Top 10 HR Mistakes Every Employer Makes (But Shouldn’t)

The admin and HR departments of most companies are what builds and maintains the standards of a business. If the HR department is not organized and lacks major attention to detail, it could be detrimental to the future of your business. As your company grows, so should your HR department and the rules and guidelines that help to train, organize, and protect all members of your business.

Here are a few HR Mistakes you shouldn’t make:

1) Failing To Document All Incidents

No matter how minor, each incident should be carefully documented for future purposes. For example, if an employee is repeatedly late, it should be documented each time they arrive past their expected time. These small incidents can quickly add up and become a habitual problem over time. You’ll want to make sure that you have everything on paper for employee evaluations, or even termination circumstances.

2) Outdated Employee Handbooks

Guidelines, policies and rules are extremely important for each employee to follow, and if your employee handbook has outdated information it could become an issue. You’ll want to make sure that the guidelines your employees are following are ones that you actually adhere by. Take some time to audit your employee handbook at least twice a year and refresh or update any changes you have made.

3) Not Adhering To The Laws

Each business owner should make it a priority to adhere to any state and/or federal labor laws. Depending on the size of the company, a business will be subjected to a variety labor laws, such as FMLA which requires covered employers to provide employees secured and unpaid leave for medical and family reasons. Disregarding the laws could result in a fine or a lawsuit.

4) Incomplete Job Descriptions

Determining the responsibilities and assignments for each individual employee is essential for management. In order to accurately determine if an employee is fulfilling their role, managers need some sort of guidelines. If there are no established employee expectations, then it could lead to unfair workloads, disgruntled employees and incomplete work.

5) No Trust

Many companies try to have an “open door policy,” which they feel will make employees more comfortable and easy to talk to. Unfortunately that isn’t the case. Most employees, regardless of an “open door policy” or not, will still feel hesitant and skeptical about a non-reprimanded system for speaking openly and honestly about a particular person or situation. It is best to have a system in which employees can still report or speak about certain things anonymously.

6) Improper Employee Screening

Whether or not your company does background checks, drug checks, etc., it should be of interest to screen an employee before hiring them. In order to onboard the particular group of individuals you want representing your company, you should have some sort of proper employee screening, or you might run into issues later on. You don’t want to find out that you’ve hired an employee who does not meet the standards and reputation you set forth for your company to project.

7) Inadequate On boarding Procedures

Once a new employee is hired on, it’s important to proceed with an on boarding procedure that will not only walk them through the standard day-to-day operations, but will help them assimilate into the culture and environment of the company as a whole.

8) Improper Training

Each employee regardless of skills and position should undergo proper orientation or training. Every company has its own way of doing things. If employees are not trained properly, they tend to make it an excuse as to why they can’t do their job. As a result, the given task ends up being passed on to someone else who knows how to complete it, thus leaving the employee without the skills they need for their position. This could become a never-ending cycle, creating disorganization and upset co-workers.

9) Confusing Wages and Hours

Employees have a right to understand their wages and hours and should always have the right to access their pay stubs and break down of hours. Changes in laws, such as change in minimum rate or the right of salary workers to receive overtime pay, should be clearly communicated to affected employees. If employees are required to clock in and out, HR should maintain compliance and make sure everyone is following the proper rules and not taking advantage of the system.

10) Unstated Electronic Use Policy

In an age when everyone uses their cell phones all day, every day, your company should establish clear rules and guidelines regarding electronic devices, both personal and work related. If employees are expected to make phone calls, it is not their responsibility to use their own personal phones, data and text messages. If you are monitoring company wi-fi, computers and devices, some states require that you notify employees of such privacy rules.