Increasing Efficiency in the Workplace

Efficiency is the key to any business - whether with regard to daily business operations, customer and company communications, or long term expansion. Moreover, with the economy in a temporary dip, increased efficiency can help save businesses a significant amount of money - not to mention valuable time.

So what are some ways your business can increase efficiency, and what are the most appropriate tools to help you get there?

One way to effectively cut down on company costs and increase efficiency is to invest in business tools which essentially "multi-task". For example, why not opt to purchase an all-in-one scanner, printer, copy, and fax machine, rather than investing separately in each individual tool? You'll not only save money, but all-in-one type business tools are also much more compact in size - so you can conveniently keep then anywhere in the office or workplace.

What's more, you'll be able to find printers that cater to the type of business you run - whether it's a graphic arts firm or a company that requires high-load copy and printing jobs. All-in-one printers are among the most popular tools for increased businesses efficiency, and now it's easy to see why.

Another way to operate your business more efficiently is to consolidate your IT infrastructure. Companies will often employ different service providers for IT-related needs such as the internet, office phone networks, web conferencing tools and communications managers - ideal if, for instance, you require extensions with a mix of telephony and data functions.

However, there are various benefits to consolidating all your communications systems under one comprehensive provider. To begin, you're bound to get a better deal if one provider handles all your business IT needs. Secondly, if anything goes wrong within your IT department and you happen to require assistance or support, you'll only ever need to contact one company rather than multiple providers. Having one provider for various services simplifies the processes involved with IT operations in the workplace, ultimately enabling you to focus on other important aspects of your business.

Therefore, it is important that you consider how you can increase efficiency and decrease costs in running your business, and cope with the economic climate with every move you make. With so many business tools available on the market, there really are a host of solutions to help you achieve your business goals while staying on track with regard to efficiency and company expenditures.

About the Author

Adam Singleton writes for a digital marketing agency. This article has been commissioned by a client of said agency. This article is not designed to promote, but should be considered professional content.

What You Need to Know about E-Verify

What is E-Verify
E-Verify was originally introduced to employers as the Basic Pilot Program. The program was developed to provide employers with a free internet-based system where they could determine employment eligibility of new hires and the validity of their Social Security numbers. The system is operated by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), part of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) partnered with the Social Security Administration (SSA). Employers are able to verify the employment eligibility of their employees, regardless of citizenship. Based on information provided by the employee on his or her Form I-9, E-Verify confirms this information electronically against records contained by DHS and SSA databases.

E-Verify Registration
Currently, E-Verify offers employers the best option to electronically verify the employment eligibility of their newly hired employees. You can register online for E-Verify. Upon completion of the registration process, you will be required to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that supplies the terms and agreement between you the employer, the SSA and DHS. The MOU must be signed by an employee with the proper authority to do so.

After you register for the automated system, The MOU, User Manual and Tutorial contain instructions and other related materials on E-Verify procedures. You must complete the tutorial before using the system.

Do I Still Need Form I-9?
The use of E-Verify does not replace the requirement that all employers in the U.S. and all post-November 6, 1986 hires complete Form I-9. E-Verify is processed in addition to the mandatory completion of Form I-9. Currently, USCIS does not offer the use of the electronic Form I-9.

After hiring a new employee and completing the Form I-9, you will be required to submit the following information:

• Employee/s name and date of birth
• Social Security Number
• Citizenship status
• An A number or I-94 number, if applicable
• Type of document provided on the Form I-9 to establish work authorization status
• Proof of identity, and expiration date when applicable

The response to your initial query is sent within seconds of submitting the information. Please note that documents provided from "List B" for the Form I-9 must have a photograph.

When Can I Run an E-Verify Query?
An employer may not initiate a query until an individual accepts an offer of employment and after the employee and employer complete the Form I-9. This query must be initiated by the employer within 3 business days after the new hire's actual start date.

Employers participating in E-Verify must verify all newly hired employees, both U.S. citizens and non-citizens. Employers are not to use the program to prescreen applicants for employment, confirm current employees hired before the MOU was signed or re-verify any employee who with temporary work authorization.

E-Verify cannot be used to verify immigration status, only a new hire's employment eligibility.

