YEHSuperManualEVAL by Wells-Smith Partners

Supervisor’s Manual

COMMON-SENSE EXPLANATIONS

FOR USING YOUR PERSONNEL POLICIES MOST EFFECTIVELY. | HIRING POLICIES | EMPLOYMENT

Practical employee management techniques for small business managers and owners.

POLICIES | WORKPLACE STANDARDS | EMPLOYEE RELATIONS | EMPLOYEE BENEFITS

The Companion Guide to

Your Employee

Handbook By Jackie Wells Smith

Table of Contents Introduction. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Workplace Standards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

The Need for a Handbook . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Handbook Goals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

General Rules . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 Customer Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 Accidents and Injuries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 Contacting Employee after Hours . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 Suggestion Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 Workplace Monitoring . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 Company Property and Usage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31

Dealing with Conflicts Internally . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Supervisors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Safety . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Employee Acknowledgement Form . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Welcome Letter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

Hiring Policies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

External vs. Internal Searches . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Interviews . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Common Interview Mistakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Interviewing Tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Making Your Decision . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 1 Verifying References. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 1 Letters of Hire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Equal Employment Opportunity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Disability . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Chronic Illness . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Personnel Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 Employment Categories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 Probationary Period . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Hiring of Relatives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Notifying Those You Do Not Hire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

Employment Policies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 Work Schedules . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 Absenteeism and Job Abandonment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 Employee Payroll . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 Reimbursements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 Employee Performance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 Termination of Employment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 Retirement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 5 Involuntary Termination . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 5 Layoffs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 Exit Interview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

Introduction

Computers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 Telephones . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 Company Vehicles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32

Employee Relations and Conduct . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 Problem Resolution . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 Tips for Handling an Employee Grievance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 Employee Conduct . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 Insubordination . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 Harassment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 Conflict of Interest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 Non-Disclosure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 Outside Employment. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 Solicitation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 Petitions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 Discipline Policies. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41

Employee Benefits. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43 Unpaid Leave . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44

Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47 Charts Employee Record Retention Guide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 What to Include (and Leave Out) of an Employee File . . . . 16

Practical Employee Management Overtime Pay is Not a Profit Center . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t Mess with the Paycheck! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 Focus on the Issues . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 The Importance of Following Procedures. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 Dealing with Disrespect for Management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 Deal Quickly with Sexual Harassment. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 When Being Frugal Costs Too Much . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 Be Careful of Imposing Values with a Price Tag . . . . . . . . . . 39 Cultural Perceptions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40

Introduction

Introduction THE NEED FOR A HANDBOOK Most companies, at one time or another, establish an employee handbook. This decision is usually brought about by some sort of crisis. Employers hope to avoid disruption in the work place, lawsuits or the loss of quality employees by establishing an employee handbook.

Your Employee

The establishment of employment policies alone will not protect the company from lawsuits, no matter how much it is written like a contract. Personnel policies and procedures for the small In fact, the clearer and more readable business Office Edition a handbook is, the more likely it is to Basic Version protect you from disgruntled employees and their legal actions. Handbooks that read too much like a legal document have been interpreted by courts as an employment contract. The outcome is rarely favorable to the company.

Handbook

COMMON-SENSE,

PLAIN-LANGUAGE POLICIES FOR

EFFECTIVE HUMAN RESOURCES

MANAGEMENT

| HIRING POLICIES | EMPLOYMENT POLICIES

| WORKPLACE STANDARDS

| EMPLOYEE

RELATIONS

| EMPLOYEE BENEFITS

To fully protect a company, the policies must be well communicated both to the employee base and supervisors. Procedures must be established that will be followed as these policies are implemented. And finally, consequences must be clearly outlined and executed in case a policy is violated.

HANDBOOK GOALS There are many reasons to establish an employee handbook. The first is to clearly communicate standards of behavior to your employees. The second is to establish a consistent management style among your supervisors. The third is to prevent unnecessary costs, such as employee turnover, unemployment insurance costs and workers compensation. The fourth is to provide a safe and respectful working environment to help improve the productivity of your work force.

Introduction

EMPLOYEE ACKNOWLEDGEMENT FORM It is extremely important that you have a signed copy from each employee of this acknowledgement form. It should be placed in their employee file. If the employee acknowledges receipt of the handbook, this eliminates most future complaints based on “not knowing the company policy.” Remember, the employee handbook is, first and foremost, a communications tool. Unless the employee receive this communications tool, then its benefits can’t be realized. Also, employees like knowing where they stand. It gives them a sense of security in their jobs.

