The HR ABC's for 2013 | Lynchburg Business

Issue: January 2013 by Colleen McLaughlin, Ph.D, SPHR in Human Resources, Inside The Magazine

The year 2013 promises to hold many changes for business leaders of all organizations. Human Resources (HR) leaders need to be prepared to adjust, accommodate and strategically plan for the future. In light of impending employment law changes, competition for top talent, as well as employability for HR professionals, here are the HR ABC?s for 2013 to start your year off right.

?Audit? of the HR Activities

An HR audit should be completed on a regular basis for organizations of all sizes and in all industries. This type of audit must be conducted to identify the strategic policies, practices and procedures of an organization to ensure both legal compliance as well as opportunity for competitiveness.

There is significant financial risk to avoiding consistent and thorough HR audits. Organizations are most certainly busy and slowing down to ensure all of its activities are in full legal compliance may not seem to be a priority in the moment. However, to avoid this task may significantly cost the organization in legal costs, not to mention the impact on negative branding of the organization.

Just a few of the areas to address will be related to compensation and benefits, job classifications, work hours and environments, discipline, employee development, FLSA requirements, performance management, employability verification, staffing activities to include recruiting and selection methods, EEO compliance and, of course, the issue of healthcare mandates.

In addition to addressing the legal issues surrounding all of the employment related activities, HR audits, at the very least, should include completing a full SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) analysis of the organization?s HR activities and resources. One of the most challenging components of the SWOT is to be willing to confront the brutal facts. Are you measuring what needs to be measured? Do you have appropriate and accurate documentation? Is there something you are doing that needs to change? Are you able to attract and retain not only qualified candidates, but the top performers in the industry? Are your employees satisfied? Do they desire to remain in your organization, but also to perform consistently at the level needed for long-term organizational success?

?Be? an Employer of Choice

It is well-known that organizations desiring to achieve and maintain a competitive advantage will need to attract and retain top talented employees. This is achieved by strategic planning and implementation of activities aimed at becoming an employer of choice. When organizations are able to successfully and consistently attract and retain high performers who are experiencing job satisfaction and organizational commitment, they are more likely to achieve a competitive advantage over their competitors.

How do you become an employer of choice in your industry? First, ensure your supervisors and managers are committed to caring for the employees they manage. Supervisors and managers, who are short-tempered, self-focused or lack emotional intelligence are more likely to have a high turnover rate within their departments or on their teams. Look at each area within your organization. Is there one team that has a significant turnover rate? Has this team lost or terminated several individuals in the same position recently? Could it be the issue is not with the employees who leave but rather with the supervisor? Remember, the main reason employees experience job satisfaction influencing their successful performance is they believe their immediate supervisor or manager is trustworthy and cares.

Next, identify what your employees value. Do you need to adjust the method of scheduling, time-off or simply provide some non-traditional, low-cost benefits? Conducting an employee satisfaction survey is a great first step in identifying what they value as well as some areas that may need to be addressed in the organization. When employees see you acting on the results of the survey, they are more likely to believe you care which directly impacts their desire to remain in your organization.

Get ?Certified? as an HR Professional

Finally, regardless of the size of your organization and the scope of the HR responsibilities, achieving professional HR certification is highly recommended. Remaining abreast of the changes to employment legislation today is critical to ward off unnecessary lawsuits and complaints. One way to ensure your organization is employing knowledgeable employees with the responsibilities of the HR activities in your organization is to encourage and support achieving a professional HR certification. This can be accomplished through the HR Certification Institute (HRCI).

HRCI was established in 1976 and is the organization responsible for certifying the human resource profession. The HR Certification Institute offers three different options for professionals to earn certification by demonstrating a mastery of the body of knowledge of human resource management. These certifications consist of the Professional in Human Resources (PHR), the Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR), and the Global Professional in Human Resources (GPHR).

Certification demonstrates that an individual has the practical experience as well as the knowledge, skills and abilities to be an HR business leader. With more than 120,000 professional certified globally, achieving professional HR certification will not only help set an individual apart, but demonstrates personal mastery and ability to accurately develop and implement appropriate business policies and practices. Central Virginia Community College regularly provides courses to prepare for the HRCI exams. Find out how to prepare and apply for the exam at www.HRCI.org.

Get certified, complete the organization?s HR audit and be prepared to be an employer of choice in Central Virginia. These ABCs of HR are just a snapshot of important issues to consider in 2013.

Source: http://www.lynchburgbusinessmag.com/mag/the-hr-abcs-for-2013/

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