Additionally, E-Verify cannot be used for employees who do not yet have a Social Security Number. If you have an employee with this issue, you should complete the Form I-9 process with him or her and wait to process the E-Verify. Make sure you note on the Form I-9 why you have not yet run an E-Verify query. In the meantime, you will have completed the Employment Eligibility process with your employee and verified his/her work authorization so that your employee is permitted to work temporarily without a Social Security Number. Once the employee has received his/her Social Security Number you may run the E-Verify query.

Is E-Verify Mandatory?
Participation in E-Verify is voluntary for most employers with some limited exceptions. Many states have begun making E-Verify mandatory for their public contractors and the federal government enacted its own amendment to the Federal Acquisition Regulation ("FAR") mandating E-Verify for many of its contractors and some of their sub-contractors.

Employers that enter into a contract with the federal government and are required to enroll in E-Verify must register with E-Verify when the provision takes effect. After enrolling in E-Verify, the employer is responsible for reporting to the DHS if it continues to employ an individual after receipt of a final nonconfirmation notice. Continuing to employ the individual exposes the employer to a fine in addition to civil monetary or criminal sanctions that may be placed against the employer.

Under the existing E-Verify program, employers are only permitted to verify the employment eligibility of new hires - current employees cannot be processed in E-Verify. However, large contractors feel that it would be too big a task administratively to monitor their E-Verify obligations with respect to employees assigned to the contract and new hires where numerous federal contracts are in place and the workforce varies. This has resulted in the Department of Defense and DHS creating a provision under the Federal Contractor E-Verify Rule whereby an employer may choose to query all of its existing employees hired after November 6, 1986, rather than just those assigned to the contract.

It should also be noted that with the recent changes in our administration, the proposed mandate for federal contractors to be processed through the E-Verify program has been delayed until September 8, 2009. The postponement of the mandate for federal contractors came as a result of a federal lawsuit filed by business members against the DHS. The main concern being raised is the accuracy of the E-Verify data. The Government Accountability Office (GAO) has found that the DHS E-Verify system incorrectly lists some legal citizens as ineligible to work in the U.S., and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce feels that the system has not been tested enough.

E-Verify: Pros and Cons
E-Verify may or may not make sense for some employers depending on the particular circumstances of the employer. Prior to enrolling in E-Verify, employers should give thought to conducting an internal I-9 audit and consulting with counsel. An employer may also want to consider the states in which it conducts business, review its current procedure for employment verification and weigh the pros and cons of E-Verify.

The Pros:

• E-Verify quickly verifies employment eligibility and almost eliminates Social Security mismatch letters.
• Employers utilizing E-Verify may presume that they did not knowingly hire an unauthorized worker.
• Employers in some states may be able to pursue certain types of business (state contracts).
• Protects jobs for authorized U.S. workers.

The Cons:

• Participating employers allow the SSA and DHS to perform periodic audits.
• E-Verify has been known to have mismatch problems, carrying a risk of false nonconfirmations that expose an employer to legal action.
• Employers must make an administrative commitment to the program to include training and timely management of the program.
• Improper use of the E-Verify program for pre-employment screening or to re-verify current employees exposes employers to liability.
• There is uncertainty regarding the technical capacity of E-Verify to handle a heavy load and the ability of the SSA to quickly resolve numerous confirmation issues.

Visit the USCIS E-Verify page for the most up to date information.

About the Author

Shelley Phelps is a Background Screening Specialist with Corporate Investigations, Inc., a national provider of pre-employment background screening services headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

From Employed to Engaged

Mary Weather is one of your key employees. The customers ask for her by name and she is one of your best team leaders. Today she comes into your office and tells you that she has accepted an exciting opportunity. You are taken aback. What happened, you ask yourself? Of course, you'll have an exit interview, but it's too late to save Mary,

Turnover is costly:

At least one and a half times an entry level employee's salary - much higher for management level staff. Affects other employees - someone will have extra work until the new person is hired· Delays the company in meeting its goals Upsetting for the customers - they don't like to "train" new people The latest buzz word with regard to employee retention is "engaged". Will we recruit another body to be "employed", or do we want someone committed to the organization, "engaged".

What are the characteristics of an engaged employee?

