Table of Contents

Upfront: Who Benefits From This Book? The Labor Market: A Preview Chapter 1: What Truly Competent Managers Know Chapter 2: Metrics and HR Programs Chapter 3: HR and Total Quality Management Chapter 4: Guiding Statements Provide Focus and Clarity Chapter 5: Job Analysis is Job #1 Chapter 6: Job Descriptions & Specifications Chapter 7: Employee Recruitment Chapter 8: Interviews & Reference Checks Chapter 9: Employee Orientation Chapter 10: Employee Training Chapter 11: Employee Motivation, Coaching Chapter 12: Counselling and mediation Chapter 13: Employee Retention Chapter 14: Performance Evaluation Chapter 15: Progressive Discipline and Termination Processes Chapter 16: BONUS: How to Maximize Your Job Search Effectiveness Appendix: SKAP Audit:

HR in a Nutshell: Making Good Managers Great!

ISBN: 978-0-9731137-6-1, FIRST EDITION Copyright 2013 by Steve Bareham and Summa Publishing Information in this book is provided for informational purposes; examples are general guidelines only. This book is sold with the understanding that neither the author, nor publisher, is engaged in rendering professional advice. Much of the content is based on personal experience and anecdotal evidence. Although the author and publisher have made every reasonable attempt to achieve complete accuracy, they assume no responsibility for content errors or omissions. Use information as you see fit and at your own risk. Your particular situation may closely parallel examples illustrated, but there may also be significant differences requiring that information and recommendations be adjusted accordingly. All rights reserved.

About the author

Steve Bareham worked in management capacities in journalism, public relations, and marketing for 25 years before joining the teaching staff at Selkirk College, Nelson, B.C., in 1994. Through the 80s, he gained valuable insights about human resources management while working with an organizational psychologist. At the time of writing, he is the administrator of the Golf Club Operations Online Certificate Program (GCOOL) and teaches human resources, business communication, and marketing to resort, hotel, and golf management students enrolled in Selkirks School of Hospitality and Tourism.

Upfront: Who Benefits From This Book?

business owners who manage staff managers, and aspiring managers, who wish to boost career advancement potential by gaining additional human resources knowledge post-secondary management program students (vital information and short!) anyone interested in an HR career who wants to learn, quickly, whats involved researchers needing succinct human resources information staff working for anyone who reads the book and who takes its premises to heart by applying themgood human resources practises make everyone happier because people are hired correctly in the first place, they know how to do what they were hired to do, and progressive communication channels are firmly in place from the start of the HR program to the end!

y belief is that every business or organization that employs more than five people should have a human resources management program in place. This isnt to say that small employers need a full-fledged HR department, rather that at least one person on staff should be educated and trained to plan and implement HR processes such as those described in this book. Further, even though one person may assume responsibility for HR oversight, every manager who supervises any number of people should be required to study and understand timeproven human resources strategies and tactics in the interest of good employee morale and high productivity, The words program, processes, strategies, and tactics are used advisedly in the foregoing. Managing human resources effectively over time requires specific process knowledge and, as such, is not something that comes naturally to anyone. By definition, process must be learned, and human resources is like any other discipline in this regardstudy and practise are necessary.

Yes, some people function well enough because they have natural aptitudes for dealing constructively with people. Typically, these managers are empathetic, they listen and communicate well, they have good intuition and they exhibit common sense. These are all valuable managerial assets, and people who possess them have great foundations on which to build, but holistic human resources management processes that deliver positive, predictable results must be built on more than good interpersonal skills. Combine strong personal skills with knowledge about planning, application and ongoing fine tuning, and you have the best of all worlds in a manager. Providing that important initial stepprocess knowledgeis what this book is all about. Significantly, it seeks to provide essential information succinctly for people who have neither the time nor the inclination to wade through a 700-page textbook. Unquestionably, such textbooks contain enormously helpful information, but they tend to be written in academic language that many people find tedious and overly technical. I can attest to the intellectual heaviness of many HR texts since Ive used them to instruct college-level management courses. So, the goal here is to provide only must have information in plain language that can be quickly digested in brief, manageable sections arranged logically and sequentially. Those wishing to go deeper can continue studies in ways of their own choosing. The fact that youve read even this far suggests that you care about managing people, so the next section reveals what managers must know to be truly competent. Chances are that youre already up to speed in many of these knowledge/skills areas, and if so, you have a valuable treasure trove of marketable knowledge and skills. Make note, though, of the ones that you cant check off as done; these should be part of your ongoing professional development plan.

