8 Do's and Don'ts for Job Descriptions in '09

8 Do's and Don'ts for Job Descriptions in '09
Here are BLR's editors' do's and don'ts for worthwhile job descriptions that will really support HR operations.

1. DO give specifics
For example, rather than stating that a maintenance worker "keeps up equipment," it is better to spell out the position's requirements, which might include performing routine maintenance on assembly machines, including adjusting settings; cleaning and lubricating shafts, gears, and bearings; and dismantling and replacing defective parts, etc.

2. DO use accurate adjectives
Include adjectives that describe the pace of work ("deadline-driven," "fast-paced") or the work environment ("enclosed area," "noisy setting"), but avoid flowery and overly long descriptions ("cozy but comfortable work environment that encourages creativity").

3. DON'T use subjective terms
Avoid using words that are subject to differing interpretations. Instead of saying you seek a certain attitude, cooperation, or initiative, describe expected outputs, different constituencies with whom this position interacts, and the nature of those relationships (such as "reports to," "provides support to," "supervises").

4. DON'T rely on abbreviations or jargon
A job description should be clear to applicants and employees. Abbreviations and jargon that are specific to your organization, and not to your industry, should be avoided or explained.

5. DON'T use words that raise a question of discrimination
Avoid language that would be questionable in a job listing. For example, don't use words such as "youthful" or "able-bodied."

6. DON'T list unreasonable expectations
Most managers hope their employees will exceed their expectations and take on tasks and responsibilities beyond what's required in the position, but avoid the temptation to include standards that don't currently apply to this job.

7. DON'T list excessive qualifications or experience
If you include more than what is needed to competently perform the position, you will end up with bored, overqualified workers and you will limit your ability to place otherwise qualified candidates in the position.

8. DON'T include anything derogatory or specific about a person who previously held the position
Job descriptions are not the place to air grievances or disappointments about individuals who previously held the position. You can use past experiences to help ensure all necessary information is included, but make sure you describe only the job.

What's the state of your organization's job descriptions? Up to date? Accurate? Compatible with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)? Good work! However, if you are not so sure that your job descriptions are as well executed as they should be (or if you've never even written them), you're not alone. Thousands of companies fall short in this area.

It's easy to understand why. Job descriptions are not quick to do, and they are not easy-what with updating and management and legal review, especially for the ADA's requirement of a split off of essential vs. nonessential functions in the description. Wouldn't it be great if they were available, already written?

Actually, they are. We have more than 500, ready to go, covering every common position in any organization, from receptionist right up to president. They are in an extremely popular BLR program called the Job Descriptions Encyclopedia.

First created in the 1980s, the "JDE" has been constantly refined and updated over time, with descriptions revised or added each time the law, technology, or the way we do business, changes.

2 Words that Mean Interview Success—'Drill Deeper'

Today's HR Daily Advisor Tip:
2 Words that Mean Interview Success—'Drill Deeper'
Topic: Hiring and Recruiting

Yesterday's Advisor covered two deadly sins of interviewers. Today, we'll talk about a third sin—failing to drill down to the unvarnished truth—and a tip about a product specially designed for the small HR department.
Any job candidate with an ounce of sense has prepared answers for the obvious questions about job qualifications. You still have to ask those questions, but after you get the prepared answer, try to drill deeper to get at the truth.

Here's an example of a master driller (YOU) at work with a candidate for a project manager job:

YOU: Tell me about a recent successful program you managed.
CANDIDATE: My team installed a $5 million computerized management system for the organization. I was "Project Manager."
YOU: Wow.
(Sounds impressive, but should you accept that as evidence of project management ability? NO! Drill down deeper.)

YOU: How many people worked with you on this project?
CANDIDATE: 12 professionals and 6 support staff for 6 months.
(That's quite a staff. Stop questioning? NO. Drill deeper.)

YOU: How did you select the team?
CANDIDATE: Well, the consultant selected them.
(Hmmmmm. Better drill deeper.)

YOU: How did you go about planning the implementation?
CANDIDATE: Oh, the consultant handled that—she's the expert.
(Whoops!)

YOU: How much time did you spend on the project?
CANDIDATE: Well, let's see, it took about an hour a week to check in with the consultant, make sure she didn't need anything.

What did drilling deeper reveal? This candidate was just a "gofer" —a go-between with no management responsibilities and an inflated title—not an experienced project manager, for sure.


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Other Drilling Techniques
Silence. Often if you simply sit silently after a candidate answers a question, the candidate will fill the silence with more information.

Reflecting. Another way to probe for more information is to simply repeat or reflect what the candidate says:

CANDIDATE: I ran big projects.
YOU: You say you ran big projects?

Inflating. Another technique is to take a position beyond or broader than the candidate's. For example:

CANDIDATE: I ran a big project.
YOU: Would you say that project was your biggest contribution? Would it be fair to say that you are an experienced project manager?

Dealing with recruiting and interviewing is never easy. In fact, let's face it—hardly anything in HR is easy. And it's especially difficult in a small department, where one or two people have to do it all, from recruiting to succession planning to investigations to training to recordkeeping to intermittent leave.

We asked our editors if there was any special help directed right at the smaller—or even one-person—HR office. They say Managing an HR Department of One is unique in addressing the special pressures small HR departments face. Here are some of the features included:

—Tutorial on how HR supports organizational goals. This section explains how to probe for what your top management really wants, and how to build credibility in your ability to deliver it.


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3 Deadly Sins of Interviewers—and How to Avoid Them

Today's HR Daily Advisor Tip:
3 Deadly Sins of Interviewers—and How to Avoid Them
Topic: Hiring and Recruiting

Interviewing and hiring the best "talent" for your organization is probably your most important task. And yet, time after time, there's that sinking feeling after just one day—bad choice.
Want to avoid that? Avoid these three deadly interviewing sins. Fortunately, it's not that hard.

Deadly Sin #1—Failure to Prepare
Before you start recruiting you need to do two things: Clarify what you are looking for, and decide how you will determine whether a candidate has it.

"I want to start interviewing yesterday!"
Managers are always in a hurry to fill their empty spots, so there's always pressure to instantly start posting, advertising, and interviewing.

Not so fast. That's a recipe for disaster. As the old saw goes, "If you don't know where you're going, any road will get you there."

Similarly, if you jump into the hiring process without defining what you are looking for:

Good people won't be attracted to apply—they'll sense that if the announcement is only vaguely defined then the job's responsibilities might also be.
Unqualified people won't self-select out, so you'll have to deal with hordes of them.
Most important, you'll have no meaningful basis on which to judge the candidates.

Before launching a hiring campaign, take some time to determine exactly what you need. What abilities, skills, credentials, and knowledge are required? Talk to incumbents, talk to the people who work with the position, review the job description.

When you're clear on that, craft a concise statement of qualifications for posting and advertising, and to give it to agencies and other sources of candidates.

How Will You Know a Candidate Is Qualified?
Next, you need to figure out how you'll know if candidates have what you are looking for. What interview questions will help you find out?

If you start to interview before taking this step, you will:

Spend your interview time thinking up questions instead of listening to what the candidate is saying
Leave out critical questions (like salary expectations, willingness to relocate, possession of a required degree or certificate)
Fall into the conversation trap of discussing sports and the weather, or worse—family issues and other topics that could spell legal trouble
Lose consistency. When you go to compare candidates, you'll have nothing to go on because they'll have answered different questions. If you focused on technical issues with one, and management issues with the other, how will you compare the two?


