Employee Relations Questions of the Week
How Can I Support Employee Well-Being Beyond the EAP?
HR Question:
Our HR team is exploring ways we can support employee well-being in addition to offering an EAP. What should we consider in our approach?
HR Answer:
While many organizations have implemented an Employee Assistance Program (EAP) as an important way to support their employees’ mental health, that is only one component of well-being. There are many ways HR can play a direct role in supporting employees’ overall well-being. In this article, we’ll discuss what well-being is, how it impacts individuals and organizations, and offer specific examples of how you can support employee well-being in your organization.
What is well-being?
Well-being is the holistic state of an individual’s physical, mental, social, spiritual, and financial health as well as a sense of career and community. It can include things such as work-life balance, stress, job satisfaction, and financial confidence, just to name a few. Essentially, it’s what makes humans human.
A common misconception is that wellness and well-being are the same thing, however, they are not. Wellness is one component of a person’s overall health, while well-being encompasses all aspects of a person’s health factoring in mind, body, and spirit.
Can employee well-being impact your bottom line? (Spoiler: Yes!)
In addition to promoting the fundamental principle of valuing your employees, there is evidence demonstrating the advantages of enhancing employee well-being. Employers that focus on their employees’ overall well-being see the results not only directly with their employees, but in business outcomes.
According to research from the McKinsey Health Institute and the World Economic Forum, employers that take steps to nurture employee health and well-being experience decreased turnover and absenteeism, heightened employee engagement, increased profitability, elevated productivity, enhanced safety, and lower healthcare costs.
The results are clear – physical, mental, social, and spiritual well-being are inextricably linked to work, productivity, and performance. Investing in employee health and well-being can be seen as both an ethical obligation and a smart strategic business decision.
What can employers do to support employee well-being?
There are a number of resources that employers can lean into to enhance their employees’ overall health. Some ideas on how you can support your team include:
Consider all areas of well-being.
Many employers encourage physical fitness and offer ways to stay physically fit (i.e., company-wide step challenges, company-sponsored 5K teams, etc.). However, it’s important to think beyond that to promote other areas such as mental, social, and financial health. If you’re not sure what’s important to your team, consider conducting an employee pulse survey to help you make informed decisions on what your employees will value most.
Be aware of gaps and those disproportionately impacted.
Well-being is not a one-size-fits-all scenario. The Great Place to Work Well Being Survey Report provides key insights looking at differences in well-being across different demographic groups, including gender, age, ethnicity, and job level. You may find that it could be beneficial to offer extra support for some subsets of your staff.
Look at what others are doing!
Why recreate the wheel when you don’t need to? Check out these examples of well-being programs being offered by the Fortune 100 Best Companies to Work For. Even if you don’t choose to offer the same programs, learning what is working well for other companies can sometimes inspire ideas that will work for your organization.
Expand your benefits offerings.
How do your current benefits support well-being? If this is an opportunity for improvement, consider adding options such as paid time off, flexible work arrangements, employee assistance programs, financial advisory services, and well-being initiatives. Of course, offering them is not enough, it is also critical to have a solid HR communication plan in place to ensure employees are aware of these benefits and to eliminate any hurdles to using them.
Create a culture of care.
Offer programs and opportunities that build camaraderie, encourage acts of kindness and connection, encourage communication, and workplace civility. Many organizations have found company-supported community involvement activities to be a great way for their teams to not only feel good about doing good in their communities, but it also allows for them to spend meaningful time together. Consider offering volunteer time off (VTO) to alleviate any financial barriers to participation.
Consider low-cost, high-impact options.
Remember there are actions you can take that don’t need to break the bank. Look for low and no-cost ways to support employee well-being. For example, you can support healthy work-life balance with a simple, yet significant statement in your email signature, such as “Please know we work flexibly in our organization. If you receive this message outside of your normal work hours, no response is expected until your next planned work day.” This sends a powerful message about how your organization values work-life balance.
Prioritizing Employee Health
The costs of employee well-being are too high not to pay attention. Regardless of the action your organization chooses to take, it’s important to remember that work and personal life are not mutually exclusive. Work life influences home life and vice versa, as much as we wish it would not. Ignoring or not supporting one or the other has serious potential consequences. If you’re not sure about the best ways to leverage your financial and time resources, ask your employees. You may learn that they are willing to take cuts in pay to continue to work from home or have other well-being benefits that positively impact them, their family, and/or their lives outside of work. We have found that every effort you make to help better the lives of your employees ultimately comes back to better your organization as well.
Thank you to Patti Dunham, MBA, MA, SPHR, SHRM-SCP, Director of Business Strategy & Quality and Julie Johnson, PHR, SHRM-CP, Senior HR Business Strategist for contributing to this HR Question of the Week.
Investing in employee well-being is not just an ethical obligation, but a strategic business decision that can lead to increased productivity, engagement, and overall success. Take advantage of our comprehensive Health, Safety, and Security services to support your team’s holistic well-being and create a thriving workplace. Contact us to learn more about how we can help you prioritize employee health and well-being.
Three Ways Employers Can Promote Work-Life Balance
It’s no secret that the work environment has changed in recent years. We’ve experienced a pandemic, a labor shortage, inflation, and a contentious election, just to name a few. The recent Mercer Global Talent Trends found that more than 80% of employees are at risk of burnout. This was found to be stemming from excessive workload, financial stressors, and exhaustion.
It has become more important than ever that employers listen to and understand the motivations of their employees in order to best attract and retain them. Many employees have made changes that better support family life, financial security, and their lifestyle through flexible work situations, including flexible work options. Many are realizing that work-life balance is not a “nice to have,” but rather it is a necessity.
This and other research also found that the ability to enjoy a work-life balance ranked highly as a reason employees both join and stay at a company.
Three Ways to Promote Work-Life Balance
Each person has his or her own idea of work-life balance or work-life integration, which is another term that some use for the concept of the give and take, tug and pull between work and personal life. So how can employers meet the diverse needs and desires of their employees and achieve work-life balance, particularly if it means something different to each person? Here are three potential solutions:
1) Offer Flexible Work Options
To be competitive in today’s market, consider offering flexibility in where and when work is performed. Although this contradicts many headlines of CEOs and leaders demanding employees return to the office, many organizations are finding a hybrid approach can meet both the organization’s and the employee’s needs.
Steps to ensure success with hybrid work
A hybrid work arrangement can present unique challenges to individual and team productivity, collaboration, and success. We recommend that employers:
- Plan for and build internal supports for those who are working remotely to ensure they have the appropriate support (people and tools) and clear direction to optimally perform.
- Be purposeful with the time employees are required to be in the office. If this is a change for remote employees, provide valid reasons why their presence in person is needed. This may also require training for managers to engage employees to see the value of being in person.
- Allow some flexibility so employees have some say in when they are in the office. When employees feel they have some degree of control, versus being told, they are more likely to buy into this model.
Employers should also ensure that their policies and practices are updated to align with their efforts of supporting employee work-life balance. For example, if you offer hybrid work situations, you should formalize this through a Hybrid Work Policy that both supports the need for employees’ work-life balance and meets the demands of the business.
Offering a hybrid option allows employees and their employers to view the work-life balance holistically and offers insight into how employers can build trust and empowerment within their employee groups while still maintaining fair expectations of employees. By offering the option of a hybrid work environment, employees can reduce the high levels of stress they’ve carried in the past around personal and family obligations and seek a better balance without long commutes.
2) Encourage Employees to Protect Their “Me Time”
Personal time is extremely important for a healthy balance. We are able to be more productive at work when we infuse our daily schedules with some downtime. However, working where we live can lead to blurred lines between work and homelife causing some to find it hard to turn off the workday knowing that there might be one more email/text/phone call that awaits their attention. Employees can start to feel that they need to be available 24/7… falling down the slippery slope that leads to burnout.
Employers can help employees to protect their “me time” by fostering a culture that supports that behavior. For example, it can help to set expectations and encourage employees to “turn off work” by a certain time each day. If an email request happens to be sent during a time when an employee should be “off duty,” instill the habit of noting when something isn’t urgent and can wait until their next workday. This can help employees to set healthy boundaries between work and personal life.
Encourage team members to set time aside each day by doing something for them, whether it’s for 10 minutes or for an hour. The goal is for this time to be set aside for something that truly calms their mind. It could be anything from exercising, meditating, reading, watching TV, etc.
Another way to encourage employees to protect their time is by maintaining a sense of structure throughout the day, whether employees are virtual, in-person, or hybrid. Be sure that you are continuing to host regular staff meetings, group meetings, and social gatherings to make time for some fun together as well.
3) Work Smarter, Not Harder
Help team members stay in the loop through weekly “huddles” or calls to keep everyone accountable and connected. Regular one-on-one meetings allow managers and employees to continue to touch base and uphold the objectives and goals set for the year.
Evaluate processes already in place. Don’t look for places to cut corners, but rather look for steps in the process that may not be necessary to complete the same high-quality work. It’s easy to get into the daily habit of following processes when there may in fact be an easier way.
Work-Life Balance Benefits for Employers
Whether you call it work-life balance or work-life integration, employers who embrace it will not only thrive in terms of attracting, engaging, and keeping valuable employees, they will help to prevent burnout, increase productivity across the board, and ultimately become employers of choice with a reputation for supporting work-life balance. If an employer chooses to ignore the work-life balance expectations of the current workforce, they run the double risk of losing great employees who leave for opportunities that better meet their needs and the impossible task of attracting new talent into a less-than-desirable work environment.
Thank you to Cathleen Snyder, SPHR, SHRM-SCP, Director of Training & Development, and Cassie Whitehouse, M.Ed. for sharing their expertise on work-life balance.
Creating an organizational culture that is supportive of the diverse needs of employees is imperative to attracting and retaining the talent you need – not to mention critical to your bottom line. Clark Schaefer Strategic HR can support your culture strategy through employee surveys, establishing remote and hybrid work policies, identifying retention solutions, developing employee recognition programs, and more. Contact us today!
5 Key Points To Use Assessments in the Employee Life Cycle
What is so significant about the term experience? Experience is how we remember life. An experience awakens the senses and, for better or worse, leaves a lasting impression. Often, those impressions are shared with others, especially with the ease of the Internet and social media. Driven by this, organizations today strive to leave a positive impression on the experience of customers, clients, and employees. For our purposes, we’re going to focus on how employers can significantly impact the employee experience.
We often hear, “Timing is everything.” So, when should you focus on the employee experience? Successful organizations are thinking about the employee experience along every phase of the employee life cycle. The good news is there are many new tools and technologies to help organizations build a unique and impactful employee experience, and one that remains tried and true is the use of assessments across the employee life cycle.
Below are five key points in the employee life cycle where the use of assessments can make a lasting impression on your employees and play an important role in your organization’s ability to attract, develop, and retain employees.
1. Enhancing Hiring Decisions
Let’s start at the beginning of the employee life cycle – recruitment. Assessments used in this stage, such as pre-screen questionnaires, can significantly enhance the accuracy and effectiveness of the hiring process.
Try using assessments in two ways – internally and externally. Before you begin sourcing or searching for candidates, consider using assessments to help internally benchmark what you’re looking for in the role, including the competencies required. Are there skills or traits your current team is missing, or are there different perspectives that could help create diversity of thought? Once you identify these measurable competencies, you can highlight them in your job ad.
When the external search begins, assessments can provide additional insights that screening and interviewing may not be able to. Plus, assessments can provide unbiased and data-driven results that traditional screening methods can’t.
Whether it’s cognitive, personality, or behavioral assessments, you can glean valuable insights into a variety of different competencies. This can help your organization minimize bias, reduce turnover, and hire candidates who are more likely to succeed.
2. Identifying and Developing Potential
After a successful hire, your focus should shift to engagement and retention. From what we’ve learned about generational preferences in the workplace, we know that growth and development opportunities are among the top reasons employees choose to join an organization. This presents a great opportunity to use assessments to help identify and develop an employee’s potential within your organization.
Don’t believe us? Consider Estée Lauder’s example as they embedded the CliftonStrengths assessment into their culture, processes, and key metrics. When employees understand their strengths and how to leverage them for themselves, their team, and the organization as a whole, it can be a powerful realization for employees and a winning combination for employers. For Estée Lauder, by identifying and cultivating individual strengths, employees felt valued, empowered, and motivated to do their best work, thereby leading the company to award-winning heights.
Today’s expected employee tenure is already short – a median of just over four years, according to the BLS. However, when organizations leverage assessments and subsequent reports to support the employee’s career path within the company, it allows the employee to pursue roles that are more aligned with their interests and career goals. These growth and learning opportunities help to increase that tenure (and potentially turn employees into ambassadors for your organization).
3. Designing Training and Development Programs
On an organization-wide scale, assessments can empower HR to offer training and development programs that meet targeted and personalized needs. Depending on the kind of assessment (technical, cognitive, behavioral, skill, leadership, etc.), the appropriate training programs or providers can be brought in to support a team’s growth and learning in areas that are aligned with the desired organizational outcomes.
Assessments aren’t just for your human talent, however, they can and should be used to evaluate the effectiveness of training programs as well. Pre- and post-training assessments can measure the impact of training, enabling organizations to assess knowledge gain, skills application, and overall program success.
4. Strengthening Career and Performance Management
Assessments can do much more than identify strengths and potential. By providing data-based assessments, employees and employers can work together to identify areas for improvement without the interference of human opinion, limiting the impact of ego and emotion in early performance conversations. Employees can understand where they scored, employers can understand where to support their team members, and both parties can agree on goals together.
By building in regular performance assessments, employees can also find motivation as they see their skills and competencies improve along the way. This can also empower them to reach for new heights within the organization, especially if those roles are benchmarked in similar fashions.
5. Building Effective Teams
Finally, don’t forget about the importance of building strong and competent teams. While this happens at all stages of the employee life cycle, assessments can play an integral role here. With assessment data and well-designed training, HR and management can build diverse, balanced teams across the organization, and even call attention to potential issues or challenges ahead of time to minimize interruptions and conflict.
For example, we have found the Everything DiSC® assessment to be a highly effective tool in helping people to work better together. The DiSC assessment, coupled with training and follow-up resources, helps employees to understand their own personalities, how they are similar or different from their co-workers, and how to improve communication and collaboration across different work styles. This has been a valuable tool to help people better understand themselves and those around them leading to decreased conflict and stronger, more productive workplaces.
When choosing team assessments, you’ll want to look for tools that align with your organizational goals, encourage self-awareness, and foster a culture of mutual understanding and respect. By understanding individual strengths and limitations, team members are better equipped to complement each other’s skills.
Assessments for the Win!
Building out a thoughtful employee experience along every phase of the employee life cycle is critical to support retention, productivity, and employee morale. When considering the employee life cycle, we highly recommend exploring opportunities to add assessments into the process that support your organization’s goals and help you to build a strong employee experience in a consistent and sustainable way.
Special thanks to Julie A. Johnson, PHR, SHRM-CP, Sr. HR Business Strategist, Melinda Canino, and Samantha Kelly for contributing to this insightful article.
Do you need help identifying or implementing the right assessments for your employees and your organization? Don’t worry. The HR experts at Strategic HR can help you find the best employee assessment tools for you. We’re also an Authorized Partner for Everything DiSC®, so we’re happy to be your go-to resource for the DiSC assessment and training too. Contact us to get started!
Can I Fire Someone During Their Introductory Period?
HR Question:
Can I fire someone during their introductory period? Are there ways to reduce our risk?
HR Answer:
The short answer can be yes. As long as an employer has a properly written (and implemented) introductory period, there should be little concern over terminating someone during their new hire period. In fact, sometimes it is actually easier to terminate someone during this period of employment. A key component is to ensure that your introductory period policy and practices apply the employment-at-will status, as allowed by your state or locality. In that case, you should be able to rest easy with your decision, although we recommend consulting your attorney if you have any doubts.
On the other hand, if you don’t have a well-designed introductory period, your organization is at higher risk. If you’re unsure about your policy or implementation, read on to learn why introductory periods are important, what to consider in their design, and ways to reduce termination risks.
Why is a new hire introductory period important?
Introductory periods are an important phase of employment as they allow the new hire and employer to evaluate their fit with each other. These programs typically range from the first thirty days of employment up to six months and can be extended, if necessary.
Keep in mind that appropriate design and implementation are critical. According to the Society for Human Resources Management, some labor experts warn of the legal implications of introductory periods (including discouraging the use of the term “probationary period”). However, if implemented properly, employers can use the time to sufficiently train and evaluate the hire.
Setting appropriate expectations
During the introductory period, the employee has the opportunity to learn their role, acquire and demonstrate the skills necessary to perform the duties of the job, and understand how their role fits into the overall organization. Employers typically use this time to evaluate the employee to determine if they are a good fit for the position by reviewing their skills, knowledge, abilities, overall job performance (quantity and quality of work), work habits and behaviors, and attendance.
