H R A N SW E R BO X

T H E T O P 1 0E M P L O Y E EM A N A G E M E N TM I S T A K E SA N D H O W T OA V O I D T H E M

h r a n s w e r b o x . c o m

THE TOP 1 0 EMPLOYEEMANAGEMENT MISTAKESAND HOW TO AVO ID THEM

Thinking that you can avoid or ignore employmentlaws because no one will know.

Not having an employee handbook or failing toregularly update the employee handbook.

Not having accurate job descriptions.

Asking whatever you want in a job interview.

Not doing background checks as a part of your pre-

employment process.

Failing to properly address and documentperformance problems.

Not giving employee feedback.

Not rewarding and recognizing employees.

Having improper pay practices.

Underestimating the importance of HR-relatedfunctions within your organization.

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Th i n k i n g t h a t y ou c an a v o i d o r i g n o r eemp l o ymen t l aw s be c au s e no one w i l l

k n ow .

The problem:

Employment laws are confusing and it’s sometimes hardto tell which ones apply to my business. Plus, it seems likethe laws are constantly changing and I don’t know whatwe need to do to be in compliance.

How to avoid it:The law can be a complicated area to navigate, butignorance is no defense. Most employment laws arebased on number of employees, so start there. There areat least 25 federal laws that apply to companies with lessthan 50 employees. On top of those regulations, there arestate laws that may apply and specific laws that apply tocertain industries.

Best practice tip:

It’s important to be in compliance because failure tocomply and getting caught can result in some hefty fines.An internal HR audit is a great way to ensure that you areup-to-date with your employment law compliance.

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No t ha v i n g an emp l o y e e handbook o rf a i l i n g t o r e gu l a r l y upda t e t h e emp l o y e e

handbook .

The problem:

I’m not sure what to put in an employee handbook.

Who reads the employee handbook anyway? Whyshould I even bother with creating or updating ahandbook?

How to avoid it:Employee handbooks provide a framework for what isand isn’t allowed in your workplace. It’s a way tocommunicate applicable employment laws, as well asinformation on policies and procedures specificto your organization.

While writing and updating an employee handbookcan take valuable time, the investment is worth it sothat employees know what is expected of them.

The handbook is also a valuable tool if you have todiscipline an employee or terminate an employee.

Best practice tip:

Handbooks should be reviewed at least annually, but Irecommend every six months due to the changinglandscape of employment laws.

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No t ha v i n g a c cu r a t e j o b de s c r i p t i o n s .

The problem:

Our employees do what their managers ask of them, sowe really don’t need a boring job descriptiondocumenting this information.

How to avoid it:Job descriptions are used for recruiting, but they arealso important tools when determining essentialfunctions for ADA claims and when dealing withperformance issues. It’s also a great way for a newemployee to understand what is expected of him.

Best practice tip:

If you don’t currently have job descriptions, ask theincumbent to compile a list with her daily, weekly andmonthly tasks. From there, you can determine whichtasks are essential and the required knowledge, skillsand abilities for the position.

If you’re hiring for a brand new position, check outonline resources like O*NET for sample job descriptions.

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As k i n g wha t e v e r y ou wan t i n a j o bi n t e r v i ew .

The problem:

The interview is our one chance to figure out if acandidate will be a good fit for the position and ourorganization. I want to get to know the candidate on apersonal level.

How to avoid it:Determining whether a candidate has the requiredknowledge, skills and abilities for a position is animportant goal of an interview. It’s equally important toassess whether the person will be a good fit for yourorganization, but there are some topics that you needto steer clear of in order to keep your interview fromgoing into the discriminatory zone. Refrain from overtlypersonal questions and keep your inquiries on job-

related topics.

Best practice tip:

Train your interviewers. We assume that people knowhow to interview, but many interviewers report feelingunprepared and unknowledgeable about what is andisn’t allowed in an interview.

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No t do i ng ba c kg r ound che c k s a s a pa r to f y ou r p r e - emp l o ymen t p r o c e s s .

