Dec 20, 2020
Integrate — Creating Successful Training and Development
In our final example of integration of MVVs into HR practices, we will explore Training and Development (T&D). In the past 25 years, I have watched T&D dwindle to an almost nonexistent state in most companies. I could write a book on the impact of not investing in the development of your people, but you might find it boring. It is what it is, and it won’t change all that soon, unfortunately. But, as leaders of organizations, we must decide how we are going to right ourselves and guide our employees to work in alignment with our Missions, strive for our Visions and operate within our organizational Values.
Here are a few steps you can take to ensure you are addressing the T&D needs of your organization without going overboard:
- Discover what is needed
- Define what needs to be addressed
- Seek the resources to accomplish the T&D
- Initiate the T&D
- Follow up to ensure it was worth the investment
Discover what is needed
Do some basic fact-finding and discover the gaps within your organization. Simply going through a job description review project can help you discover what skills and abilities are lacking in your team. Summarize these by category and you will start to discover trends across your organization. Take it even further and include a development aspect to your performance review process, and document what development is needed by each of your employees. When you couple this with rewriting your company’s job descriptions, you will take it to a greater, more desirable level of detail.
Define what needs to be addressed
Without a good outline of what gap(s) needs to be closed, you have the potential to be scattered all over the place. Take the list of items that you captured during your assessment stage and better define what is needed. Employees stating they need ‘communication training” is, frankly, too broad. Do they need public speaking classes? Would they benefit from e-mail etiquette guidelines? Or is it interpersonal conflict resolution training that is needed? Just saying we need “communication training” paints in overly broad strokes.
Seek the resources to accomplish the T&D
I am not generally an advocate of online training. While it may be good for some, I do not believe it is effective for the majority of employees. My experiences have demonstrated that people learn when there is real interaction. There is more than one way to develop and train an employee. For years, it has been customary to send people to seminars. That just does not happen much anymore.
Think outside the box.
A few years back, I was supporting a company that tragically allowed many immigrants to work without the benefit of English as a Second Language training for several years. When I discovered this, I was frankly outraged that these folks were never given the resources to better themselves. When the gap was discovered, I identified a resource, hiring a gentleman who had recently returned from Asia and who had been immersed in this same immigrant culture. He developed a curriculum to deliver and help these folks speak English for less than $1,500. Now, that is what building a ‘Kingdom Minded” organization is about. Ignoring the needs of your employees is not.
Follow up to ensure it was worth the investment
Another creative solution to a problem such as this is tasking an employee to become a trainer within an organization to deliver a topic that is relevant to the need that was discovered. One organization was lacking financial management skills within the company’s leadership. The American Management Association’s program, Finance for Non-Financial Managers, was delivered by an HR leader. Doing it in this fashion saved the company tens of thousands of dollars by avoiding sending managers out to seminars and also allowing the customization of the materials.
Was it worth the investment? The CEO said it was.
The CEO in this case witnessed an increase in the attention to detail of certain executives, an embrace of principles not so easily understood before, but it also gave him insight as to who were the “A” players versus who were the “C” players.
You’re probably wondering by now how this all fits into the integration of your organization’s Training and Development and its relation to the MVVs of the organization. I believe it dovetails, such as in the example of the Asian immigrant employees.
When you honor your employees by developing them, they will honor you.
When you honor your employees by training them, they will honor you. And when God is reflected in your heart and the way you respect your employees by not only paying them correctly and protecting them with benefits, but truly caring about their development, your employees will see Christ in you.
So don’t look the other way when it comes to T&D. Your employees will see you in a whole different way.
We value your contribution. What training and development programs have you worked with that were successful? Why were they successful?
Mark A. Griffin | Blog, Kingdom Company Building
Dec 12, 2020
Integrate — Creating Meaningful Communication Processes
The first question most management teams have after creating a new Mission, Vision and Values statement (MVV) for an organization is: What do we do with it? Integrating into all aspects of your HR processes is paramount to the success of your MVV. The heart of these processes typically lies within the communication processes and employee relations materials of the organization. Since HR typically controls this function, it becomes that much easier for them to communicate the MVV statement effectively.