Although employees in this defined new hire period are essentially the same as all other employees, there are often special requirements placed on the individuals during this evaluation period. For example, some employers put in place stricter attendance requirements during the introductory period, (i.e., requiring new hires to work on-site for a defined period of time before allowing remote work situations). Other employers reduce the productivity requirements for new hires during this period as they are learning their roles.
Whether you are making the expectations more or less strict as compared to other employees, it is important to ensure that new hires are made aware of the expectations and how they will change after the completion of the introductory period.
Reduce termination risk during the new hire introductory period
Termination of employment at any time can be inherently risky. Here are some suggestions to consider that may bolster your new hire period policies and implementation:
- Clearly define the introductory period, including the length of time, and state that it can be extended, if necessary.
- Clearly express employment-at-will, if allowed in your jurisdiction and it applies to your situation. This statement indicates that the employment relationship is terminable at any time, including during the new hire period, and completion of the introductory period does not change that status.
- Provide a clear explanation to the new hire of how they will be evaluated, including specific expectations during the period and if/how these expectations are going to change once the new hire period is successfully completed.
- Evaluate your new hire regularly. Provide frequent and immediate feedback including written evaluations.
- If the new hire is failing to meet expectations, discuss what must be done to achieve acceptable performance as well as the next steps if there is no improvement.
Following these guidelines will help to ensure the new hire is treated fairly during the process. We also recommend that you consult your attorney to be sure that your introductory policies and procedures are optimally designed to mitigate your organization’s risk.
Special thanks to Patti Dunham, MBA, MA, SPHR, SHRM-SCP, for contributing to this edition of our HR Question of the Week.
Terminations are one of the most difficult aspects of Human Resources. Strategic HR can walk you through a termination, assist with the investigation, and provide a third-party objective look at each case. Visit our Employee Relations page to see how we can help you navigate through challenging situations while also building a positive relationship with your employees.
What Questions Should I Ask During An Exit Interview?
HR Question:
We’ve decided to start conducting exit interviews but aren’t sure of the right questions to ask. What are some key questions to ask during an exit interview?
HR Answer:
Exit interviews are an important part of the employee life cycle. These interviews, conducted after an employee has formally turned in their resignation and is in their last few days of employment with your organization, allow you to get feedback to examine and potentially improve processes, expectations, and experiences within the company. While typically conducted with an employee who is leaving on their own terms for another opportunity, you can also conduct exit interviews with those employees who are relocating, retiring, or leaving for personal reasons.
Take the time to discuss topics such as pay and benefits, team culture and expectations, and reasons why someone may have felt prompted to search for opportunities elsewhere. The answers to these questions can help you develop strategies for your HR processes. Plus, this feedback is critical to reducing turnover and creating an environment your employees want to work for. You can’t fix what you don’t know, and you won’t know unless you ask. Preparing ahead of time can allow you to ask focused questions that will lead to the necessary answers.
How to prepare for an Exit Interview
The first step in conducting an effective exit interview is to ask yourself what you are hoping to accomplish by talking to the exiting employee. Are there areas or blind spots that they may be able to shed light on or provide additional insight into? This opportunity will allow you to gather feedback that current and remaining employees may be too hesitant to share.
You may have some suspicions as to the underlying reason(s) for employees’ departures, so this can be an opportunity to test out your hypotheses. For example, you may be concerned that your salary ranges are not up to date with your market and industry, and you are lagging behind your competitors. Or is the employee leaving because of a manager, supervisor, or co-worker? Do you want to look at your culture to see if it promotes teamwork, accountability, and appreciation?
Additionally, be prepared to see the organization through this individual’s lens. They may not have had the best experience, or perhaps they felt consistently frustrated by certain elements. As a result, be prepared to listen to their feedback (and potential negative approach) with an impartial ear and an eye looking for potential opportunities for improvement.
What questions should I ask?
After determining the why, start creating questions that will get you the information you are seeking. Of course, there are many questions that you could ask, so we recommend you identify a set of questions that can be discussed in a reasonable amount of time. Here are some suggestions:
- Were you looking for a job (and if so, what made you decide to start looking)?
Because of the current job market, many employers pursue passive job seekers and provide the employee with a terrific employment opportunity. If the individual was actively applying for new roles, this might help get to the root of why they wanted to leave. - What caused you to accept the position?
This is where the interviewer can get to a key differentiator between their organization and their competition. More pay, better benefits, remote work, work culture, toxic manager, etc. may be reasons why the offer made couldn’t be refused. - Did your manager meet your expectations for providing appropriate direction, support, and leadership?
It is often said that people leave a manager, not a job. If their expectations weren’t met, ask probing questions to understand why. This can shed light on any supervision and leadership issues that may need to be addressed. - How can our company improve our training and/or onboarding process?
For those newer to your company, this question allows you to determine how the employee felt about their first few months in your organization and if they feel they received sufficient training to do their job. If the employee has been with your organization for a longer time period, be sure to clarify that their suggestions can also come from their experience or role in training and onboarding processes as well. - What, if anything, would you have changed about your job?
A good follow-up question to this one is “if that change were implemented, would you return to work here?” Again, this question can get to the root cause of the turnover, and if the departing employee feels strongly enough about the company to consider returning at a future time. Remember that boomerang employees can be an asset to your organization as they can return re-energized and more engaged, so keep that door open when it’s appropriate to do so. - Would you refer a friend or family member to work here?
This question can give you additional information about the culture of the organization. If the answer is “yes, but not in my department,” follow-up questions may again reveal issues that should be addressed.
For additional areas to probe, Glassdoor provides more exit interview questions to consider.
What to do after an Exit Interview
After the exit interview, consider how you will use the data. Are you sharing it with the managers or leadership team, or are you checking the exit interview off your list and storing the information? Look for themes, especially if there is increasing turnover in one department or position. For example, are all of your customer service representatives leaving because they didn’t feel as though they were trained appropriately? Do your departing IT professionals complain about a lack of support from their manager? Use the data from exit interviews to create action plans to address issues and concerns.
Exit interviews can be used as a great tool to target turnover and retention issues. An effective exit interview is also valuable in pinpointing management and cultural challenges in an organization if the data is used appropriately. An alternate strategy is to open lines of communication with employees before they leave by conducting employee surveys or implementing stay interviews to identify and address issues before they choose to exit.
Thank you to Sheryl Fleming, MA, SHRM-SCP, for contributing to this HR Question of the Week.
Do you know why your employees choose to leave your organization? Exit interviews, while time-consuming, can be key tools for better understanding your company’s retention opportunities. Our team at Strategic HR can help you construct and conduct stay and exit interviews to learn more about why employees stay or go. Visit our Employee Relations page or Contact Us to learn how we can lend a hand in your employee retention efforts.
Could Sabbaticals Be Your Next Retention Tool?
HR Question:
In today’s fast-paced and high-pressure market, it’s difficult to truly disconnect from work. We’ve been trying to find ways to give our team a break to avoid burnout, but sometimes a week of vacation just isn’t enough. Could sabbaticals be the newest tool in our retention toolbox?
HR Answer:
You’re not alone in considering sabbaticals as they seem to be gaining in popularity. According to a recent World at Work survey assessing US organizations ranging in size and industry, 10% of organizations offered paid sabbaticals (up from 7% in 2019), and 29% offered unpaid sabbaticals (up from 16% in 2019). Now, as we’re well into a period with many different names – the Great Reshuffle, the Great Resignation, the Great Re-Evaluation to name a few – sabbaticals may be the unsung hero that benefits both employers and employees alike when it comes to talent retention, supporting good mental health, and strengthening employee engagement and dedication to their work and your organization.
Time to Re-Charge, Re-Energize, and Reconnect
It’s no secret that the first beneficiary of a sabbatical is the employee. Unfortunately, those who do choose to take sabbaticals may often lack the opportunity to properly enjoy them. In fact, The Sabbatical Project reports that nearly two-thirds of those who do take a sabbatical are often forced into them due to traumatic circumstances out of their control – the loss of a family member, health issues, the need to navigate complex or dissolving relationships, etc. Not exactly the most relaxing setting for a rejuvenating and relaxing period of time.
Although a sabbatical can be used to address such issues, it could benefit organizations to promote them for a broader purpose. Employees should be encouraged to consider using a sabbatical as an opportunity to truly disconnect, re-energize, and re-focus if suffering from burnout or fatigue. They can also be used to discover new passions, chase hobbies, and gain the experiences that many may put off until after retirement.
Sabbaticals Benefit the Employer Too
And while a sabbatical, paid or unpaid, can seem like an intimidating amount of time away from the desk for both the employee and the employer, the benefit of a re-energized and re-engaged employee can pay back dividends. Interviews for a Charter and TIME article revealed employees who returned from a sabbatical found themselves more creative, felt greater feelings of loyalty and energy, and brought new ideas to the table.
When considering the cost of having to replace a long-term employee, along with their organizational knowledge, skills, and work relationships built over time, offering a sabbatical as an opportunity to renew and recharge may be far more cost-effective. In addition, offering sabbaticals as part of your benefits package is not only attractive to retain current employees, but can also be a valuable talent acquisition tool to attract new talent.
Your Team Will Benefit From Your Time Away
The longer nature of sabbaticals creates an opportunity for cross-training. As opposed to managing through vacations where you can push a project or a question off “just a few days” until a person returns, sabbaticals present a fantastic opportunity to engage other team members in new and different tasks, departments, and levels of the organization – providing the employer with a built-in opportunity for the career development and growth that ranks high on job seekers’ lists today.
Sabbaticals Don’t Come Without a Cost
It would be a win-win if sabbaticals came without a cost to the employer or employee, but unfortunately, that’s not the case. That’s why it’s important that employers establish their promises and expectations for sabbaticals. How often and for how long can employees be away? Do they need to serve a certain number of years to qualify? How much of their regular pay will they still receive, if any? How does a sabbatical tie into their PTO or other time off categories?
While the cost may not be a surprise, the money saved by creating an attractive workplace, providing necessary mental health benefits, and showing that you’re an organization committed to putting employees’ needs first may very well pay dividends in attracting and retaining valuable talent.
Special thanks to Samantha Kelly for contributing to this HR Question of the Week!
Providing adequate Benefits and Compensation for your employees is key to the recruitment and retention of a well-performing workforce, and having the right policies in place can make or break a company. Clark Schaefer Strategic HR can help you structure your benefit and compensation system to meet today’s competitive market. Please visit our Benefits and Compensation page for more information today.
What Are Employee Pulse Surveys And How Can They Increase Retention?
HR Question:
We are exploring ways to increase our employee retention and engagement, and someone suggested doing an employee pulse survey. Can you explain what that is and how to best use it to drive engagement?
HR Answer:
Given the labor market the past few years, it is no secret that employers have seen formidable challenges to the retention of valued employees. To add to this concern, Gallup reports that only 32% of employees are actively engaged, and an additional 17% of employees are actively disengaged. This begs the question: how can employers work proactively to retain valued employees and spur employee engagement?
One answer may be deceptively simple: ask your employees through a survey! Employee Pulse Surveys can serve as an excellent tool to garner actionable feedback from your employees regarding key issues such as leadership, total rewards, culture, and engagement. Not to be confused with a standard engagement survey, a pulse survey is distinct in a few key ways:
- Pulse surveys are shorter. Typically only one to five questions, the shorter survey length can help to combat survey fatigue and result in a higher response rate from employees.
- They’re more frequent. Pulse surveys can be sent out on a weekly, monthly, or quarterly basis. The frequency of data collection makes it easier to see trends develop in real-time and respond accordingly.
- There’s only one focus. Pulse surveys typically focus on one specific topic. The narrow scope of pulse surveys helps you to collect feedback on critical items in between larger, more complex engagement surveys. Action plans can be developed in a timely manner to tackle any pressing concerns before the feedback becomes outdated.
Creating Pulse Surveys
To implement a pulse survey, first, decide on a topic. Consider focusing on a new initiative rollout or a topic that has been of critical interest to your employees (i.e., compensation, benefit offerings, workplace culture, etc.). Next, choose one to five questions that are tailored to this topic. The questions may primarily entail quick, structured questions (such as a Likert scale, multiple choice, or drop-down), which allow for a more quantitative, structured analysis. You may also want to include one or two open-ended questions, which can provide additional customized insight into your data.
Once the content of the survey is established, you will want to choose a survey tool by which to collect the data. Survey Methods is one of Strategic HR’s favorite tools for data collection, although many platforms serve these purposes. By leveraging a third-party survey administrator, you can ensure that your pulse surveys are administered anonymously to gather the most genuine (and valuable) feedback.
Understanding Your Results and Taking Action
The next step may arguably be the most important: creating an action plan to address the feedback that your employees have provided. Do you see common themes? Are there concerns that are identified across the board? These items should be identified, prioritized, and addressed individually. Finally, a timeline should be established to include ownership of each task and a target fulfillment date.
Don’t Forget to Follow Up!
If your employees gave their time to share their thoughts, be sure to return the favor by communicating the results of your pulse survey and the corresponding action plan(s) to your employees. This ensures that your employees know that their feedback is informing actionable changes to improve their experience.
By following these steps for thoughtful implementation of pulse surveys, you can show your employees that your organization cares about their experience and is committed to improving it. While labor market woes remain, pulse surveys can help mitigate these challenges to spur employee engagement and commitment to your organization.
Special thanks to Christine McLaughlin for contributing to this edition of our HR Question of the Week!
Connecting with your workforce can be difficult – factor in multiple shifts, various locations, off-site employees, and a multi-generational workforce, and you quickly learn that checking in with everyone on your team isn’t easy. Clark Schaefer Strategic HR have years of experience formulating engaging and impactful engagement surveys to better understand your employees’ perspectives, needs, and preferences. Visit our Employee Relations page to learn more.
How Can We Make DE&I Programs More Effective?
Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion programs (DE&I programs) that create a culture of inclusivity are key to attracting top talent, retaining employees, and developing an engaged and highly productive workforce.
The significance of Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion within the workplace is not a new concept. However, a growing number of businesses are researching and implementing these programs in an attempt to fix a multitude of issues, many of which have become more visible and prevalent in a post-COVID world. But not all programs have been received with equal enthusiasm. In fact, some DE&I programs have lacked the necessary support, failing from the start or long before positive impacts could come about.
Research from McKinsey and Co. has shown that companies with a more diverse workforce and leadership team are overall more profitable than their peers that are not. There are many factors that lead to this growth in revenue. Applicants are looking for a strong company culture to work in that values people and how employees contribute to a company’s success. This drives top talent to companies with well-developed inclusive cultures and improves retention amongst current staff. An engaged workforce tends to be more productive, and higher productivity generally means higher profitability. So, how have these organizations created such engaging and impactful DE&I programs, and how can you achieve similar results? In this article, we will highlight a few key foundational components that are critical to the success of any DE&I program.
Don’t Say It If You Don’t Mean It
Sincerity of purpose of a DE&I program from top leadership down is imperative for positive outcomes to occur. DE&I initiatives and the meaning and integrity behind them can be considered deeply personal, especially for employees that have been impacted by discrimination or microaggressions in the past. Employees expect leadership to be leading meaningful change by cultivating a culture of inclusivity, and not just bringing up the topic as a talking point.
This requires a certain level of participation by leadership and can be manifested in many different ways including:
- Developing, distributing, and living inclusive cultural values
- Updating policies to be more inclusive (e.g., Juneteenth as a holiday, adding paid parental leave, updating anti-harassment policies)
- Confronting unconscious bias
- Holding people accountable for poor behavior
- Creating a mentorship program specifically for underserved groups
- Leading by example in words and action
- Giving positive recognition when successes are achieved
Put Your Money Where Your Programs Are
No corporate program can succeed without business leaders’ and departments’ time, effort, and funding. This means consistent efforts, such as monthly speakers, regular workshops, community partnerships, and more. The most engaging DE&I initiatives with long-term positive impacts do cost time and money – time for your employees to coordinate and/or go through planned experiences; money to support training, marketing efforts, and partnerships; and time off to volunteer and make an impact in the community around your organization. With these efforts working to strengthen your organizational culture, it is time and money well spent.
Move Forward with Purpose and Measureable Outcomes
As with any strategic level project, having a well-defined implementation plan is key. To do so requires careful planning and the development of strategic goals that are clearly defined with measurable outcomes and target achievement dates. Once these goals have been agreed upon, assign specific objectives to groups within the organization. Leadership will be responsible for the overall direction of the DE&I roadmap of goals; however, everyone in the company can have a task assigned to meet specific aspects and have it tied to their performance metrics (e.g., Setting goals for hiring managers to interview diverse talent pools).
Also, ensure that the appropriate measurement tools are in place to track the progress to date. Many HRIS platforms allow for several important DE&I metrics to be recorded.
Leadership should communicate the goals to all employees within the organization, as well as the progress that is made every quarter. This communication and commitment to achieving the goals can increase engagement levels. In addition, having leaders advocating for diversity will assist in achieving these organization-wide goals – especially regarding recruiting and retention.
