Employment numbers down in last quarter.

Some organisations recognise the importance of executing a well planned on-boarding process. The financial benefits are obvious. The sooner an employee is productive the sooner the return on investment.

Yet in my experience many organisations fail to understand the importance of on-boarding and how hard it is for new employees to assimilate into an organisation.

On-boarding and orientation/induction processes are confused. Orientation/induction are a series of discreet “housekeeping” tasks, for example setting up a new employee’s desk, computer, paying the employee on time etc. Many organisations believe this is all that is required. Like a “tick and bash” audit, a checklist is ticked off and the process is over.

On-boarding incorporates orientation/induction activities but it is so much more than this. It’s a process over a longer period of time. On-boarding is a purposeful and targeted process to ensure the new employee:

• Understands the organisation’s values and expectations.
• Acquires the knowledge and skills to be a productive team member.
• Develops long lasting working relationships with colleagues.
• Identifies relevant professional and career development plans.

A common on-boarding experience

I have firsthand experience of a poor on-boarding process. I was offered a HR job working for a large organisation several years ago. Like most new recruits I was keen to make a good impression so I arrived early at reception on my first day. Oh dear, that’s when things started to go downhill. The receptionist did not know I was starting, nor did my colleagues. I was allocated my predecessors desk. No one bothered to remove her lunch time supply of instant soup and tins of tuna from the desk drawer. I felt rather foolish asking my colleagues the simplest of questions. “How do I make a phone call”? “Where are the toilets”? The weeks that followed did not get any better. My manager left me to fend for myself. I had no understanding of the business issues or where I fitted in. I did not understand the organisation’s values or culture. Consequently I was completely overwhelmed and disengaged. Friends and family asked me “How was the job going”? My response was no surprise. I told them that if things did not improve, I would be looking for a new job.

The cost of poor on-boarding

Why don’t we implement a good on-boarding process? It makes no financial sense not to. The costs of turnover are significant for example, lack of productivity, training and replacement costs etc. In general, new employees only become really productive after six to twelve months in the role. So if it takes six to twelve months for an employee to be productive, why do we spend minimal time on-boarding employees? We certainly don’t treat new customers this way. We treat them with the utmost respect. We roll out the red carpet. We schmooze with them to ensure we retain their business.

At best a poor on-boarding process means employees are unproductive, unappreciated and disengaged. At worse, employees seek employment elsewhere if their needs are not met.

Ironically we are better at celebrating the departure of an employee. We buy a leaving present. We have a farewell lunch. A sharp contrast to when an employee joins an organisation!

What does a great on-boarding process look like?

One size does not fit all. Depending on the size of the organisation, the employees experience and the complexity of the job, on-boarding is different for each organisation and each employee.

Small things matter and first impressions count

Here are some ideas to make a new employee feel welcome:

• Contact them prior to commencement to check there are no questions.
• Take them out to lunch on the first day.
• Set up the desk including stationary, business cards etc.
• Introduce them to others on their first day.
• Have a welcome morning tea.
• Schedule on-boarding meetings and provide an itinerary.
• Buy a gift for them.

Involve a number of stakeholders

Involve stakeholders to assist the new employee in understanding workplace rules and specific tasks.

Besides the new employee’s manager and team members, examples of stakeholders include:

• A buddy who is an ambassador for the organisation. The new employee can ask questions which they ordinarily don’t feel comfortable in asking their manager. A buddy helps the new employee understand unwritten rules, idiosyncrasies and jargon.
• If you have a HR representative involve them in the process.
• Customers to understand their requirements.
• Other departments the employee interacts with.

Provide timely and relevant information

One of the biggest failures with on-boarding is overloading the employee with too much information too soon.

To minimise information overload:

• Provide a written on-boarding itinerary/checklist. It outlines what and when activities will occur and what is expected.
• Send out essential workplace policies prior to commencement.
• Provide a position description to ensure an understanding of role and expectations.
• Train soon after commencement to ensure early productivity.
• After being thoroughly trained in the job, provide information for greater organisational context. Topics include for example: the history of the company, the values, business strategy overview, and organisational structure.

Identify objectives and development plans

Set short, medium and long range objectives and development plans specific to the new employee. This assists in accelerating productivity and lays the foundations for longer-term career success.

Solicit feedback

Solicit feedback to increase self esteem. Ask what’s working, what’s not working and what’s missing. Checking how the employee is going ensures problems are dealt with promptly.

