I was recently asked to take part on a radio show ‘Mind Your Own Business’. This weekly slot airs on 105.5FM, Swindon’s local community radio and covers a multitude of business related issues.
The interview topic, which aired on Monday 4th September was unsurprisingly about HR and how the role of HR personnel has evolved over the 30 years that I have been in the industry!
“I knew I was destined to work in HR. It was a subject close to my family and especially my father and equally, I was fortunate that HR was a subject that I was passionate about and still am”.
HR is an ever evolving subject… When I started in my first role as a graduate at Ford Motors in Dagenham, we were known as ‘Industrial Relations’. It is only in more recent years that the name ‘Human Resources’ or ‘Human Capital’ has been used!
Likewise, the ethos used to be very much of ‘them and us, hire and fire’ whereas today good business practise is ‘all about the people’.
Organisations have a duty of care to look after their employees. They need to find out what makes each individual ‘tick’, they should endeavour to find out which ‘buttons to press’ and treat everyone fairly.
Treat your employees as you yourself would like to be treated and you will find that the majority will go above and beyond their remit.
When was the last time you took time out to personally ‘thank’ an employee for something that they had done?
Ensure that appropriate literature and policies are up to date!
Is the employees contract correct?
Has the employee had an annual appraisal?
Is the company handbook updated annually?
Is the VDU check compliant and maintained?
Has there been an appropriate review of salary, contributions and benefits?
In today’s climate, an extra days’ holiday may be more appropriate for your business than a pay increase and equally may be more welcome!
I always suggest to businesses to “think of the policies as a form of insurance. You wouldn’t drive a car without insurance, so why put your business at risk!”
Be a mindful employer, look after your employees and they will look after your business! Start today and who knows where you’ll be in a years’ time…
If you’d like to listen to the interview in its entirety, it’s available as a podcast for the next thirty days…
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