Ultimately, sincerity of purpose and strategic implementation are imperative to a successful DE&I program. Creating a culture of inclusivity takes time and consistent effort in order to have a meaningful, long-term, and sustained impact. By continuing to educate others and developing a psychologically safe space for everyone to work in, a business can feel the positive effects of higher productivity, retention, growth, and engagement.
Special thanks to Mary Mitchell, MBA, SPHR, CHRS for contributing to this edition of our Emerging Issues in HR!
Maintaining a productive, inclusive, and safe workplace is critical to the success of any organization, and incorporating effective Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion programs and initiatives is a necessary component. Learn more about how we can help you with DEIB programming to nurture your organization’s culture by visiting our DEIB Consulting Services page or Contact Us for help today.
Should We Abolish Performance Improvement Plans?
What is a PIP?
A performance improvement plan (or PIP), as defined by the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), is a tool utilized specifically to provide employees with an “opportunity to succeed,” rather than lose their job. PIPs provide two important features: first, to provide a timeline for improvement; and second, to create documentation of performance-related discussions. This means PIPs can be for anyone in the organization – strong performers, over-achievers, under-achievers, executives, or entry-level employees.
Organizations utilize PIPs in order to provide a clear path to success in partnership with an employee’s manager. Particularly in a difficult or limited candidate market, PIPs are best utilized as a retention tool to re-engage and improve an employee’s performance before the relationship between the employee and employer is beyond repair. However, that’s not always the case.
In early 2022, LinkedIn News published an article encouraging a revolution or reevaluation of performance improvement plans. Many employees identified the negative connotation that they associate with PIPs, arguing that they saw PIPs being used to “manage an employee out” of an organization, rather than being used to provide developmental opportunities to address goals or performance. In fact, some volunteered their own experiences of meeting or exceeding expectations, only to be placed on a PIP when there were internal disagreements or frustrations, encouraging the employee to look elsewhere for a job.
So should organizations abolish the use of performance improvement plans altogether? Or are there ways that we as HR professionals can improve the PIP process to utilize the process correctly and better serve our employees?
Ask Yourself “Why?”
As mentioned earlier, the goal of a PIP is to be used for developmental reasons (i.e. should there be performance goals to meet or behaviors that need to be changed for a successful and harmonious workplace).
As organizations take a closer look at how they utilize a PIP, it’s important to first ask why it may be necessary. Is the employee in question failing to meet performance goals? Or is there a behavior-related concern that’s impacting the workplace? A performance improvement plan may be appropriate here, as long as the intended result is an achievable improvement in a reasonable about of time.
If the answer to “why” is to eliminate a person from the organization, or encourage their resignation, then the PIP is being misused. Sometimes, organizations may utilize PIPs if they don’t have other ways or disciplining or managing poorly improving employees who aren’t a fit for the company. If that’s the case, the solution isn’t a performance improvement plan, but a clearly laid-out warning/discipline process instead.
Clearly Define Your Plans and Language
Some managers use the PIP because it doesn’t sound disciplinary when they’re really trying to manage someone out. As a result, the term has gained a negative connotation because it’s been used as a way to punish instead of encouraging to improve. The term “PIP” has even gained such a negative connotation that employees may immediately start looking at other roles for fear that termination is right around the corner.
To alleviate employee concerns and refocus employees on the real goal of a performance improvement plan, consider changing the language around the PIP. Maybe, instead of a “performance improvement plan”, consider calling it an “individual development plan.” After all, the goal is to refocus both the manager and the employee on the person and their individual success, rather than focusing solely on performance. This allows the tool to be used for anyone at any time – not just when there needs to be a marked performance improvement. By asking questions such as “how do you want to improve, how do you want to grow, how do you want to better yourself?”, managers can turn the implication of performance improvement plans around from “impending termination” to “invested growth.”
But, suppose the goal is truly to encourage an employee to consider another career path or to cut ties. In that case, it’s important to clearly define the language you plan to use while having an honest conversation with the employee and implementing a disciplinary form. Being sure to include an escalating path of written and verbal warnings, performance meetings, and deadlines will make terminations easier from a documentation and expectations perspective.
Timing (Implementation)
We owe it to people to coach and develop them before it’s too late. It’s uncomfortable to have frank conversations about performance, and most people prefer to look away until it’s too bad to ignore. But it shouldn’t be negative – feedback is a gift. There are so many people who don’t give feedback and expect them to read minds.
As in any coaching instance, it’s important to deliver the feedback – good or bad – as close to the instance the action happened as possible. But how you deliver it in the moment can be key. If the message comes from a place of truly caring about the person and wanting them to improve – be it their performance, approach, or level in the company – that should come across. And by being sure to use a coaching tone in the conversation rather than a disciplinary one, encourages employees to become invested in their own improvement rather than fearing being “caught doing something wrong.” In the end, it’s about assessing and respecting the difference between corrective action (which doesn’t have to be negative) and disciplinary procedures.
In this candidate-driven market, it’s difficult to find the talent that you need to continue to grow your business. Retention tools, such as performance improvement plans, can help you fully utilize and elevate your employees to greater heights (when used correctly). As you continue to assess your employee relations and development tools, consider re-evaluating how you might use performance improvement plans and disciplinary action to best support your employees and your company’s strategic goals.
Thank you to Cecilia Vocke, MS, SHRM-SCP, SPHR for contributing to this Emerging Issues in HR.
Strategic HR understands the value of retaining your workforce through good Employee Relations. We’ve helped companies nurture their cultures by designing/updating employee handbooks, creating reward and recognition programs, providing training for safe and productive workplaces, gathering feedback through employee surveys, pulse surveys, focus groups, and more. Learn more about our Employee Relations Services, or contact us.
Specific Ways HR Can Cultivate an Inclusive Workplace
HR Question:
We’re celebrating the last full week of Black History month, and we want to keep the conversation going. How can our HR department cultivate a more inclusive environment beyond Black History Month?
HR Answer:
While the month of February inspires us to celebrate the successes and recognize the struggles of Black and African American individuals across the US, this focus and spotlight do not have to (and we’d argue should not) be limited to four weeks out of the year. In “The Diversity and Inclusion Revolution,” one of the eight truths the Deloitte Review focuses on is that to create a diverse and welcoming workplace, organizations have to “perform a culture reset, not a tick-the-box program.” Celebrating the work and contributions of Black Americans during one month is not enough to build a diverse culture – rather, it can contribute to a continuous, inclusive facet of a larger and ongoing conversation; one that includes a wide range of abilities, identities, ethnicities, races, and genders.
Studies have shown that increasing the diversity of teams and leadership leads to increased innovation. Additionally, it’s no secret that diverse, inclusive, and equitable workplaces see higher than average financial performance as well. It is easy to see why cultivating an inclusive workplace is not only the right thing to do; it is also a smart business decision. So as you look for ways for HR to continue to nurture and grow a more inclusive environment beyond February, we offer the following suggestions.
Embrace 3 Pillars of Diversity and Inclusion
After studying the most productive workplaces around the world, Gallup identified three requirements for a diverse and inclusive workplace culture:
- Employees are treated with respect
- Employees are valued for their strengths
- Leaders do what is right
By viewing diversity and inclusion through a broader lens as Gallup has, it opens the door for everyone to see how they can play a role. It’s naturally HR’s role to facilitate open conversations amongst employees, managers, and executives, including facilitating eye-opening and bridge-building conversations about how to understand and respect one another’s differences and the value that these differences can bring to our professional and personal lives.
In addition to having meaningful conversations that foster a respectful and inclusive environment, we recommend that you review your employee handbook to ensure that your policies and practices fully support diversity and inclusion in your organization. For example, do you have a clear path for employees to go to HR should they have concerns about the inclusivity of their workplace?
Provide Training that Meets Employees Where They are in the Journey
As your organization continues to foster a culture of inclusion and belonging for everyone, it’s important that your employees have the tools and common language to talk through related topics and issues together. When it comes to understanding diversity and how we can learn from one another, there is not a lack of potential training and development experiences. No matter where your employees are on this journey, it is important to continue to provide education and opportunities for growth. If you don’t feel that you are best equipped to educate employees on the subject matter, you may feel inclined to bring in a reputable speaker or training facilitator to optimize the experience.
Look for Ways to Foster a Sense of Belonging
There are many ways that HR can be purposeful in cultivating an inclusive culture. You can look for opportunities throughout the year to recognize important dates or impactful cultural events and help employees to celebrate them. For example, Juneteenth was recognized as a federal holiday beginning in 2021 – does your organization have plans to celebrate, recognize, or highlight the holiday? Can your employees take time off through established or floating holidays without utilizing their PTO in order to celebrate?
With the goal of creating an inclusive environment, consider providing forums and welcoming spaces for members of various affinity communities to exchange ideas, find mentorships, encourage a sense of belonging, and network. These groups could range from different ethnic and cultural backgrounds to LGBTQIA2S+, women, young and emerging professionals, and more. For example, look to GE’s Employee Resource Groups, which exist for the purpose of welcoming “all employees to learn, connect, advocate, and foster a sense of belonging.”
Get Involved in Your Local Community
As the Deloitte Review emphasized, “match the inside and the outside.” Internal efforts to continue the conversations emphasized during Black History month or other diversity and inclusion initiatives can be more effective when matched with external efforts to make a difference in your local community. Look for outside opportunities through community action groups or nonprofit organizations. You could also consider paying employees for their time and efforts contributing to a more inclusive and welcoming society.
As we mentioned, there are countless ways that HR can cultivate an inclusive workplace, so we hope that these suggestions inspire even more ideas for how you can nurture diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging in your organization.
Thank you to Mary Mitchell, MBA, SPHR, CHRS; Melinda Canino, MS; and Samantha Osborne Kelly for contributing to this edition of our HR Question of the Week.
Having an inclusive organizational culture that contributes to your organization’s overall success doesn’t happen by accident. It needs to be nurtured. Learn how we can help you to nurture your culture through our DEIB Consulting Services, or contact us today.
Why Employee Retention is More Important Now Than Ever
We’ve all been hearing the same thing: we’re in the Post-Pandemic War for Talent. Some have called it the Turnover Tsunami or the Great Resignation. No matter what it’s called, the reality remains the same: businesses are in a talent crisis. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported 9.2 million job openings in May 2021 – yet there are only 1.2 available workers per job opening, according to the US Chamber of Commerce’s Worker Availability Ratio. Add to that, roughly 48% of Americans are considering a role change, with 53% contemplating changing industries altogether. And roughly 50% of employees say the pandemic has led them to question their current career goals.
All of these numbers are startling. For many employers, their best resource for talent is the talent that’s already on the team, which makes employee retention more important now than ever. But what are employers actively doing to keep them? While managers may say, “fine, let them go,” the reality is it may be extremely difficult to replace them.
The good news is there are actions that can be taken to improve employee retention. It takes some effort, but in the current climate, businesses can’t afford not to.
A first step to winning the “war for talent” is to lose the intention to return to pre-pandemic business. The workforce has drastically changed since March 2020. Organizations that automatically return to what was “status quo” may find themselves receiving pushback from employees who have enjoyed some elements of COVID work life.
The pandemic forced many businesses into a remote work environment. As the duration of the pandemic continued, employees and leaders had mixed feelings about remote work. Some loved it, while others longed to be back in the office. Many felt the biggest casualties of remote work were communication, collaboration, and relationships. Despite claims of increased productivity thanks to fewer interruptions, the impromptu chats and meetings fell off, eliminating the opportunity to communicate casually, collaborate creatively, and build relationships. So, where do employers go from here?
The Great Debate: Office vs. Remote
Employers who never offered remote work may experience struggles and pushback with deciding what the post-pandemic workplace looks like. A recent Korn Ferry survey found that nearly half of workers would turn down work if it mandated an in-person office presence. For employers, it’s important to be intentional in this decision as it can have a direct impact on employee retention and your ability to attract new talent. Just because in-person was the work norm pre-pandemic, does not mean that it’s right for post-pandemic. With the mixed feelings of employees and leaders, employers might consider a hybrid work environment, with some remote time and some in-office time. Many are finding this can serve as a compromise and still be an effective business model. Talk to your employees. What worked, and what didn’t? Employees want to know that their preferences were considered instead of being handed a mandate. Where possible, offer tangible business reasons for the decision.
Strategies to Improve Employee Engagement
Whether employers choose to be in-person, remote, or a hybrid of the two, it’s critical to maintain an engaged workforce. This can be more challenging with a remote or hybrid work arrangement, but it’s no less important.
Engagement starts with strong lines of communication. The need for communication is often overlooked or not seen to be of value, but choosing to remain silent can be to the detriment of the organization. Some key pointers to keep in mind:
- Share key goals and KPIs with the team, and update status on them regularly. Employers can guide employees’ focus by sharing goals and the progress toward meeting them. All too often, leaders create KPIs and then put them aside until performance review season. By keeping them top of mind and visible, the message is clear: their work is critical to the organizational goals.
- Help employees see where they fit into meeting those goals and KPIs. Engagement is achieved when employees understand how what they do impacts the organization. Every employee needs to know how their role contributes to the success of the organization. The quality of their work, the timeliness in which it is completed, even their attitudes in doing the work are all critical components to success. The best way to ensure employees care about their work is to help them see how they fit in.
- Don’t underestimate the value of morning huddles. A morning team huddle can be brief – no more than ten or fifteen minutes – but it sets the tone and expectations for the day. A huddle can celebrate accomplishments of the day before, provide updates on open issues, and establish the focus for the day. The time spent can minimize issues later. The key is to make the most of the time and adopt a structure to keep it concise.
- Demonstrate transparency. Focus on what is going well and the positive aspects, but don’t gloss over challenges. Honestly communicate issues and concerns and be open to discussing possible solutions. One of the best ways to build engagement is to ask the opinion of those that directly impact the end result.
On an individual basis, set clearly communicated performance expectations, and revisit those often. Managers must provide ongoing feedback to correct and reinforce behaviors. An engaged culture encourages employees to be problem solvers and to take ownership for finding solutions. Use problems and challenges as learning opportunities to demonstrate the troubleshooting thought process to employees. This encourages an environment of constant ongoing learning.
What are your individual employee’s strengths, and how can those be leveraged? This can be a great opportunity to recognize an employee and advance the goals of the business while also impacting employee retention.
Renew Your Focus on Professional Development
Another key contributor to employee engagement is professional development. A recent Bamboo HR survey found that 78% of employers working remotely felt their professional development was negatively affected by COVID, averaging a loss of $9,800 in promotional income. During COVID, many businesses found themselves in survival mode, where professional development was well down in the list of priorities. As we emerge from the pandemic, it is essential that employers return the focus to employee development. If it has lapsed, take the opportunity to restart the conversation with employees – revisit previous career goals. Are these still relevant or do they need to be revised?
Don’t forget that the pandemic work environment may have provided some unique learning opportunities. Are there ways to capitalize on these? A returned focus on professional development shows employees that you are committed to them and their success, and it can contribute to increased employee retention as well.
As the business world looks beyond the pandemic and begins to address the challenges that are being presented, wise leaders will recognize this opportunity to re-evaluate the culture, identify lessons learned, make the most of the talent they already have.
Special thanks to Cathleen Snyder, SPHR, SHRM-SCP, for contributing to this edition of our Emerging Issues in HR!
Would you like to find out how engaged your employees are? Strategic HR can help. We will create a custom survey to mirror your work environment and goals for the business, administer the survey as a neutral third party, and summarize the findings with recommendations for improvement. You can learn more on our employee surveys page or contact us now.
How to Handle Unemployment Fraud?
HR Question:
Our company is getting unemployment notices for people that have never worked here, or in some cases, people who are still employed. How should I handle this unemployment fraud?
HR Answer:
The increasing level of unemployment fraud has been a source of frustration for states, employers, and individual employees. Various US congressional packages providing supplement unemployment relief have provided not only relief for the unemployed, but also an opportunity for criminals to seek ways to attempt to benefit. The US Department of Labor has reported “a surge in fraudulent unemployment claims filed by organized crime rings using stolen identities that were accessed or purchased from past data breaches.”
States that were already overwhelmed by the unexpectedly high levels of unemployment insurance (UI) claims are now having to pursue fraudulent claims to recover benefits that should not have been paid. Employers’ unemployment rates may increase as a result, and employees find themselves dealing with identity theft concerns.
In this article, we’ll share information and resources that employers and employees can use to understand who are the most likely victims and what to do should they suspect or fall victim to unemployment fraud.
What Can Employers Do?
There are some measures that employers can take to address unemployment fraud. HR professionals should be on alert to scrutinize any notices that they receive from state unemployment administrators to ensure their accuracy. If fraud is suspected, be sure to follow your state’s reporting instructions. Note that some states require both the employee and employer to file reports.
In addition, it’s important to inform your employees about the prevalence of identity theft and unemployment fraud scams that are occurring across the United States. As a proactive measure, consider sharing the information below regarding what employees can do to understand if they might be at risk for unemployment fraud and what to do if they become a victim.
What Can Employees Do?