Management ownership

There is one last and fundamental point worth mentioning. The biggest key to success to on-boarding is the involvement of the employee’s manager. Remember my awful on-boarding experience? Well after 3 months in the role, my manager left. My new manager really supported me through the key challenges of the job. I stayed with the organisation for a further 7 years and I look back on my experience with fondness.

Whilst I have espoused the virtues of a good on-boarding process, it’s only as good as the people that are responsible for it. On-boarding doesn’t need to be complicated. It needs to guide employees through the various on-boarding stages. On-boarding requires ownership and engagement from key stakeholders if it is to succeed.

By Angela Godfrey

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Angela Godfrey and her business associate, Gabby Sken have been helping business leaders manage, motivate and optimise performance of their staff for over 20 years. They have gained experience as internal HR professionals predominately in financial services and have consulted to sectors such as education, telecommunications and professional services. Should you require HR consulting or coaching, please contact Angela Godfrey.

The post On-boarding employees – why don’t we do it well? appeared first on AdviserVoice.

How do you manage poor performers?

Having been an internal HR practitioner and now the owner of my own HR consulting business, I have been involved in managing poor performance many times.

A client recently contacted me about a performance matter. They had recently started in the organisation. One of their team members was a poor performer. The client was told by their manager that the employee should be dismissed. The client was concerned about this. Unfortunately the client’s predecessor had not provided any documentary evidence of poor performance. The only documentation was an appraisal which determined that the employee ‘met expectations’. The previous manager avoided addressing the poor performance and the appraisal was clearly less than candid. Dismissing this employee without any evidence or fair procedure was a litigation disaster waiting to happen.

The manager and I peeled back the issues and got to the heart of the problem. To cut a long story short, the employee had personal issues which affected their performance. The manager established expectations and built an effective relationship with the employee. I am pleased to say the employee’s performance is improving.

This example is not uncommon. The previous manager had failed to confront the issue. Admittedly managing poor performance is one of the hardest things a manager does in their career. We worry about the employee’s reactions. We worry about legal risks if we dismiss and we contemplate what will happen to the dismissed employee. However it is important not to procrastinate and to manage performance issues before they escalate.

Do’s and don’ts when managing poor performance

Do document the performance issues

Lack of documentation is not uncommon. For many of us it’s a laborious task so we don’t do it. However documenting the performance issues and the discussions provide an objective and logical assessment of the poor performance. Documenting the performance issue is an invaluable way of organising and reflecting on the issue. It reduces any confusion later on down the track. Naturally, you will also have a better chance of defending any litigation claims.

Do develop polices and follow them

Develop policies that outline fair and clear ways your organisation handles poor performance and dismissal. Follow your policies exactly and be consistent with how you handle every performance issue. Ensure policies are easily accessible to employees. Periodically review policies and ensure employees sign that they have read and understood the policies.

Do manage the issue

If you don’t act then under-performance is accepted as the norm. Team members are resentful especially if required to take on the poor performer’s duties. A culture of mediocrity pervades. The business cost is high as the poor performer hinders productivity and your high performers will quickly look for new jobs.

Address performance issues by open and effective communication. The key is coaching. You have an obligation to help coach the poor performer to success. Therefore it is important to:

1. Understand why the employee is not performing. This can be anything from personal issues, lack of motivation, lack of training or lack of skills etc.
2. Identify the problem and set expectations.
3. Provide assistance which includes for example, increased supervision; mentoring; training etc.

Do follow a fair procedure

Despite your support there are times when an employee’s performance does not improve. In these situations, it is important to implement a formal performance management process similar to the notion of “three strikes” before dismissing. Whilst there is no legal requirement to provide a certain number of warnings, undertaking a formal performance management process will:

• Resolve issues in a timely manner.
• Be a point of reference and documented evidence should an employee make a legal claim.
• Treat employees fairly and provide them with every opportunity to improve.

Step 1: Verbal warning. Whilst you are not providing the warning in writing, it is important to make file note and place this on the employee’s file. Provide the employee with a copy of the written notes regarding what was discussed.

Provide an opportunity for the employee to respond to your allegations or concerns in writing and file it.

Step 2: Written warning. Issue a written warning if performance does not improve. The written warning should outline the consequences of failing to improve.

