January 2016

 

Hello and Happy New Year!  With the start of the new year, we are making some changes that we'd like to share with you.  We've updated our newsletter format so that each month we focus on two of our four services areas providing a Q&A relevant to the topic. This month we look at HR Advisory Services and HR Services for Federal Contractors.  Please check it out!    

In addition, our main article discusses the HR foundations your company needs to have implemented to obtain, support, and maintain a strong workforce.  Each of these areas, whether simple or complex, is necessary for a growing business.  We at HR Strategy Group, LLC can provide comprehensive or adhoc services in any and all of these areas.  Let us know if there is any way we can support you.  
 
Best,
   
Amy Polefrone, MPA, SPHR, SHRM-SCP
410-505-8723
HR Foundations for a Strong Workforce

Every growing business requires a foundation on which you can build a strong workforce - and thus, a robust and solid company.  This base is made up of several different aspects including:

 
Employment Handbook - Every employer with staff needs one - to spell out expectations on behaviors, to ensure consistent treatment of all staff, and to protect the organization in situations where issues reach the level of claims and lawsuits.  Ensure that your handbook is up-to-date and compliant with state and federal regulations.  Distribute it to new employees on their first day of work and provide updates to all employees as policies or regulations change. 

 
Position Descriptions - These are not only necessary in job recruiting but they also provide a road map for employees on job responsibilities & expectations, reporting relationships, and work conditions.  A strong description can cover several areas including performance requirements, rewards and recognition, compensation, training and employee development.  

 
Performance Management - This building block includes more than simply delivering timely and specific performance feedback.  It provides the opportunity to discuss personal, department and company goals and how they interrelate.  It offers a chance to provide rewards and recognition and also formulate and manage career development and training needs.  It can help focus on the desired business results, engage your staff and re-enforce a continual learning environment. 

 
Employee Relations - Another critical piece of your foundation covers answering your employees' questions on a variety of topics as well as helping you as a manager deal with your "problem" staff member.  In successfully managing these relationships, you enhance employee satisfaction, promote communications and help to smooth out your business environment for increased productivity.

 
Career Development - Your most valuable asset is your staff so ensure they understand their path for growth and development in your organization.  This is key for employee retention as well as for "selling" your business in job recruitment discussions.  Investing in your employees will ultimately result in increased productivity and bottom line growth while letting your staff know how much you value them.

 
Benefits and Compensation - Payment for work completed (paycheck and otherwise) plus the "extras" provided through compensation packages equate to your biggest leverage in finding and maintaining high quality employees.  With a strong benefits and compensation program you have a stronger likelihood of reducing job turnover, increasing job satisfaction and enhancing employee motivation.

 
Recruiting and Hiring - As noted all along, your employees are your biggest resource and you need effective plans and procedures in place for finding and obtaining top notch staff. The proper process will help you put the right person with the right skills in the right position - - ultimately reducing turnover.  This practice will also help you instill your company goals, personality and vision into the newest members of your organization.

Ensure you address all of these building blocks that support your organization.

HR Advisory Services
High-level HR expertise including employment handbooks, appraisals, compensation and much more.

HRadvisoryservices"I have an employee who smokes during breaks and the smell annoys our other employees.  What can I do?"  A touchy subject but necessary to address.  The following verbiage can be included in your Smoke-Free Workplace Policy:

For the health of our employees, doctors, and patients, XYZ is a smoke-free and tobacco-free environment.  Use of tobacco products is expressly prohibited anywhere in or near the premises of XYZ.  This includes waiting rooms, break/lunch rooms, and other areas in the office building.  Additionally, employees should recognize that smoking on personal time can affect negatively personal hygiene and can be offensive and bothersome to our patients, doctors, and fellow employees.  Therefore, employees who use tobacco products should take measures to ensure that tobacco and smoke-related odors should be removed from their persons/uniforms prior to reporting to work.  Should any tobacco- or smoke-related odor persist, the employee shall be sent home without pay to remove the odor.  

This also can be adapted to address employees who suffer from body odor issues.  
HR Services for Federal Contractors
Helping federal contractors be successful by addressing their specific HR needs.

HRservicesforfederalcontractors"I am a Federal Contractor.  Do I need an affirmative action plan?"  Every Government contractor with 50 or more employees and $50,000 or more in government contracts is required to develop a written affirmative action plan (AAP) for each of its establishments. The Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP), which is part of the United States Department of Labor, enforces these requirements. An AAP helps the contractor identify and analyze potential problems in their workforce in regards to hiring, promoting and terminating minorities, women, individuals with disabilities and veterans. Expanded efforts in outreach, recruitment and training are some of the steps contractors can take to help members of the protected groups compete for jobs on equal footing with other applicants and employees.


OUR MISSION
  
HR Strategy Group, LLC knows that business owners and executives need fast, effective,
and balanced solutions for their tough human resources problems. We listen to our clients
and understand the needs of their companies, and provide customized, confidential and
cost-effective services. Regardless of the size of your company, our expert consultants
can help you design and implement outstanding human resources solutions.

  

We help clients in a variety of industries with tough-to-fill positions.  Here is a list of current jobs we are helping to fill: 

Know anyone looking?  
Please forward these opportunities along!  And visit our website regularly to find out about open positions that we are helping to fill.  

Got a job that you need to fill?
Call us to find out how we can provide relief for tough-to-fill jobs.  410-505-8723




Amy Polefrone, President
HR Strategy Group, LLC
410-505-8723