The Labor Market: A Preview

any companies struggle to develop and retain a skilled workforce. This challenge, thanks to rapidly shifting demographics, will be even more difficult in the years to come. Its well known that the Baby Boomers (born from 1946-1964) are the largest generation in our nations history, while the next generation, Gen-X, (1965-1977) is one of the smallest. Generation Y, also known as Millennials (1978-1994), also figure largely into the labour mix. As the baby boomers begin to phase into retirement, companies are already experiencing challenges to replace them with two generations of workers with different skills, attitudes, and expectations.

What exactly does the labor scene look like?

Statistics Canada notes that the number of workers nearing retirement rose significantly between 2001 and 2006. In 2006, workers aged 55 or older made up 15.3 per cent of the workforce, up from 11.7 per cent five years earlier. Within 10 years, not only will retirees outnumber newcomers to the work force, they'll also likely outnumber children, Stats Can warns. We see a trend where children are on the decline and seniors are on the increase; these two lines will cross in about 10 years, said Rosemary Bender, director general of social and demographic statistics for Statistics Canada. At the moment, the number of young people entering the work force hovers just above the replacement rate of people retiring. By comparison, the 1960s had two new workers for every retiree. As the boomers near retirement, the new-worker ratio will inevitably drop below replacement levels. Most demographic and economics experts suggest that employers need to start thinking and planning now to avoid staff shortages. One of the most common ideas is to keep babyboomers in the work force longer. At the same time, it will be necessary to plan carefully to ensure not only that boomer skills keep pace with a changing world, but that they also pass their knowledge and skills on to the next generation to avoid a brain trust vacuum. The working population is also aging rapidly. In 2009, baby-boomers, range between ages 44 and 63. Indeed, this pre-retirement age group grew by 28%, a rate of growth more than five times the national average. In contrast, the population aged 15 to 24 increased by only 5% in the same period. The 2006 Census shows that there are barely enough young people entering the working age group to replace those approaching retirement; just 1.1 persons 15 to 24 for every person aged 55 to 64, compared with 2.3 in 1976. As well, projections show that in about 10 years, Canada may have more people at retirement age than people at the age where they can begin working. An aging working-age population presents considerable challenges for Canadian employers who will have to adjust to a high rate of employee turnover, employee retention, health of older workers and continuous training of employees. Garth Whyte, of the Canadian Federation of Independent Business, recently told CTVTV that his members are feeling the effects of labor shortages, even before the workforce begins to shrink due to demographics. It's a tidal wave that's been coming at us for a couple years, and it's fast approaching. It's approaching in terms of time, but it's also approaching from west to east."

The number of member businesses that say a labor shortage is an important issue to them has gone from 40 per cent to more than 50 per cent in the past decade, he said. Not only that, business owners themselves are aging and planning to quit. "They don't have succession plans," he said. "So not only is there a shortage of labor, there is a shortage of entrepreneurs." Morley Gunderson, an economist at the University of Toronto, said the issue of Canada's aging workforce isn't new. "the labour market and employers will probably adjust and adapt reasonably well." For example, the trend to early retirement has reversed itself since the mid1990s, he said. Jackson said pension plans are weakening, which will keep some people in the work force past age 65. Companies will have to learn how to best utilize the talents of their older workers, perhaps by offering flexible schedules and part-time work, Gunderson said. Strategies that companies and governments can adapt to address today's worker shortages should also help with the long-term problem, he said.