There are countless avenues to share and ingrain your MVVs within your organization, as well as clients and customers. These can include but are not limited to:
- Your organization’s newsletter
- Your organization’s website
- Brochures in the front lobby as a takeaway for visitors
- Postings in employee break and meeting rooms
- Hand copies to applicants during employment interviews
- Your organization’s marketing materials
- The reverse side of your organization’s business cards
- Inclusion in the packaging of all shipments
If it is important enough for the company to include in the employee handbook, the recruitment process, the performance review process and the employee job descriptions, then it is certainly important enough to include in the above areas as well.
Several years ago, I worked with a company where more than a few of the employees were nervous about sharing the company MVVs with people outside of the organization. Their fear was that the Christian overtones in the MVV statement might offend customers in the Middle East. Others were nervous that prospective employees might be offended or misinterpret our intent.
When the smoke cleared and time went by, employees started to realize that the advantages far outweighed the disadvantages; it did much more good than bad.
Ultimately, the majority of employees supported it, and, as a result, customers displayed a newfound confidence in us, and our integrity. The customers from the Middle East never complained, and we received more compliments than complaints from applicants. I believe that is how God works. When we stand for Him, unashamed, anything is possible. When we don’t, we are subject to a not so nice outcome.
What will you do? I say, be a difference maker, and be bold in your faith. At the end of your life, what will you tell God? I will say, “Father, I hope You can see I was not afraid and tried to be Your good and faithful servant.
How have you chosen to share your MVV with your employees? How about the community and your customers/clients? Let us know by sharing your comments below. Thank you.
Mark A. Griffin | Blog, Kingdom Company Building
Dec 7, 2020
Join Mike and Mark as they discuss, Love People.
Mike Henry Sr. is a follower of Jesus interested in applying character-based leadership to make a positive difference. Mike’s passion is to Elevate Purpose and Mobilize People. Mike wants to live his life daily moving one notch closer to Jesus and helping anyone else do the same.
Having spent over 20 years working in Human Resources, Mark has witnessed the varying, sometimes dramatic changes that workplaces undergo and has an established track record of effectively developing HR programming tailored to provide high-performance organizational results. Mark currently leads the HR consulting firm that he launched in 2011, In HIS Name HR LLC.
Have iTunes? Listen Here
Mark A. Griffin | Blog, Christian Higher Ed HR, Inspiration, Podcasts
Nov 18, 2020
Looking for a guide to best practices in cost-effective, efficient payroll service options? Many of our clients ask us about payroll services. Our role in leading or supporting human resources includes helping our clients secure the best payroll service tailored to their individual needs.
Because we are not brokers, we don’t play favorites or maintain a financial relationship with any payroll firm. This independence, this objectivity, enables us to screen and get every client the best payroll service at the lowest cost.
Payroll management can be complicated or straightforward, depending on the number of employees and the payroll processes involved. To avoid errors, small and large organizations often turn to payroll service providers for well-planned and effective payroll administration. Selecting the best payroll service is essential. What constitutes “best” for you is based on your organization’s size, payroll processing budget, and how much payroll responsibility you want to maintain. What should you look for?
Services and Price
The best payroll service organizes all employee payment tasks and files employee taxes. When choosing a payroll service, it must perform such necessary HR activities as calculating wages and keeping track of employee work hours, withholding deductions and taxes, printing and delivering checks or direct deposit, and paying employment taxes. A good payroll service’s primary features include: attendance management, overtime management, allowances management, leave management, and report generation. Determine how you are being charged for each service provided and don’t buy more than you need.
Simplicity and Ease of Use
The best payroll service should be simple and easy to access and use. You must have easy access whenever you need it, depending on what management reports and employee information you need. This includes comprehensive employee details and a full history of past and current pay slips. A good payroll service allows you to change employee data easily, manage employee loans, and transfer funds electronically to all major banks and payment services. When you choose a simple and easy-to-use payroll service, all balances and details are displayed in an easy-to-understand and straightforward format, allowing you to budget online and plan staff costs.