They love with they do - job content is the key· Engaged employees are leaders as well as team players· They have a positive attitude - enthusiastic for new opportunities Engaged employees understand the importance of customer service· They are committed and will go the extra mile. What is the secret to building and maintaining an engaged workforce.

1.) Recruit carefully

Define the job - know what you're looking for· Determine performance criteria· Don't hire in haste! Leave the position open until you find the right fit. 2.) Make "Onboarding" meaningful

Appoint a coach or mentor to ease the new employee's transition into the workplace· Communicate what is expected during the introductory (probationary) period and who the employee can go to for assistance· Little things mean a lot - have all the basics in place like computers, office supplies, business cards, etc. 3.) Provide opportunities

Employees will leave a job if it doesn't offer career development and challenges· If you are a small company and promotions are not readily available, important project work that provides for skill development should be considered to keep employees motivated.· Offer opportunities for continued professional development, i.e., seminars, membership in professional organizations, etc· Where possible, offer flexible work schedules/telecommuting. Today's diverse workforce faces challenges regarding child care, elder care, etc. A flexible employer is an employer of choice. 4.) Get the Wrong People Off the Bus!

From Good to Great: Why Some Companies make the Leap...and Others Don't by Jim Collins advises employers to get the right people in the right seats, and to get the wrong people off the bus. People get frustrated with co-workers who do not pull their weight. Companies who tolerate poor performance will drive off the good employees

5.) Senior Management

Needs to "walk the talk". So often it's do what I say, not what I do.· Make a decided effort to know the employees on an individual basis.· Identify and weed out poor supervisors· Communicate on many levels, not exclusively by e-mail and text messages. 6.) Also Important

Reward employee contributions - do this in creative ways and do it often!· Recognize the generational differences and provide opportunities for employees of all age groups to work together. Conduct period employee surveys - CAUTION - do not ask for suggestions if you have no intention to do anything with the feedback. This doesn't mean you must act upon every suggestion, but surveyed employees need to have their input acknowledged.· Make certain that your salaries and benefits are competitive. Strive for an Engaged Workforce. Your turnover will be lower, your customers will be more satisfied and your profitability will increase!

Cathy Baniewicz has over 30 years experience in human resources. Her career began at Beatrice Foods Co., where she progressed to Assistant Director of Affirmative Action and Corporate Personnel Manager. Prior to joining EffortlessHR, Cathy was Assistant Director of Human Resources at Golden Eagle Distributors, Inc. (Budweiser). Cathy has her B.A. degree from DePaul University, Chicago, Illinois, and MBA from George Williams College, Aurora, Illinois. Cathy obtained her Professional in Human Resources (PHR) certification in December of 2004.

EffortlessHR is an online Human Resources Program for small businesses. This program will guide you through the maze of human resource laws and issues. You will have access to your employee information anytime, anyplace. Federal and State laws, personnel forms, "How To" guides, posters and reports are at your fingertips.

For more information, go to http://www.effortlesshr.com/ , or call us at (520) 546-3947. We now have business forms available at http://www.effortlessforms.com/

About the Author

Cathy Baniewicz has over 30 years experience in human resources. Her career began at Beatrice Foods Co., where she progressed to Assistant Director of Affirmative Action and Corporate Personnel Manager. Prior to joining EffortlessHR, Cathy was Assistant Director of Human Resources at Golden Eagle Distributors, Inc. (Budweiser). Cathy has her B.A. degree from DePaul University, Chicago, Illinois, and MBA from George Williams College, Aurora, Illinois.

Three Concerns When Inquiring About Applicants' Past Criminal Convictions

One extremely useful facet of using employment applications in hiring is the ability of the employer to directly ask an applicant if he or she has a criminal history that would show up if a thorough background check was conducted. Yet, to their detriment, many employers use language that is either too narrow, too broad, or too ambiguous to successfully accomplish this - each of these mistakes can lead to legal quagmires or bad hires continuing to slip through the cracks and potentially endanger businesses. To make this reality perfectly clear, let us go over each of these scenarios in greater detail:

Too Narrow

An example of a question that is too narrow is to only ask about felonies. Many standard employment applications only ask if an applicant was convicted of a felony. That allows the application form to be used in all states. However, misdemeanors can be very serious. Under California law, for example, most employers would want to know if an applicant had a conviction for offenses such as fighting with a police officer, illegal possession of weapons, spousal abuse or child abuse, commercial burglary, assault and many other offenses. Yet in California and other states, these can all be misdemeanors. Many serious offenses are plea-bargained down to misdemeanor offenses as well. Without the proper language, an applicant can honestly answer that he or she has not been convicted of a felony even though there may be serious misdemeanor convictions an employer needs to know about. A best practice would be to utilize an application form that asks about past criminal conduct in the broadest language allowed by law in your state

Too Broad

On the other hand, some employers ask questions that are so broad that it improperly covers matters that are protected. An example may be, "Have you ever committed a crime?" Or "Have You Ever Been Convicted of Any Crime?" There are a number of limitations under state and federal law concerning what an employer may legally ask about or "discover" concerning an applicant's or employee's criminal record. In fact, it can be a misdemeanor in California for an employer to knowingly violate some of these rules. Furthermore, if an applicant is placed in a position where he is forced to reveal information about himself that he is legally entitled not to disclose, an employer can actually be sued in some states for "defamation by compelled self-publication." In other words, if forced to say something defamatory about himself, an applicant may be able to file a lawsuit against the employer for defamation.

Too Ambiguous

The third mistake is to ask an applicant, "Have you ever been convicted of a felony or serious misdemeanor?" or "Have you ever been convicted of a crime of violence?" or a similar question that calls for an opinion. The problem occurs when an applicant is called upon to make a judgment about his own offense. To determine if a crime can be labeled as "serious" can call for a very complex legal and factual determination on which lawyers and even judges could disagree. At times an applicant may be simply confused by court proceedings and may not understand the results or what they mean. By asking a question that is ambiguous and leaves waffle room, an applicant can argue that in his or her mind the offense was not serious and a "no" answer was truthful. That is why a question cannot contain any ambiguity

About the Author

Lester S. Rosen is an attorney at law and President of Employment Screening Resources , a national background checking company located in California offering employment screening services such as employee background screening, job verification, and credential verification.

Wage and Hour Violations Burden Small Businesses

Employee lawsuits against employers have almost doubled in the last six years. According to the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), if an employer is found to be in violation of the Wage and Hour laws, the Secretary of Labor may bring suit for back pay and an equal amount as liquidated damages, plus attorney's fees and court costs. Small businesses are feeling the burden and must be cognizant of complying with all laws.

To understand the Federal Labor Standards Act (FLSA), you have to first learn what jobs are exempt from the requirements and which are not. This is not as easy as you think, and there are numerous penalties that can come out of noncompliance with the law. The federal statute enables an employee or former employee to go back either two or three years to collect for unpaid overtime compensation. In the case of willful violations, a three year statute of limitations applies. Also, criminal penalties may be imposed for repeated violations. In addition to back pay, fines can range from $1,100 per minimum wage or overtime pay violation, or $10,000 for each child worker employed illegally. The Wage and Hour investigations can be very broad in scope and not limited to the circumstances surrounding a single complaint. As a consequence, an employer opens the door to a total review of the company's payroll in these situations.

As an employer, knowledge of the requirements under the Fair Labor Standards Act is critical in order to avoid penalties for noncompliance. For more information, go to the Department of Labor's website, Fair Standards Act Advisor*.

Employers who call their workers independent contractors merely to avoid unemployment, workers compensation insurance, and federal and state tax withholding etc. are headed for serious trouble with the Department of Labor (DOL) and/or the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). The IRS announced in May of 2007 that worker classification cases would be a major area of emphasis in 2008. In March of this year the DOL investigated a Texas water company and found that over 200 employees had been incorrect misclassified as independent contractors. The company ended up owing nearly $600,000 for two years of missed overtime pay.

Is my worker an employee or independent contractor? Ask these questions:

1. Do you tell the employee when and where to report to work? 2. Is the employee given instructions on how the work is to be performed? 3. Is the work supervised by anyone on your staff? 4. Is the employee covered by any of your fringe benefit plans? 5. Have you issued the employee a company ID card? 6. Are you providing business cards, stationery or other company property?

If yes to the above, the worker more than likely is an employee, not an independent contractor.