Employees who have had a fraudulent unemployment claim filed in their name are recommended to refer to the Unemployment Insurance Fraud Consumer Protection Guide from the U.S. Department of Justice’s National Unemployment Insurance Fraud Task Force. This guide explains:
- Who might be more at risk of becoming a victim
- Signs that you might have been a victim of a crime
- Steps to take if you believe you’re an unemployment fraud victim
- How to protect yourself from becoming a victim
- Unemployment insurance fraud resources and links for each state
According to the UI Fraud Consumer Protection Guide, if a UI claim has been filed in your name that you did not file, you should:
- Report it to your state workforce agency immediately.
- If you’re currently working, notify your employer of the fraudulent claim as they may also need to file documentation.
- File a complaint using the National Center for Disaster Fraud form or by calling the Disaster Fraud Hotline at (866) 720-5721.
Additionally, employees are encouraged to go to annualcreditreport.com to ensure they have not been a victim of identity theft. Employees may also want to place a free one-year freeze on their credit by contacting any one of the three nationwide credit reporting bureaus listed below. When one bureau is notified, they must notify the other two.
- Equifax: 800-525-6285
- Experian: 888-397-3742
- TransUnion: 800-680-7289
Review Cybersecurity Practices
With the rise of unemployment fraud cases using information that was obtained from previous data breaches, it’s important that employers and employees implement good cybersecurity practices. This presents an opportune moment to review how your organization protects personally identifiable information (PII), such as name, address, birth date, social security number, etc. Do you encourage employees to create unique and strong passwords? Do you require two-factor authentication or alternate solutions to increase your cybersecurity? Whatever safety measures you have in place, we recommend that you continue to review them to ensure that you are covering all of the necessary areas and that your employees are following cybersecurity practices consistently.
Special thanks to Cathleen Snyder, SPHR, SHRM-SCP, and Melinda Canino for contributing to this edition of our HR Question of the Week.
Still have questions? Contact our HR experts! Give us a call at 513.697.9855 or email us at Info@strategicHRinc.com.
How to Handle Political Talk During the Work Day
HR Question:
Since it’s an election year (not to mention one during an unprecedented pandemic), the conversations between my employees are becoming increasingly political. How do I handle this political talk either in the office or with remote workers during office hours?
HR Answer:
It’s natural that conversations amongst team members can quickly turn political – with it being a presidential election year, paired with heightened communication from our local & state leaders due to the pandemic, political topics are at the forefront of many people’s minds! Whether your employees are in your physical office space or communicating during office hours while working remotely, it is likely that politics and the election will become a topic of conversation as employees interact. As these conversations can include polarizing opinions, it is smart for employers to have a strategy for handling political talk at work.
Political discussions in the workplace can have both a positive and negative impact. Political expression in the workplace can contribute to a culture that values diversity of thought and the overall well-being of employees. Friendly political talk can be a team-building skill and a morale-booster, especially when it’s done with compassion and a commitment to respecting differing viewpoints. However, if the political chatter doesn’t come from a place of mutual respect and an interest to learn from different viewpoints, or if it seems to be the only topic of conversation, it can create a negative and unwelcoming atmosphere. If left unaddressed, this could lead to lingering resentment that can affect work relationships and effectiveness. Or worse, some political discussion may lead to hostile comments surrounding gender, race or religious statements that could lead to harassment and discrimination claims.
Should I ban political discussions at work?
It’s probably not realistic to mandate that politics not be discussed at work. Particularly given all that’s going on in our country and the world, it can be hard to avoid the topic – even in a general sense. For example, it’s natural that team members may want to discuss local, state, or federal regulations surrounding social distancing during the COVID-19 pandemic. Imagine having to stifle that conversation every time it arose.
Additionally, banning political discussions may be considered discriminatory to some. According to the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), an employer may not interfere with political speech where there is a “direct nexus between employment-related concerns and the specific issues that are the subject of the advocacy.” The National Council of Nonprofits warns that not-for-profit organizations should be careful to maintain a non-partisan stance when dealing with the election or risk revocation of their tax-exemption status. However, this Business Journals article points out that “private sector employers generally retain the right to maintain a productive and non-hostile working environment.” With all of this in mind, employers can set expectations for behavior that will help to maintain a positive and respectful work environment.
Rather than trying to police every conversation, it may be more beneficial to set expectations for how to have respectful conversations – no matter what the subject. This SHRM article provides great suggestions on how to share political opinions without damaging work relationships. For example, it can be helpful to approach the conversation with an interest in learning from someone’s point of view rather than trying to change their opinion. Recognizing that everyone may not have the skills to do this effectively, consider providing training on how to discuss sensitive subjects and how to approach disagreement in civil and respectful ways.
We recommend that employers provide clear guidelines for how to discuss politics in the workplace and make the policy clear and easily accessible to the employees. This is a prime area to address in your employee handbook.
Ultimately, employers should stress the point that work comes first always. Everyone is still expected to meet their business objectives and to work together in an environment where employees can express themselves in a professional and respectful manner.
Having an employee handbook with policies and procedures that are easy to read and understand can help alleviate a lot of problems in the workplace. Not only do they set the stage for what is deemed inappropriate, but they can also provide guidelines for what is considered acceptable and expected behavior in your organization. Strategic HR can create, review, or augment your employee handbook. For more information, you can Request a Handbook Quote or visit our Employee Relations page to learn how we can help.
What Should I Consider Before Doing a Reduction in Force?
HR Question:
I may need to restructure my workforce as a result of the downturn in business activity. What should I consider from a fairness and legal standpoint?
HR Answer:
Determining the need for a Reduction in Force (RIF) is a challenging decision to make, but it is sometimes necessary to keep the business running in a positive way. According to the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), the definition of a RIF “occurs when changing priorities, budgetary constraints, or other business conditions require a company to abolish positions.”
Before moving forward with a RIF, we recommend that you thoroughly consider all of your options. Some states offer assistance to employers that may help them avert layoffs or receive early intervention to help the workforce impacted by a RIF. For example, Ohio Job and Family Services’ Office of Workforce Development offers a Rapid Response (RR) program that is funded by the U.S. Department of Labor. Services may include customized workshops, training, up-skilling, retooling, certifications or skill matching.
If you determine that your organization needs to move forward with a reduction in force, you should use a carefully planned approach. You will need to be aware of and adhere to state and federal regulations to ensure compliance throughout your process. This will help to protect your organization against employment litigation. It is also important to train your management staff on what they can and cannot do in the RIF process. This is a time to go back to the basics when it comes to managing your human resources and protecting your business.
8 Recommended Steps to Follow When Considering a Reduction in Force
1. Select the Employees for the Layoff
It’s important to determine an objective criteria process for your selection process. Consider factors such as criticality of the position to the business, seniority, performance review scores and any corrective action documents that may have been issued. This is the time that accurate and timely employee documentation throughout the year is important as it will play a big part in your selection process.
You will need to remind managers of the importance of using objective criteria in the selection process and not to make decisions based on who they like or dislike. You may also consider having a “no backfill for one year” rule to ensure the RIF is truly necessary and not a way for managers to “clean house.”
Once you have an initial list of employees to be laid off, you should apply steps 2 – 5 below to ensure that you are in compliance with state and federal regulations.
2. Avoid Adverse / Disparate Impact
According to SHRM, adverse or disparate impact refers to “employment practices that appear neutral but have a discriminatory effect on a protected group. Adverse impact may occur in hiring, promotion, training and development, transfer, layoff, and even performance appraisals.” For help in understanding and navigating this, check out SHRM’s toolkit to avoid adverse impact in employment practices.
3. Review Federal and State WARN Regulations
If an organization is contemplating a RIF or a layoff, there are several factors to take into consideration such as reviewing state and federal statutes, including the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act (WARN). WARN offers protection to workers and even communities by requiring employers to provide a 60-day notice in advance of a plant closing or what they deem as a mass layoff. This Act is only applicable to employers with 100 or more employees.
4. Review ADEA and OWBPA Regulations
You will need to comply with two federal regulations that offer protections based on age: ADEA and OWBPA.
The Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA), protects employees 40 years of age and older from discrimination on the basis of age in hiring, promotion, discharge, compensation, or terms, conditions or privileges of employment.
The Older Workers Benefit Protection Act (OWBPA) is an Act that amends the ADEA to clarify the protections given to older individuals in regard to employee benefit plans, and for other purposes.
5. Determine Severance Packages, Benefits Coverage, and Additional Services (if any)
As you develop severance packages, benefits coverage, and any other services that you will offer, you should review the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) to ensure compliance. ERISA is a federal law that sets minimum standards for most voluntarily established retirement and health plans in private industry to provide protection for individuals in these plans.
6. Train Supervisors and Managers
These individuals are your first-line of defense (and many times your biggest legal threat) when it comes to employees’ perception of company policies, procedures, and decisions. Although human resources would always like to be the ones to address employee concerns, your front-line managers and supervisors are doing it on a daily basis whether they want to be or not. They should be properly trained on how to handle employee concerns.
Some suggestions for supervisor/manager training include:
- Basic Discrimination Laws: Be sure supervisors and managers are aware of basic discrimination laws. Assist them with increased communication and employee relation skills so they are able to respectfully support company decisions and communicate with employees regarding their concerns or issues.
- Staying Compliant and Consistent: Ensure managers and supervisors are clearly aware of what they can and cannot do from a legal perspective. Those involved in the employment process should know and document the process used when restructuring or selecting employees for layoff, and then use it – consistently. A clear legally defendable (non-discriminatory) reason when selecting those who will be let go is the most important aspect of restructuring. In addition, managers and supervisors should be guided by human resources to ensure an appropriate message is being delivered when HR isn’t delivering it.
- How to Maintain Good Documentation:We all know that documentation is essential for a good legal defense, but also remember it can hurt as well. Train your staff on what good documentation looks like and what to avoid. Remind them that everything is subject to review in a lawsuit – employee warnings, performance evaluations, and even those simple notes we write down on a sticky note and throw in their file. Be aware of what you are putting down into writing and make sure it is objective and defendable.
7. Prepare for Reduction in Force Meetings
As you prepare for your layoff meetings, have a clear plan of what is going to be communicated, who is responsible for communicating the message, and how the message will be delivered both to those who are being directly impacted and those who will remain. It can be helpful to think through your anticipated frequently asked questions and prepare answers prior to your meetings.
8. Inform Your Workforce of the Layoffs
As you deliver the news of your reduction in force, remember that the golden rule still stands in employment – treat your employees the way you would like to be treated. Think about how you would prefer to be treated during these tough times when decisions are so difficult. Treat your employees with dignity and respect at all times. Provide notice of the layoff if it is reasonable, and provide some type of outplacement if you are able.
Be sure to listen to your employees as well. Employees are more likely to file a claim against employers when they feel like they are ignored or that their concerns are not addressed. Although your message may not always be what they want to hear – allow them to be heard and feel a part of the process.
Remember also, the RIF not only effects the person being released from his/her job, but also the remaining employees. There can be an emotional toll on those who remain, in addition to the impact it may have on their job duties as well. Be prepared to provide the resources and tools necessary to help your staff to stay engaged and do well through this difficult time of transition.
How to Handle Changes to Job Responsibilities
Moving forward, your next consideration is to have a plan about who will absorb each exited person’s job tasks. You should determine if this situation requires a long term solution or if you foresee returning to the prior structure again when the budget allows. Job descriptions for those positions affected by the lay-off will need to be reviewed to reflect changes to the responsibilities and functions of the position. Sometimes you may find the change has actually improved the position making it more efficient.
You may also want to consider a salary review for the positions affected. Since some individuals are now performing the functions of multiple positions, is a pay increase warranted and feasible?
Remember, the job description is based upon the position itself, not the individual performing the job. Make sure to get input from all relevant parties – supervisor and employee – when determining the final role of an impacted position.
In addition, we recommend that you consider cross-training employees on job tasks to be ready for these unforeseen times and to have coverage in the absence of employees when they are out of the office for personal reasons.
To ensure your compliance with all federal and state laws and regulations in the process of a reduction in force, we encourage you to consult with your attorney to review your plans before implementation. Be prepared with a plan and look at the strengths and weaknesses of your team so you are not caught off guard!
If your business is considering a reduction in force, the team at Strategic HR is available to help coach you through the process and decisions that will need to be made. We are here to help you through the tough times – just contact us.
Work-Life Balance Has Become Work-Life Integration
Let’s begin with the understanding that some people are going to hate this idea. Work-life integration? Work seeping into all areas of your life at all hours of the day sounds awful, right? Isn’t it already happening? It is likely that most of you thought about an upcoming deadline, had a great idea on that report you needed to finish, or thought about how to approach a coworker about an issue while binge-watching Netflix, right?
Work-life integration is happening whether you like it or not, and it has become a very important work style that allows us to successfully manage our workloads and our home. The key is embracing it correctly and managing it well, resulting in increased engagement and productivity for all involved.
What is Work-Life Integration?
So what is work-life integration? In the past, we commonly referred to work-life balance and stressed to employees the need to separate the two and maintain a balanced life. The idea ties closely to Dolly Parton’s “9 to 5” work reference where the buzzer rings at 5 p.m. and we go home. No work. No email checking. No after-hours phone calls. This was your time for friends and family. You work from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and check out for the evening.
Work-life integration on the other hand allows for an integration of work into your “life” activities and vice versa. For example, you could work from home from 6 a.m. until 8 a.m. at which time you stop and run the kids to school. You arrive at the office around 9 a.m. and work till Noon when you hit the gym for your spin class. Come back to the office around 2 p.m. and eat lunch at your desk. Pick up the kids from school at 4 p.m., run an errand, and cook dinner. Hop back on your laptop at 9 p.m. to finish up your work and check missed email. That is integration at its peak. According to UC Berkeley’s Haas School of Business, work-life integration is “an approach that creates more synergies between all areas that define ‘life’: work, home/family, community, personal well-being, and health.”
Today, the boundaries between work and home are incredibly blurry. It’s impossible to think that work doesn’t happen outside of 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and that “life” doesn’t happen during the hours of 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. To that end, integrating and blending the two worlds seems the most logical solution. But is it really doable? Not only is it doable, it is essential. In 2018, the Harvard Business Review conducted a study on workplace flexibility. In that study, 96% of employees said they need flexibility, yet only 47% reported having access to the types of flexibility they need — a gap of 53%.
Factors to Consider When Implementing Work-Life Integration
There are obviously many factors to consider in engaging in this type of culture and implementing such a program but here are some of the most important factors to consider:
- The job. The most important factor is if the job can allow for such a privilege. Work-life integration is not an option for some positions with limited flexibility. Nursing and those on machine assembly lines for example may not be viable candidates for this type of work style. Don’t just assume, however, that it won’t work. Be creative… even traditional 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. jobs may be able to be adapted.
- Company culture. If your company has never supported this type of integrated work style this may be a challenge. The best approach in combating this is showing the positive impact and letting the company know this kind of flexibility is worth the trouble. Flexibility in work is viewed as one of the top employee perks you can offer. Metlife’s Employee Benefit Trend Survey boasts that 31% of employees interested in “gig work” are interested because of the flexible schedule it offers. Offering an environment that mimics that type of schedule may meet a need for your staff. The results? Increases in productivity, retention, and the happiness factor!
- Managing the expectations. In many instances, management sees these types of programs as a potential for huge areas of abuse. We have all seen situations where this has occurred and the employee who takes advantage of flexible schedules. They are never available, delayed in returning calls and emails, and are more away than at work. For success, management must MANAGE this! Supervisors must keep an eye on performance and actively manage an individual’s work to make this successful. It may take some time to earn the trust but if the manager is keenly aware of the requirements of the job, active performance management will keep this in check. Don’t be afraid to discipline or tighten an employee’s schedule if the program isn’t working. Be clear that it is not a refusal to allow a flexible schedule, but rather their inability to complete work tasks that is the source of the change and try to correct the course. The benefit is a privilege, remind folks of that.
Successful work-life integration allows us to focus on more of a balance and smoothly transition from one to the other. Conference calls in the car during half-time of the game are doable. A vacation away while conferencing in for a client call can be done. No one enjoys the thought of returning from vacation with 300+ emails waiting for us. Integration will allow us to blend these essential parts of our lives and enjoy work and our home life without isolation. Embrace these ideas of integration to meet your company and personal needs.
The Importance of Boundaries
As with all great ideas, there are always words of caution. With work-life integration, it will be essential to maintain boundaries. Boundaries with integration? Isn’t that an oxymoron? Sort of. Always keep in mind that it can be very easy to allow work to creep into everything. It’s important to prioritize and look realistically at expectations and maintain boundaries. Turn the notifications off on your phone during certain hours. Allow the integration, but also allow the downtime. Work already bleeds into your home life in one way or another. Technology has allowed that. Our own desire for instant gratification and responses feed that. Allow it and take advantage of it by allowing yourself some ‘me’ time as well and truly turning off once in a while. Your body and mind will thank you.
Thank you to Patti Dunham, Director, HR Solutions and Lisa Degaro, HR Consultant, both with Strategic HR, for sharing their insights on work-life integration. If you have any questions or would like to share your comments, contact us at info@strategicHRinc.com.