Security and Responsibility
When picking a payroll system, look for security features that guard against information tampering. The payroll service provider you select must be credible and a brand recognized for providing quality. Once you choose your payroll service, it is you who decides how much control you want. The best payroll service allows you adequate control and the option to view all information and previous reports. Clarify responsibilities with them so you know what to expect from the payroll service provider and what they require of you, and when.
Flexibility
Payroll service needs are unique for every organization, and the specific tasks vary. The payroll service you choose should generate customized reports and be flexible to your company’s particular needs. The best payroll service should be scalable as your organization grows. It should be able to expand with your organization to ensure you gain the planned benefits. And you need to choose a service compatible with your way of doing things, one that is flexible to automationfor speed and accuracy. If you have multiple organizations, choose a payroll service that functions well with your other companies.
Customer Service
Discuss your specific requirements with the provider to ensure you are on the same page. An excellent payroll service provider understands your objectives and suggests solutions. Be keen to understand the functional and technical aspects of the payroll service agreed on. When choosing a payroll service, select a provider dedicated to the project to ensure ongoing customer support, customization, and upgrades. Establish the after-purchase care you expect, the terms of your maintenance contract, and confirm that the payroll service you choose has an easily accessible help desk.
Training
Training your employees and HR team on the new payroll service is vital to successful implementation. You don’t want everyone reverting to the old ways of doing things. Instead, they should adhere to the new payroll procedures to ensure you get the best out of your new payroll service. That means selecting a service provider with adequate online support and training manuals to ensure that both the HR team and employees can easily access the training materials needed to use the service successfully.
Test Drive
When choosing a payroll service, it is crucial to consider a provider who will let you test the service to determine suitability, so you can be sure you get the precise service you need. Senior management, your HR team, and other critical employees should all perform the service test before you buy. Test driving will determine if your team will be comfortable with the new program. Many payroll services have portals where you can simulate the use of their products. Take advantage of this opportunity.
Concerned about the HR programs at your organization? The benefits of having a trusted partner to guide you and your team to excellence can be invaluable. Contact us today. You—and your employees—will be glad you did.
In His Name HR helps organizations build high-performance human resource programs. E-mail us here.
Mark A. Griffin is President and Founder of In His Name HR LLC. Connect with him on LinkedIn and Twitter.
Mark A. Griffin | Blog, Christian Higher Ed HR, Human Resources
Nov 8, 2020
The Association for Biblical Higher Education (ABHE) Annual Meeting
February 17–19, 2021 | Rosen Plaza Hotel, Orlando, Florida
Oversight of Institutional Payroll and Employee Benefits
Overview: Regardless of the exigencies of the pandemic or other crises, all employees expect payroll and other vital employee benefits to happen on schedule and without mistakes. This makes oversight of payroll and employee benefits a top priority of smart CFO’s. How do distinguished CFO’s effectively manage both payroll and employee benefits? What are systems and best practices to consider? What are reasonable benefits to provide? Walk through the labyrinth of related issues with an expert in HR policies and practices, including:
- Knowing best practices for cost effective and efficient payroll services
- Reviewing the pros and cons of various employee benefit packages
- Managing an effective employee benefits system
Basic Principles of Conflict Resolution & HR Effectiveness
Overview: Perhaps it’s inevitable. Where there are people, there will be differences of opinion that can lead to conflict. Blessed are the peacemakers! The CAO carries a unique weight for HR effectiveness as typically the leader of the largest group of institutional staff. Explore key principles for effective HR leadership and conflict resolution that are vital when conflicts arise, including:
- Unpacking the nature of personnel conflicts and administrative response
- Understanding the principles of conflict resolution
- Initiating exemplary practices for HR effectiveness and conflict prevention
Prudent Response to a Title IX Investigation
Overview: A growing list of institutions are reporting their hazardous journey through a US federal Title IX investigation. What are we learning about this audit and investigation process? How do smart institutions prepare for this most unfortunate circumstance? Consider the wise counsel from an ABHE partner and HR expert to give you as president much better insight into both the nature of this investigation and practical steps to prepare, including:
- News from the emerging stories of Title IX investigation – the good, bad and ugly
- Understanding the focus and the likely outcomes of an investigation
- Prudent counsel for practical preparations that can make a big difference
In HIS Name HR, in conjunction with ABHE, is excited to announce the 2021 Annual Meeting presentation topics.
