HR Services

Job Descriptions

Job descriptions serve many functions from listing qualifications, skills, experience, and education requirements to outlining job tasks, functions, responsibilities, and performance expectations. Yet many employers don’t have them and don’t understand how important they are in protecting the company.

Before interviewing, you should have a job description for the position you wish to fill. This will provide you with a clear understanding of what skills, qualifications, and knowledge is required of the candidate.

The job description should be reviewed with the candidate during the interview to ensure they understand what the position involves and that they meet the qualifications and are able to perform the tasks.

Correctly identifying the classification, i.e. exempt or nonexempt under the Fair Labor Standards Act is of ultimate importance to ensure you are structuring compensation correctly to avoid lawsuits or fines.

Competencies create a framework to help focus employees’ behavior on things that matter most to an organization and help drive success. They are helpful in determining interview questions and can be used for coaching and employee development.

Identifying primary job duties, responsibilities, and physical requirements are essential for setting performance expectations. They also can identify which duties are essential and which can be modified if a reasonable accommodation is requested or modified duty is needed. They set work performance requirements in cases of Workers’ Comp, ADA issues, and EEOC complaints. They are also helpful in defending against unemployment claims.

A well-written job description offers protection to the company, provides managers with guidelines to measure performance, and provides the employee with a clear outline of performance expectations.

Orientation and Onboarding

You may have heard these two terms interchanged, but they are 2 very different things. Think of orientation as a one-time event, which is usually the first day the employee starts work. It’s a time to gather necessary paperwork and documents. Onboarding is an ongoing activity that can last up to a year.

Making a great first impression with a new hire can lead to improved employee retention. By having a comprehensive onboarding program you will be helping new employees feel more comfortable in their new role which in turn leads to better engagement and performance.

Terminations

Of all the decisions managers make, termination calls are the ones most likely to result in litigation. There are several factors to consider before making the decision to terminate.

Is there a rule that was violated and it is in writing?

Was the rule communicated to the employee?

Did the employee clearly violate the rule?

Has the company consistently disciplined others for the same offense?

Employers often use the term “laid off” when letting an employee go. They do this as a way to let the employee go without having a difficult conversation about performance. However, doing this can have legal implications as being laid off usually indicates a reduction in force or something that was out of the employee’s control. Employees who sue for discrimination and retaliation often do not have to prove anything until the company first demonstrates that it based its decision on legitimate business reasons. For this reason alone it is important to have clear policies in place and document employee performance and counseling before making the decision to terminate.

While employment in most states is “at-will”, meaning either employer or employee can end the working relationship at any time without cause or notice, organizations must follow federal and state employment laws covering issues such as discrimination and retaliation. In other words, even at-will employees have protected rights. If an employer violates those rights, the employee may have cause to file a lawsuit.

Employees who sue for discrimination and retaliation often do not have to prove anything until the company first demonstrates that it based its decision on legitimate business reasons.

There are other factors you will want to consider when deciding to terminate an employee such as when to terminate, where to terminate, what access needs to be turned off (computer or other systems), how to handle what items the employee can collect if the employee will be escorted from the premises, how to collect company property, and how will the employee get home (in cases where the employee used a company vehicle). The entire process should be well thought out and documented. Treating the employee with respect and allowing them to maintain dignity through the process can also help soften the blow.

If you are faced with the decision of having to terminate an employee, I’m here to walk you through the process and create the documentation needed to handle the situation.

Career Pathing/Skills Development

Career pathing is different from skills development in that a career path outlines the various positions an employee can advance to within an organization. A development path refers to the skills which need to be developed to prepare the employee for new roles.

In my many years of recruiting, the top reasons candidates provide as to why they are looking for new employment is their managers don’t talk to them about career progression or skills development. They don’t know how their performance is measured or where they need to develop in order to advance.

Gone are the days of annual reviews. They are incredibly time-consuming, often have zero correlation with actual business results, and they can set up an uncomfortable dynamic between the manager and employee where one is the judge and jury of the other.

Conversations regarding performance and skills development should be done on a regular basis. Providing timely performance feedback goes hand in hand with employee coaching and mentoring. I can provide coaching on how to discuss skills development and career pathing with your employees and make it a regular part of the employee development plan.