Resume
Employee management is part of every manager’s responsibility. But it’s 2013: not 1913, 1953, or even 1983. We must discard the HR practices that served us well in the 20th century. Today’s workplace demands that.
7 Basic Practices
How many of these statements reflect your vision of human resources?
- For each opening, look for a resume, written application, or completed application form
- A formal annual performance appraisal is a valuable and necessary tool
- The face-to-face interview is an essential part of personnel selection.
- Training is the key factor in performance improvement
- We must develop each individual to their potential
- Human resource policy and procedure manuals are valuable tools for managers
- References from previous managers are a valuable resource in the selection process.
There is another approach. How do you respond to these claims?
- Resumes and written applications are a major source of recruitment errors
- Formal annual performance appraisals are a bureaucratic HR construct that has little valve for improving job performance.
- You just can’t tell what people can do just by talking to them.
- By itself, training rarely improves job performance.
- The basic human unit in the workplace is the team, not the individual. Successful companies are made up of successful teams
- Performance systems and standards, not HR policies and procedures, are the key to successful job performance.
- References can be a valuable comfort. That’s all. Nothing more. Should you allow your selection decision to be influenced by a complete stranger talking about the past?
How many of these statements do you agree with? Do they seem heretical? They will if you are locked into conventional HR practice.
Let’s look at each individually
- Resumes and written applications are about the past. They are what a candidate wants you to know. This may not match what you really want to know. It is estimated that 70% of all resumes are prepared by professional resume writers. They have become a sales tool.
- Performance measurement is too important to be left to a six or twelve month event. We now have the technology that allows employees to measure their own performance on a monthly, weekly, or even daily basis.
- The face-to-face interview still has a place in the selection. It should be used only towards the end of the process to clarify and discuss issues related to cultural adjustment.
- Most employee performance problems occur because people “won’t” rather than “can’t.” You need well-trained staff, but you also need a lot more.
- We individual employees. But we expect them to be effective team members for the benefit of the business. No need to create teams in the workplace. They exist. They are normal in the workplace. Developing effective teams is more important than developing effective individuals.
- Managers have an important obligation to employees. It is above all others. They must “establish systems that ensure that it will be impossible for employees to fail.” A poor system will always beat a good performer. The personnel policy and procedure must support performance systems and performance standards.
- The references are about the past. The selection is about the future. And you usually don’t know anything about the person providing the reference, written or oral. If you must do reference checks, ask only one question; “Would you give (name of applicant) a job as (name of vacancy) at your company?” That is the best way to get useful information.
The 21st century workplace
Today’s workplace is very different from the typical workplace of the 20th century. The PC, iPad, iPhone and all their relatives have made a huge difference. Today’s PC is far more powerful and valuable than the huge mainstream frameworks of just 20 years ago.
Every employee now has a wealth of data at their fingertips. They no longer need close supervision. They have “mountains” of comments instantly available if needed. Management only needs to establish the systems so that the masses of data are turned into valuable and useful performance information. As Tom Gilbert says, “Information is data that you can use.”
Much of what employees can do today was considered “management work” 20 years or less ago. Now employees can run the business on a day-to-day basis. This means that managers are free to spend most of their time on genuine management work.
The human resources bureaucracy of the 20th century
The human resources bureaucracy of the 20th century is no longer necessary. There is no need to fill out forms, verify, or administrative minutiae. Today’s HR professionals can provide genuine service that helps managers achieve business goals. And they can help managers establish performance systems and standards. HR must function as a collaborator with operations, sales and production staff. There is no need for HR specialists as mediators between employees and management. After all, managers are responsible for managing employees.
What to do instead
To replace bureaucratic practices, I suggest
- Written requests: Don’t ask for them. Instead, ask applicants to make the phone call. Do you remember the phone? – you direct. Conduct a short selection interview. Reject all unsuitable candidates. Make a short list based on your selection interviews. Proceed only with shortlisted candidates. You will save hours and hours of unnecessary reading and evaluation.
- Install systems that allow employees to measure their own performance on a daily, weekly, and monthly basis. You will need specific measurable performance standards to do this. But the system will show “how each employee is doing.”
- Put the face-to-face interview last in your selection process. Interview after you have conducted tests where applicants demonstrate that they have the skills you are looking for. Use the interview primarily to assess “culture fit.”
- Continue to train well – but recognize that performance problems usually occur due to poor systems, not poor training. Even the best training can be derailed by a poor system.
- Focus on individual performance, not team performance: Make sure individual staff members are effective contributors to the team. The effectiveness of the team depends on the clarity of roles and objectives, not on interpersonal relationships.
- Effective performance systems and clear performance standards are absolutely essential for effective employee performance. Take the time and trouble to create effective systems.
- Don’t ask for references. Ignore those submitted by applicants. Use a trial period to make sure the new hire can do your job for you.
Conclution
20th century HR practices have served us well for a century. But they are past their expiration date. Modern technology provides much more effective techniques for today’s managers. Use them, use them. Otherwise, you will be overrun by managers who do.