and perks when employees come a knocking to ask for more?

Are you familiar with the saying, "You can't get there from here, you'll have to start someplace else."

Thanks to a 1985 2LT N. Burnham, I can't get the picture of an older salt-of-the-earth guy, pipe in hand, speaking from his front porch rocking chair to a family of lost city folk maneuvering the backroads of Maine whenever I say that - but I digress.

With salary dollars tight, it's smart business to know what your strategic business goals are and yes, your benefits can get you from here to there if you know what road you are traveling.

In plain speak . . . know the costs, usage and effectiveness of your benefits package so you can make informed recommendations and decisions and be out front leading when it is time for a change.

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