Learn More Here
Visit us- Booth 322 – ABHE Annual Meeting!
About The Speaker
Mark is an accomplished HR expert with a fresh perspective. He believes in challenging people to think differently when presented with obstacles in any situation. His passions are inspiring, motivating, and helping others. Peers describe Mark as creative, proactive, determined, and eager to learn. Just a few of Mark’s professional skills include organizing, presenting, and problem solving.
Mark received his Bachelor of Science degree in Human Resources Administration from Saint Leo University. He earned his MBA from Bloomsburg University while interning for Congressmen Kanjorski as a military liaison during the first Gulf War. Mark has completed several executive education programs at the University of Michigan.
Prior to leading In HIS Name HR, Mark worked for Quaker Oats Company, Kodak Inc., and Merck Inc., and private companies Woolrich, Conestoga Wood Specialties, and Valco Companies Inc.
In addition to helping people professionally, Mark also believes in helping people personally through volunteer work. Mark has coached leaders on “Business as a Mission,” traveling to Eastern Europe, India, Haiti, Honduras, Nicaragua, and the Dominican Republic.
Mark A. Griffin | Blog, Christian Higher Ed HR, Events
Nov 1, 2020
“Job descriptions (JDs) are just so 1980s,” a young HR graduate recently commented to me, He could not be more wrong. Having worked in HR for over 25 years, I can tell you that some things just don’t change—and shouldn’t change. New technology consistently bombards us; faster, better, and sleeker processes seem to overwhelm us.
One thing that will never change is the fact that, in order to be a High Performance Organization, you still need to get some “old school” work done. Don’t let technology and “the new workplace” fool you. Now, more than ever, you need JDs.
Here are eight good reasons why:
Recruitment – As you grow and expand, it is almost impossible to hire legally or correctly when lacking a solid, well-written job description.
Teambuilding – It is difficult for Teams to form and support each other when job duties are gray and tasks constantly conflict or interrupt each other. It is enlightening to know what each Team Member is responsible to accomplish.
Performance management – This enables you to set measurable performance goals based on duties listed in the corresponding job description. Having them listed, in writing, signifies their importance.
Training and employee development – You can use job descriptions, along with descriptions of possible job promotions, as a tool to determine what to pursue in regards to classes, seminars, and other career development activities in order to close gaps.
Compensation- JDs can be helpful in developing a standardized compensation program with minimums, maximums, and target pay for each position. They help highlight internal equity issues to decision makers and contribute to fairness.
Recognition and rewards – You can use job descriptions as a baseline for performance, and as a tool to encourage performance “above and beyond” the job description, in order to distribute recognition and rewards or just plain old praise!
Discipline – Sometimes employees just don’t do what needs to be done. Hopefully, this does not happen at your place of work, but sometimes Team Members fail each other. If you need to, you can use job descriptions to illustrate when employees are not performing up to agreed-upon standards.
Essential job function analysis – The physical and environmental setting is important in order to provide employees, including new hires, who need accommodation. Not only is this the right thing to do, but it is also the law. As of July 1992, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) mandates that an organization assist an employee when a request is made for a reasonable accommodation under the ADA.
Some Key Points to Ensure a Great Job Description Process
- Have the employee own their description
- Remember that no one knows the job better than the employee doing it
- Make the employee accountable to complete it and have HR review it
- The manager should have final JD authority and reserve the right to make changes to the final document, incorporating dialogue with the employee
Don’t make JDs more work then they have to be. Instead, make it a process to enjoy and learn from—it does not have to be awful.