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Deadly Sin #2—Falling Prey to Stealth Discrimination
The second thing that happens without a plan is that you can easily end up discriminating, even when you didn't intend to. For example:

Playing favorites ("I hire people I like."). With no good selection strategy, you tend to end up with someone you "feel good about"— probably someone who is just like you. This has the obvious effect of keeping out people who aren't like you—in other words, discriminating.

Stereotyping ("X's can't X."). When you don't have a good system for measuring candidates, it's easy to fall back on stereotypes. For example:

"Women aren't strong enough."
"Men aren't compassionate enough."
"X's aren't good at X."

Patronizing/paternalizing/maternalizing ("X's shouldn't X."). This is a special form of stereotyping that seems well-intentioned, but is, in general, discriminatory. For example:

"Terry is a city person, and won't want to relocate."
"Parents with young children shouldn't travel."
"Women shouldn't travel alone."
"Pregnant women can't be subjected to pressure."


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De facto ("Gee, I just never seem to hire X's"). One of the more subtle forms of discrimination is called "de facto." In these situations, there is never an intention to not hire or promote certain types of people-it just never seems to happen.

For example, a hiring manager says he's eager to hire women in a certain job, but, although many qualified women have applied, of the last 50 hires, all 50 were men.

In the next issue of the Advisor, we'll cover the third deadly interviewing sin, talk about how to become a drillmaster interviewer, and deliver a tip about a powerful new tool for the small HR department.

Using Economic Down Time to Invest in Your Employee's Future

Using Economic Down Time to Invest in Your Employee's Future


Dear riza z,


Have you ever heard the saying, "You have to spend money to make money"? In today's tough times, spending money on training might not seem like a smart move. But, trust us, spending money on training is actually one of the smartest things you can do right now.

The main reason for this is simple: training gives employees confidence in themselves and in their employer. (After all, an employer must care about an employee to offer them training and invest in their future, and to anticipate that that employee will even have a future!) Employees who have job security and self-confidence can focus on their job, delivering better products and better customer service. Those two things can help you increase revenue and stay ahead of the pack.

Another good reason to train during the downturn is simple: your employees probably have some free time for training if business is slow. Although it might seem easier to lay off and re-hire staff, consider the cost, time, and difficulty in finding good, experienced people. (It typically costs at least $10,000 to hire and train a single person, and that number increases exponentially with the seniority level of the position.) It may be a better idea to keep those good people and make them great.

We understand that although purchasing training is a smart move, times are tough. That's why, for this week only, we are offering our training libraries for $2999, to help you make your smart move now.



About Velsoft International Inc.
At Velsoft Courseware, we care about how well you do in the classroom. This is why we have developed the complete training solution for delivering high quality classroom instruction. All of the prep work is done for you in a customizable, print-on-demand format.
For more information on Velsoft International Inc. please visit www.velsoft.com


Thank you,
Becky Timmons
Training Consultant
Velsoft Courseware
Phone: 1-902-755-1148
Toll Free: 1-877-755-1148
Email: becky@velsoft.com

Ubah Cara Pikir Karyawan atas Pekerjaan Tingkatkan Engagement

Ubah Cara Pikir Karyawan atas Pekerjaan Tingkatkan Engagement
Selasa, 02 Desember 2008

Semua praktisi HR tentu paham benar bahwa para karyawan yang "engaged" dan "committed" merupakan sumber produktivitas perusahaan. Namun, pernahkan Anda berpikir, bagaimana membuat karyawan lebih "engaged" dan "committed" dengan cara yang tak biasa?

Sebuah studi baru yang dilakukan oleh kalangan akademisi Universitas Alberta, Kananda menemukan bahwa mengubah cara berpikir karyawan mengenai pekerjaan mereka bisa meningkatkan engagement dan commitment mereka.

Menurut hasil riset tersebut, mendorong karyawan untuk memikirkan kembali pekerjaan mereka dan mendapatkan kembali kepekaan atas tujuan dari pekerjaan tersebut (yang sering "hilang" karena kesibukan meeting, proyek dan dikejar deadline), bisa meningkatkan semangat kerja secara signifikan.

Ditemukan bahwa perusahaan yang berhasil mendorong karyawan untuk mengubah "mind set" mereka menuai hasil yang menggembirakan: 60% perusahaan meningkat dalam angka kehadiran karyawan, dan 75% meningkat dalam retensi.

Studi dilakukan dengan menguji coba dua kelompok karyawan, yang pertama terdiri 24 orang dan kedua berisi 34 orang, dengan diberi program dan perlakuan yang berbeda. Hasilnya, seperti dipublikasikan dalam Journal of Gerontological Nursing, cukup mengejutkan.

"Kami menemukan bahwa orang yang mampu menemukan makna dan tujuan dalam pekerjaan mereka, dan tahu bagaimana berbuat sesuatu yang berbeda melalui pekerjaan itu, lebih sehat, lebih puas dan lebih produktif," simpul penulis laporan hasil penelitian tersebut Val Kinjerski.

Pada grup yang diintervensi, ditemukan 23% meningkat (kinerja mereka) dalam teamwork, sementara kepuasan terhadap pekerjaan meningkat pada satu dari 10 karyawan. Ditemukan juga, 17% meningkat dalam semangat kerja.

Setelah masa percobaan itu, biaya yang dikeluarkan perusahaan terkait dengan absensi karyawan turun drastis dalam 5 bulan, dibandingkan dengan periode yang sama tahun sebelumnya. Karyawan juga tampak meningkat dalam "interest" dan fokus terhadap customer.

"Mereka benar-benar memiliki kepekaan, untuk apa berada di perusahaan, yakni untuk melayani klien. Kesadaran semacam itu sangat penting bagi semua jenis pekerjaan, namun dalam area-area tertentu yang memang berkaitan dengan jasa layanan publik, itu terasa semakin penting," ujar Kinjerski.

portalhr.com

HRM systems diagnostic checklists

HRM systems diagnostic checklists
The following check-lists present some questions which may prove helpful for you to think about when planning your development programs for human resources (your people) in your organization.

Use them to provoke thought and to stimulate discussion. Consult with others in your organization. They will help you to identify the critical human resource issues facing your organization.

The aim is to begin to explore how a considered and planned approach to people management can improve business performance, to the benefit of all.

Use this checklist in conjunction with our team building diagnostic instrument. It will, via your team members responses identify critical issues they perceive as important. These issues may be at odds with your own perceptions and analysis and therefore any such discrepancy will need to be addressed.

Warning Indicators
Your organization is more than likely in trouble if any of the following holds true:

chronic industrial relations problems
no means of resolving employee grievances
increasing / erratic employee turnover
increasing number of customer complaints
no pride in the organization
inter-group conflicts
no career paths for ambitious talented employees
dissatisfaction with pay and conditions
unclear job roles
no clear performance measures
quality is unimportant
bad product service / delivery records
poor recruitment standards / practices
no management development programs
no induction training for new employees
critical skill shortages
inter-departmental conflict
you do not know if any of the above are applicable
you ignore any of the above

Culture, organization, people, systems (COPS), checklist
Culture
Do your staff identify with the organization and 'the success of the organization' as being of direct benefit to themselves?
Do your staff see themselves as having common interests with their work colleagues and group? Is there a strong team spirit?
Is work allocated on the basis of individual expertise rather than position in the organization?
Are there sufficient skills / power bases in the organization?
Are there appropriate leadership skills within the organization?
Are your staff encouraged to say what they think about the organization?
Does your organization encourage innovation and creativity amongst staff?
Do your staff feel a sense of personal responsibility for their work?
Is quality emphasized in all aspects of the organization?

