Do Your HR Processes Support a Culture of Success?

Are You Helping or Hindering Your Ability to Attract and Retain the Workers You Need for Success and Growth?

In surveying businesses of all sizes, a key challenge noted is the ability to hire and keep quality employees.  High performing organizations maintain a culture that attracts and retains a strong workforce.  Attributes of a successful company include:

• A culture of service, reliability and trust
• A good mix of quality players
• A focus on teamwork
• A goal of constant improvement and seeking excellence
• Empowered and engaged employees

Effective HR management systems are key to maintaining such a culture.  In our role as our clients’ HR departments, we have found that one of the greatest challenges is sufficient resources to put in place and maintain the appropriate policies, processes and systems for effective management.  In addressing this need with our clients, we focus on high touch processes such as recruiting, hiring, performance management and employee departures.  In our experience, a company’s processes and approach to these fundamental processes can have high impact on the employee experience.

So you ask, how can our HR processes help support a high performance culture?   Let’s cover a couple of key activities – onboarding and termination.  I offer the following quick tips to help you set up HR processes that support a culture of success.

Onboarding – Creating a Positive Early Impression

Onboarding provides your new hire with an early impression of your culture.  It is an opportunity to “market” your company – its professionalism, values and benefits – and it sets a tone.  This process can:

• Teach about your business – provide a history and a broader view than just the new hire’s department or program
• Explain and define your culture and values such as teamwork, what empowerment means in your organization, etc.
• Discuss customer services expectations
• Introduce new hires to your organization’s leadership
• Show that your company values employees in the care that is extended in this initial interaction

Because much of onboarding involves filling out forms, we find that many companies delegate this process to junior HR or administrative staff.  We have a senior person onboard every new employee.  We use onboarding checklists so that we are sure to efficiently and consistently collect all required documentation and authorizations but also use this initial hour with new employees to:

• Let the new employee talk about themselves so we can learn what is important to them and establish common ground (this can be useful later if there are issues that need to be addressed).  In this way, a rapport with HR has been established and HR has some insight into what drives the employee.
• Educate the new hire about the benefits, not just filling out the forms.  We pay attention to where the employee is in their employment cycle and seek to educate an employee new to the workforce not just on the client’s particular plans but also on how insurance and retirement plans function (if helpful) or on how to compare benefit options with those of a spouse, etc.  We invest the time to show the employee we care about their particular needs and meet them where they are.
• Establish ourselves as a resource and point of contact.

Use this initial meeting well.  We find that 50% of the people you onboard will later be involved in an employment matter.  Having the rapport and an understanding of their needs/values can be very helpful in arriving at a win/win solution for any employment issue.

Terminations – The Art

Performance management and terminations provide much angst amount our clients.  The goal is to take a necessary business action while protecting the company and allowing the affected person to walk away in a good frame of mind.  The employee may be a bad fit or poor performer, but that does not make her/him a bad person.  Complete the process confidently and respectfully.  You will likely meet again.  Here are a few tips to help the process go smoothly.:

• Be prepared, be brief.  Most employees hear only half of what is said.
• Include a partner.  The firing manager should participate very little.  HR’s role is to temper any emotional reactions, educate about the next steps and provide assistance moving forward.  Don’t debate.
• Have a standard process – we use a checklist and address matters such as immediate shut off of electronic access, confidential information and return of company property or other specific organizations items.
• Consider creative win/win exit strategies such as providing severance if you want a release of claims.
• Be empathetic, offer appropriate help.
• Conduct an exit interview.

There are a number of legal steps you need to follow including COBRA rights notification (to the employee AND to their adult dependents) and unemployment notices, etc.  Make sure you comply with these and understand the differences in the various laws – federal, state, etc.

Professional and empathetic HR policies and processes can support a high performance culture and help you attract and retain the staff you need to support your success.  I have noted a few tips to help you set up your onboarding and termination processes to help you succeed.  If you have questions or if we can help, either by assessing your HR policies and procedures or working with you on HR matters, please contact me at swalsh@insourceservices.com or 781-235-1490.

Insource Services’ trusted team of experts, specializing in Human Resources, Finance and Technology, is ready to help you tackle your challenges with proven tools and processes.  We love solving problems and making things work better.  Please contact us if we can help.