Step 3: Final written warning. If the employee’s performance fails to improve, issue a final warning in writing. Outline that no improvement in performance will result in dismissal.

At each meeting it is important to:

• Be specific and define what needs to be improved. Don’t rely on gossip, rumours, or hearsay.
• Set out the specific performance problem clearly. Have examples prepared to be able to discuss and provide as much detail as possible.
• Get the employee’s side of the story which may revise the approach or treatment of the situation.
• Provide the employee with an opportunity to bring a support person.
• Together, agree a realistic performance plan (standards, targets or behavioural expectations) and reasonable timeframe. By agreeing a performance plan together, you are holding the employee accountable for their performance.
• Outline what support you will provide to assist the employee improve their performance.

Step 4: Dismissal. If, after taking all the previous steps, the employee’s work performance does not improve, inform them that you intend to dismiss them. Explain how their performance has fallen short. Give the employee an opportunity to state any reasons they believe dismissal should not occur. Take these into account before finalising your decision and address these reasons. If you decide to dismiss, issue the dismissal in writing.

The dismissal meeting – How to plan, prepare and deliver

If you do decide that the employee needs to be dismissed, you need to treat the employee with respect and dignity and ensure you mitigate your risks of legal exposure.

• Review the document trail you have prepared including the personnel file, file notes and associated documents.
• Develop a checklist of actions to be taken prior, during and after dismissal.
• Hold the dismissal meeting away from other team members.
• Don’t arrange the meeting at the end of week as the employee will not have the opportunity to access support services should they be required.
• Decide the best time to have the meeting that results in minimum disruption.
• Prepare a script and be clear on the main points you want to say.
• If the termination is tricky and you feel the employee will make a legal claim, consult a HR expert or employment lawyer prior to dismissal.
• Get to the point as the employee knows what is about to happen. Small talk will appear patronising.
• Be calm and don’t argue if the conversation becomes heated.
• After confirming dismissal, move on to housekeeping issues such as last pay cheque, accrual of annual leave etc.
• Consider how the employee will collect their belongings. Do you want them to leave and return later? Does the employee wish to collect the belongings? Does the employee want you to send the belongings home? Look at each situation case by case.
• Does the employee want to say goodbye to colleagues? Do you wish them to say goodbye? Again look at the situation case by case.
• If you believe the employee is volatile/hostile you may have to escort them off the premises. However it should only be used as a last resort as it’s humiliating and you don’t want to appear heavy handed.
• Cancel the employee’s access to computer systems and access to work premises.
• Provide transportation home e.g. a taxi if required.

Manage the reactions of the dismissed employee

There are several reactions in my experience.

• Even if they are aware of the likelihood of dismissal, the employee can be argumentative and refuse to take responsibility. They can become angry but it is important not to engage in a heated discussion. Remain calm and reiterate the reasons for the dismissal. Offer to give them a moment to collect their thoughts then quickly end the meeting.
• Some employees are emotional and others are quiet. In these circumstances the employee may not be listening. Reiterate your decision and give them time to come to terms with the outcome.

Things not to say in the meeting

Don’t say:

• “I am sure you will find a job”. This is simply not something you can predict.
• “It’s not my decision”. At the meeting you represent the organisation. You are accountable.
• “It’s probably for the best” This will agitate the employee.
• “I feel bad”. You can’t feel as bad as the employee.
• “This is hard for me too”. How can it be?
• “You are not as good as X”. Don’t compare. Remember the dismissal is based on failure to meet the performance plan.
• “It won’t take you long to come to terms with this”. The employee will not share your optimism at this stage.

What to say to team members

Consider the remaining team members. Some feel stressed as they feel they are next. Some feel sad. Perhaps the dismissed employee is a friend. Some feel relieved you have dealt with the issue. After all, they have taken on the work of the poor performer. Give them time to come to terms with what has happened. However you cannot discuss the reasons for dismissal with team members, even if they are aware of the situation. Develop a communication plan. This could be as simple, as “today was XX last day we wish them well in their in personal endeavours”. Then focus on how that employee’s work is handled as well as your plans to replace the dismissed employee.

Summary

There is no way to guarantee that an employee won’t make a claim against you. However following the above steps will mitigate the risk and assist you in defending claims. Furthermore, team members will respect you for the way you handled the poor performance and the dismissal.