Organization
Does the structure of your organization encourage effective performance?
Is the organization structure flexible in the face of changing demands?
Is the structure too complex? If so in what areas?
Do your staff have clear roles and responsibilities?
Does your organization structure tend to push problems up rather than resolve them at the point where they occur?
Do your procedures and management practices facilitate the accomplishment of tasks?
Do you constantly seek to challenge your organization structure?

People
Do your staff have the necessary skills and knowledge to perform their jobs in the most effective manner?
Do your staff understand their jobs and how they contribute to overall business performance i.e. have clear goals and objectives?
Do your staff have a customer service orientation?
Are people with potential spotted and developed for the future?
Are your staff encouraged to perform well through the giving of recognition, feedback, etc.?
Do your people know what their expected performance standards are?

Systems
Do your organization's systems (e.g. employee selection and recruitment, promotion, planning, management, information and control) encourage effective performance among your staff?
Are these systems consistent across the organization?
Are there clear rewards for effective performance within your work group?
Does the organization review its systems frequently and ensure they mutually support each other?
You may now wish to consider and write down:

What are the three critical people issues facing your business?
What plans /actions can you take to address these issues?
To help you further, click on this team building link and have your people tell you the issues confronting them in the workplace.


©2008 Accel-Team

Steps in developing HRM strategy

Steps in developing HRM strategy

Step 1: Get the 'big picture'
Understand your business strategy.

Highlight the key driving forces of your business. What are they? e.g. technology, distribution, competition, the markets.
What are the implications of the driving forces for the people side of your business?
What is the fundamental people contribution to bottom line business performance?

Step 2: Develop a Mission Statement or Statement of Intent
That relates to the people side of the business.

Do not be put off by negative reactions to the words or references to idealistic statements - it is the actual process of thinking through the issues in a formal and explicit manner that is important.

What do your people contribute?

Step 3: Conduct a SWOT analysis of the organization
Focus on the internal strengths and weaknesses of the people side of the business.

Consider the current skill and capability issues.
Vigorously research the external business and market environment. High light the opportunities and threats relating to the people side of the business.

What impact will/ might they have on business performance?
Consider skill shortages?
The impact of new technology on staffing levels?
From this analysis you then need to review the capability of your personnel department. Complete a SWOT analysis of the department - consider in detail the department's current areas of operation, the service levels and competences of your personnel staff.

Step 4: Conduct a detailed human resources analysis
Concentrate on the organization's COPS (culture, organization, people, HR systems)

Consider: Where you are now? Where do you want to be?
What gaps exists between the reality of where you are now and where you want to be?
Exhaust your analysis of the four dimensions.

Step 5: Determine critical people issues
Go back to the business strategy and examine it against your SWOT and COPS Analysis

Identify the critical people issues namely those people issues that you must address. Those which have a key impact on the delivery of your business strategy.
Prioritize the critical people issues. What will happen if you fail to address them?
Remember you are trying to identify where you should be focusing your efforts and resources.

Step 6: Develop consequences and solutions

For each critical issue highlight the options for managerial action generate, elaborate and create - don't go for the obvious. This is an important step as frequently people jump for the known rather than challenge existing assumptions about the way things have been done in the past. Think about the consequences of taking various courses of action.

Consider the mix of HR systems needed to address the issues. Do you need to improve communications, training or pay?

What are the implications for the business and the personnel function?

Once you have worked through the process it should then be possible to translate the action plan into broad objectives. These will need to be broken down into the specialist HR Systems areas of:

- employee training and development
- management development
- organization development
- performance appraisal
- employee reward
- employee selection and recruitment
- manpower planning
- communication
-Develop your action plan around the critical issues. Set targets and dates for the accomplishment of the key objectives.

Step 7: Implementation and evaluation of the action plans

The ultimate purpose of developing a human resource strategy is to ensure that the objectives set are mutually supportive so that the reward and payment systems are integrated with employee training and career development plans.

There is very little value or benefit in training people only to then frustrate them through a failure to provide ample career and development opportunities.


©2008 Accel-Team

Asia Regional Office Human Resource & Administrative Officer.

Vacancy Notice

Position: Asia Regional Office Human Resource & Administrative Officer.
Duty Location: New Delhi, India
Deadline for Application: November 15, 2008
Date of Issue: November 1, 2008

Organization Profile:

Room to Read partners with local communities throughout the developing world to provide quality educational opportunities by establishing libraries, creating local language children’s literature, constructing schools, providing education to girls, and establishing computer labs. We seek to intervene early in the lives of children in the belief that education empowers people to improve socioeconomic conditions for their families, communities, countries, and future generations. Through the opportunities that only education can provide, we strive to break the cycle of poverty, one child at a time.

We are non-governmental, non-religious and work with many local NGOs and community based organizations to implement our programs. We currently work in Cambodia, India, Laos, Nepal, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, and Zambia – countries with a desperate lack of resources to educate their children. In 2007, we began our expansion into Bangladesh.

Since our inception, Room to Read’s worldwide team has impacted over 1.3 million children by constructing over 400 schools, establishing over 5,000 libraries, publishing over 220 new children’s book titles in 11 local languages, and putting over 4,000 girls onto long-term, holistic scholarships. We are one of ten non-profits to have won the Fast Company / Monitor Group Social Capitalist award five years in a row and have been featured in a variety of media including The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, CNN, The Oprah Winfrey Show, and PBS.

Room to Read has an annual budget of approximately US$22 million, and our global staff numbers over 175; both of these figures will continue to grow rapidly in 2008. Our global headquarters is located in San Francisco, our Asia Regional Office is located in New Delhi, and we have program offices in Colombo, Ho Chi Minh City, Kathmandu, Lusaka, New Delhi, Pretoria, Phnom Penh, and Vientiane. Our long-term goal is to help 10 million children to gain the lifelong gift of education.


Position Overview:
Human Resource and Administrative Officer is required to manage a human resources department, overseeing administration of hiring, retention, termination, personnel records, legal compliance, compensation, benefits, and long-term staffing strategies and overall administrative management of the organization including day to day administrative and logistic support management, procurement management etc. Responsibilities include development and administration of personnel rules and regulations, pay and job classification structure, and programs for employee training, safety, health, and morale. This position will report to the Human Resource and Administrative Director and will supervise all administrative and office associates reporting directly to him/her.

Primary Duties & Responsibilities:


A. Development of HR Strategies, Policies, Systems and Plans

• Operate, coordinate and monitor operational systems for managing necessary human resource functions to implement the approved policies.
• Review and develop a personnel policy and revise as necessary based on the standard RO HR policies,
• Identify legal requirement and government reporting regulation affecting human resource functions. Prepare information requested or required for compliance. Approve all information submitted. Act as a primary contact with the concerned department of Nepal Government with respect to the human resource issues.
• Update the position description in the organization according to the need in consultation with the respective line managers, HRAD and GO.

B. Planning and staffing for human resource needs

• Develop and maintain human resource information system and utilize and feed information for major human resource decisions in the organization,
• Establish standard recruiting and placement practices and procedures as suggested and directed by GO,
• Ensure an appropriate level of human resourcing to meet the existing and anticipated business needs of Regional Office.
• Provide necessary education and materials to line managers and employees- workshops, manuals, employee hand books and standardized reports.