Employee Acknowledgment Form The employee handbook describes important information about this company. I understand it is my responsibility to read, understand and comply with the policies and revisions contained in this handbook. I agree to consult my supervisor regarding any questions I have about the handbook or any questions I have that are not answered in the handbook. Since the information, policies and benefits described here are necessarily subject to change, I acknowledge that revisions to the handbook may occur. I understand that the company reserves the right to revise, supplement, or rescind any policies or portion of this handbook at any time it deems appropriate, in its sole and absolute discretion. I understand that I will be notified of changes to the handbook as they occur. All such changes will be communicated through office memorandums and posted on the employee bulletin board. I understand that revised information may supercede, modify or eliminate existing policies. I understand that only the president has the ability to adopt any revisions to the policies in this handbook. I acknowledge that this handbook is neither a contract of employment nor a legal document.

I have read and understand the Employee Acknowledgment Form.

____________________________________________________ Employee’s Signature

Date

_________________________________________________________________ Employee’s Name (printed or typed) _________________________________________________________________ Employee’s Supervisor Date

Your Employee Handbook

SEE HANDBOOK ACKNOWLEDGEMENT FORM

WELCOME LETTER Your Employee Handbook has been delivered to you in a file that can be edited. Carefully read over this welcome letter and personalize it with the name of your company. Before the handbooks are reproduced, have your company president or manager sign this page. Welcoming employees in a positive manner and treating them as professionals at whatever skill level they may possess is one of the best motivators for productivity.

Hiring Policies EXTERNAL VS. INTERNAL SEARCHES Establishing a policy of reviewing your employee base before looking to the outside for additional candidates is a great employee motivator. It encourages loyalty in a workplace where loyalty has become a thing of the past.

Many managers feel that is important to bring in â&#x20AC;&#x153;new bloodâ&#x20AC;? to a company, and therefore, like to see if there is anyone better out there in the marketplace before promoting internally. This goal can be accomplished without jeopardizing your existing employee base with consultants and a well-constructed board of directors. It is a highly destructive not to consider current employees first for the promotion. Not just for the individual, but for the entire employee base. Your employees will come to believe that they will never be good enough to get ahead in your company. If an employee meets the requirements of a position, then he should be promoted without additional external searches. If he has minor weaknesses, invest in training. It will be an investment that will pay off in the end. The need for an external search comes into play when an employee lacks the skills or maturity to fulfill the promotion. At this point, it is important to clearly communicate to all internal applicants why they are not being promoted at this time, and what skills they lack before an external search is begun. Once an external search has begun, then the company must fully commit and support the decision to bring in a new employee or to alter the job description to fit internal applicants.

Hiring Policies

If employees believe that they have a shot at career development within your organization, they will be motivated to work hard and develop their skills. If career advancement is administered without regard for individual prejudices, employee morale will soar.

INTERVIEWS The best defense against employee turnover and involuntary terminations is in the hiring process. Common Interview Mistakes ◆ Talking too much and not allowing the applicant to answer questions. ◆ Asking yes-no questions. ◆ Focusing too much on asking a “wrong” question. ◆ Being defensive about what your small business has to offer. ◆ Not verifying references. Common Interview Mistakes ◆ Be ready for the applicant at the appointed time. ◆ Give a 5-minute overview of what your company does and how the position works within the company. ◆ Ask open-ended questions, such as: “Tell me about your last position? What parts did you like? Why did you leave? What three elements would your ideal job have?” ◆ Do not ask personal questions such as:“Are you married? Do you have kids? Do you plan to get pregnant?” If the information is volunteered, you may take note of it. ◆ You can ask questions about personal interests such as: “We have a soft ball team. Are you interested in sports? Do you have other hobbies?” Often these kinds of questions will give you insight into the personal priorities of the applicant. ◆ Keep the interview to about 45 minute for entry-level positions. ◆ Have the applicant talk to the department supervisor and give him a brief tour of the work area where he will be assigned. ◆ For management positions, have two other managers meet with the applicant for a short time (15 minutes) to discuss how the two departments interact.

Making Your Decision End the interview by thanking the applicant for their time. If they do not have the qualifications you are seeking, you can tell them at that time. Be specific about which qualifications they lack. If they do match your criteria, give them a specific timeframe for getting back to them. Remember, good applicants receive multiple job offers. Don’t lose a good worker by dragging your feet. For entry-level positions, the best applicants find jobs within 4 days of the start of their search. Be ready to act quickly if you find a quality person. Verifying References Verify employment references. You should call the previous employers and ask if the dates of employment and position held are correct, and if the employee is eligible for rehire. If an applicant is good, they will volunteer a lot of information. If not, they will give you as little as possible. Most companies will verify these three Reference Verification pieces of information. Social Security Number______________________________