In order to be competitive in both attracting and retaining top talent, organizations have to understand and be responsive to the needs of employees. Clark Schaefer Strategic HR can help you to survey your employees’ needs and put programs and policies in place that promote healthy, productive work environments. To learn more, visit our Employee Relations page.
Delegation – But I Don’t Want to Give Up Control!
Question:
Help! We are having some major issues with our managers delegating. They are either not delegating at all, therefore stressed, or they are delegating the wrong things to the wrong people. What guidance can I offer them?
Answer:
Delegation can be a tricky thing. When done right, it helps a manager to be more effective, allows employees to take on additional responsibility and expand their skill sets, and opens the door for additional opportunity for both. Handled improperly, it can wreak havoc in too many ways to count! A manager who is unable or unwilling to delegate may not be an effective manager, and they are denying themselves and their employees an opportunity.
Delegation is not without risks and challenges. Often, we hear, “How do I decide what to delegate?”; “It takes too long to explain it”; “I’ll just do it myself”; or “If someone else does it, it won’t be the way I like it.” All of these can be overcome with a little preparation. “Not delegating is straining your brain,” according to an article on SmallBizTrends.com. “CEOs who delegate have been shown to generate 33% more revenue than CEOs with low delegation skills.”
A key responsibility of managers is to develop their people. Delegation is a win/win in that area. The manager is showing a good employee that he/she is trusted with a little extra responsibility, as well as, providing a teaching opportunity for the employee. Yes, there is a small investment of time on the manager’s part, but it can pay off in the long run.
When delegating, there are a number of factors to consider:
- Which employee has the skill to complete, or at least the ability to understand, what needs to be done?
- Who will be impacted by delegating the task?
- What are the risks of delegating or not delegating?
When a manager is evaluating his/her workload, he/she should consider, “Is this the best use of my time?” Tasks to delegate may be training a new employee, evaluating status of tasks or following a defined process. Tasks that should not be delegated include employee coaching/discipline, tasks that have a financial impact or that may require advanced knowledge.
Lastly, some steps of successful delegation that are key include:
- Define the task
- Determine the training needs of the individual or team that you’ve selected
- Explain the “Why” – why is this task important and how does it impact the company?
- Establish the deliverable and the deadline – set expectations
- Communicate and check in
- Provide feedback
As a manager, you can’t do it all, and nor should you. The ability to delegate is a key skill to have to be an effective manager. The end result can be a highly functioning team and a more engaged workforce. A win/win for all.
Does your management team have the ability to delegate effectively? Have they ever been trained on how? Strategic HR can help. Contact us today to learning more about our training options.
Why Is Workplace Monitoring Necessary?
Question:
I just noticed that there are a number of cameras monitoring me in my workplace. I’m not sure why I never noticed it before but as I look around, there appears to be a number of “eyes in the sky”. Is this legal? It really makes me feel uncomfortable and I can’t believe they stoop so low to make sure I am working.
Answer:
The types of monitoring that employers are doing these days are numerous. Video cameras, GPS in cars, worksite/computer monitoring, telephone monitoring, video and audio recording, and wireless communications are just a few of the types of monitoring conducted in the workplace today. As technology expands, monitoring also expands well beyond what we traditionally think of regarding surveillance. You mention the “eyes in the sky” but have you ever considered that many employers are also reviewing social media accounts, medical / health insurance usage, and biometric screening – just to name a few. Although the types of monitoring employers do continue to expand, it is definitely not something new. ABC news estimates that 78% of employers do some type of monitoring in the workplace.
Regardless of the type of monitoring being done, it is important to note that most monitoring is not being done to “watch you” but rather to keep you (and their equipment, their reputation, their company) safe. There are laws in place both on the federal and state level that limit what types of monitoring can be done. Society for Human Resources Management provides an informational link to state laws regarding workplace (traditional surveillance) monitoring. Laws surrounding the other types of data monitoring continue to evolve.
Finally, it is important to note that most employers are very clear about monitoring in the workplace. Review your employee handbook, union contract, staff meeting discussions/memos, or even equipment stickers (computers) for notification that monitoring is being conducted. If the monitoring is making you feel uncomfortable, speak with your employer. There is most likely a legitimate reason as to why the monitoring is being conducted, so just ask. You may just learn that those devices are there to keep you safe and protect you, not for babysitting.
Having easy to read and understand policies and procedures can help alleviate a lot of problems in the workplace. Not only do they set the stage for what is deemed inappropriate, they can also provide guidelines for what is considered acceptable, and even expected, behavior. Strategic HR receives numerous requests to review and rewrite employee handbooks on a regular basis, especially with the number of recent federal guideline changes. If you haven’t updated your handbook in the last few years, now may be a good time. For more information on how we can help you with Employee Relations and employee handbooks, please visit our Employee Relations page.
Benefits of Using Employee Engagement Surveys
Question:
What is an employee engagement survey and why would our company need one?
Answer:
Employee engagement surveys are a great tool to have to help businesses get their employees involved and actively engaged in operations. Basically, it’s a survey that gives employees the opportunity to share their opinions on the business-related issues of their company to help improve business functionality. Surveys are often administered anonymously and cover topics such as operations, benefits, culture and satisfaction to name a few of the more common ones.
- The first step in conducting an employee survey is be sure the company is committed to taking action based on the input of the employees and to define what that action will be. Action may include telling employees their recommendations cannot be implemented because of certain factors (i.e. cost, time, resources). Responses will need to be sincere and honest and might include ways for employees to overcome any obstacles presented.
- The next step is to plan and construct the survey. There are many online tools and resources to help you create and administer an employee survey. Decide if you will want to have recipients answer questions anonymously. You’ll likely get a larger number of responses and higher quality input by allowing respondents to provide anonymous responses. Using a third party administrator or a highly trusted staff member can be critical to “selling” the anonymity of the survey. If promising secrecy, but sure the survey is conducted with the utmost of confidentiality and explain that in detail to participants.
- Finally determine a plan of action for your line of questioning. What are some trouble-spots in your company that you would like to explore and learn more about? Are you having high turnover? An increase in safety problems? Is productivity down or customer complaints up? Or are you trying to get a read on the pulse of your company and it’s culture? Pick the areas you can tackle and target questions that will help you get the information you need to move forward. Don’t tackle too much in one survey or you will lose employee interest and patience. Your questions can be canned or customized to your situation, long or short, choice-based or open-ended. If this is your first survey, we find even the basic questions can be helpful
- What do you like most about our organization?
- Why do you come to work every day here rather than for another company?
- What would you like to see improved at our organization?
- Would you recommend our organization to a friend as a good place to work? Why or why not?
Once the survey document is complete it’s time to administer the questionnaire. Some great online solutions include SurveyMethods and SurveyMonkey. Both offer various service levels of membership from free to paid access depending on the features you need for your survey. Both allow you to trial these tools to determine what level you need and to see the reporting features provided.
The survey results should help you make improvements and focus on strengths in your organization. You’ll find the feedback from employees will help with developing communications, recruiting techniques, benefits, and more. Employees who operate in the day-to-day of the business tend to have practical suggestions that may not be “huge” or “costly” to implement but can make a big impact. Overall outcomes can include increased safety, productivity, quality, profitability, lower turnover, and higher levels of customer satisfaction. Not to mention that by simply asking employees for their opinions it can heighten their engagement and give them a sense of satisfaction and worth. You’ll see even more value as you repeat the employee survey year after year to assess the improvements.
Has your organization become stagnant? Are you experiencing unusual turnover or employee discontent? Often the simple answer is to simply ASK your employees “what’s going on?” Strategic HR has worked with many organizations, of all sizes and in various industries, to help diagnosis engagement problems and determine the appropriate course of action. Whether it’s an employee survey, focus group, or face-to-face interviews, Strategic HR is your neutral third party solution for finding answers to your questions. Contact us today to find out how we can help you with your particular situation.
Attendance Point System Policy
Question:
We have an attendance point system policy for our nonexempt employees that gives points for each occurrence of absence. It feels like people have learned to “play” the system, either by missing multiple days in a row (which count as one occurrence) or always missing Mondays or Fridays. Do you have a suggestion on how to modify our policy so employees can’t take advantage of the system?
Answer:
Sounds like your attendance point system policy is in need of a few updates. Below are some suggestions that could be implemented to keep your attendance point system policy from being abused.
Evaluate Your Policy: We all want regular attendance from all employees because it has a direct impact on the productivity and success of a business. Sometimes what we create initially doesn’t always play out when implemented. Start by re-evaluating your policy and asking:
- What is the purpose of the policy, and
- What is the end result that it should accomplish?
- How specific is your policy?
- Does it cover the most common infractions (i.e. tardiness, early leave, excused absences, unexcused absences, no call/no show)?
In some cases a vague policy can give you flexibility, but it also can leave you in a lurch if someone takes advantage of it. Making a specific policy will help you manage expectations in the long-run. But, don’t get so specific you don’t have any wiggle room for the unexpected exception or even reprimand.
Require a Doctor’s Note: If an employee misses multiple days, require them to bring in a doctor’s excuse if they want the days to count as only one occurrence. If they do not provide a doctor’s slip (for themselves or a family member), the absence counts as an occurrence for each day missed. One caveat for these types of circumstances…don’t forget about FMLA (if applicable).
Add Specific Disciplinary Language: Review the verbiage of your policy and add or modify the verbiage to include some leniency for disciplinary action for attendance issues outside of the point system. Language such as: When an employee exhibits a pattern of absences (consistently missing a specific day of the week or the day before or after holidays or scheduled vacations) the performance is unacceptable. The Company can, at its sole discretion, address these absences outside of the point policy as performance discipline. Adding language similar to this may be able to help those individuals taking advantage of the program.
The Bottom Line: An attendance policy should be strict enough to allow the employer to discipline those employees whose absences cause problems, yet flexible enough that the employer does not have to terminate good employees who are absent infrequently.
Having easy to read and understand policies and procedures can help alleviate a lot of problems in the workplace. Not only do they set the stage for what is deemed inappropriate, they can also provide guidelines for what is considered acceptable, and even expected, behavior. Strategic HR receives numerous requests to review and rewrite employee handbooks on a regular basis, especially with the number of recent federal guideline changes. If you haven’t updated your handbook in the last few years, now may be a good time. For more information on how we can help you with your employee handbook, please visit our Employee Relations page.
Employee Engagement Ideas To Fit Any Budget
HR Question:
What are some fun and interesting ways to encourage employee engagement with my team that do not take tons of time or money?
HR Answer:
We spend so much of our time with our co-workers every week, and it is important to keep things exciting and to maintain open communication among the teams. Creating an engaging workforce isn’t just copying what other organizations do. We’d all love to be Disney or Southwest, but what they do fits their culture. Creating employee engagement with your employees will even vary from employee to employee.
A few ideas that don’t take a lot of time or money include:
- Promoting a collaborative work environment where each employee on the team takes the time to compliment each other on their accomplishments.
- “Shout Outs” in an employee newsletter to congratulate or thank another employee.
- Recognizing an employee that embodied a company value each week.
- Creating a kudos board in your break room.
- Taking team photos at random and display them on a wall in the office.
- Celebrating special milestones as they pass for each employee, showing them special recognition.
- Ensuring all employees have all of the resources they need to do their job. Providing the proper tools means more time for them to do great work.
- Getting out of the office and be social from time to time. Whether it is going out for happy hour or playing a game of soccer on a sunny day, it can really improve morale and strengthen the team.
- Doing volunteer work together. This is a great team building activity.
- Doing a team art project that requires the team work together to create one large piece of art to display in the office, that embodies the values of your organization.
- Allowing your employees time to work on personal projects and to collaborate during the day. This can lead to new innovations and establish a space for creativity and exchange.
- Quantum Workplace also gives 10 Low-Cost Employee Engagement Ideas that will fit just about any organization or budget.
The list could go on and on. The key is getting to know your employees even by asking simple questions like “What do you like most about working here; or What could we do different to make this an even better place to work?”
The important thing is to make employee engagement an ongoing project, set goals and clear objectives, make it fun and engaging, and monitor your progress regularly to see what’s working.
Would you like to find out how engaged your employees are? Strategic HR can help. We will create a custom survey to mirror your work environment and goals for the business, administer the survey as a neutral third party, and summarize the findings with recommendations for improvement. To learn more about our employee surveys, contact us now.
Are Holiday Gifts, Prizes or Parties Taxable Wages?
Question:
Are holiday gifts, prizes or parties taxable wages?
Answer:
With the holiday season approaching, organizations may find that individuals or groups who benefit from the organization’s services, desire to make year-end gifts to the organization’s employees for their loyal service.
Employee gifts in the form of cash or gift certificates/coupons, regardless of the amount, are always treated by the Internal Revenue Service as W-2 “wages” subject to withholding taxes. In the case of a gift certificate or coupon, the tax applies to the face value of the certificate/coupon.
An exception to this rule, known as de minimis fringe benefits that an employer gives to its employees, are not subject to income or payroll taxes. A de minimis fringe benefit is any property or service the value of which (after taking into account the frequency with which similar fringes are provided by the employer to its employees) is so small (typically under $50.00) as to make accounting for it unreasonable or administratively impracticable.
Disclaimer: The information in this Q&A is for general information purposes only. Tax issues are complicated and every situation is different, so you should consult your tax advisor or finance department before you do anything that could be a tax liability for employees or which might affect the deductibility of an employee gift.
Having good employee relations is key to effectively managing (and retaining) your workforce. Employees want to feel valued and may not perform up to standards, or stick around very long, if they don’t feel they are needed. Strategic HR understands the value of your workforce and having good Employee Relations. We’ve helped companies create reward and recognition programs and have coached managers on providing support and mentoring to their employees. Learn how we can help you with your Employee Relations needs by visiting our Employee Relations page.
Being Charged for Constructive Discharge
Question:
I just received a claim from the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission indicating a charge for constructive discharge. What does this mean? The employee resigned, I’m not sure what I’m being charged with.
Answer:
According to the EEOC, Constructive Discharge is when an employee feels forced to resign because the employer (or those in the workplace) have made the work environment so intolerable that a reasonable person would not be able to stay working. Constructive discharge alone is not grounds for a lawsuit alone, but it does open the door for a claim of discrimination and a resulting charge.
Some examples of constructive discharge are very obvious and employers should quickly be able to identify illegal activities making employees uncomfortable (verbal or physical threats for example). Other constructive discharge claims show less obvious conduct such as:
- Consistently assigning undesirable shifts or job duties,
- Treating the employee poorly in general, or
- Making a job difficult by withholding necessary information to do their job.
These three less obvious examples unfortunately happen all too often and we don’t realize it. It is important for HR, owners, and managers to be aware and of how actions could be perceived.
Do difficult situations with employees keep you awake at night? Strategic HR understands how conflicts with employees can make or break your day (or a good night’s sleep). Call us when you encounter a difficult situation – we can help coach your managers, suggest solutions or advise you on a specific problem. Learn more about our Employee Relations services by visiting our Employee Relations page.
Where Do They Fit In? Why Don’t My Employees Understand?
By Cathleen Snyder, SPHR, SHRM-SCP
We’ve been noticing this question coming up more and more, and many employers are asking us what to do about it:
“My employees don’t see how the way they act is a reflection of our company.”
“They don’t get it, that when they call off everyone on the team is impacted.”
“I shouldn’t have to have this conversation. They should just know!”
Guess what? The fact that you are having these issues means you do have to have this conversation.
Often, these issues are blamed on the millennial generation. The fact is, each of us has differing life experiences, based upon our family, where we were raised and any number of circumstances that impact who we are today. Along the way someone may or may not have discussed what is perceived as areas of basic courtesy and appropriate behavior. Perception of what that means can also differ.
More and more employers are finding themselves having to deal with disciplinary issues that arise from gaps in behavioral expectations, not to mention the frustrations to management and colleagues.
It’s time for employers and HR to be proactive in setting expectations for appropriate workplace behavior. This may include everything from timeliness, appropriate email etiquette, basic manners (yes, belching), and any other issues that you have experienced. I’m a firm believer that to rely on the premise of, “They should just know!” only leads to more frustrations all the way around. If no one has ever communicated expectations, how can employees be expected to know them and held accountable?
The key is to communicate what is expected in a way that is diplomatic, yet clear. For example, informing employees that the conference room walls can be thin. A belching contest while there is a conference call taking place next door, may be problematic. Or, that it’s inappropriate to text during a client meeting, or any meeting for that matter. Helping an employee to see that frequent call offs delays the project, and the increased cost involved as a result. We can’t assume that what we feel is obvious is to others.
Many of these expectations can be addressed in the employee handbook, but should also be reinforced throughout the employees’ lifespan. Don’t forget when presenting the information, to help connect the dots of why a particular behavior is so important. You’ve hired the best and brightest for your team. Once you’ve set these expectations and help them understand the reasoning, you can move on to focusing on what your business does best.