What Truly Competent Managers Know

reat managers have to know a lot, and as the world gets more complicated, theres a lot more to know. Competent managers have good understandings of finance, marketing, sales, information systems, research and development, etc. But when assembling the hierarchy of what you need to know, I argue that your human resources knowledge should also be very close to the top, because if youre a manager with only a superficial grasp of the holistic HR process, you have an enormous blind spot that can seriously hamper your career advancement. Ive seen managers muddle through for years because they were highly proficient in specific areas of expertise, but then suddenly everything implodes because they didnt know how to manage staff. And when the implosion occurs, its invariably ugly. Often, the manager is caught totally unaware, thinking he, or she, had survived for 20 years and nowblammy expertise has been trumped by operational dysfunction and a staff in revolt. In reality, such people got Peter Principled by being promoted into positions they were never fully qualified to hold. People without formal HR knowledge and training really shouldnt be put in charge of people until they shore up that weakness. Yet, untold tens of millions of people with no HR expertise have willingly, or unwillingly, been thrown into management roles where suddenly they dont know what they dont know. How can anyone expect them to be competent? Metaphorically, its like expecting an electrician to wire a house properly with zero training; I wouldnt want to live in it! So lets look at what great managers know and know how to do; look at the unfamiliar points as development opportunities!

Do you know:
1. how to conduct job analyses: these enlighten businesses and organizations about the requirements of specific staff positions, and when you determine how many positions are needed and how much time each one requires to do in a given time period, you get crucial information about precisely how many people are required to staff the organizationthe Goldilocks formula, not too many staff, not too few, and each with just the right qualifications. Many organizations get this wrong and suffer accordingly. 2. what should be included in each job description/specification for each person you employ or manage so you know precisely what to look for in job applicants and so the person filling the position can perform the job to a high standard in a reasonable amount of time? Many organizations dont even have job descriptions and specifications for those jobs, a fact that explains a lot of performance issues, poor staff morale and generally cranky workplaces where people are confused about what theyre supposed to do and about what theyll ultimately be evaluated on. Good job descriptions/specifications are perhaps the most important tools a manager can create and use. 3. the right ways and wrong ways to recruit and shortlist job applicants; do it the right way and youll waste far less time and have far fewer costly failures 4. how job interviews should be conducted to ensure that you get the information you need? Job interviews are often done horribly; no process here can be disastrous. 5. how to orient new staff to get them off on the right foot? Orientation often means giving someone a brochure to read and showing them around in a two-hour blur of introductions. Next the new hire faces days or weeks of frustration trying to figure out how he/she fits inbad for morale and a terrible waste of productivity. 6. how the recruitment and selection process, in concert with the job interview and orientation period, should yield valuable information about training needs (few new hires have 100% of the knowledge and skills needed to fulfill every job duty and responsibility). Knowing where gaps exist enables you to spot deficiencies and then plan training to avoid potentially costly errors and employee frustration. 7. how to structure and conduct performance evaluations; this is another area where a little knowledge is a dangerous thing. They should be properly planned and structured so that the people being evaluated leave the room feeling positive. If performance evaluations are the equivalent of visits to the dentist that dont result in improved performance, they arent being done correctly. 8. what coaching and mentoring plans look like? These can elevate the morale and commitment of both new and old employees, but few organizations even attempt them. Its a basic rule of human psychologyvirtually all people perform better when they believe their managers care about them. 9. what retention strategies are available and which work better than others? As the workforce changes in the coming years (retiring baby boomers and more immigrants) there is going to be fierce competition for qualified staff, so keeping your best people will be increasingly difficult. 10. how to keep up with the changing socio-economic-technological environment so employee skills remain current? This isnt easy in a world with seven billion people

where new products and services emerge daily; if you have competitors, you need to stay abreast, or preferably ahead. 11. how to discipline employees, when needed, in ways that enable them to redeem themselves and to continue (or become) valued members of staff? (do it wrong and it can mean lawsuits) 12. how to terminate someone humanely and in a way that doesnt end up in court? This knowledge, too, can save you a lot of time, aggravation, stress, and money, not to mention perhaps deter an angry dismissed employee from seeking retributionit happens. But, great managers know even more.