The problem:

Background checks are costly and slow down therecruiting process. Can’t we just trust what candidatestell us in the interview?

How to avoid it:When companies tell me that they don’t want toconduct background checks (and/or drug tests), I sharethis story:

Several years ago, I was hiring a mechanic who wouldhave welding responsibilities. He didn’t indicate anycriminal history on his application form. However,during the background check process, we determinedthat he was a convicted arsonist. We decided that itwasn’t in the best interest for the safety of our currentemployees to bring in this person and give him readyaccess to an open flame.

Best practice tip:

Come to the realization that not all employees arehonest in their applications, resumes and interviews.Background checks and drug tests are an employer’sbest due diligence to ensure that the organization isprotecting its current employees.

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F a i l i n g t o p r ope r l y add r e s s anddocumen t pe r f o rmance p r ob l ems .

The problem:

Maybe if we ignore the performance problem it will justgo away or the person will eventually leave for anotherjob.

How to avoid it:This is another area where the job description isimportant. Take a look at that document and determinewhere the employee is falling short. Have a one-on-onediscussion with the employee and provide steps toimprove the performance. In some cases, theintroduction of a written performance improvementplan with specific, measurable goals and timelinesmay be helpful. At a minimum, send an email to theperson as a recap of your conversation and theexpectations going forward.

Best practice tip:

Performance problems don’t magically go away. You’llprotect the health and morale of your other well-performing employees if you effectively deal with theproblem person when the issue arises.

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No t g i v i n g emp l o y e e s f e edba c k .

The problem:

My employees know that they’re doing a good job, so Idon’t need to tell them anything about theirperformance except during their annual review.

How to avoid it:Feedback shouldn’t be a one-time per year event.Instead, regularly monitor the performance andprogress of all your employees and provide them withregular comments on what they’re doing well, as well asany areas for improvement. This is also a great time todiscuss training opportunities, career path progressionand to get feedback from the employee about what’sgoing well and where they may need help.

Best practice tip:

Feedback should be timely and regular. Even your topperforming employees are looking for affirmation abouttheir work. It doesn’t take long to check-in on youremployees and see how they’re doing. You may besurprised at how a little attention can result in bigproductivity gains.

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No t r ewa r d i n g and r e c ogn i z i n gemp l o y e e s .

The problem:

My employees know I appreciate them. What more do Ineed to do?

How to avoid it:Some of your employees probably do know that youappreciate them, but don’t make the assumption thatall of them are feeling valued. Little things like saying“thank you” and “job well done” can go a long way inencouraging employees to continue with positiveperformance.

Best practice tip:

Rewards aren’t always monetary or in the form of abonus. Think about creative ways to incentivize youremployees and find out what each of them likes anddislikes to make the reward even more valuable intheir eyes.

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Hav i n g imp r ope r pa y p r a c t i c e s .

The problem:

We made all of our employees salaried because it waseasier to do this from a payroll perspective. Plus, wedon’t have to pay overtime.

How to avoid it:The Fair Labor Standards Act is considered the largestpiece of wage and hour legislation. This law has veryspecific rules about who can and cannot be consideredexempt and non-exempt. Employers who fail toclassify their employees properly can have some veryexpensive consequences, so it’s important to get thisright.

Best practice tip:

Again, this is an area where the job description can behelpful in determining whether the position is exemptor non-exempt. Take a close look at the job duties, aswell as the requirements outlined in the FLSA. Thecomplete law is available on the Department of Labor’swebsite.

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Unde r e s t ima t i n g t h e impo r t a n c e o fHR - r e l a t ed f u n c t i o n s w i t h i n y ou r

o r g an i z a t i o n .

The problem:

HR is a nice-to-have function in an organization and Idon’t have to worry about that.

How to avoid it:HR isn’t just a nice-to-have. It’s essential to maintaininga legal and effective workplace. While you may not havea need for a full-time HR department, your organizationis faced with workplace and employee issues on a dailybasis.

Best practice tip:

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