Cathleen Snyder, SPHR, SHRM-SCP is a Senior Human Resources Management Consultant and Director of Client Relations at Strategic HR (www.strategicHRinc.com). If you have any questions or would like to share your comments with Cathleen, contact her at Cathleen@strategicHRinc.com.
Making the Change Towards Corporate Social Responsibility in Your Organization
Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is a broad term for self-regulating oneself in terms of ethical responsibility and compliance. The term can refer to both internal and external activities that an organization can take part in to improve itself as well as the communities and environments in which it lives and works. Strategic human resources leaders should take an active role in Corporate Social Responsibility by linking the identified corporate initiatives with bonus programs, development plans, retention, not to mention recruiting. These identified initiatives can become measurable results for the entire organization.
Many organizations have taken the lead in these activities but some are slow to come to the table. Human Resources can take an active role, even in organizations that aren’t willing to step up and fully commit to the initiative. This can be done by either “selling the concept” to leaders or even simply implementing programs and activities that the HR department does have control over that support the Corporate Social Responsibility initiative.
The “sell” of these programs shouldn’t be a hard one but some organizations are still not interested in becoming committed to causes that they feel may not impact their bottom line. What these leaders do not see is that becoming socially aware and responsible helps the company’s bottom line. The impact on the organization’s public image and becoming an “employer of choice” because of these initiatives is immeasurable. Employees involved in companies that support CSR initiatives are more highly engaged and in many instances are retained longer. Even more evident are examples of the impact of “failed” Corporate Social Responsibilities. Think BP Oil and even more recent, Volkswagen. The price of these perceived “fails” in Corporate Social Responsibility can be very costly.
Even if you can’t make the “sell” and your company is not ready for a formal roll out of such a program, Human Resources can begin the steps in implementing policy and practices that support Corporate Social Responsibility. Things that could be done include:
- Creating a company culture that focuses on CSR. From job advertisements, to interviews, to time off practices, to reward programs…HR can drive a culture that focuses on social and environmental behaviors and rewards employees for those behaviors.
- Revising your organization’s code of conduct to include statements about commitment to socially responsible behaviors and environmental care and focus.
- Taking swift and appropriate action regarding employee behaviors that are not supportive of the CSR commitment. This can include discipline and even termination in extreme situations where there are clearly identified behaviors are not in support of ethically and socially responsible behaviors.
- Assuring your organization is adhering to environmental regulations and standards including safety and health initiatives. Be ahead of the curve with programs that are coming that encourage socially responsible and environmentally friendly activities.
- Creating time off and volunteer programs that support the idea of CSR. Provide employees with the flexibility to support local causes and support the initiatives, even of their own choice, that benefit the community or cause of their interest.
- Motivating, rewarding, and incenting employees for CSR behaviors that are demonstrated inside and outside of the organization.
- Working with other departments to assure Corporate Social Responsibility. This could include, for example, working with purchasing to assure vendors and suppliers are socially responsible, paying a living wage, treating workers and the environment appropriately, etc.
Regardless of Human Resources’ role in your organization, if you take the commitment to Corporate Social Responsibility seriously, you can make a difference that will begin to resonate with your entire organization. Small changes can lead to an organization that hopefully will take Corporate Social Responsibility seriously creating real and meaningful change in the organization, your community, and in the environment.
Thank you to Patti Dunham, MA, MBA, SPHR, SHRM-SCP for writing this article. Patti, our Director of HR Solutions, brings more than 20 years of experience providing HR expertise – learn more about Patti. If you have any questions or would like to share your comments or success stories, you can contact her at Patti@strategicHRinc.com.
Inappropriate Employee Behavior Outside of Work: What Can I Do?
Question:
Employees have come to me upset because a group of employees got “a little crazy” at a recent industry conference. The employees complaining shared that they felt like it made the company look bad since they had name tags on that included the company name. What can I do about this? Can I talk with them about their behavior?
Answer:
Yes, it would be an appropriate conversation with the group of employees to remind them of professional behavior when they are representing the company. Proudly wearing the company name on their name tag, they are still seen as representatives of the company, where clients and even possibly future recruits may have witnessed this behavior leaving an unfavorable impression.
As employers, we are very limited on what we can do regarding employee’s behavior outside of work. However, similar to social media, we do have the right to protect the company interests. If not already in place, it would be suggested to implement a Code of Conduct or Employee Ethics policy. This policy would state the company’s expectations of appropriate behavior from employees, even outside of work. The company can even go as far as to put restrictions on wearing company logoed clothing / hats outside of work. There are obvious downsides to this from a marketing perspective but when negative behavior takes the leading role, you don’t want the company name associated with it. Policies such as these provide a notice of expectation and allows the company to take disciplinary action if they feel it is necessary. Finally, be sure to frequently remind employees that when they are wearing anything with the company name of it, they are a representative of the company. If they wish to over-do-it in public, that is their choice, just don’t do it in our uniform.
One of the most difficult aspects of human resources management is dealing with people. Are you getting inundated with complaints about managers or employees that take you away from more pressing matters? Are you looking for an on-going solution to combat these issues? Strategic HR has years of experience in employment relations. Visit our Employee Relations page to learn how we can help you resolve some of your toughest ER problems.
Working Together Effectively After A Harassment Investigation
HR Question:
I have an employee that filed a complaint against their supervisor for alleged harassment. An investigation has been completed and it was determined that there was not harassment and the issue was resolved. I am very concerned about the employee and their supervisor being able to work effectively together in the future. What can I do to help them move forward after this situation?
HR Answer:
That is definitely a delicate situation and one that many organizations and employees must overcome at one time or another. It may seem easy in many instances to simply separate the two and move them to separate departments, but that is not always the best solution. Some other options to consider may be:
Coaching the Manager
Whether this manager did anything wrong or not, they will need one-on-one coaching and guidance on how to build and repair the relationship with the individual and possibly others in the department. The manager will need to work to regain credibility with the individual and the rest of the department.
Team Building for Groups
This can be in different forms. Team Building (you know…the rah rah kind to be build awareness and trust) or Team Development which is more about learning about others and their strengths. Both are great, but the latter helps us to work together as a team and appreciate others and their differences. You know…that annoying team member who blurts out everything they are thinking? Well…there is value in that. Team Development helps us understand that there is value in differences and also helps Mr./Mrs. Annoying understand how their actions can be irritating to others. All good lessons for the team.
Impactful de-brief after the investigation
How you communicate the results of the investigation to both parties can help or hurt the situation moving forward. Clearly dealing with the issues at hand and helping each person understand the behaviors and reactions and how to deal with them in the future (if they continue) is essential. Secondly, they must be sure to focus on the business at hand and understand who to speak with if things get uncomfortable. Until the dust settles, you may want to suggest they have a witness around when talking. Communication will be key, and that is challenging when your feelings are hurt.
Shake Out
Unfortunately, we’ve also seen many instances like this and the person claiming the harassment just elects to leave. This will depend on their reaction to the outcome and how strongly they felt you found AND how valuable they are for you to prevent this.
Regardless of what route you take, it will be essential to have open and clear communications with all parties in an effort to move past the situation.
At Strategic HR, we offer a variety of team building and team development programs targeted to help get teams back on track for success. Each program is customized to meet the team’s dynamics and needs. For more information on our Team Effectiveness Programs, click here.
Establishing a Uniform Policy
Question:
What are the pros and cons I should consider before establishing a uniform policy?
Answer:
Today, millions of employees wear corporate uniforms in the workplace. Whether it is to clearly exhibit a company logo, make it easier for customers to identify employees, or to develop a sense of unity among the staff, they have become increasingly prevalent in the workplace. Of course there are pros and cons to requiring this in the workplace and when considering implementing such a policy. Before you leap, consider these pros and cons.
Pros:
• Gets the employee into a professional mindset before starting his or her shift, thus improving employee performance.
• Employees are able to be easily identified by customers and other staff members. Some workplaces have different uniforms for the different levels of staff members making it easier to distinguish between those with specific responsibilities (managers, trainees, etc).
• Advertising: Uniforms give companies a chance to market their brand on clothing that employees wear; especially if the job requires employees to go out in public.
• Makes the employees feel like they are a part of a team which promotes good workplace morale.
Cons:
• Employee opposition: Some employees may not approve of the uniforms. This could affect job performance if he or she is not comfortable in the uniform.
• Expensive: The cost of supplying your employees can get pricey, especially if different uniforms are required for different seasons and asking employees to pay for them can be an employment deterrent.
• Advertising: In direct opposition to this being a “pro”, employees wearing uniform outside of business hours displaying poor behavior is not good advertising to have.
Whatever way you go, uniforms have pros and cons. Consider the pros and the cons before implementation. You may wish to offer a ‘compromise’. Consider a uniform that gives employees a chance to express their individuality, while still having a standard. For example, Target allows employees to wear their choice of an appropriate solid red top with khakis. This shows that the company appreciates the individual, while still maintaining a collective identity for its employees.
Having easy to read and understand policies and procedures can help alleviate a lot of problems in the workplace. Not only do they set the stage for what is deemed inappropriate, they can also provide guidelines for what is considered acceptable, and even expected, behavior. Strategic HR receives numerous requests to review and rewrite employee handbooks on a regular basis, especially with the number of recent federal guideline changes. If you haven’t updated your handbook in the last few years, now may be a good time. For more information on how we can help you with Employee Relations and employee handbooks, please visit our Employee Relations page.
Making A Drug Free Workplace Exception
Question:
We recently acquired a company. We are a drug free workplace and conducted drug screens across the entire workforce for the new company. One employee did not pass, however, he was a top performer and highly recommended by the management of the company we acquired. Our policy does say failure to pass the drug screen could result in ‘discipline up to and including termination’. Can we make an exception? If so, what do we need to do?
Answer:
Yes – it is fine to make an exception, but it is important to document that exception!! Plus, you’ll want to let the employee know you are giving him a second chance and encourage him to visit your EAP or a rehabilitation service. You will likely want to test the employee again but keep in mind it does take awhile to get certain drugs out of the body. It would be a good idea to wait at least 60 or even 90 days before retesting.
Do difficult situations with employees keep you awake at night? Strategic HR understands how conflicts with employees can make or break your day (or a good night’s sleep). Call us when you encounter a difficult situation – we can help coach your managers, suggest solutions or advise you on a specific problem. Learn more about our Employee Relations services by visiting our Employee Relations page.
Preventing A Hostile Environment
Question:
We’re hearing a lot about hostile work environments and bullying. What can we do to prevent a hostile work environment and harassment claims?
Answer:
Recent court decisions illustrate the need for employers to elevate all types of harassment to the list of important workplace issues. It is virtually impossible for employers to monitor or control all communications or workplace conduct especially with the increase in popularity of social networking sites (like Facebook or Twitter) and activities (blogging, etc.). However, there are some practical suggestions for preventing hostile work environment claims.
- Anti-Harassment Policy. Implement a policy that prohibits sexual harassment and harassment based on other protected classifications. It should specifically list the other protected classifications, including examples of the type of conduct that is prohibited by managers, supervisors, employees, customers, and third parties. Update your electronic communications policy to reflect new technological trends as well.
- Complaint Procedure. The policy must include a complaint procedure that provides for more than one option for filing a complaint so that an employee does not have to complain to a supervisor or other person who may be involved in the harassment. The policy should also contain a strong “anti-retaliation” statement, so employees will not hesitate to file a complaint and will feel confident in using the procedure.
- Distribution and Communication. Employers should distribute and communicate the policy to all employees, and the employees should be given an opportunity to ask questions. Each employee should be required to sign a verification acknowledging that the policy has been read and understood.
- Education. In addition to providing the employees the policy during their orientation, it is also helpful to provide periodic refresher information.
- Supervisor Training. Managers and supervisors are relied upon to be the “eyes and ears” of the company in case inappropriate conduct is taking place, so employers should carefully select individuals for these positions who will treat employees fairly and avoid inappropriate conduct. It is critical that supervisors receive additional training to educate them about their important role in preventing harassment in the workplace. Consider prohibiting management from “friending” other employees.
- Investigating a Complaint. Upon receipt of a complaint of harassment or when an employer has reason to believe that a potentially harassing situation has occurred, the employer must act promptly. The employer must investigate all complaints completely and objectively. Of course, the employee making a complaint should be notified as to the outcome of the investigation once a final decision has been made.
- Taking Appropriate Action. If the investigation results in a finding that harassment occurred, action must be taken so that the harassment is eliminated and does not reoccur. This may consist of disciplinary action including discharge, or other corrective action such as training.
You can never be 100% certain that a hostile situation won’t ever occur, but by putting the proper policies in place you can be sure that you are doing everything possible to help prevent it.
Having easy to read and understand policies and procedures can help alleviate a lot of problems in the workplace. Not only do they set the stage for what is deemed inappropriate, they can also provide guidelines for what is considered acceptable, and even expected, behavior. Strategic HR receives numerous requests to review and rewrite employee handbooks on a regular basis, especially with the number of recent federal guideline changes. If you haven’t updated your handbook in the last few years, now may be a good time. For more information on how we can help you with Employee Relations and employee handbooks, please visit our Employee Relations page.
The Advantages and Disadvantages of a “360” Feedback Process
by Linda Gravett, Ph.D., SPHR
Every Human Resource practitioner I talk with agrees with me on one thing: there is no such thing as a perfect feedback instrument and process. However, the “360” process, when planned and executed well, comes pretty close.
I’ve worked with organizations using this process for 12 years and observed some wonderful advantages to the “360” process… and some pitfalls. I’d like to share both in this article.
First, I want to clarify what I mean when I refer to the term, “360” feedback. This is a process in which an employee or manager receives feedback about his or her competencies from peers, supervisors, direct reports, and internal and external customers. It’s a complete picture of the impact one has on those with whom he or she interacts on a frequent basis. Many companies use a “180” feedback process instead, which allows for feedback from peers, the supervisor, and direct reports (if applicable).
Advantages to the “360” Process
Let’s face it: a supervisor can’t be there to observe all the interactions, strengths, and opportunities for improvement for direct reports, especially if the span of control is wide. So why should we expect the supervisor to be the only person to provide performance feedback? We shouldn’t.
A major advantage to the “360” process is that it provides an opportunity for all those people with whom a person comes into frequent contact to offer feedback. A caveat here is that the raters should be people that truly have observed an employee or manager on a frequent basis. It’s not fair to ask people for input that haven’t had a chance to observe someone’s skills, talents, and abilities on a regular basis.
When feedback comes from many sources, it’s more difficult for a person to brush aside constructive criticism and rationalize that “the boss just has it in for me”. If several people suggest that a manager needs to improve verbal communication skills, chances are high that this is indeed a necessary area for improvement.
Another advantage of the “360” process is that it is designed with a customer focus in mind. The customers can be internal or external. Unfortunately, it’s difficult for some employees to understand the impact their daily activities have on other individuals or departments within the company. However, if they receive direct and frequent feedback on how their behaviors affect others, employees are more likely to be attentive to deadlines and quality requirements. They learn how to make their company look good, not just themselves.
I recommend that “360” performance evaluations are coupled with competency-based job descriptions. When this occurs, an employee or manager is recruited based on core competencies for his or her position AND evaluated on those same competencies. In HR, we often hear this complaint: “My performance evaluation is not even remotely connected to my job description.” There should be a direct connection, and the “360” process can assure this happens. The core competencies, by the way, should be supportive of the company’s strategic objectives. In deriving these competencies, the company’s leadership must ask, “what skills, knowledge, and behaviors do we need across the organization to meet the challenges of our mission and vision”?
The “360” evaluation is particularly strong when coupled with an action plan developed by the person receiving feedback and shared with those who provided the feedback. This action plan demonstrates that the feedback was heard and that, assuming suggestions are reasonable, will be put to use as soon as possible.
Pitfalls in the “360” Process
If you’ve tried the “360” process in your company without success, it may be for some of the following reasons.
If allowed to do so, people might be tempted to ask their friends in the company to be the ones who receive feedback instruments. This would definitely tip the scales in their favor and help ensure that no negative comments are made. The process must be carefully designed to minimize the possibility that this handpicking doesn’t occur. I recommend that each person receiving feedback send the instrument to at least 10 people, and these people must be those with whom they interact on a frequent basis. Even if some of those people could possibly offer negative comments.
One significant pitfall I’ve observed is when companies send out “360” evaluations to raters without advance notice or information about how to use the instrument. When an organization decides to implement a “360” review process, two sets of employees and managers must be trained on how to effectively use the process: those receiving feedback and those offering feedback. Training should also include objectives of the process and the impact on the organization.
I strongly recommend that each person receiving feedback, especially for the first time in this process, has a coach to help assess the comments and ratings and to develop an action plan. The coach could be the same person who compiles the results and should be an external consultant or internal consultant from Human Resources. By the way, I also recommend that the instruments are anonymous and are sent directly to the person compiling the results. The person receiving the feedback should not see the instruments.
A Few Closing Thoughts
The “360” performance review process can be comprehensive, positive, and effective if time is devoted on the front end to design the process for maximum impact. The time is well worth taking.