C. Management and development of staff performance

• Review, develop and implement effective employee performance management system and train the line managers / supervisors and provide advice and support for performance management issues and assist them in implementing performance appraisal,
• Implement a training and development process to ensure that appropriate development needs are met on a timely and cost effective basis.
• Organize and coordinate both in house and off-site staff training and development programs to meet the identified development needs.
• Direct a process of organizational development that primarily addresses succession planning throughout the organization,
• Coordinate activities throughout the organization across the department lines.

D. Develop, Effective Employee Relations Program

• Review wage and salary structure, pay policies, employee benefit programs, and safety and health program.
• Develop compensation and benefit policy and practices to ensure that staffs are rewarded in line with both general market practice and individual performance level.
• Determine and recommend employee relations practices necessary to establish positive employee-employee relationships and employee-employer relationship
• To ensure that the organizations and the employee’s interests are protected and the policies/ practices of the organization are legally compliant.
• Recommend for disciplinary actions and termination as per the personal policy guidelines
• Reviews employee appeals through compliant procedure.

E. Day to day management of Office Administration

• Manage Room to Read’s legal compliance in India, navigating procedures for expansion and complying with all governmental standards, requirements, and regulations
• Oversee all administrative and operational matters in compliance with Regional and Global Office policies
• Maintain employee records, including contracts, agreements, policies, etc.
• Ensure full functionality of Room to Read office functions at all times (e.g. electricity, utilities, internet, plumbing, pest control, insurance, office set-up)
• Organize all program related travel and/or transportation needs
• Manage retirement fund (provident fund), insurance and benefits for employees
• Manage program and office related procurement as per the approved procurement policies,
• Ensure appropriate level of compliance by all staff and corner for adopting and following administrative policies and procedures. In order to do so, educate and provide ample information and time to time update and follow up with each staff members and to make them to fully understand the operational policies and processes. And also guide them through these policies and procedures as and when required. Also carry out all the necessary stuff and requirement as spelled out in these policies.
• Ensure appropriate level of working and sound environment at all its office and always make attempts to prevent the staff burn out,
• Guide and coach the administrative staff (associates) in maintaining office equipments and management of the vehicle movement and also all the administrative issues and supports.
• Assist and provide all the necessary guidelines to the program staff in recruiting consultants and their contract procedures,
• Communicate with HRAD and GO office directly related to the administrative and operation policies and requirement and report them as and when needed,
• Participate in any other activities which may be required to be undertaken to fulfill the objectives of the organization

Meetings/Networking
• Participate and conduct meetings with relevant Human Resource Management organizations
• Represent Room to Read at relevant meetings and occasionally assist in hosting key donor visits
• Provide regular updates on HR activities and plans at regular meetings with management staff

Qualifications:
Required:
• Bachelor’s degree with minimum of five years of professional experience in HR or administrative position or Master’s degree (MBA) with minimum of three years of professional experience in HR or administrative position
• Experience in successful implementation of a wide range of responsibilities in a prior administrative or human resources position
• Strong verbal and written communication skills in English

Preferred:

• 5 years related experience in Human Resources and accounting experience in a managerial position, preferably in an INGO
• Experience developing and overseeing the Human Resources department in INGO/organization
• Strong planning, supervisory, and management skills


Other Experience

• Prior success working closely and building relationships with diverse groups of people
• Effectiveness in working or volunteering in a non-profit organization that is focused on maintaining high quality work and low overhead
• Prior experience in a fast-paced, growth-oriented global or regional organization
• Proven track record of achieving results
• Ability to juggle multiple priorities simultaneously and take initiative

To be successful as a member of the Room to Read team, you will also:
• Have a passion for our mission and a strong desire to impact an up-and-coming non-profit organization
• Be an innovative and creative thinker; you’re not afraid to try something new and inspire others to do so
• Have a very high level of personal and professional integrity and trustworthiness
• Have a strong work ethic and require minimal direction
• Work well independently as well as part of a team
• Thrive in a fast-paced and fun environment

A. Compensation:

The salary range for this position will be determined based upon the experience of the candidate hired. Benefits including health and a retirement plan are also provided. Additional benefits include a unique opportunity to be part of an innovative, meaningful, and rapidly growing organization that is changing the world through the lifelong gift of education.

Application Procedure:
Please submit your resume and cover letter by email (no calls, faxes, or drop-ins, please) to asiahiring@roomtoread.org with “Asia Regional Office Human Resource & Administrative Officer” in the subject line.

Due to the high volume of applicant response, not all applicants may receive a response from Room to Read.

Room to Read is an equal opportunity employer committed to identifying and developing skills and leadership of people from diverse backgrounds. Applicants from the countries in which Room to Read operates are encouraged to apply.

Last date for applications: November 15, 2008

Senior Human Resource Specialist, Iraq

Senior Human Resource Specialist, Iraq

Company Profile: Management Systems International (MSI) is a global international development firm based in Washington, D.C. providing specialized short- and long-term technical assistance. Today, it has over 100 projects under management worldwide and its technical expertise has been expanded to include implementation of a range of analytical and field projects in democracy and governance, economic growth, organizational capacity building, education, and natural resource management. At the beginning of 2008, MSI joined Coffey International, Ltd., a global multi-disciplinary professional services organization with offices in 20 countries around the world. MSI became a part of Coffey International Development (Coffey ID), one of seven divisions which comprise the Coffey Group. Together, we aspire to create extraordinary outcomes for our clients, our staff and the communities in which we work. For more information on MSI, please visit our website at www.msiworldwide.com.

Project/Proposal Summary:

The USAID Tatweer project (development in Arabic) provides comprehensive assistance to Iraqi ministries and offices delivering services to the Iraqi people. Tatweer helps the government of Iraq rebuild its civil service as part of a general U.S. commitment to a strong, independent Iraqi government providing its people with food, medicine, power and a better future.

Position Summary:

Management Systems International, an international development consulting firm based in Washington, DC, seeks a Senior HR Specialists for the Civil Service Reform Program for a long term national capacity building project in Iraq. The HR Specialists is part of the USAID-Tatweer Civil Service Reform Program. This position will support the Civil Service Program. HR Specialists position, will principally work on civil service reform, and HR activities. This will be a long term contract (1 year).

Responsibilities:

· Establish and restructure HR departments and ensure recruitment of qualified staff to these departments

and strengthen HR management within Iraqi ministries and government agencies

· Ensure application of HR polices and procedures to ministries and government agencies supported by HR training

· Plan, develop, evaluate, improve, and communicate methods and techniques for selecting, promoting, compensating, evaluating, and training government’s employees

· Provide support for Human Resource function in establishing recruitment, selection and appointment systems and procedures that are in line with new legislation of the country, policies and best practice.

· Train and supervise administrative staff in the provinces and provide training and support to the local administrations in governorates on HR and administrative procedures.

Qualifications:

· Advanced degree in public administration, HR management, or related discipline.

· 7 to 10 years of HR experience in developing countries with international organizations, NGOs and other local development agencies and Government agencies.

· Experience implementing and managing HR systems for recruitment, retention and motivation, job

description and job classification, pay and grading system.

· Excellent analytical, planning, management and communication skills.

· Experience in providing assistance on institutional and capacity building regarding HR management,

· Experience in carrying out training need analysis in public institution

· Professional experience in drafting training manuals and developing courses and training materials

· Strong and a positive team-oriented style.

· Strong facilitation, relationship-building, negotiating and influencing skills.

· Experience in working with a complex public sector bureaucracy.