By Angela Godfrey

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Angela Godfrey and her business associate, Gabby Sken have been helping business leaders manage, motivate and optimise performance of their staff for over 20 years. They have gained experience as internal HR professionals predominately in financial services and have consulted to sectors such as education, telecommunications and professional services. Should you require HR consulting or coaching, please contact Angela Godfrey.

The post Why we hate managing poor performers and what to do about it appeared first on AdviserVoice.

With over 20 years Human Resource experience and having attended countless interviews, here are my views on the reasons why interviews fail and tips on how to avoid costly hiring mistakes.

Poor questioning skills

When recruiting is something you only do occasionally it is hard to be an expert. Interviewing is a learnt skill that needs practice. More often than not interviewers receive no training. They learn by interviewing on the job and never receive feedback on their interview technique. If interviewing was that easy we would make successful hiring decisions 100% of the time. However the reality is that even talented managers make poor hiring decisions.

Often interviewers do not probe candidates’ responses to interview questions. They simply accept or reject what they are told at face value. They move unthinkingly from one question to the next but do not probe, clarify or ask follow up questions. In my experience, interviewers do not feel comfortable probing and do not want to be perceived as interrogating candidates. Their reluctance is due to lack of experience and training.

Consider investing in interviewing training as it can, for example, develop good questioning and assessment techniques. Training can be instructor led or be as simple as working one on one with a skilled recruiter.

I don’t know what I need

A big mistake is when an interviewer does not take the time to identify the qualities required in the role. Lists of generic questions are asked in the interview regardless of the skills required for the role. If the list of generic questions focuses on good sales skills yet the role requires analytical skills, the questions are irrelevant.

We all know the generic question “What’s your biggest weakness?” You will not get an insightful or an authentic response. Candidates have already rehearsed the answer. Go to Google and you will come across thousands of internet sites which provide typical questions asked at interview. It is not hard for candidates to come up with rehearsed answers. So what do we do about this?

• Ensure the questions are relevant to the role.
• Write a job description and identify questions using the job description.
• Ask each candidate the same questions.
• Devise a marking system. This will make the selection process much easier.
• Use Behavioural Interviewing which is a questioning technique that asks for examples of past experience to predict a candidate’s future performance. For example “Tell me a time when you….” or “Give me an example of when…..”
• Ensure the candidate can apply past performance to the role by asking future focused questions. For example “How would you do….” and “In our organisation how would you accomplish….”
• Ask open questions which start with the following words what, why, how, describe.
• Don’t forget to probe for further information.

In addition make sure you know what questions you should ask at interview. There is Federal and state legislation that prohibits discrimination against candidates on a variety of grounds including:

Examples of questions you can and cannot ask:

Can: What days can you work? What hours can you work?

Cannot: How many children do you have? Who looks after them when you are working?

Can Do you have any responsibilities that would interfere with travelling for us?

Cannot: Do you have children or are planning to have children?

Can: Are you legally eligible to work in Australia?

Cannot: What country are you from?

Can: Can you work on Sundays?

Cannot: What is your religion? Do you go to church on Sundays?

Evaluate a candidate on the wrong factors

Often interviewers try and find a new recruit with the same traits as current employees, or themselves. A candidate with complimentary, rather than identical skills is of greater benefit to a team. Look at the existing team dynamics including who fills what team role. Is there anything missing?

Similarly, interviewers rely on their first impressions. Whilst we cannot ignore our gut feelings be careful not to read too much into small observations such as how they engage with you or the quality of small talk.

Over reliance on the interview

Interviewers often assume all requirements for the role can be assessed through interview. Many things cannot be measured accurately during an interview for example technical skills and intelligence skills. Consider testing relevant to the role. For example: typing if you are recruiting a secretary. Numerical reasoning if you are recruiting an accountant.

Short term focus

Interviewers recruit for the short term by recruiting an employee who has all the skills required. Unfortunately the newly hired employee soon gets bored in the role. Hire employees for both immediate needs as well as future job requirements.

Too many or too few interviews

There is a common understanding that the more interviews the candidate attends the more accurate the hiring outcome will be. To a certain extent that is true. It is hard to assess in one interview that lasts about an hour. However numbers of interviews become repetitious and irrelevant. Candidates get frustrated when they are asked the same questions over and over. Candidates perceive that the interviewer does not know what they are looking for and are not decisive.

So what is the optimum number of interviews?