Regardless of the type of performance management process your organization employs, I hope you’ll give serious consideration to developing companion competency-based job descriptions and evaluations. When competencies (or behaviors) are used, employees have a more concrete understanding of exactly why they aren’t meeting job requirements and what areas they need to improve upon to be successful in their work.
Dr. Linda Gravett, Ph.D., SPHR, is with Gravett & Associates (www.Gravett.com). If you have any questions or comments, you can contact Linda at Linda@Gravett.com.
Workplace Bullying
HR Question:
One of our employees is complaining that they are being bullied by a senior manager. What do we do or how should I coach the employee to handle the situation?
HR Answer:
Unfortunately, there is no law protecting an employee against bullying, UNLESS it turns into a hostile work environment protected by Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1967, and various other pieces of legislation. This would be the case, for example, if the senior manager is ONLY bullying female employees.
Bullying comes in many different forms – yelling, screaming, or using profanity, to more subtle manipulation or sabotaging of someone’s work. Like harassment, employees are encouraged to address the inappropriateness or uncomfortable feeling created by the behavior with the individual doing the bullying, of course maintaining their own level of professionalism. If that is ineffective and nothing changes, employees need to go to Human Resources.
HR then needs to decide if the culture is one to handle the situation directly with the manager or work with the manager’s boss to address. While this area has little legal support, some experts do recommend investigation of bullying complaints, if nothing else, to support a position of zero tolerance and promoting a positive work environment.
Unfortunately, bullying, even verbal yelling and/or abuse, will result in low morale for the employee and everyone else exposed to the bullying, which ultimately impacts productivity. It can cause stellar employees to leave for a better work environment. And, it could lead to a lawsuit for hostile work environment.
If the manager isn’t willing to change, your organization needs to decide to either take action or allow the situation play out and deal with the consequences.
During this week spotlighting “Freedom from Workplace Bullies”, let your employees know you support efforts to create a bully-free workplace.
Did you know that most employees leave their jobs because of their managers, not their employers? Are you having difficulties in your company that stem from employee-manager related issues? Strategic HR has years of experience in managing employment relations and coaching employees, and managers, on how to resolve conflicts. Visit our Employee Relations page to learn how we can help you resolve some of your toughest ER problems.
Impact Of Miscarriage On Leave
Question:
We had an employee request, and was granted, maternity leave under our leave policy. After the leave was granted, she had a miscarriage. How should this impact the maternity leave and how long should we allow her to be out?
Answer:
From a legal perspective, maternity leave falls under the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA), which allows eligible employees 12 weeks of job protected leave for the birth, adoption or placement of a child, the employee’s own serious health condition, or to care for a family member with a serious health condition. The above circumstance would most likely qualify as leave taken for the employee’s own serious health condition. To be covered, you will need to have the employee obtain certification from her health care provider. The length of time she takes for leave, up to the 12 weeks, may largely be determined by when her doctor releases her. Other benefit programs that may come into play in this situation could be short term disability and your Employee Assistance Plan, if you have either of these in place.
Be sure to review your Maternity Leave Policy to make sure it is in compliance with FMLA regulations. The Department of Labor (www.dol.gov) offers guidance for managing FMLA claims and our team at Strategic HR can also assist you with this and other compliance questions.
One of the stickiest aspects of human resources management is Employee Relations. Are you having difficulties in your company that stem from employee-employer related issues? Strategic HR has years of experience in employment relations and can help coach you through challenging employee relation issues. Visit our Employee Relations page to learn how we can help you resolve some of your toughest ER problems.
Should I be worrying about employee retention?
Question:
Should I really be worried about employee retention during economic downturns when unemployment numbers are so high?
Answer:
YES!!!
It is still a shock to the system when we give presentations to HR professionals and small business owners and ask “what are you doing about retention?” and we get these looks like “retention” why would I need to do anything about retention? And there is always someone in the crowd that announces out loud “we are all just lucky to even HAVE jobs”. Dare we repeat the recent survey results by the Harvard Business review that found 25% of the top performers at companies are saying that they plan to leave their companies within the next year?
Do you find that hard to believe? Better start believing it…it is a reality! We’ve had a number of managers call and report it is already happening to them. To make matters worse, managers feel their hands are tied because their companies are taking the defensive position ”let them quit and try to find another job someplace else”. Guess what? They did…and, the ones leaving WERE the top performers! Can you afford to lose your best employees?
So, to ask again “what are you doing about retention?” Yes, some people may be lucky to have a job, but in other cases YOU are lucky you have them as employees. It’s time to start treating your employees in a manner that shows they are indeed valuable. Your business may not be in the position to reinstate the salary you had to cut, give the raise you put off, or offer the 401k match you eliminated, but can you do some things to improve the work environment? Easy things, such as:
- Providing recognition for sticking with the company during these rough times.
- Sharing the plan of where an employee fits into the big picture going forward.
- Seeking the opinions of employees when it comes to helping the company move forward and grow.
- Setting and sharing some milestones for what it may take before an employee can see an increase in salary again.
- Asking what is important to the employee that keeps him/her at your company.
- Determining if you have the right people managing the employees to keep everyone motivated and excited about being a part of the company going forward.
- Doing things that differentiate between the good employees and the mediocre employees to show that it matters.
Turnover is expensive. It can cost your business as much as 50 – 150% of the annual salary of your lost employee. Can you afford that as your business recovers? What are you doing to manage your employees in the current economy to avoid losing your star performers?
Are daily HR issues interfering with your ability to focus on the strategic matters of your company? Do you find yourself at odds with the directives of the leadership team? Strategic HR knows how integral human resources is to the health of your organization and can assist you with HR strategy needs. Visit our HR Strategy page to learn how we can assist you with your strategy and help align your goals.
Performance Management: The Individual Strategic Plan
by Robin Throckmorton, MA, SPHR
Performance management has become an ever-increasing critical tool to success for businesses. Within the last year we have experienced both a booming economy as well as a recession; a historically low unemployment rate combined with massive layoffs and business closings. But the bottom line to all of this is people! AND, we are human and as such are typically much more productive when we have clear goals, expectations, and feedback.
“Would you tell me please, which way I ought to go from here?”
“That depends a good deal on where you want to get to,” said the Cat.
“I don’t much care where-” said Alice
“Then it doesn’t much matter which way you go,” said the Cat.
– from Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland
If you have had the opportunity to attend one of my strategic planning sessions, you’ve seen me use this quote in reference to developing a company or department’s strategic plan. But, a strategic plan is a waste of time and effort if it does not get communicated and tied to the performance of all employees through Individual Strategic Plans. Whether this is a formal process or informal process depends a great deal on your particular organization.
Let’s start with the informal process… If your organization can effectively communicate and link the strategic goals of the organization to each individual’s goals AND regularly provide feedback to an employee, then you may be able to succeed without a formal performance management tool. Even with an informal process, you will need to develop a system with specific checkpoints to be sure the communication is constant and two-way to ensure that the employee is on-track and getting both positive and constructive feedback in a timely manner.
If the world were perfect, I would encourage everyone to use an informal process; however, time seems to get the best of us. Without a formal process, goals are unclear at best, and feedback is rare. To facilitate a process that is successful for both the employee and the organization, a formal performance management system can “work for you.” A well-designed performance management system should make your job easier not more cumbersome.
To begin developing a system or any new program or initiative, I like to use Development Dimension International’s (DDI) six Checkpoints for Implementation:
- OUTCOMES — What results am I looking for?
- For your performance management system, you’ll need to think about what you hope to gain from the system. For example: increased productivity, improved retention, increased employee morale, and improved communications.
- BENEFITS — Why is this important? (Payoff — What’s in it for me?)
- Both the company and the employee need to know why they are doing this in order to feel ownership for the system. Your organization may see the benefits as some of the outcomes listed above, as well as a method for linking individual performance to the organization’s performance. Individuals may see it as a way to continue to develop and grow with the organization while adding value back to the company. Remember, growth opportunities and meaningful work are two of the top reasons employees leave their jobs.
- BARRIERS — What might prevent me from being successful?
- In order to ensure the success of your system, you need to anticipate any barriers and identify what you will do to prevent or minimize the impact of those barriers. Some examples may be: resistance to change, time constraints, or lack of management support.
- SUPPORT — What resources are available?
- You’ll need to clearly identify what resources or individuals are available to help you develop and implement the system. Once you have identified your resources, you’ll want to include them in the process as much as possible in order to obtain their buy-in and benefit from what they can offer. Some examples of support are: top management, employees, expert consults, other organizations, budget, and customer needs.
- APPROACH — What steps must I take to achieve my goals? (Be specific — who, when, duration, etc.)
- By identifying the outcomes, benefits, barriers, and supports, you will be better able to begin mapping out the approach for developing and implementing your performance management system. Some questions you may want to consider include:
- What exactly do you need formalized to help facilitate goal setting, feedback, and documentation?
- Many times organizations assume performance management is the evaluation at the end of the review period. However, an effective performance management system begins with the development of a performance plan at the BEGINNING of the evaluation period. This performance plan or individual strategic plan is a living document that may need updating throughout the plan year.In general, systems should include both competencies and goals. With most of my clients, we develop a group of core competencies or behaviors that mirror the values of the organization. Plus, we develop individualized goals for each employee that are tied to the goals of the business.There are many canned and customizable systems out there that can help you identify what you want to include in your system. To help you generate ideas, you may want to seek samples from other companies or resources (i.e. Performance Appraisals: A Collection of Samples by SHRM Information Center ~$35.00 or Performance Impact by KnowledgePoint). Be sure any piece of information you include on the form adds value rather than creates work for others. Plus, be sure the form is a tool not a rule!
- How often do you need to formally discuss goals and feedback versus informally?
- Like your business plan, a performance plan is a living document and the goals and feedback should be ongoing and constant. However, it often takes a formal get-together for this to actually happen. If your organization is not one to proactively meet throughout the plan year, then a formal meeting, even if short, should be arranged at least quarterly to ensure an employee is getting timely feedback and still supporting both their individual and the organization’s strategic plan(s). Plus, if you summarize this quarterly meeting your end of the year review will be a breeze.
- Who needs to be trained on performance management and coaching?
- We all could benefit from training on performance management and coaching. Even if you are the best manager, a refresher on performance management simply helps you continuously grow as a proactive manager. Formal training can also help ensure all managers are working with the same set of tools, including assistance with the seeming struggle about how to be a manager and a coach at the same time. Learning what has been successful and not successful with others will help everyone in the organization succeed.
- What will you do to involve both employees and management in the process?
- Employees and supervisors will not take the time for performance planning and reviews if management does not support it. Management has to realize the value added (i.e. increased productivity, improved morale, retention) of performance management and demonstrate their support of the system to all employees. This may require involving a key management player in the development and implementation of the system.Like management, employees will be more encouraged to take the feedback and direction of performance management seriously if they are involved with the development of the system. To do this, you can either survey employees to identify their needs or include them in a team tasked to evaluate and develop a program. COMMUNICATE!!!
- How will the system be tied to compensation?
- Of course, any system is going to be much more open and honest when there is little or no connection to pay. The catch is, that you need to have some way to measure employee performance, in order to provide performance based increases. You’ll need to develop a clear philosophy and supporting policy for merit increases. Because this will depend on your budget and values, each organization may have a totally different philosophy and policy on pay increases. By making this policy clear and communicating it up front, the link to compensation will have a better chance of being both objective and effective.
- What exactly do you need formalized to help facilitate goal setting, feedback, and documentation?
- By identifying the outcomes, benefits, barriers, and supports, you will be better able to begin mapping out the approach for developing and implementing your performance management system. Some questions you may want to consider include:
- EVALUATION — How will I know when I’ve reached my goal?
- Too often this last checkpoint in implementation is skipped. It is very important for you to constantly evaluate your program. Some ways you can do this is through focus groups, employee surveys, or interviewing management. The key is to schedule it and just do it!
Remember, you don’t want your employees feeling like Alice did in Alice in Wonderland. You need to be sure you are communicating the expectations and goals of the organization and tying them to each employee’s Individual Strategic Plan in order to realize success. Whether this is a formal or an informal process doesn’t matter as long as you are doing it!!
Robin Throckmorton, MA, SPHR, a Senior Human Resources Management Consultant is President of Strategic Human Resources, Inc. (www.strategicHRinc.com). If you have any questions, wish to share your comments, or your organization needs individualized help developing a successful performance management system, you can contact Robin at 513-697-9855 or Robin@strategicHRinc.com for more details.
Employee Engagement…From Beginning to End
By Patti Dunham, MA, MBA, SPHR and Debbie Hatke, MA, SPHR
Employee engagement; we’ve heard the term before and as HR professionals we know and we preach that “happy” employees are “productive” employees. But do we really understand engagement? Have we really tried to truly get employees engaged? Do we recognize, and act on the knowledge, that engagement starts well before the employee gets their first paycheck? Are we doing all that we can in every encounter we have with employees to make engagement a reality?
It goes without saying that human capital is the most important asset of every company. We have seen in a number of studies that employee engagement improves the bottom line in almost every instance and it is well worth all organizational efforts to actively engage employees. Helping employees understand the company’s direction and strategic goals, and the significance of their role in meeting those goals is essential. For employees to be committed to an organization and give 150%, they have to feel they have a stake in the company’s success.
Engagement occurs when adequately skilled employees are trained and provided with the appropriate information and tools to make level-appropriate decisions and can lead the organization in the direction of meeting its financial and strategic goals. Sound difficult to take on? It really isn’t. As with all huge projects we must undertake, it is important to break it down into more manageable pieces and success will follow.
Many programs have been created and implemented to introduce the concept of engagement to our employees, but what most of us have failed to do is to start that engagement well before the hire. Integrating employee engagement in the recruitment process is the best way to begin engagement in our organizations and is essential for long term success. Without the “right” hire for the “right” position, many of our other efforts are lost. Getting it right in the beginning is essential. So how do we accomplish this?
Creating and communicating an employment brand to employees.
A well integrated recruitment and selection process will help attract the strongest candidates. Employers who are able to quickly respond to candidates, provide them with feedback and find a way to sort through searchable information for those candidates who are not a match for the current position (but may be a match in a few months) are most successful. The ability to contact candidates quickly, and for them to contact you quickly, will allow you engage top talent and start off on the right foot.
Engaging On-boarding.
In a 2007 Watson Wyatt survey, employers who considered themselves as having a highly engaged workplace took an average of 35 weeks to bring a new hire up to speed. This compares with 15 weeks for companies that considered themselves to have lower levels of engagement. Is your organization spending time on the right activities when bringing employees on board? In addition to the typical on-boarding items, consider addressing the following.
- Explain to the employee WHY they were hired – truly WHY. What is their role and how does it fit in the organization? What do successes and failures look like in the role?
- Share with the new employee what it was about them that made them “the one”. Why did you choose this candidate? Help them understand what you valued in the individual so they can see what skills they have that can be most useful for the company.
- Provide the employee with a realistic job preview. No sugar-coating, please. New recruits must know the job as it is so they can consider their own skills, personality, and abilities to take on tasks necessary for success.
- Express your commitment to learning and development for the employee and the organization. Employees who feel employers are interested in helping them meet their personal goals are more loyal and engaged.
Engaging social networking.
Internal social networks can help your employees feel more connected. Many people use Facebook and Twitter to keep up with friends and colleagues outside of work. An internal network that allows the same type of interaction internally will allow employees to share knowledge, experiences, and interests online – a much more appealing way for some generations to interact, yet still allows employees to be involved and a part of the organization.
Employee engagement is essential and impacts your employees from well before employment all the way to resignation and/or retirement. There is a strong correlation between effective recruitment, on-boarding/integration, and the financial performance and success of a company. When addressed thoroughly, essential talent will be drawn to your company and quickly engaged. And once you reap the rewards you will easily see that engaged employees are well worth the effort.
Patti Dunham, MA, MBA, SPHR and Debbie Hatke, MA, SPHR are Senior Human Resources Management Consultants with Strategic Human Resources, Inc. (www.strategicHRinc.com). If you have questions or comments about this article, you can contact Debbie at Debbie@strategicHRinc.com and Patti at Patti@strategicHRinc.com.
How Employers Can Understand and Support Those With Eating Disorders
by Stephanie Pittman Sullivan, MA, PHR
What you don’t know may be hurting your employees and your bottom line. The prevalence of eating disorders is staggering. Employers may suspect an employee has an eating disorder but not know how to address the problem and be hesitant to do or say anything given today’s legal climate. To make matters worse, typically people who suffer from eating disorders are very secretive and defensive about their illness and the behaviors associated with the disorder. For example, sufferers may eat alone, wear baggy clothes, hide food, binge alone, purge in isolation, and lie about their eating habits. Severe eating disorders tend to pervade all aspects of the person’s daily life (Anderson et al., 2004). The person with a serious eating disorder is unable to leave his/her disease at the door when it is time to start working. This creates complex issues for the individual and management.
