What’s the difference between the chaos of a rock concert mosh pit and the long but organized lines of people waiting to ride a theme park roller coaster? Both places are likely to be hot, crowded and loud – but the difference is in the boundaries. Promoting positive, goal-oriented behavior in your organization relies on boundaries, too. Here are some ways you can set your employees up to succeed, and remember: ADP TotalSource can help with many of these practices!
Good Choice: Informed Hiring Decisions
Positive employee behavior is easier to manage when you’re working with the best employees. While due diligence in the hiring process takes time, it can prevent problems later by screening out candidates with a troubled employment history. Consider:
- Performing background checks
- Requiring references (and then calling them to learn about your candidate)
- Asking employees you trust to recommend potential candidates
No Excuses: Clear Policies & Procedures
Making sure employees are aware of your organization’s policies and procedures – your “boundaries” – from day one can help prevent potential difficulties. A clearly written and up-to-date employee handbook should be reviewed with all employees upon hire. Your policies and procedures should highlight vacation and sick-time policies, Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) and Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) guidelines, and what types of behavior may lead to disciplinary action. Your handbook should also clearly state that your organization will not tolerate actions constituting or promoting a hostile work environment. Consider having each new employee review the handbook and sign a statement certifying that they understand the company’s policies.
Insisting that both managers and employees understand their rights and responsibilities reduces your potential for discord. Also, clearly documented policies and procedures give you a tool for ensuring consistent treatment of all employees – especially if an employee’s behavior doesn’t comply. It’s important to respond consistently to unacceptable behavior, and your policies and procedures can help you ensure that employees are treated fairly and appropriately.
Checking In: Annual Performance Evaluations
Conducting annual employee-performance evaluations also helps employees align their performance and behavior with your expectations. Sit down with each employee once a year to review his or her performance. To guide your discussion, follow the requirements stated in the employee’s job description. Discussing the job description with each employee when first hired and annually thereafter helps ensure that the employee’s performance and behavior remains in line with your organization’s expectations.
Are your job descriptions in shape to help you guide your employees? Each job description should list the responsibilities of the position and provide metrics for measuring performance. Then, in your performance evaluations, rate the employee’s performance against the expectations defined in the job description.
While 95% of companies regularly conduct performance reviews, only 11% of managers indicate that they are very satisfied with the current process, according to a study by the Aberdeen Group. Having a simple but consistent review system can make conducting annual performance reviews – and ensuring your employees’ performance and behavior are in line – easier.
Keeping Up: Manager Training
How you and your managers enforce your corporate policies and manage employee behavior can improve or harm your potential for negative employee actions. To promote an honest, fair workplace culture, consider requiring that your managers attend regular management training courses. The courses should help managers learn how to deal with difficult situations by addressing:
- Appropriate management behavior and expectations,
- Methods for handling difficult employee situations,
- Company policies and procedures,
- Harassment in the workplace,
- Proper procedures for terminating and disciplining employees,
- Workplace diversity, and
- Complying with employment laws.
The idea is to equip your managers with the tools they need to respond appropriately when difficult situations arise. Regular training can help to reduce the risk of workplace liability while increasing productivity and overall employee satisfaction.
While it’s never ideal to have a difficult employee on your staff, the tips outlined above can help you minimize the chance that one of your team members will become a “difficult employee.” Hiring smart, having boundaries and ensuring your managers and employees know your expectations all contribute to a productive, satisfying workplace. Want more information on how ADP TotalSource can help you with hiring, handbooks, training and more? Your HR Business Partner can tell you about the services ADP TotalSource offers that can help your employees – and your organization – succeed.
