The new year is fast approaching, and with it come some human resources traditions that are necessary but sometimes taxing for HR executives to undertake. Deanna Arnold of Tire Review and Gregory Karp of the Chicago Tribune realize this, and outline some advice for those preparing for 2015.
- Holiday party management: While of course the aim of a holiday party is to let loose a bit, relax and hopefully bolster positive relationships between employees, employers must also be wary of the risks the holiday gatherings can pose, however small they may seem. Doing things like setting guidelines, putting limits on alcohol consumption and providing transportation can ensure that something meant to be festive doesn’t turn foul.
- Performance reviews: Employees will be expecting these, and it’s in everyone’s best interest that performance reviews, and the resultant changes to things like payroll, go off without a hitch, according to Arnold. “Take the process seriously and be sure to reward your top performers and don’t be afraid to give zeros to the poor performers,” she says.
- Year-end bonuses: On a related note, instilling good will in your employees is more effectively done around the advent of the new year, where hopes abound. Adding to the already positive vibes this time of year brings with some extra spending money can cement a sense of loyalty in your workforce.
- Organize files: While it’s prudent to keep records for employees up to five years after they leave the company, once that time has passed, it’s equally as important to go through and eliminate unnecessary files so that your company’s data management system doesn’t become cluttered.
Making sure that all your i’s are dotted and t’s crossed before the new year rolls around can be quite the hassle. The time needed to deal with that end-of-the-year checklist can be provided by HR software systems, something that we at HR software solutions can install and manage effectively for you.