A study conducted by Self Magazine in conjunction with the University of North Carolina revealed that an estimated 1 out of 10 women have an eating disorder (anorexia or bulimia) and an additional 65% of women suffer from disordered eating. Disordered eating categories included; chronic dieters, binge eaters, calorie restrictors, food addicts and extreme exercisers. Eating disorders were present in women between the ages of 30 and 40 at the same rate as women in their 20’s. Many women reported spending time obsessing about food with 4% actually thinking about food most of their waking time. The number of men struggling with eating disorders is apparently on the rise as well. Researchers at Harvard University Medical School have new data suggesting that up to 25% of the people with eating disorders are male. Given the prevalence of eating disorders within the population, your company is likely to have employees with serious eating disorders that impact their health and productivity on the job.
The most commonly recognized eating disorders are anorexia, bulimia and binge eating disorder. In anorexia, the person severely restricts their caloric intake and may also exercise to burn off calories. The medical diagnosis for anorexia requires a weight loss that puts the person’s weight 20% below normal weight. Bulimia is marked by the behavior of consuming massive quantities of food followed by self-induced vomiting. Binge eaters consume large quantities of food but do not vomit. A binge eater may diet between binge episodes but remains overweight. Eating disorders can result in a myriad of medical issues. Anorexia can result in heart damage, kidney failure, adrenal failure, thyroid dysfunction, reproductive problems and death. The health risks of bulimia are perhaps even greater. Bulimic behavior can result in heart arrhythmia, esophageal rupture, electrolyte imbalances, dehydration, kidney failure, destruction of tooth enamel, and immediate death. Binge eating disorders often lead to obesity, which increases the risk for diabetes, heart disease, and many other health problems. Eating disorders have the highest mortality rate of all mental illnesses. In addition, the psychological effects of eating disorders can be very damaging.
You might be thinking – so what? Some eating disorders are mild and have little or no impact on job performance. In more severe cases, there is a loss in productivity. The quantity and quality of the work is diminished. The person with a severe eating disorder may experience cognitive and physical difficulties. For example, it is common for anorexics to have reduced physical strength and stamina. They also have difficulty with concentration, memory, staying on task and problem solving. Bulimics and binge eaters may experience disruption in thought processes and difficulty with memory. Those that severely restrict calories between binges may have more serious cognitive difficulties. Preoccupation with food, dieting, and weight are pervasive in all eating disorders. At times the disorder can be so consuming that the person misses deadlines, meetings, or is absent from the job. This is just one reason why it should matter to you!
The Legal Framework:
The litigation surrounding privacy, disability and discrimination make dealing with employee issues more complicated than ever before. Eating disorders are being scrutinized under the ADA and Rehabilitation acts. Recent court decisions have established that an eating disorder may qualify as a disability under the Americans with Disabilities Act depending on the severity, duration and limitations resulting from the disorder.
The Federal Regulations instruct the courts to examine the “nature and severity of the impairment”, the duration or expected duration of the impairment and the permanent or long term impact of or resulting from the impairment” when determining disability. In Toyota Motor Mfg. V. Williams 534 U.S. 184,197 (2002) the Supreme Court interpreted the ADA to include major life activities involved in caring for one’s self. The court stated that to be “substantially limiting the impairment must prevent or severely restrict the individuals’ ability to perform the major life activities alleged.” This case broadened the scope of what was considered in establishing a disability under the ADA. The court stated that “When addressing the major life activity of performing manual tasks, the central inquiry must be whether the claimant is unable to perform the variety of tasks central to most people’s daily lives, not whether the claimant is unable to perform the tasks associated with her specific job.” This landmark decision broadens the scope of inquiry to include activities outside of work in determining whether a person has a disability.
The case of Shalbert v. Marcincin, D.M.D., M.S. (no. 04-5116, 2005) provides insight into the court’s perception of how eating disorders would be covered disabilities under the ADA. The Third Circuit Court acknowledged prior court decisions holding that eating is a major life activity within the ADA statute (Fiscus v. Wal-Mart Stores. 385 F.3d378, 2004, review cases Laweson v. CSX Transportation, Inc. F.3d916, 923 (7th Circuit 2001).
In this case, Ms. Shalbert’s eating disorder was episodic and therefore the evidence failed to meet the standard of being sufficiently severe, permanent, or long-term to qualify as a disability as defined by the ADA. The court stated that “While eating disorders can substantially limit major life activities, [plaintiffs] have not presented evidence that their eating disorder has that effect.” The ADA is applied to eating disorders on a case-by-case basis. The courts are considering the severity, duration and coinciding physical and mental illnesses. The ADA, therefore, requires employers to do an individual assessment for each employee claiming a disability and requesting accommodation.
The EEOC has demonstrated its interpretation of the law regarding persons with disabilities to include people with eating disorders. The EEOC found the Social Security Administration in violation of the Rehabilitation Act for failing to accommodate a person with an eating disorder. In the case, Rowlette v. Social Security Administration, EEOC Appeal No. 01A10816 (Aug. 1, 2003) ” Complainant, a claims examiner with stress-induced eating disorder, could no longer perform an essential function of her job (interviewing members of the public). Agency violated Rehabilitation Act by terminating complainant instead of reassigning her to another available position.”
What can or should an employer do?
The ADA and Rehabilitation Acts prohibit discrimination against a person with a disability in hiring, employment benefits and privileges of employment. The Federal Regulations instruct the courts and employers to examine the “nature and severity of the impairment, the duration or expected duration of the impairment and the permanent or long term impact of or resulting from the impairment”.
Since eating disorders involve private rather than public behavior, assessment can be difficult. If there have been several illnesses or incidents at work (passing out, vomiting, fatigue) you can let the employee know that you are concerned for their health and encourage them to visit their physician. Encourage voluntary participation in a wellness program or Employee assistance program. You should not tell them that you think they have an eating disorder as this may be incorrect and will put you under ADA scrutiny under the “regarded as disabled” clause.
As an employer, your primary focus must remain on job performance and any problems must be addressed directly as with any other employee. Document attendance, work product quality or quantity, including the ability to meet deadlines or performance goals and other observable behavior that causes you to take action or interferes with work productivity. The ability to point to specific areas where there have been changes or problems in job performance can be used to start meaningful dialogue. Be very clear about your expectations for job performance. Set a deadline for improvement and make sure you continue to document performance and meet with the employee periodically to follow up.
Remind the employee that the EAP is available and encouraged if they are having personal problems that are affecting work. You can ask the employee why they think their performance has declined. You can also ask if there is anything they need from the company in order to perform job tasks effectively. The employee may or may not offer any information, but if you suspect an eating disorder you have offered support and informed the employee that their work is being affected by the illness.
As an employer, you are obligated by the ADA to engage in meaningful dialogue regarding reasonable accommodations for a person with a disability. Eating disorders are not static and symptoms may change or fluctuate for many years. It is therefore, important to reassess needs periodically. Communicate with health care providers at predetermined intervals to ensure that the company is making reasonable efforts to keep the employee as part of the productive workforce while encouraging recovery. You may also request the physician evaluate the person’s ability to safety perform job duties. As an employer, you have the right to ensure the safety of employees and others in the work environment. In cases of extreme anorexia, it may be necessary to remove the person from job duties that pose safety risks. You must document the facts that lead to the decision to remove duties. Specifically, the information received from physicians and any work incidents that suggest that there is a reasonable probability of a materially enhanced risk of substantial harm to the health and /or safety of the individuals or others that cannot be eliminated or reduced by a reasonable accommodation.
Accommodations for people with eating disorders are typically not difficult or expensive. The following are some examples of reasonable accommodations:
- Flexible leave for doctor’s appointments
- Allowing a heater in the office
- Permitting breaks for the person to eat small meals
- Flexible scheduling
- Modified job duties
- Ergonomic chair or extra padding
- Allowing telephone calls to support persons
- Open door policy to supervisor
- Reduction in physical exertion
- Allowing work from home
- Providing mechanical assists or lifting aids
Document all of the steps in the disability management process. In the event that a disability discrimination charge is made, your documentation will be your best defense in showing that you have made a “good faith effort” as required by the ADA. It will also help you to follow up appropriately, share information as needed, and clarify the process for the employee.
Depending on the severity of the case as documented by the medical professional, eating disorders may qualify as serious medical conditions under the Family and Medical Leave Act. In many cases, treatment of eating disorders qualifies for leave under the FMLA. The employee may qualify for up to 90 days of leave to receive treatment. Leave may be used intermittently for doctor’s appointments or other treatment (nutritionist, counselor). Employees may have family members with eating disorders and request leave under the FMLA to care for the family member. The stress of having a family member with an eating disorder can also interfere with job performance. Be sure to remind these employees of the services available for support. In addition, many persons with eating disorders have additional psychiatric problems such as anxiety disorders, personality disorders and depression (Milos, Spindler, Buddleberg and Crameri,2003)
Helpful Hints:
- Become familiar with your company’s health plan benefits for treatment of eating disorders. Many health plans provide limited or no coverage for in patient treatment of eating disorders. You can assist the employee in determining what treatment options are covered by your plan.
- If your company has an Employee Assistance Program, request information on eating disorders. Ask for additional resources in your area. Many communities have support groups and educational materials available at no cost.
- Offer free lunch and learn sessions from a nutritionist. This can help people with eating disorders to learn about their body’s real needs versus all the information on dieting. It can be helpful for prevention as well.
- When an employee reveals their eating disorder; listen, offer support, and acknowledge their pain and suffering. Let them know they are valuable. Offer resources. “You are such a talented ____ and have such a great _____, the company really values your contributions and we would like to support you in your recovery. It sounds like you are having a hard time getting out of this destructive pattern of behavior, you aren’t alone and our EAP would be happy to help you find appropriate treatment.”
- Bulimics and binge – eaters often feel ashamed and embarrassed by their overeating and/or subsequent purging. It is important to approach any type of eating disorder with a non-judgmental tone.
- Do NOT focus on food or weight. These are merely symptoms of the underlying problems. You want to stay away from any discussions about calories, what the person ate etc… This is not helpful to the person.
- Disclosure of the illness must be limited to supervisors and managers on a need to know basis. Offer information on the illness to the direct supervisor. Instruct the supervisor to inform Human Resources if he/she witnesses signs of the condition worsening.
- Offer healthy food options at meetings and training sessions. Typically people with eating disorders will have less difficulty eating foods that are low in calories and fat. Instead of donuts or chips, try serving fruit, whole grain bagels, vegetable trays and pretzels.
Unfortunately, the statistical outcomes of treatment programs are not very good, reporting only a 20% rate of full recovery. Early treatment intervention improves the likelihood of a full recovery. Many people continue to struggle with some form of eating disorder for many years. Interestingly, many people treated for anorexia go on to develop bulimia. If you have an employee who regains weight after treatment for anorexia, do not assume that the problem is resolved. The symptoms may merely have changed.
Eating disorders have become widespread in our society. Human resource professionals need to familiarize themselves with these illnesses, how they may affect their workforce and productivity, and how the courts are applying existing employment laws to cases in which the employee has an eating disorder. Managers should receive training in how to appropriately and legally deal with these issues in order to increase the productivity of the organization. While employers certainly cannot eliminate eating disorders, they can take steps to encourage a healthy diet and exercise regime through wellness programs and their employee assistance program. With the rising cost of health care, it only makes good business sense to be proactive in creating a culture of health and encouraging early treatment for eating disorders.
There is very limited data on how the prevalence of eating disorders is affecting the workplace. Information is anecdotal and sparse. For example:
- An employer reports having an employee who began “fainting at work, and sometimes missing work altogether. She was also appearing not to hear instructions and other verbal communications altogether. She had become extremely thin and in fact once tripped over her drooping pants legs while walking down the hall. After several discussions she finally admitted to me that she had not eaten anything for nine weeks. This employee eventually returned to work, but only after being on both STD and LTD leaves (both of which were approved by the providers).”
- “Our reliable accounting assistant started missing work, seemed to have difficulty concentrating and was making errors. I didn’t realize our accounting assistant was starving herself until she was well below normal weight. When I spoke to her, she told me she had been dieting and that she was significantly overweight when her quest for thinness began a year ago. The problem was, she was significantly underweight at 90 some pounds. She was having difficulty sleeping. She had begun to have blackouts and days that she couldn’t get out of bed. She was cold all the time and it hurt her to sit on hard surfaces. She was having trouble in school because she could not focus on her studies. She said she was thinking about seeing a doctor because she was a little scared because she had been having blackouts. She was afraid to tell the doctor about her dieting because she didn’t want to go back to being fat. I was able to convince her to call her doctor immediately. She was dehydrated and 80% below normal body weight. The doctor shared information with her about the eating disorders, the health risks and the treatment options. He recommended treatment professionals and insisted she work with a dietician and have weekly visits to check her weight and health status. She began treatment but was hospitalized a month later because she had lost more weight. She returned to work 6 weeks later. She needed accommodations to help her continue in recovery. She had weekly appointments with therapist, nutritionist, and her doctor. She also needed additional breaks to eat small snacks. She was unable to eat large meals so it was important that she eat frequently. We purchased a cushion for her chair. She used a small heater in her office. She gained weight and her energy level improved. Most of the accommodations were no longer necessary. Her job performance was flawless. She left a year later to go to graduate school.”
- Professional sales person claims to be on sales calls while actually going to the gym. This person had panic attacks after eating and would leave work to vomit.
- Employee at large natural foods store binges while restocking and cleaning up aisles. She steals up to $20.00 a day in food. She misses work after “bad binge days”.
- Reporter misses important interview for national publication because she stopped at bakeries to binge on donuts while on her way to the meeting.
Examples of accommodation:
- A waitress with anorexia was allowed to leave when business slowed down in the evenings. Although the rule was that food purchased at an employee discount must be eaten on the premises, the owners permitted her to take her meals home since she had difficulty eating in public.
- A business professional started work at 9:00 am rather than 8:00 am while physically adapting to a new medication that increased drowsiness. She had chair cushions for her chair and a space heater in her office. She used intermittent FMLA to go for outpatient treatment. She also left work early on Wednesdays to attend a support group.
- An accommodation that enabled: An employee was permitted to come into work as late as 10:30 am so she could exercise in the morning. Although the employer was well intentioned, this enabled the person to keep the eating disorder as the priority in her life while the business suffered.
In addition to changes in weight, there are other warning signs you may notice such as:
- Eating behaviors:
- The person skips meals or takes only tiny portions
- Avoids fat in foods
- Drinks diet soda, cofee and water exclusively
- Hides or hoards food
- Eats very large quantities or has meticulous rituals around eating
- Physical symptoms:
- Weight loss is a sign of anorexia
- Weight changes may or may not be seen in people with bulimia
- Binge Eating Disorder typically results in a higher than normal weight
- Bulimic individuals may have the following symptoms on top of weight difference:
- Redness round the Eyes
- Swollen Glands and/or Face
- Lacerations on the Knuckles and Fingers
- Dark Circles under the Eyes
- Tooth Decay
- NOTE: Be aware that there are many reasons why a person may have weight changes or be out of the normal weight range. Do not assume that because someone is over or under weight that they have an eating disorder.
- Other behaviors:
- Frequent Bathroom Trips
- Increased Tardiness or Absenteeism
- Having Difficulty Concentrating
- Compulsive Behavior
- Stealing Food or Money to Buy Food
- Excessive Exercise
- Wearing Baggy Cloths
- Complaining of being Fat
- Mood Swings
- Depression and Avoidance of Food
- More uncommon symptoms that may occur are:
- Frequent Detist Trips
- Exercise or Sports Injuries
- Certain occupations tend to attract people with eating disorders. Some typical job types where there is a higher incidence of eating disorders include:
- Modeling
- Dancers
- Food Industry Professionals
- Fitness Professionals
- Actors
Additional Information and Resources:
Stephanie Sullivan Pittman, MA, PHR is an independent consultant that has worked with Strategic HR. If you’d like additional real live examples with suggested accommodations, you may contact us at info@strategicHRinc.com.
Excessive Absenteeism
Question:
I have an employee with excessive absenteeism and tardiness due to her pregnancy. She has been with the company less than eight months. Per her physician’s request she has been asked to stop working and has asked us for a leave of absence for six to eight months. The company can not afford to hold this position for such a long time. What are our legal obligations?
Answer:
Since each State has different State-specific laws, we’ll address your question from a federal perspective. You should also confirm your obligations with your respective State as they could be more restrictive.
From a federal viewpoint, you should be concerned with the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) and Pregnancy Act. Because this employee has not been employed an entire year, she is not eligible for FMLA protection. The Pregnancy Act only requires that you provide the employee the same treatment provided others with medical disabilities. So, as long as you are treating her equal to other employees with a short-term disability, you do not need to hold her position. The real issue to be addressed is her absence not her pregnancy.
Based on the limited information you have shared, unless your State has different laws, it appears your company has no obligation to hold the position for the employee.
Do difficult situations with employees keep you awake at night? Strategic HR understands how conflicts with employees can make or break your day (or a good night’s sleep). Call us when you encounter a difficult situation – we can help coach your managers, suggest solutions or advise you on a specific problem. Learn more about our Employee Relations services by visiting our Employee Relations page.
