HR FAQs

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When it comes to human resources, the common issues tend to be universal. While different companies have different needs, the needs of people are the same. Nicki Robson, director of Breedon Consulting, told us her most frequently asked

questions WORDS BY TOM YOUNG

The main thing to consider when it comes to human resources is to be prepared. The sooner you have your policies and procedures in place, the easier it becomes to act on them. It’s much harder for HR to act when you’re already past the point of no return.

“Our most common ‘in’ is as a distress purchase,” says Nicki Robson the director of HR company Breedon Consulting. “Something has gone wrong in the company, and the management wants our help to fix it. The reality is that, had we been involved months earlier, we could’ve been a lot more impactful.”

Nicki has shared with Niche the questions Breedon Consulting are most often asked by new clients.

THE BIG ISSUE IS, MANAGERS WHO EITHER DON’T KNOW HOW TO DEAL WITH PEOPLE OR DON’T HAVE THE APPETITE TO

How do I deal with performance issues??

The key to dealing with performance issues is to make sure expectations and measurements are clear. You may feel that an employee is not performing, but if the expectation for them hasn’t been articulated and there are no measures in place, it can be difficult to demonstrate. Once those mechanisms are in place, if the employee really isn’t performing, you can show where they’re falling short, and give them the support they need to catch up. If they still don’t improve, you can advance matters with evidence. It’s important not to chuck the baby out with the bathwater – if they’re in the role, there must’ve been a reason. Sometimes external life factors can cause a performance dip, and they just need help.

How do I address problems with conduct?

This can divide into two categories: ongoing issues and oneoff incidents. An ongoing issue might be that someone is always late, but if management doesn’t address it early, it won’t get resolved. The problem will become too great by the time HR gets involved. If you’ve let an ongoing issue fester, you can’t suddenly act without warning. With one-offs, it depends – if it’s a serious issue, you’re going to have to act through the disciplinary process. If it’s an accidental slip up from an employee with an unblemished five-year record, you might be better off exploring why it’s happened and giving out a warning. The key thing is consistency – if you let it go, it sets a precedent, so you must be prepared to let it go next time too. The action you take needs to be reasonable.

How can I make my management team more effective?

In a nutshell: training. The big issue is managers who either don’t know how to deal with people or don’t have the appetite to. Managing people is a skill that’s not always taught. Usually, the best salesman becomes the sales manager. The best accountant becomes head of the finance team. But that doesn’t mean they’re the best at managing people, so training is important. A good manager acts as a foil to their team, helps them shine, makes everyone happier, boosts productivity, and looks good as a result. These skills can be learned, but need to be taught.