· Able to work under pressure and tight deadlines.

· Excellent verbal and written English.

· Willing to work in Iraq

· Proficient computer skills

· Fluency in Arabic strongly preferred

· Previous experience in the Middle East strongly preferred

Only candidates who have been selected for an interview will be contacted. No phone calls, please.

To apply, please visit our website: www.msiworldwide.com

Organization Development

Organization Development

- Organization Culture Assessment & Development
- Organization System Assessment & Development
- Value Based HRMS Assessment & Development
- DJM™ (Distinct Job Manual)
- C&B Review
- Pension Program Review
- Strategic HR Plan



Organization, with its function as a media for human resources to synergistically achieve their common goals, needs to be developed through the creation of opportunity and space for the improvement of its capacities. An integrated and comprehensive approach constitutes a fundamental method for PMK Consulting in assisting clients’ organization to create added values as well as optimize their capacities in executing their vision and mission. Such approach is carried out in two domains: the development of HR management and organizational culture. With its professional services, PMK takes its consistent efforts to help clients’ organization to implement their strategies by developing HR management sub-systems, including performance management, the application of competency-based model and system, reward system, career system and succession, and even a transformational program which concentrates in redesigning and reorganizing organization culture.



In line with the above, in order to enable clients’ organization in setting-up the priority list of their organizational development, PMK conducts a thorough, longitudinal study focusing on the management system and organization culture. PMK will, subsequently, also integrate those two pillars of development with current issues surrounding the area of organization management and operation. PMK is ready to deliver its full competencies—which is its main strength—for the best interest of clients’ organization by overviewing clients’ HR management sub-systems as well as conducting research on organizational culture, employees’ satisfaction and other HR-related services. Such comprehensive programs are run on the basic principle of balanced interaction between human factor and the existent system and culture factor.

To include the aspect of human and organization into its organizational development services, PMK Consulting has a long success history of combining Knowledge and Talent Management. It is with such broad experience, PMK can ensure its clients that an optimal organizational and behavioural development program should be implemented on the balanced proportion between intellectual and behaviour.

Membangun Kepemimpinan HR yang Kuat

Membangun Kepemimpinan HR yang Kuat
Selasa, 13 Mei 2008 - 15:14 WIB

1. Clarity

Menjadi praktisi atau apalagi pemimpin HR pertama kali dituntut kejernihan cara berpikirnya. Jangan plin-plan, janga "lembek". Banyak orang HR sekarang ini tidak bisa tegas dengan pendiriannya sehingga hanya mengikuti saja apa kata CEO.

2. Vision

HR harus tahu apa kebutuhannya sesuai ke mana arah perusahaan.

3. Passion

Passion datang setelah visi dirumuskan dengan jelas. Passion membuat orang percaya pada apa yang dilakukannya, dan kepercayaan tersebut merupakan garansi untuk sukses.

4. Courage

Memberikan dorongan, memotivasi dan membuat karyawan bekerja dengan penuh semangat merupakan tugas mulia HR. Banyak karyawan yang melakukan pekerjaannya sekedar mencari aman, dan peran HR-lah untuk membuat mereka mampu bekerja dengan keberanian mengambil risiko.

5. Follow-up

Segala program, rencana, keputusan tidak akan berarti apa-apa kalau tidak ada tindak lanjut. Ini memang suatu yang kadang justru terasa lebih berat ketimbang ketika membicarakannya. Di atas kertas, berbagai program bisa sangat menarik, tapi adanya tindak lanjut akan membuatnya menjadi jauh lebih menarik.

6. Delegate

Jangan melakukan banyak hal sekaligus, dan jangan melakukan semuanya sendirian. Delegasikanlah pekerjaan yang bisa didelegasikan. Orang yang tidak bisa mendelegasikan pekerjaan adalah orang yang tidak tergorganisasi.

7. Be consistent

Seorang pemimpin yang baik tidak mengenal kata "mood". Kalimat terburuk adalah, "Hari ini saya sedang tidak mood untuk mengerjakan itu." Pastikan Anda seorang yang konsisten.

8. Look out for talent.

Kalau Anda seorang pemimpin HR, kenali talent yang ada di kantor. Siapa cocok di bidang apa. Tapi, ada satu prinsip yang perlu dipegang. Ibaratnya, ada orang yang berbakat menjadi pemain bola, ada yang berbakat menjadi rocker, tapi semua orang harus bisa menjadi manajer.

9. Command

Pastikan Anda memiliki sistem rantau komando yang jelas. Sehingga jika terjadi kesalahan tidak saling menuding siapa yang bertanggung jawab.

10. Pay them well

Kepemimpinan Anda belum lengkap jika belum mempertimbangkan soal kelayakan dalam menggaji karyawan. Pay them well!

portalhr.com

Mengembangkan Karyawan dengan Jurus Kungfu Panda

Mengembangkan Karyawan dengan Jurus Kungfu Panda
Selasa, 15 Juli 2008 - 15:00 WIB

Film animasi Kungfu Panda yang sampai sekarang masih diputar di bioskop-bioskop di Jakarta karena larisnya, selain memberi hiburan yang menyegarkan juga merupakan sumber hikmah berlimpah yang bisa diambil manfaatnya bagi para manajer, trainer, atasan maupun pihak-pihak yang berkepentingan dalam mengelola karyawan. Anda yang kebetulan belum menonton film ini, atau bahkan yang sudah pun, mungkin jadi bertanya-tanya, bagaimana ceritanya sebuah film --animasi lagi!-- bisa dijadikan bahan pembelajaran untuk mengelola dan bahkan mengembangkan karyawan?

Pada dasarnya, kisah film ini sederhana saja. Seekor panda jantan gemuk bernama Po digadang-gadang ayahnya untuk mewarisi pengelolaan bisnis restauran mie miliknya yang terkenal lezat. Suatu hari sang ayah pernah bilang, ada resep rahasia yang kelak harus diketahui oleh Po. Namun, harapan sang ayah berantakan karena Po tanpa tersangka-sangka terpilih (oleh takdir) menjadi Pendekar Naga yang harus menyelamatkan kehidupan desanya. Untuk itu, Po harus dilatih kungfu terlebih dahulu. Namun, bagaimana mungkin sedang ia hanyalah si gemuk yang susah bergerak dan tahunya makan enak? Dalam keputusasaannya, Master Shi Fu sang guru kungfu tiba-tiba menemukan cara untuk memungkinkan potensi Po untuk dikembangkan secara maksimal sesuai harapan.

Alhasil, Po pun akhirnya menguasai ilmu kungfu tingkat tinggi. Tugasnya sekarang, sebelum mengalahkan musuh yang mengancam kehidupan seluruh desa, memecahkan rahasia Kitab Naga demi kesempurnaan ilmunya. Tapi, kitab tersebut ternyata hanyalah lembaran kosong. Po pun kehilangan harapan, lalu kembali kepada ayahnya yang pengusaha restauran mie. Saat itulah, sang ayah membisikkan rahasia resep kelezatan mie yang dulu dijanjikannya. Apa kata sang ayah? "Tidak ada rahasia. Mie itu lezat karena kita yakini lezat." Po mendapat inspirasi dari penuturan ayahnya itu, bahwa Kitab Naga itu memang kosong dan dirinya hanya harus yakin mampu mengalahkan musuh yang sudah menantinya.

