5 Things you need in your 2020 HR Plan
New year, new you! Well also “new year, new business!”
The beginning of the year is the perfect time to reflect the prior year and create your 2020 action plan. In other words, write down everything from last year that was a frustrating pain in the neck and work out how to avoid it this year.
A brilliant hack shared by a Business Support Group I am in was:
Step 1 - Write a list of everything that annoyed or frustrated you last year
Step 2 - Next to each point write down why it happened and how it could be avoided
1. Boom. 2020 To-Do List.
To add to that list, here are also 5 MUST HAVES to add to your 2020 HR Plan
1. Update those Position Descriptions
You could have been ‘meaning to do this’ or you may think that no one ever actually looks at their Position Description (other than when they first start). But a Position Description (Job Description) is an extremely important and powerful tool.
Position Descriptions can help you to:
Identify what activities are required in your business to help it grow and deliver
Assign the activities for each role in your business to be responsible for
Ensure the right role (‘person’) is doing the right activities and avoid unnecessary crossover in work
Clarify the skills and experiences needed to achieve the business activities and goals
Help employees to develop and progress
Work out the gaps in performance and in operational coverage
An out of date position description will achieve nothing, but a well written position description is the foundation for any other HR activity you have (Performance Management, Training and Development, Recruitment)
2. Conduct Performance Appraisals
Whether you decide to have an annual appraisal, or monthly feedback sessions, take some time to provide specific feedback on individual performance. This feedback is vital for the success of your business, and the success of your employee.
A performance appraisal can help you to:
Acknowledge efforts and achievements of your employees
Provide feedback on strengths and areas of improvement
Clarify future performance expectations
Provide guidance and support with personal and professional development
Listen to the employee’s view and ideas
The appraisal doesn’t need to be overly complicated and time consuming. Keeping it simple will help avoid the ‘dread’ felt by both Managers and Employees. A simple performance appraisal with two areas such as “Do More” and “Do Less” is an extremely effective way to have a quick focused performance feedback conversation.
3. Review your HR Policies and Templates
As with position descriptions, your HR policies and processes are only effective when they are up-to-date.
Make sure your HR policies are current and accurate to avoid confusion and unnecessary questions. Many businesses have old and dated policies and processes which say ‘see Barbara from Payroll’ even though Barbara left 5 years ago. A general rule of thumb is anything older than two years should be reviewed (even briefly). And remember – ARCHIVE those old policies, otherwise you will have even more confusion!
Same rule for your HR Templates, such as Employment Contracts and standard letters / forms. When updating these, think about how you can save precious administration time by simplifying your processes or templates.
Also if you haven’t updated your Employment Contract Templates since the legislation changes in May 2019 then you need to do this ASAP! (If you need help, check out our offer here)
4. Conduct an Employee Engagement Survey
Conducting an Employee Engagement Survey will not only give you a clear picture of what your employees think of you as an employer, it will also give you a list of HR Priorities served up on a platter.
Employee Engagement can have a profound impact on the performance and profitability of your business. Improving Employee Engagement will improve absenteeism, staff turnover, stock shrinkage, customer service levels, productivity and lead to more innovation.
Investing some time to first ASK your employees and then take ACTION will vastly improve the engagement in the business. Using the information from your Engagement Survey will also help you to focus on what matters the most to your employees and take out the guesswork. Also, your employees appreciate being asked their opinion!
5. Invest in upskilling yourself and your Team Leaders
Confident and capable People Managers make a significant difference to the performance of your team. BUT Business Owners and Managers are not always born with the natural skills to be a Leader.
Even the most experienced people manager can benefit from HR and Management training through either coaching or external training course. Take some time to conduct a skill gap analysis of the key HR and Management skills you need in the business. Investigate options to up-skill in the areas which you and your team leaders may need improvement.
Even if your business cannot afford a formal training program, set aside some dedicated time for upskilling leadership skills. There are many articles and webinars available for free which can assist to develop management capability.
Want to talk to an HR expert on this topic? Contact Core HR, call today or book a free 15-minute consult here
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