The IRS recently updated its test for determining whether or not an employee is an independent contractor. The following information was copied from their website:

Facts that provide evidence of the degree of control and independence fall into three categories:

Behavioral: Does the company control or have the right to control what the worker does and how the worker does his or her job? Financial: Are the business aspects of the worker's job controlled by the payer? (these include things like how worker is paid, whether expenses are reimbursed, who provides tools/supplies, etc.) Type of Relationship: Are there written contracts or employee type benefits (i.e. pension plan, insurance, vacation pay, etc.)? Will the relationship continue and is the work performed a key aspect of the business? After reviewing the three categories of evidence, if you are still unsure if a worker is an employee or an independent contractor, the business can file Form SS-8, Determination of Worker Status for Purposes of Federal Employment Taxes and Income Tax Withholding (PDF) with the IRS. The form may be filed by either the business or the worker. The IRS will review the facts and circumstances and officially determine the worker's status. Be aware that it can take up to six months to get a determination, but a business that continually hires the same types of workers to perform particular services may want to consider filing the Form Form SS-8 (PDF).

*http://www.dol.gov/elaws/flsa.htm

Cathy Baniewicz has over 30 years experience in human resources. Her career began at Beatrice Foods Co., where she progressed to Assistant Director of Affirmative Action and Corporate Personnel Manager. Prior to joining EffortlessHR, Cathy was Assistant Director of Human Resources at Golden Eagle Distributors, Inc. (Budweiser). Cathy has her B.A. degree from DePaul University, Chicago, Illinois, and MBA from George Williams College, Aurora, Illinois. Cathy obtained her Professional in Human Resources (PHR) certification in December of 2004.

EffortlessHR is an online Human Resources Program for small businesses. This program will guide you through the maze of human resource laws and issues. You will have access to your employee information anytime, anyplace. Federal and State laws, personnel forms, "How To" guides, posters and reports are at your fingertips.

For more information, go to http://www.effortlesshr.com/ , or call us at (520) 546-3947. We now have business forms available at http://www.effortlessforms.com/

About the Author

Cathy Baniewicz has over 30 years experience in human resources. Her career began at Beatrice Foods Co., where she progressed to Assistant Director of Affirmative Action and Corporate Personnel Manager. Prior to joining EffortlessHR, Cathy was Assistant Director of Human Resources at Golden Eagle Distributors, Inc. (Budweiser). Cathy has her B.A. degree from DePaul University, Chicago, Illinois, and MBA from George Williams College, Aurora, Illinois.

Ten Ways to Create an Employee-centered Workplace

An employee-centered workplace is one in which all individuals, programs, processes, and systems are focused on helping employees become fully successful. Individuals who feel valued will provide excellent products and service, which will result in the achievement of organizational goals. In such an environment, everyone wins: workers, management, customers, vendors, and other stakeholders.

Unfortunately, this scenario does not occur naturally. Rather, management must make a conscious decision to create an environment in which everyone and everything is aligned with employees' success. Below are ten actions organizations can take to create or enhance a positive workplace that motivates employees to perform their best. Some practices can be implemented immediately, with little or no cost; others will take some time and effort. Please note that these actions are not one-time fixes; rather, they represent a long-term way of interacting with employees. Short-term "solutions" for long-term issues are seldom effective, and workers can tell the difference.

1. Assess your employees' level of satisfaction with their supervisors. For example, consider issues such as whether the supervisor listens to what they say, and how he/she treats employees when they make mistakes. Take immediate action to correct any deficiencies.

2. Ensure that every employee sees the organization's "big picture" and his/her contribution to it. Employees who feel connected to the organization have a vested interest in its success.

3. Learn employees' names and use them often. As a corollary, learn a little about their families and outside interests. Ask them about things that are important to them personally on a regular basis. Be genuine when you ask; people know when you are being disingenuous.

4. Recognize employees' contributions to the organization in ways that are meaningful to the individuals involved. Research shows that the most effective forms of recognition are those that create memories for workers and their families.

5. Ensure that employees view organizational procedures and decision-making processes as fair. Research shows that even when employees do not like the outcome of a given decision, they are likely to accept it if they believe the rules that led to that outcome are fair - e.g., transparent, free of bias, and open to employee input.

6. Ensure that values such as trust and respect are a core part of your organization's culture. This outcome arises when each employee knows what those values "look like" in terms of his/her behaviors on the job and when leaders exemplify those values every day.