Be joyful and helpful with the process, and your staff will love you for it!
_________
In His Name HR helps organizations build high performance Human Resources programs. Visit them at In HIS Name HR or e-mail them here.
Mark A. Griffin is the founder and chief consultant of In His Name HR LLC. Connect with him on LinkedIn or Twitter.
Mark A. Griffin | Christian Higher Ed HR
Oct 25, 2020
Integrate — Performance Reviews for Success
Probably one of the least liked HR processes of all organizations is the dreaded performance review. However, it does not have to be that way. Performance reviews should be beneficial not only to the organization but to the employee.
Key components to a successful process include:
- Built-in commitment to your MVV
- Shared goals and objectives throughout the organization
- Employee ownership of career and job performance
- Simplistic but meaningful processes
- Solid guidelines and commitment from senior leadership.
Commitment to your MVV
If you want your Team to fulfill your Company’s Mission reach your Vision and operate within your Values, you must build these into the Performance Review process. When you do, it shows the organization that leadership believes in the MVV so much that they have included it in the measurement of employment performance. Ensure your goals and objectives are aligned with your Missionand Vision; if they are not, you must question why they are in place. Most organizations that we support appreciate us walking them through a simple Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats (SWOT) analysis to help develop goals for the organization. In the area of Values, always build your values and other important values into the behavior section of the Performance review form; we will discuss behaviors in more detail later in this chapter.
Shared goals and objectives
In high performing organizations, including those that I have worked for, have all had Performance Review processes that were aligned to shared goals and objectives through the organization. Typically the scenario worked like this: The CEO would develop four to six goals and objectives that would then be approved or renegotiated by the board of directors. Those goals would then cascade through the organization all the way down to, for example, the third-shift sanitation employee at the plant in Arkansas. The employees would then align what they needed to accomplish within their scope of authority against the goals of the person(s) above them.
The review process primarily focuses on annual goals, and very little on the mundane aspects of day to day work that is reflective of what the job description dictates. The daily work should be accomplished, and, if not, the employee should be managed through disciplinary procedures.
Employee ownership
I have had the experience of employees approaching me earlier in my career at the end of the performance review cycle. Oftentimes, their approach was because they never had met with their managers even one time during the course of the performance cycle.
Make no mistake: they are at fault as much as their inept management.
Employees must take ownership of their careers, their development and their performance. Those who do not simply will not survive in this economy. Part of ensuring that they take ownership, and helping them to understand it, is ensuring that the process is clearly defined, i.e., that the employee is obliged to prepare performance form materials, and be proactive in scheduling a performance review meeting with their manager if the manager is not. If the manager still fails to meet with them, the employee has an obligation to go to HR or, absent HR, the manager’s superior. Doing nothing should never be an option.
Simplistic but meaningful processes
Twelve-page forms and manuals that exceed sixty pages will just not work. Ensure your process includes easily understood documentation, and a review form that does not exceed a good resume length, that is, two pages. Keep the form limited to four to six operational goals and three to five behavior-based goals.
Never have a process that is void of behavioral objectives.
I have had the misfortune to work with several teams that insisted upon only production-related goals. They killed each other in the process to achieve them, and, when challenged, they would always say that they were not being measured on niceness, but solely on how many widgets they made! Balance your performance scorecard, and you will have better results.
Solid guidelines and commitment from senior leadership
When we describe “solid” guidelines, we mean guidelines that are not created in a vacuum, by one person high on a mountaintop. Guidelines should be developed by a cross-functional group of employees from a variety of areas within the company. This brings a rich blend of thoughts and experiences to the table.
Regrettably, most of the HR people that I have worked with during my career are just not capable of coming up with such solid guidelines without assistance.
It is a sad statement to make regarding my profession, but I gave up defending much of the deficiencies I discovered years ago.
Senior Leadership must buy into the process and support it. If they don’t, it is doomed to certain failure.