There is no magic number. However in my experience 3 or 4 interviews is optimum. The first interview should be all about building rapport and determine whether the candidate fits into the team. The second interview is about checking their skills and experience and asking probing questions. The third and/or fourth interview is about involving other key stakeholders to solicit their opinion.

By Angela Godfrey

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Angela Godfrey and her business associate, Gabby Sken have been helping business leaders manage, motivate and optimise performance of their staff for over 20 years. They have gained experience as internal HR professionals predominately in financial services and have consulted to sectors such as education, telecommunications and professional services. Should you require HR consulting or coaching, please contact Angela Godfrey.

The post Costly interview mistakes and how to avoid them appeared first on AdviserVoice.

Tips for managing under performing staff.

One of the greatest challenges for managers is dealing with employee underperformance.

Limited skill in managing such situations can create angst, frustration and procrastination in managers and can also create a negative effect on other employees and ultimately client service.

To effectively resolve such situations is critical. Here are some key ideas to help cultivate this highly valuable management skill.

Common reasons why employees fail to meet expectations.

• Lack of clarity around what they should be doing
• No clear objectives or timeframes
• Mismatch between skills and the role they are required to perform
• Lack of feedback resulting in underperforming employees mistakenly believing their performance is satisfactory
• Low workplace morale
• Lack of personal motivation
• Personal issues including stress, alcohol problems, mental health
• Not being rewarded or recognised for good performance
• Lack of engagement with goals and the greater purpose of the business

Tips to help business leaders proactively manage underperforming employees.

Identify the problem. Once you have a clear idea of what the problem is, you can then work to understand the underlying causes and reasons for underperformance.

Analyse the issue. How big is the issue? How big is the gap between performance and expectations? How is it affecting other staff, the team, the business and clients? What’s the overall impact?

Meet with the employees. Set up a meeting to discuss and resolve the issue. Give them warning so they too can adequately prepare for the meeting.

Some things to remember in the performance meetings:

• Discuss the issue without getting personal. For instance, instead of using personal statements such as “you have no concept of time, you always run late, you are hopeless in managing your time,” chose to describe the behaviour and the impact. For example, “when you turn up late to meetings you miss out on vital information that impacts the client service report. Incorrect data contained in the client service report then results in your fellow team member’s providing incorrect information to our customers. This impacts how your team mate feels and impacts the customer who may become disenfranchised with our business. Loss of income eventually results in loss of jobs.”
• Clearly outline the issue and the impact. Provide specific and detailed examples.
• Ask for their feedback and remain open and objective. Be sure to assess your own performance as a manager and your management style.
• Explore and work together to understand why it is occurring.
• Ask plenty of open ended questions. Remember this is a two way process. Also remember that the purpose and intent of the meeting is to solve the problem and turn performance around.
• Collaboratively identify opportunities and solutions to improve the situation. It is advised to let the employee contribute to the solution, as they are more likely to act on a solution in which they had some input.
• Agree on a way of moving forward.
• Organise and agree on a method of monitoring the employee’s performance to ensure they remain on track with the agreed targets.
• Set up regular feedback and coaching sessions.
• Document all discussions.

In some circumstances no matter how skilled the manager or how great the combined effort may be, the employee’s performance may not improve. If this is the case and more formal, serious action is required including further counselling, issuing formal warnings and ultimately termination of employment, expert advice is strongly recommended. As an employer you need to comply with Fair Work Act laws and disciplinary procedures.

In summary, although challenging and uncomfortable, employee underperformance needs to be promptly addressed by managers. There are many reasons why employees may be underperforming in their role. The ability to clearly and concisely pinpoint “what” the issue is and “why” it is occurring and “how” it can be improved are critical factors in turning performance around. Unfortunately there are no quick fixes or guarantees. However, underperformance delicately addressed with the right management skills can certainly go a long way to optimising performance. These suggested management strategies can help cultivate those important skills.

By Gabby Skene – www.angelagodfreyandassociates.com

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Gabby Skene and her business associate, Angela Godfrey have been helping business leaders manage, motivate and optimise performance of their staff for over 20 years. They have gained experience as internal HR professionals predominately in financial services and have consulted to sectors such as education, telecommunications and professional services. Should you require HR consulting or coaching, please contact Gabby Skene.

The post Tips to managing underperforming employees appeared first on AdviserVoice.