7. Provide employees with a meaningful voice. This means they feel that they can offer their opinions freely and safely, even when they disagree with management, and they believe that their views will be taken seriously.

8. Incorporate appreciative approaches in the workplace. Seek out things that people do well, and build on those strengths. Ask questions that have them searching for positive answers instead of negative ones.

9. Ensure that all employees are in the right jobs - i.e., that their talents are appropriate for the work they must do. Few things are more miserable than doing a job for which one is not a good fit.

10. Hold every manager accountable for helping employees become fully successful.

About the Author

Pat Lynch, Ph.D., is President of Business Alignment Strategies, Inc., a consulting firm that helps clients optimize business results by aligning people, programs, and processes with organizational goals. For additional articles please visit our web site at www.BusinessAlignmentStrateties.com. You may contact Pat at Pat@BusinessAlignmentStrategies.com or at (562) 985-0333. Copyright 2009 Pat Lynch. All rights reserved.

Top Tips for HR Professionals

Documentation / Policies & Guidelines One of the main tasks for a HR Professional in any business is the development and update of business documentation, including policies and guidelines used for new staff and existing staff. There should be continual review of these policies, potentially with help and guidance from other departments, for example when developing the 'IT Use' policy. Keeping abreast of changing technologies is useful, for example including 'social networking' into your usage policies ensure that all staff have a clear understanding on where they stand and what a companies policy is on using social media websites in work hours.

Candidate References When you are looking at prospective candidates to employ it is vitally important to not only ask for, but to follow up on personal references. It is becoming more common for HR Professionals to not follow up on references, or instead to simply let departmental heads take care of this aspect of the recruitment process. You should ensure that this process is kept within the remit of the HR department as sometimes this process gets overlooked when more pressing business requirements come up. If potential references cannot be contacted for whatever reason, ensure you allow the candidate to provide you with additional references. Getting positive references as a method of vetting prospective candidates can help save a big headache later on.

Active Enrolment Many times when a new starter joins a company their first impression is a lasting one therefore it is important that an effective new starter enrolment programme is designed and implemented. For example documentation could include information to hand out to new starters detailing facts on the company and office. As a company policy it may be a good idea to create an enrolment training day for new starters as this can be helpful to impart the company philosophy. Ensuring that new starters are also escorted around the building to be shown facilities and meet other members of staff is also important, however many times this exercise is not carried out effectively when left to individual departments, therefore the HR team should take responsibility for this. HR should also oversee that IT systems are put in place prior to a new starter joining a company. It looks (and is) unprofessional for a new starter to join and find that their IT system are not in place.

Incentives & Recognition For any individual it is important to feel that what they contribute to a business is not only recognised, but also can aid their long term career though either incentives or career progression. A HR department's role is to ensure that these recognition and incentive schemes are put in place as this helps to motivate employees and improve overall performance. Whilst salary primarily tends to dictate a persons motivation other incentives and rewards, which can have little financial burden to a company can pay dividends long term. Starting creative incentive schemes with fresh new ideas can aid moral and also help lengthen to time employees stay at a company.

Understanding your Business Whilst as a HR professional you are focused on your core responsibilities, learning about the business and marketplace that you are working in can aid the development of your HR programmes. Understanding the specific requirements relating to an industry can help you understand some of the more complicated HR issues that you might come across in your role. For example, HR professionals who work in surveying marketplace could keep updated on training events held by trade bodies such as the RICS. This would help employees with their personal development.

Ensure Compliance Whilst it is important to have a good grounding and understanding of the business in which you operate in as a HR Professional it is also vitally important that you stay abreast of any developments in the HR industry. Monitoring trade journals and magazines should become a routine habit, the attendance at trade fairs and expos should also be carried at frequently. Ensuring that you are aware of any changes to legislation is vitally important. Any changes to HR laws and rules will have a big impact on how a business operates with at worse companies that fall foul of any new legislation could find themselves being sued by individuals.