Years ago, I worked for a company in which, no matter how hard the CEO worked on convincing the president of a particular division to manage the performance review process, this president would balk. The division president’s lack of commitment transcended the organization. The process became a joke, and no one nurtured it. I look back at the company now and wonder if things could have turned out differently. They have closed half of their plants, and shed several thousand employees. It might be a stretch to link this to lack of leadership in embracing a performance review process, but I do believe that, if Innovation was a top goal for the years heading into the downturn, that company could conceivably have created new products to sustain employment for those who were laid off. Sad, but this is often the case. Managers: stay committed!
What has been your experience with performance review systems? Do you like them? Hate them? We would like to know. Please leave us a few comments to broaden our knowledge. Thank you.
Mark A. Griffin | Blog, Kingdom Company Building
Oct 21, 2020
$305,000 in Employer Fines Upheld for I-9 Violations
Human resources can be complicated these days. Few would argue with that. But sometimes it’s the most basic human resources processes that can cause the greatest damage to any organization when not done right. And that disaster can be compounded if you lack a skilled professional to provide oversight.
When I say any organization, that includes any college, university, church, ministry, hospital, nonprofit or for-profit company, and even youth camps. Small organizations are not immune. No matter what size or kind of organization you are, if you employ staff, you must be diligent in following state and federal employment laws.
Recently, DLS Precision Fab, an LLC in Phoenix, Arizona, assumed they had made the right decision in hiring what appeared to be a seasoned HR professional. Much to their chagrin, despite his credentials, the human resources professional they hired proved inept and derelict in his duties when it came to maintaining the administration of the firm’s I-9s.
What is an I-9, you ask? Well, if you employ people and don’t know what an I-9 is, that’s a huge red flag, right there! Here is the definition as provided by ICE, the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement:
Form I-9 is used for verifying the identity and employment authorization of individuals hired for employment in the United States. All U.S. employers must ensure proper completion of Form I-9 for each individual they hire for employment in the United States. This includes citizens and noncitizens. Both employees and employers (or authorized representatives of the employer) must complete the form. (Source)
We, as an established HR firm, are continually astonished that organizations think that because they are a school, church, camp, or nonprofit, the I-9 is not a requirement. The law clearly states: “All employers must complete and retain Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification, for every person they hire for employment on or after Nov. 6, 1986, in the U.S., as long as the person works for pay or other type of payment.”
All employers must have I-9s for every employee, regardless of the employer type or size!
Back to the case concerning DLS in Arizona, they were in a growth mode and had conscientiously made an effort to comply with state and federal employment laws by hiring an HR professional to handle compliance. Unfortunately, as the appeal by DLS states, the HR professional failed in his duties:
DLS is a company located in Phoenix, Arizona, providing custom sheet metal fabrication in a variety of industries. In the late 2000s, DLS grew to about 200 employees because of the expansion of a Department of Defense program. To deal with the sudden growth of its workforce and ensure its compliance with applicable state and federal employment laws, DLS hired a well-credentialed human resources director (the “HR director”). Unbeknownst to the company, however, this individual shirked his responsibility to ensure the company’s compliance with the INA to the point, as later described by DLS, “of literally stuffing the government’s correspondence in a drawer and never responding.”
Their legal problems started in 2009, when ICE served DLS with a notice of inspection and an administrative subpoena. After the onsite visit and a thorough review of their I-9 forms, DLS was served a notice of suspect documents. In October 2012, ICE served a notice of intent to fine.
DLS quickly responded by requesting a hearing before an administrative law judge, and ICE countered by filing a six-count complaint alleging that the employer failed to comply with employment verification requirements and continued to employ 15 individuals despite knowing they were ineligible for employment, all in violation of the Immigration Nationality Act.