Dari sekelumit ringkasan di atas, kita bisa menarik butir-butir yang berharga untuk membantu mengembangkan potensi karyawan:

1. Rahasia untuk menjadi istimewa tak lain adalah keyakinan bahwa Anda memang istimewa.

Bangkitkan prinsip seperti itu pada diri setiap karyawan. Kalau kita berpikir diri kita spesial, unik, memiliki keunggulan, beda dari yang lain, dan berharga maka kita pun akan mendapatkan dorongan dari dalam untuk melakukan hal-hal yang istimewa.

2. Terus berusaha mewujudkan mimpi (sampai) menjadi kenyataan.

Po yang gemuk, tertatih-tatih menaiki tangga padepokan dan baru beberapa langkah saja sudah lelah, tidak begitu saja pantang menyerah. Kegigihannya terus dipertahakna hingga akhirnya ia bisa menguasai kungfu. Jangan biarkan pikiran negatif menghalangi kita untuk meraih impian, apalagi kemudian menyerah. Tanamkan pada karyawan bahwa kemarin adalah sejarah, esok adalah misteri dan hari ini adalah anugerah. Kegagalan masa lalu tidak boleh membayangi langkah kita, demikian juga ketakutan akan masa depan. Hidup adalah perbuatan, kata sebuah iklan. Berbuatlah hari ini, yakni hari yang telah dihadiahkan Tuhan pada kita.

3. Kita tidak akan berhasil mengembangkan orang lain, sebelum kita percaya dengan kemampuan yang dimiliki orang itu, juga kemampuan kita sendiri.

Master Shi Fu awalnya menolak melatih Po karena menilai bahwa Po adalah pilihan yang salah. Lagi pula, mana mungkin melatihnya dalam waktu singkat? Banyak manajer atau atasan yang belum-belum sudah memberi label pada seorang karyawan sebagai "tidak berbakat" dan penilaian-penilaian sejenis. Selain merugikan karyawan yang bersangkutan, juga membuat sang manajer itu sendiri juga kehilangan kepercayaan diri untuk mengembangkannya.

4. Temukan "sesuatu" dari diri karyawan dan manfaatkanlah hal itu sebagai cara untuk mengembangkan dan memotivasi mereka.

Shi Fu akhirtnya melihat bahwa kegemaran Po makan bisa dijadikan "pintu masuk" untuk memberi pelajaran-pelajaran kungfu. Setiap karyawan adalah satu keunikan, temukan itu untuk mengeluarkan seluruh potensinya. Ibarat rambut sama hitam, tapi setiap orang berbeda-beda dalam faktor yang membangkitkan motivasi mereka.

5. Tidak ada kebetulan.

Faktor kebetulan hanya terjadi pada cerita-cerita fiksi murahan. Dalam mengelola dan mengembangkan karyawan, buang jauh-jauh harapan pada kebetulan. sebab, kebetulan itu tidak ada, yang ada adalah usaha yang sungguh-sungguh dalam melihat dan menghargai setiap potensi individu.

portalhr.com

Motivation v Inspiration

Motivation v Inspiration
Friday, 18 April 2008

According to the founder of the Art of Living Foundation Sri Sri Ravi Shankar in a recent lecture in Jakarta on ethics and business, there is a fundamental difference between motivation and inspiration. And the best way for corporate leaders to practice business ethics is not to motivate the employees but rather to inspire them. Because motivation relies on external factors (such as the promise of rewards and the incentive of personal gain) as such, it is short lived and unsustainable. The motivation once fulfilled will be replaced by another form of dissatisfaction and so on in a never-ending cycle of want. The company ends up with a bunch employees that are almost always unhappy and certainly rarely giving their one hundred per cent.

Inspiration on the other hand comes from within - the desire to put one’s heart and soul into the company not because of greed or what one could get out of it while still employed there, but because one has a sense of belonging to the place and a sense of achievement when the company succeeds. Inspiration therefore, is key to the company’s lasting success.

This difference between motivation and inspiration interests me because the failure to practice good ethics in this country (from the top leaders all the way down to all levels of Indonesian society) is I feel precisely due to our over reliance on externalities to shape our ethical values and determine our actions. We do not act. We react. Leaders do not inspire. They blame. The majority of our people are over sensitive and easy to offend. They are not secure in their values and, like the high-maintenance spouse or employee, in constant need of reassurance, recognition and acknowledgment.

How does this over reliance on externalities affect the state of our ethics or lack of? Ethics are the moral principles that guide our behaviour. If our leaders and figures of influence display faulty ethics then we, the society as a whole will suffer and worse, be dragged into sharing the same view. We become an unethical nation. And our democracy is nothing more than the democratization of bad ethics.

Hence the plethora of uninspired rules and regulations and irrational reactions that we healthy-minded citizens have to put up with in this country. The examples are so many and ludicrous that they would be hilarious if only they remained a joke. For instance, in the Batu regency in a pathetic attempt to minimize prostitution, female masseuses are now required to put padlocks on their trousers so they cannot be tempted to offer their sexual services. This reflects a way of (Medieval) thinking that puts the blame on external factors for an inherent weakness - in this case prostitution is caused by female temptresses and their easy-access clothing.

Banning the religious sect Ahmadiyah as heretical (again reminiscent of the Inquisition and persecution of old), in other words in suppressing the minority by the majority, far from inspiring the faithful, what we have is a manifestation of fear, narrow mindedness and insecurity that ill become a religion that has the greatest following. It is a case of blaming others for one’s own lack of faith.

This desire to control (whether by closing down You tube and other attempts to censor the internet and public opinion), preventing musicians from singing songs critical of corruptors, suing the media and intimidating others, far from displaying power is merely a reflection of powerlessness borne of a lack of ethics. What after all are ethics if not the moral compass inherent in individuals with sound mind and good judgment - the compass that has nothing to do with religion and piety but has everything to do with wisdom and self-knowledge. And the understanding that real power comes not from the ability to control others, but to control the self.

That this country is rich in religion and yet poor in ethics is one of the reasons why our development as a nation is difficult to achieve and sustain. It is because of this that this country is cursed with a dearth of inspiring leaders, an overdose of lawmakers motivated by greed and religious leaders motivated by fear. When blame is still the way we strengthen our faith and greed or suspicion the source of our motivation, then our values rest on a very fragile foundation indeed. For it is a foundation based on ignorance and unless we lighten up as a nation (literally and in the sense of getting enlightened) we will find ourselves dragged back into the middle ages where women wore chastity belts and heretics burned at the stake.

© Desi Anwar

Case 1 The Aftermath of a Layoff: A Strategy Backfires

Case 1


Ron Lockly is sitting at his desk and wondering what has gone wrong. He is a manager at Electron, Inc., a company that produces consumer electronics, and he seems to be confronted with personnel issues almost constantly.

“It wasn’t always like this,” he is thinking to himself. “It’s business restructuring that’s causing all the problems. If we hadn’t changed, we wouldn’t have all these problems. Maybe we would have been a dinosaur, but we would have been a comfortable dinosaur. Sometimes it’s better not to change. It causes too much grief.”

The restructuring Ron is thinking about involved a recent change in how the company does business. Electron has both production and retail facilities. The company had traditionally focused on low-cost production and on providing consumers with low prices and quantity discounts. However, top management had decided to shift toward becoming a “higher end” producer and retailer. The new strategy required that almost all facets of the operation be changed or upgraded. Production needed new and improved equipment, increased automation, and a recognition of quality—not cost or quantity—as the department’s primary goal. Marketing had a major task in shifting the public’s perception of the Electron brand name. Retail outlets had to make changes to their showrooms and retail processes to convey a high-quality image.