Appraisals Ensuring that there is an effective appraisal and personal development programme implemented is important. In many companies appraisals are carried out haphazardly. However this is a mistake as an appraisal not only allows a company to get feedback from the employee on how they feel about their role and the company in general it is also an opportunity to help map and plan an employee's career within a company. Whilst many employees leave a company due to salary or because they are looking for a different challenge, many employees also leave a company due to a feeling of dissatisfaction with a company in general, therefore a highly tailored appraisal process can help alleviate this problem. You should look towards implementing a goal or target orientated appraisal programme that gives both a company and an employee something to work towards as this can help keep motivation high.

Disciplinary Procedures Whilst having to carry out disciplinary procedures is one of the tasks that would preferably be avoided, in many circumstances it is a necessary part of the role of the HR team. Whether disciplinary procedures are carried out by employee's line managers predominantly, it is still important for HR to be involved in this process to ensure that internal processes are followed correctly as any mistakes here could leave the business open to tribunal actions or claims. HR teams should instruct management personal to follow a selection of simple guidelines to keep the disciplinary process professional. Managers should: ensure that they stick to facts and not to bring up irrelevant information that is based on hearsay or gossip. Should not get 'personal' or violate confidentiality. Follow disciplinary procedures correctly and not 'skip' steps. Managers should also consult the HR team in any doubt and formal procedures should be put in place by the HR team to allow this.

Exit Interviews When a person leaves a company it is an ideal opportunity to gain some constructive criticism as to why that person is leaving and what they think could be changed within the company. It is important to ensure that the exit interview remains not only impartial, but confidential as in many cases an employee may not feel comfortable talking about certain things, such as if they are leaving because of issues with their line manager. It is important to understand that many industries tend to have 'close knit' communities and individuals can end up working with the same colleagues again at a different company. As a HR Professional with constructive feedback from departing employees you are in a position to action company policy and feedback to departments any changes that could be made for the better.

Time Management A great skill for any HR Professional is time management, ensuring you can allocate your time effectively is important as it means that you can keep on top of your work load. One of the best ways to ensure that your time is allocated correctly is to write a to-do list and then prioritise each action with a different priority level. This helps you keep on top of your work load. Time management is also useful for the majority of people in your company therefore getting relevant people onto time management workshops can help the productivity of the workforce immensely.

Enhance Your Career HR professionals can develop their careers through a number of accredited training channels such as the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) or other training organizations that offer HR courses. Ensuring that you are constantly enhancing your skill set allows you to not only develop further in your career but also have better skills to help progress and develop the HR policies where you work.

About the Author

Rachel Samuels is a freelance writer and loves to write on a wide range of topics

Practical challenges for PHR & SPHR

Nowadays, companies are laying off their staffs. Though, it is extremely tough to find talented pool of employees. So, companies need good managers to counter the cruel recession. Sphr phr certification ensures that they are approving the potentials which have capabilities to counter all these hurdles. Credibility of such certifications provides relief to the companies and let them concentrate on their core task.

Sphr study guide shows ethical approach towards the term 'human resource'. The guide ensures that in resource could never come ahead of 'human'. After all, how can we disrespect 'humanity'! So, sphr human resources mean handle all human being as the resource with delicate/sensitive touch. Here, we will try to understand those practical aspects which are all about spontaneity or maturity of the human resource experts because each and every possibility can not be mentioned in any book or study guide.

Sphr & phr (professional in the Human Resource) strongly favor succession plans. According to them, such plans must be in place to make sure that good people are at key position. But a conscious professional never forget to mention that abiding with succession plans do not mean to recruit internally. However, poaching from another company is also not so bad deal if you are getting absolutely ideal candidate.

Graduate fast track schemes also have always remained very effective and popular medium for finding and recruiting the best talent. Often the combination of huge potential and theoretical knowledge did not prove enough for the companies. So, they arrange training session for the fresh breed.

Online social media is also rapidly growing up as a big challenge. Nowadays, employees have power of social community websites. They can defame any company on the basis of few specific reasons. For instance, if employees are not happy with company's hr policies then they can expose such policies through social community websites or forums. This sort of approach of employees may weaken company's reputation on World Wide Web. So, here comes a new challenge for phr and sphr. Either keep you employee happy or recruit a special team who will take care of company's reputation on World Wide Web.

About the Author

PHRSPHRTraining.com providing human resource certification, PHR Certification Course, SPHR Certification Course passing PHR Exam, SPHR Exam from sphr study guide and PHR/SPHR training course material easily and quickly.