Now, in 2017, in an attempt to reverse the violations, DLS Precision Fab appealed—and promptly lost. Richard Clifton, assigned to the case through the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals found DLS Precision Fab liable for 504 of the 508 alleged violations, 489 of which were I-9 paperwork violations and 15 of which involved DLS Precision Fab’s ongoing employment of ineligible aliens. As a result of the actions of the so-called HR professional, DLS Precision Fab was ordered to pay civil money penalties totaling more than $305,000.
Understandably, this has landed the company in dire straights, and it is now is in the midst of Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings. While we can’t be sure that these violations are solely responsible for the bankruptcy filing, it certainly hasn’t helped, adding to their already stressed organizational longevity.
Perhaps, like DLS, you assume your HR staff are competent and on top of complying with all your legal requirements. But are you sure?
The first thing you should you do is have all of your HR processes independently audited by a human resources processional, one with the right experience. We can help. Our HR Assessment, conducted by our skilled team of HR professionals will determine whether you’re protected or at great risk. We help clients across the country. Don’t hesitate—it could be costly.
Contact us today to find out more, and learn about our HR Assessment here.
_______________
In His Name HR helps organizations build high performance Human Resources programs. Visit them at In HIS Name HR or e-mail them here.
Mark A. Griffin is the founder and chief consultant of In His Name HR LLC. Connect with him on LinkedIn or Twitter.
Mark A. Griffin | Christian Higher Ed HR, Human Resources
Oct 17, 2020
Perhaps one of the most difficult aspects of managing organizations is the act of recruitment. It is not necessarily difficult only on the candidates; it’s also difficult on organizations as well. Even though we are living in tumultuous business times, with real unemployment exceeding 10 percent in almost every city in our nation, recruitment is still a challenge for a variety of reasons, including but not limited to:
- Lack of skilled candidates
- Wounded and hurt applicants lacking trust of any organization
- Having too many candidates to choose from makes it difficult to know where to begin
- Salary expectation alignment; many candidates are accustomed to more
These are all hurdles to climb over but organizations that have a well thought out process and strategy will prevail in hiring the best candidates to accelerate the performance of the organization. The entire process of building a “Kingdom Minded” company revolves around including your Mission Vision and Values into every HR practice as practicable. The recruitment process is not excluded.
In developing your strategy, you should weave into the process several concepts that will help recruit the best candidates to help you manage within your Mission, reach your Vision, and operate within your Values. Your process should include:
- Networking your vacancies to trusted sources
- Using employee referral systems to increase your candidate pool
- Use consistent hiring methodology when recruiting candidates
- Always include your MVV in the recruitment process
Networking. Most companies, because of turnover within their HR department, or a lack of HR professionals within the company, do not have a formalized network to which they can announce vacancies. This is a concerning drawback to the process. Organizations should consistently mine for talent and the community should be aware of the organization and have a general idea of what they do and what their hiring patterns are. Organizations should spend time marketing themselves as a great place to work; this is also and effective form of marketing to potential customers. People want to buy products and services from organizations that treat their employees well. Start networking with churches, Christian colleges, LinkedIn groups, alumni associations, nonprofit executives, mission organizations, seminaries — the list could go on forever! The problem is that many organizations do not create such a network list. Network today; it will pay dividends in years to come.
Employee Referral Systems Nine out of ten companies I meet with do not have either a formal or informal employee referral systems for candidates. If they do have one, it is stale and not yielding any results. This is unfortunate, because people want to work with people who match the company culture, and know how and want to get the job done. Reinvent this program or develop it if you don’t have one. The easiest way to do so is to bring together a cross section of employees for half an hour and ask them straight out: would you refer your friends to work here? If not, why not? And what do we need to do to make this an environment that you would want to refer them to? Delve into what the referral reward should be in the program. Some miserly HR folks suggest one to two hundred-dollar bonuses. Considering a Monster board ad is three hundred dollars, not to mention the hassle of screening 10 to 20 candidates to get to one good candidate, don’t you think this is a bit stingy? Reward your people!