Position ________________________________________

Department________________________________________

Applicant’s Signature _______________________________________

Date_____________

Social Security Number ________________________________________________________

Name/Company______________________________________ ■

PERSONAL

■

PROFESSIONAL

REFERENCE ONE

Contact at Company __________________________________ Phone ________________________________________ Previous Position _____________________________________ Eligible for Re-hire? Dates of Employment _________________________________

■

YES

■

If no, why? _________________________________

Performance in Position________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________________

Name/Company______________________________________ ■

PERSONAL

■

PROFESSIONAL

■

YES

■

If no, why? _________________________________

Name/Company______________________________________ ■

PERSONAL

■

PROFESSIONAL

Contact at Company __________________________________ Phone ________________________________________

REFERENCE THREE

The Reference Verification Form in the Companion Forms Package is designed to help with this task.

Applicant Name __________________________________

I authorize the verification of information I have given on my resume and the references I have given on this form.

REFERENCE TWO

Verify two previous employers. If the person has not worked in a number of years, such as a fulltime mother, use personal or volunteer references.

Previous Position _____________________________________ Eligible for Re-hire? Dates of Employment _________________________________

■

YES

■

If no, why? _________________________________

Performance in Position________________________________________________________________________________

YEH Form: Reference Verification 0601

____________________________________________________________________________________________________

Verifier’s Notes: ________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________ Verifier’s Signature __________________________________ Date________________

SEE REFERENCE VERICATION FORM

Hiring Policies

Letters of Hire Every new employee should be given a letter of hire on his first day of work. Managers should have the letter sent to them two weeks prior to their start date. This letter should read something like this:

Welcome ______, As we discussed on the phone, I am pleased to offer you the position of (INSERT POSITION TITLE) with (INSERT NAME OF COMPANY) at a salary of (INSERT SALARY). Your first day on the job is (INSERT STARTING DATE) . This is a (INSERT FULL OR PART) time (INSERT PERMANENT OR TEMPORARY) position. [If this is a temporary position, add: This position will end on (INSERT END DATE).] [If this is a permanent position, add:] Your position is subject to a 90-day probationary period. Your first performance review will take place at 90-days and an annual review will occur on the first anniversary of your start date. Please call me if you have any questions regarding any of these details. We look forward to working with you. Sincerely, (INSERT HIRING SUPERVISOR’S NAME AND TITLE)

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY Although affirmative action policies are no longer required and most small businesses are beneath the levels of reporting requirements, creating a diversified employee base can bring a lot to your company.

TO DO Be sure to post the proper Federal Equal Employment Opportunity Poster in a prominent place. SEE THE POSTER

The workplace is the only place in our society where persons of different races and ethnic backgrounds can come together for a common goal. If a workplace is tolerant, flexible and firm in its respect for all employees, employee morale improves.

It is extremely important that a company not have, in any supervisory position, an individual who is unable to control their personal prejudices. Such a person can cause extreme damage to the company as a whole.

DISABILITY Companies must consider disabled applicants for positions where the applicant meets the qualifications, and where any physical limitations can be easily addressed. Although most small businesses fall below the requirements of the ADA, it is a good management practice to follow this act in preparation for the time that you must adhere to these government standards. This act does not require that you give preferential treatment to disabled persons. It does not require that you modify the job so the TO DO disabled person can fulfill it. It does mean that if a disabled person meets the job requirments, you canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t refuse to hire him If you hire disabled workers and pay a special minior her because they are disabled. mum wage, you are must display the appropriate federal poster. SEE THE POSTER

Most handicapped workers are very reliable and dedicated to their jobs.

CHRONIC ILLNESS An employee with chronic illness can be easily eliminated from the workforce simply by enforcing attendance requirements. Use the Employee Attendance Form to track missed days. However, this is not a good management practice and ultimately is shortsighted. Every employee wants to know that if they become ill and are unable to keep up with their job, their employer will make reasonable efforts to work with them to keep a paycheck flowing.

Employee Attendance Employee Name _________________________________

Department________________________________________

Soc. Sec. #______________________ JAN

FEB

MAR

APR

MAY

JUN

JUL

AUG

SEP

OCT

NOV

DEC

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 ANNUAL RECAP

TOTAL

PDO YEH Form: Employee Attendance Form 07 01

Job sharing and telecommuting can be good options for welltrained employees who have fallen on hard times. When the illness goes away, loyalty to a flexible employer will remain.

S ML UA JD LA SUS

PDO = Paid Day Off/Holiday

S = Sickness

ML = Military

UA = Unexcused Absence

JD = Jury Duty

LA = Leave of Absence

SUS = Suspension

SEE EMPLOYEE ATENDANCE FORM

Hiring Policies