HR to Go

August 2007

Make Time to Network with your Staff As a manager, it's easy to get so caught up in your administrative duties and personal projects that you overlook a primary rule of management: Keep in touch with employees. It takes time and effort, but it's the only way to build and maintain an effective, balanced workforce. Here are three easy ways to network with your employees: 1. Walk around. Take to the halls. Talk to people along the way. Visit employees in their offices or at their workstations. Respond to their phone messages or emails in person. There is no substitute for face-to-face contact in building a trusting and familial atmosphere in the workplace. 2. Join company sports teams. By immersing yourself in the camaraderie endemic of company sports teams, you'll be associated with the can-do spirit on the field, as well as in the office. Plus, many employees are more apt to discuss problems, concerns and ideas with you when away from the formality of the office. 3. Join committees. Whether it's an employee committee forming to redecorate the snack lounge or to plan the holiday party, join it. Employees will realize you're not only interested, but are opening up a new conduit for feedback of any nature.

The 5 Major Time Wasters
No matter what your company's policy is on absenteeism, use this five-step plan to deal with it in a fair and agreeable way:

Spreading yourself too thin by trying to do too many things at once. Suggestion: You must set priorities for each day and, if necessary, each hour. Get the most important things done first.
Being afraid to delegate. Suggestion: Convince yourself that it's not necessary to do everything yourself. You can still be certain things are being done the way you want them to be done when you delegate.
Not wanting to say "no" to requests. Suggestion: You can't say "yes" to everything without getting in over your head. Decide what you must do - and want to do - and say "no" to all other requests.
Being tied to the phone. Suggestion: Have others screen your calls. Use voicemail when you don't want to be disturbed. Schedule a telephone hour to return calls.
Procrastinating. Suggestion: Get those unpleasant chores done first - if they're important. Divide large tasks not smaller ones. Reward yourself when you accomplish something.

Show Your Appreciation
You can snuff out employee's burnout by showing your team that you appreciate their hard work and understand that conditions aren't always ideal. Here are some ideas:

Consider taking your team out for a special lunch in a limousine.

Give everyone a break with an occasional "recess" during the workday. Let everyone relax and enjoy pizza, ice cream, or some other treat while enjoying other employee's company for 30 minutes or so.

Recognize employee anniversaries and other special occasions with a card from the boss including a note of appreciation for the employee's work and a gift card for the employee to use on something unrelated to the job - a restaurant, bookstore, or mall.

Staying Safe on the Legal Ledge
Properly documenting employee behavior and performance is a crucial part of your job as a supervisor. Here are some tips for keeping your paperwork tasks manageable and legal.

Don't embellish. Just stick to the facts when completing disciplinary forms. You'll need to provide a description of the issue you're documenting, but don't let your emotions creep into your account.

Don't procrastinate. Documentation written long after the fact looks suspicious in a courtroom. Prompt documentation shows that you diligently monitor employees and don't manufacture paperwork at the eleventh hour to support your version of events.

Don't neglect follow-up. When you document that improvement is expected by a certain date or goals should be met by a certain time, follow up to make sure the requirements have been met and then document the results.

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