Consistent Hiring Methodology Lack of a consistent hiring methodology will get you burned. Getting an EEOC or Human Relations commission charge becomes not an “if” proposition but a “when.” But, stepping outside of the legal concerns, why not take the high road right off, and ensure your practice is beyond reproach? When recruiting, always have a job description, always have interview evaluation sheets, and always have decent but not copious notes of the candidate selection meeting when all interviewers give input. I have experienced some embarrassing situations at all levels of the organization where a document to support hiring or not hiring candidates didn’t even exist. If you don’t have this in place, make sure you keep your checkbook handy. You will need it.
And, finally, include your MVV in your process. You see, when candidates see this, they are intrigued, especially when the presenter presents it in a way that is exciting.
Candidates love to see people with passion and energy around their Mission.
Organizations have lost their mojo. Show candidates your passion! Most people want to work for a company that has direction. They are tired of the lack of leadership in government, in corporate America, and their local schools. The last thing they want to do is join a company that is weak and non-directional. Show them your passion through your MVV!
Explain to each candidate your Values, where they came from and why you have them. Let them know that you are a company founded on Christian principles. Most often the reaction I get from candidates when they hear this is, “Wow! Finally a place that might treat me with dignity and respect.”
Don’t worry about offending anyone. You are not pushing your values onto them; you are simply demonstrating what they are. I have had candidates say that they are not Christians, but that working for a company like ours would help them understand Christianity better. Exposing people to Christ — that is what we all desire.. That is the work God really wants us to focus on.
What have been your experiences in recruitment? Are there any best practices you would like to share? Be a difference maker today. Please contribute to the community and help others learn from your experiences. Thank you.
Mark A. Griffin | Blog, Kingdom Company Building
Oct 13, 2020
Employees complain when you don’t have a handbook, but, when you have one, they don’t want it! An employee handbook is very easy to create, but probably the most overlooked aspect of employment documentation. One thing is for sure: if a company has multiple shifts or multiple locations or just multiple employees, an employee handbook can certainly help keep all employees on the same page. Handbooks are always a delicate subject.
But when done right, and with employee input, this tool can make a difference.
- Make it reflect your Mission Vision and Values (MVV)
- Make it relevant
- Keep it simple
- Keep it legal and legit
Reflect your MVV. Your handbook should be an absolute reflection of your MVV, which essentially amplifies your culture. Someone who is unfamiliar with your organization should be able to pick up your handbook and see your heart within its reflection simply by the tone and the guiding principles you lay out for your employees. The front of the handbook should contain your MVV, followed by the President’s message as to why the MVV is important to the company and how it was created.
Make it relevant. Having reviewed hundreds of handbooks over the years, one thing is certain and that is that most are horrible. They are irrelevant, often don’t convey the culture of the organization and are more about preaching or dictating than guiding.
Keep it simple. A handbook should not contain every scrap of information about the company. Worse yet, it should not contain every possible scenario in which an employee violation could occur. Keep it simple and you will have a greater impact than if you over-complicate or over-stimulate the reader. Many employees I’ve spoken with over the years tell me that, if a handbook is interesting, they will read it to learn more about the company, but, if it just rambles on over policy and procedures, most will put it down after two pages. The ideal handbook will inspire the reader to learn — learn more about the company.
Keep it legal and legit. Always ensure you include the appropriate legal clauses. There are far too many to list here but a few that come to mind speak toADA, FMLA, Employment at Will, EEOC etc. You want to make sure you cover your bases.
In closing it is important to note that having a handbook is oftentimes the only opportunity for employers to memorialize what is expected of employees. But always include what employees can expect of you! A handbook should never be a one way street of core policies of the organization; if it is, you will chill the warmth right out of the organization, a chill you will live to regret.
We Value Your Comments. Thank you for taking the time to read our post in this series on how to build “Kingdom Minded” Companies. Please share your thoughts and experiences on employee handbooks. How did the ones that you have used fit your organization? Did they match your culture? Did they drive the behaviors the company and employees desire? Thank you for contributing to our community, and thank you for sharing your thoughts.
Mark A. Griffin | Blog, Kingdom Company Building