Core Executive Qualifications Defined

ore executive qualifications as defined by the U.S. Office of Personnel Management for the Defense Leadership and Management Program, reveal what 3rd millennium leaders must know and be able to do and accomplish. Again, as you read and analyze the following pages, make note of the operative words and phrases that pinpoint specific desirable knowledge, skills, and attitudes (KSAs) that effective managers and employees should have. You can use these KSAs when selecting people, but you can also use them to identify where personal training and development is necessary. Look at them as the ingredients of a career success recipe, as knowledge that can keep things from falling between cracks.

Key Characteristics of Competent Managers

ability to exercise leadership and to motivate others to incorporate vision, strategic planning, and elements of total quality management into the full range of the organizations activities (learn about strategic planninggreat knowledge to have) encourages creative thinking and innovation (study critical thinking) able to influence others constructively (crucial managerial skill) open to change and new information (learn to love change; resistance is futile!) tolerant of ambiguity, able to adapt behavior and work methods in response to new information, changing conditions, or unexpected obstacles constantly seeks feedback from others and opportunities to master new knowledge identifies and keeps up to date on key national and international policies and economic, political, and social trends that affect the organization (be aware of the world) understands near-term and long-range planning and determines how best to be positioned to achieve a competitive business advantage in a global economy creates a work environment that encourages creative thinking and innovation

able to design and implement new or cutting-edge programs/processes. grasps the essence of new information; masters new technical and business knowledge recognizes own strengths and weaknesses; pursues self-development resilient: deals effectively with pressure; maintains focus and intensity and remains optimistic and persistent, even under adversity. Recovers quickly from setbacks. ability to lead: This core qualification involves the ability to design and implement strategies which maximize employee potential and foster high ethical standards in meeting the organizations vision, mission, and goals. able to promote quality through effective use of the organizations performance management system (e.g. establishing performance standards, appraising staff accomplishments using the developed standards, and taking action to reward, counsel, or remove employees, as appropriate) values cultural diversity and other differences; fostering an environment where people who are culturally diverse can work together cooperatively and effectively in achieving organizational goals (study diversity planning: The world is headed for 10 billion people by 2050; in four decades, in the U.S., African Americans and Hispanics will outnumber Caucasians.) manages and resolves conflicts and disagreements in a positive and constructive manner to minimize negative impact (study conflict management). assesses employees unique developmental needs and provides developmental opportunities which maximize employees capabilities and contribute to the achievement of organizational goals; developing leadership in others through coaching and mentoring. identifies and analyzes problems; distinguishes between relevant and irrelevant information to make logical decisions; provides solutions to individual and organizational problems. understands and appropriately applies procedures, requirements, regulations, and policies related to specialized expertise. Is able to make sound hiring and capital resource decisions and to address training and development needs. Understands linkages between administrative competencies and mission needs. representing and speaking for the organizational unit and its work (e.g., presenting, explaining, selling, defining, and negotiating) to government officials, staff; the media, clientele, and professional groups; making clear and convincing oral presentations to individuals and groups; listening effectively and clarifying information; facilitating an open exchange of ideas. All of the foregoing, of course, is on top of your day jobnobody said being a great manager was easy!

Metrics and HR Programs

imply stating that HR is an important organizational function often doesnt cut much ice with people in charge of budgets, especially when those people lack HR knowledge and training. So, its smart to be able to articulate benefits in ways that reveal why an organization is better off with a planned process than without one. Money-minded people will concur that employees are the greatest asset of any organization, but in the next breath, they will also note that staff is also the greatest expense. So, the natural inclination of most finance administrators is to minimize staff numbers and to also minimize any and all expenses related to staffing, even expenses such as training. HR staff and departments are often placed on the debit side of the ledger, i.e. not as revenue generators like sales and marketing. In the main, HR is seen as costing money, not as something that can add value. Negative perceptions (fear, distrust) also arise because HR staff:

conduct performance evaluations change job descriptions are involved in labor negotiations. administer benefits plans that are often seen as inadequate, too expensive, etc. handle payrollwho hasnt seen mistakes on their cheques! In my view, its unfortunate that HR involvement has been forced, in many organizations, and for administrative convenience, to accept responsibility for things like benefits, pensions, payroll, records, policies, regulations, negotiations, handling grievances, and the like. These involvements often alienate staff from the more humanistic and constructive elements of human resources and staff have difficulty rationalizing differing perceptionstoo bad. But, wishing that such administration functions had never been merged with HR management doesnt do much good at this pointtheres no going back.

There is also no way to change the fact that the business world is dominated by people concerned with quantifiable metrics. Metrics in business refers to things that can be measured to gauge innumerable performance criteria: return on investment, customer churn rates, employee productivity, how training costs relate to increased revenue generation, etc. etc. Metrics are typically categorized: measurements of quantity, quality, time, money and satisfaction. Its been said that metrics can change behavior by driving action to change; "what gets measured gets done" is an oft-repeated phrase that underscores how numbers provide impetus to direct behavior. Many business-minded managers now link their compensation and contract renewals to metrics, so these people are totally all in while many HR people are less sooften much less so! The disconnect between business types and HR types can be explained, in part, by the fact that metrics, by definition, are quantifiable, while much of HR is qualitative and having to do with emotions, subjectivity, etc. Humans are, after all, psychological creatures whose actions, attitudes, and behaviours, are often difficult to quantify. For example, its difficult to quantify how much impact a motivated, loyal, and productive workforce has on the fiscal bottom line. Everyone knows the impact is significant, yet it defies quantification. Wringing statistics from good morale is just plain difficult. But difficult doesnt mean it should not be attempted whenever and wherever possible. Using measurement metrics as catalysts can be an incentive for more HR people to start thinking of HR in terms of business case fiscal potential, to use the concept of metrics to point thinking and planning in the right directions, and to zero in on actions that can actually make quantifiable differences. There are areas where clear metric linkages can be drawn to bottom lines: reduced labor costs without negative impacts on productivity or morale higher productivity from training and education reduced turnover lower recruitment and selection costs (compared to comparable organizations)

How many people should be employed?

Perhaps the most obvious and most important metric is to really understand optimal staffing levels since these link directly to budgets. If an organisation doesnt know how to conduct proper job analyses, its easy to have too many, or too few, people on payroll, thus stressing staff needlessly. Too many employees is a waste of fiscal resources, plus, underutilized staff members often descend into bad morale because theyre bored, so its a double negative whammy. Alternatively, if the staffing pencil is too sharp, the opposite misjudgement is made and staff members are overstretched, making it difficult to meet production or service deadlines at appropriate levels of qualityand staff members burn out. HR staff can prove their worth in this single area alone if intelligent processes optimize staffing levels. Having a process in place that enables the organization to retain trained and skilled staff also deserves a note. Its expensive to advertise constantly for new staff, then time is required to get them in for interviews, to conduct interviews, to make the selections, and to then train where skills may be lacking, all the while productivity may be less than what is was before with the

staff members who left. High levels of staff turnover are costly fiscally and in terms of time and morale. Trained HR staff can report metrics on how many people leave compared to other organizations, why they leave, and what it costs the organization. There is also the issue of a rapidly changing labor force as baby boomers will soon begin to exit into retirement by the millions (90 million in North America). From where will the next generation of managers come? Its an issue that requires significant thought and planning and that clearly falls into the purview of HR. Several key questions need to be researched, answered and prepared for by HR staff, and being proactive in these areas will win favor from senior fiscal managers who have foresight: what will be the most in-demand knowledge and skills in five years or ten? high demand careers can be very competitive in terms of expected compensation and availabilityhow can you plan for that so you are an employer of choice? how will a changing labor environment fit into training and promotion systems? can hard-to-find expertise be obtained through consultants or contracts to meet skills/experience deficits?