Systemic issues that promote or prevent workforce effectiveness
Beyond job profiles & organograms then, and staying with what Ulrich calls "the hygienic issues" - what other systemic issues promote or prevent workforce effectiveness?
On the operational side - Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) are key for consistent delivery to your customers.
Conditions of Service provide the parameters& boundariesof the employment relationship
On the people side - Communication methods, tools and forums. (Who meets with whom? How often? About what?) How do people flag potential or existing problems? And is there a company-wide recognized problem solving methodology? How quickly can you form a task team to solve a particular problem? How do your communication tools reinforce the values of your brand so that your workforce is reminded to "live" the values and deliver the promises every day?
Employment Equity - removing unfair discrimination from the workplace, taking extraordinary, pro-active steps to diversify your workforce - I mean really, really - not just adding "AA candidate" to your adverts
Recruitment - finding the right people for the right job - so that going to work for your workforce is going somewhere to excel, to play to their strengths
Performance Management (incl discipline & grievance) - not just conducting quarterly performance appraisals, but plotting and planning, reviewing & celebrating and all the daily interaction inbetween , human & otherwise, which provides feedback and motivation. Creating and keeping firm boundaries through consistent and fair discipline and ensuring fair and effective grievance channels, where your workforce have the skills necessary to mediate their own conflicts at the lowest possible levels.
Rewards - recognizing and rewarding excellence in a fair, transparent & consistent manner and keeping your reward programmes fresh and relevant, so that all the time I'm reminded that my extra effort doesn't go unnoticed and that I'm an important part of the organisation.
Training - not just technical training and training to meet legislative requirements, but training to equip your workforce with the emotional intelligence necessary to communicate effectively, work in diverse teams, mediate conflict, measure & solve problems.
HR Basics? Yip. Also the building blocks for workforce effectiveness that so many companies brush over.
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