In addition to all these functional changes, the new strategy required a new human resources mix. The top management team had determined that production workers would need more computer skills to work in a high-tech, team-oriented environment. Retail personnel would need to be more knowledgeable about the product lines (particularly at the high end) and be driven to serve the customers.

The company decided that the most effective way to make the needed HR changes was a layoff. This decision was made in a series of top management meetings. A layoff would be quick and send a clear message. The layoff approach would also allow the company to get rid of people who lacked the necessary skills or wouldn’t fit with the new business strategy. The company could then hire new people with the needed skills as replacements. In addition, the layoff approach would allow the organization to change very quickly. Rather than an incremental change over years (the time frame needed by training and development), layoffs would produce an immediate step toward the desired goal.

Originally, the company had planned to use performance appraisal records to lay off up to 1,500 workers. However, assessment of performance and skill levels left a great deal of ambiguity regarding who should be let go and who shouldn’t. In the end, the company eliminated approximately 800 workers.

The layoff has caused more problems than anyone anticipated. Many workers have filed or threatened to file lawsuits, mainly age discrimination suits. In addition, many managers and supervisors were very resistant to the idea of terminating workers and seemed to question whether it was really necessary. Morale has plummeted, and there doesn’t seem to be any easy solution to the problem.

Ironically, the layoff itself has become a stumbling block to hiring appropriate replacements. News of the layoff received a lot of press coverage, and it is now causing problems in recruiting new employees. For example, a number of promising job candidates proved impossible to hire after they heard about the layoff and its aftermath. Ron Lockly has personally talked with a number of the candidates, a couple of whom were his acquaintances and confided in him that job security is an important issue to them and that the layoff made them worry about the company’s stability. They had also heard rumours that additional rounds of layoffs would occur. Some of the new people who Electron had managed to hire weren’t working out as well as had been hoped. The surviving workers did not readily accept them and made it clear that long-time colleagues would not be easily forgotten. They also took every opportunity to complain to the replacements about what they perceived to be the company’s negative aspects. Now Ron is worried that the new recruits’ morale will be affected and that the organization’s performance will suffer.

Critical Thinking Questions


How could Electron, Inc. have conducted its layoff to avoid the problems it is now encountering?
What should Electron do about the problems it is experiencing? Specifically, is there a way to improve morale? Should rumours of further cutbacks due to financial difficulties be addressed? If so, how?
How can Electron reduce its recruitment problem? Should candidates be given information about the layoff? If so, how much? Should Electron willingly give information regarding its business strategy to job candidates, who may share this information with Electron’s competitors?
What could be done to orient new employees appropriately and lessen the negative effects of surviving employees’ complaints? Briefly describe a hiring process that could be used to ensure that new hires remain “on board” and enthusiastic about Electron, Inc.

Cooperative Learning Exercises

With your partner or team, summarize the major goal of Electron’s layoff action. Have each member list alternatives to layoff that would achieve the same goal. Compile the best options and share their advantages and disadvantages with the class.
Identify people in the class who have been laid off or know someone who has. Ask them to share the experience with the class and address the issue of using layoffs as a strategic tool.
With your partner or team, identify some ways that Electron can reduce its recruiting and hiring problems. Alternatives to hiring may be possible and should be considered as well. Select the best ideas and share them with the class.

Chapter 17: Meeting the International HRM Challenge

Chapter 17: Meeting the International HRM Challenge
Challenges

After reading this chapter, you should be able to deal more effectively with the following challenges:

1.Specify the HRM strategies that are most appropriate for firms at different stages of internationalization.
2.Identify the best mix of host-country and expatriate employees in international operations given the particular conditions facing a firm.
3.Explain why international assignments often fail and the steps a firm can take to ensure success in this area.
4.Reintegrate returning employees into the firm after they complete an international assignment.
5.Develop HRM policies and procedures that match the needs and values of different cultures.

Chapter 16: Managing Workplace Safety and Health

Chapter 16: Managing Workplace Safety and Health
Challenges

After reading this chapter, you should be able to deal more effectively with the following challenges:

1.Describe the extent of the employer's responsibility to maintain a safe and healthy work environment.
2.Explain the reasons for safety and health laws and the costs and obligations they impose on employers.
3.Identify the basic provisions of workers' compensation laws and health and safety legislation.
4.Develop an awareness of contemporary health and safety issues, including AIDS, violence against employees, workplace smoking, repetitive strain injuries, substance abuse, and hazardous materials.
5.Describe the features of safety programs and understand the reasons for and the effects of programs designed to enhance employee welfare.

Chapter 15: Working with Organized Labour

Chapter 15: Working with Organized Labour
Challenges

After reading this chapter, you should be able to deal more effectively with the following challenges:

1.Understand why employees join unions.
2.Describe labour relations in Canada, and explain how labour relations differ in other parts of the world.
3.Identify labour relations strategies and describe how they affect operational and tactical labour relations decisions.
4.Describe the three phases of the labour relations process: union organizing, collective bargaining, and contract administration.
5.Explain how the union grievance procedure works and why the supervisor's role is critical in achieving sound labour relations with a union.
6.Identify the ways in which a union can affect a company's entire pattern of human resource management, including its staffing, employee development, compensation, and employee relations policies.

Chapter 14: Respecting Employee Rights and Managing Discipline

Chapter 14: Respecting Employee Rights and Managing Discipline
Challenges

After reading this chapter, you should be able to deal more effectively with the following challenges:

1.Understand the origins and the scope of employee rights and management rights.
2.Explain why the HR department must balance management's rights and employees' rights when designing employment policies.
3.Understand the master-servant relationship and distinguish it from employment at will.
4.Distinguish between progressive discipline procedures and positive discipline procedures.
5.Apply fair standards to a case of employee misconduct and justify the use of discipline.
6.Manage difficult people who challenge their supervisors with such problems as poor attendance, low performance, insubordination, and substance abuse.
7.Avoid disciplinary actions by taking a proactive and strategic approach to human resource management.

Function 2: Recruitment and selection of employees

Function 2: Recruitment and selection of employees
Recruitment of staff should be preceded by:

An analysis of the job to be done (i.e. an analytical study of the tasks to be performed to determine their essential factors) written into a job description so that the selectors know what physical and mental characteristics applicants must possess, what qualities and attitudes are desirable and what characteristics are a decided disadvantage;

In the case of replacement staff a critical questioning of the need to recruit at all (replacement should rarely be an automatic process).
Effectively, selection is 'buying' an employee (the price being the wage or salary multiplied by probable years of service) hence bad buys can be very expensive. For that reason some firms (and some firms for particular jobs) use external expert consultants for recruitment and selection.
Equally some small organizations exist to 'head hunt', i.e. to attract staff with high reputations from existing employers to the recruiting employer. However, the 'cost' of poor selection is such that, even for the mundane day-to-day jobs, those who recruit and select should be well trained to judge the suitability of applicants.
The main sources of recruitment are:

Internal promotion and internal introductions (at times desirable for morale purposes)
Careers officers (and careers masters at schools)
University appointment boards
Agencies for the unemployed
Advertising (often via agents for specialist posts) or the use of other local media (e.g. commercial radio)
Where the organization does its own printed advertising it is useful if it has some identifying logo as its trade mark for rapid attraction and it must take care not to offend the sex, race, etc. antidiscrimination legislation either directly or indirectly. The form on which the applicant is to apply (personal appearance, letter of application, completion of a form) will vary according to the posts vacant and numbers to be recruited.

It is very desirable in many jobs that claim about experience and statements about qualifications are thoroughly checked and that applicants unfailingly complete a health questionnaire (the latter is not necessarily injurious to the applicants chance of being appointed as firms are required to employ a percentage of disabled people).

Before letters of appointment are sent any doubts about medical fitness or capacity (in employments where hygiene considerations are dominant) should be resolved by requiring applicants to attend a medical examination. This is especially so where, as for example in the case of apprentices, the recruitment is for a contractual period or involves the firm in training costs.

Interviewing can be carried out by individuals (e.g. supervisor or departmental manager), by panels of interviewers or in the form of sequential interviews by different experts and can vary from a five minute 'chat' to a process of several days. Ultimately personal skills in judgment are probably the most important, but techniques to aid judgment include selection testing for:

Aptitudes (particularly useful for school leavers)
Attainments
General intelligence
(All of these need skilled testing and assessment.) In more senior posts other techniques are:

Leaderless groups
Command exercises
Group problem solving
(These are some common techniques - professional selection organizations often use other techniques to aid in selection.)

Training in interviewing and in appraising candidates is clearly essential to good recruitment. Largely the former consists of teaching interviewers how to draw out the interviewee and the latter how to xratex the candidates. For consistency (and as an aid to checking that) rating often consists of scoring candidates for experience, knowledge, physical/mental capabilities, intellectual levels, motivation, prospective potential, leadership abilities etc. (according to the needs of the post). Application of the normal curve of distribution to scoring eliminates freak judgments
©2008 Accel-Team

When Is An HR Department Necessary?

When Is An HR Department Necessary?

How many employees should a company have before there is a need for an HR Department? As companies grow, there is a need to administer the HR function, but that doesn't necessitate an HR Department. In fact, 30 years experience has shown that until the company has at least 50 employees, that "department" -- really a function -- can consist of or be handled by one person...often much to the dismay of that one person.

Between outsourcing such things as payroll and the initial writing of an employee handbook, and with the plethora of software for HR today, one person should be able to develop and administer the function.

Of course, there are variations to this theme. In some companies where recruiting has been a major activity, there may well be a need to have an HR administrator or "Benefits Clerk" and a recruiter. But in most small companies an Office Manager can suffice.

Historically, what necessitates an HR Department are the functions and responsibilities which no one else either wants or is capable of doing. From recruiting to orienting new employees, from writing job descriptions to tracking attendance, and from instituting and monitoring policies to monitoring benefits, there has been a need for an HR generalist to assist senior management in both establishing a structure to holding down costs of administration. In fact, I have felt for some time that the initial title for the HR person should be "Administrative Manager."

Let's say that you have been hired or requested to establish an HR function. What do you need to do?

The first step is to determine what the expectations are of the manager who realized the necessity of the function. In very small companies, this is often the owner or most senior manager who just returned from a seminar or workshop where an attorney -- or a whole herd of attorneys -- has scared the hell out of him or her by pointing out the complexities of complying with federal and state labor codes. Using some of the responsibilities listed below, develop a job description with that manager which at least outlines what the job entails.

After that, determine the compliance issues which pertain to your company. The most basic of these have to do with wages and hours of work, classification of employees, the I-9, COBRA (down from 20 to two employees in California and New Jersey, by the way), leaves of absence including maternity and family leaves which differ from state to state, ADA, harassment, and a host of others. (Charts and attendant articles - including a 2005 job description - are found only in the subscriber's section.)

Then, determine whether or not you need to have an employee handbook or other formal policies and procedures manual to cover everything from establishing the company as an at-will employer to benefits. If a handbook already exists, be certain that it is in compliance with federal and state regulations and that the policies and the way they are written are in the best interests of the company.

Are all the basic policies included? These can be thought of as grouped into conditions of employment, benefits, and disciplinary processes. Is there a balance between stated corporate and employee rights and obligations?

Take a look at existing employee files or, if no files exist, gathering all the papers into coherent personnel files. Minimally, you should have an Application for Employment form or resume, a W-2, any insurance forms that the employee may have signed, and performance appraisals. I also like to see start dates, dates of reviews, dates of promotions, and all the changes in wages or salary. Because personnel still runs on paper and paperwork, do not rely too heavily on computerized files. (Besides, such files seem to disappear with regularity nowadays.)

Who takes care of payroll? There used to be an ongoing fight between HR and accounting as to who gets payroll. I have no idea why anyone would want it and it does belong in accounting more so than in HR but, should the question arise, the answer today is to outsource payroll to a payroll service (or a bank which offers such a service). There are still responsibilities such as informing the payroll service of changes in individual wages or salaries, docking, and final pay, but payroll services are definitely the way to go. They do vary in quality and quantity of services, so you will have to compare. Do not let a payroll service sell you more than what you need...which means that you'll have to do some research into what you need.

Benefits administration is and should be separate from payroll. Even if you have the best broker in the world (who you only have to monitor on a semiannual basis), there is always internal administration of such packages. Further, you will have the responsibility of being the source for answering questions about all forms and types of insurance, the differences in options, and the cost to employees. One of the ways that HR can contribute to the company is by keeping the costs of benefits down, and this means auditing the policies periodically to be certain that there haven't been increases in premiums either directly or indirectly through a decrease in benefits.

One person should be responsible for new employee orientation. In order to inform new employees of their benefits and the policies of the company, you will very simply have to be the expert in benefits and policies of the company.

Does the company have a compensation system or is it pretty much a hit-or-miss proposition? Are there job descriptions? Job specifications? Is compensation tied to responsibilities? Are increases in pay tied to contributions to the company, i.e., pay-for-performance? Do you need a graded compensation system? Contrary to popular opinion, I am not certain that a compensation analyst from outside the company is needed to set up a system in a company with fewer than 50 employees. I know that one is not necessary for companies with fewer than 20 employees. On the other hand, all these questions were rhetorical.

What you will have to do is become proficient in writing or formalizing job descriptions. We can help as part of a subscription to ewin.com.

HR has an information function that you should think through. Changes in policies, changes in benefits, even changes in laws must be communicated to all employees. Major changes may call for training such as in harassment a few years back. Major changes in medical insurance benefits (as opposed to unemployment or SDI -- for those in states with SDI) have to be disseminated to all affected employees. Therefore, HR becomes a kind of pass-through in the information cycle.

I've left recruiting for last because it can be, but is not always a major function in smaller companies. Some small companies are very stable, hiring perhaps as few as one new employee in a 12-month period. Others are in very competitive industries where recruiting can be a function unto itself. Interviewing, selection, and placement are part and parcel of recruiting and a knowledge of the techniques involved is very important. Hiring the wrong person(s) is extremely expensive. Therefore, if recruiting is a major function, it may be in the company's best interest to have a professional recruiter and another employee to handle all the other functions. (The recruiter must also have a knowledge of benefits and policies and procedures, but his or her primary function would be to find and hire the best person at the "best" salary, i.e., one that satisfies the applicant and is affordable to the company.)

Certainly there are other responsibilities, but they should be considered as secondary. While diversity may be high on the list of the more "social-minded" managers, don't ever expect to sit at the executive table if you emphasize issues (or non-issues) such as this. Insofar as possible, stay with those areas having to do with risk management, planning, and costs.

Delegating the Christmas party and company picnic to someone else should be your first priority. Don't get caught up in becoming the company's "cruise director." You've got better things to do.

Ethan A. Winning

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