5 common HR mistakes and how to avoid them
Business is booming, and you are ready to hire employees. This monumental milestone is a time to celebrate, but it also opens the door to a completely different mindset. What does it take to operationalize a new employee process and workflow? Startup Alleghenies teamed up with a Human Resources expert to guide you through the ins and outs of new employees—from the handbook and policies to orientation and common mistakes. Be on the lookout for expert articles featuring key takeaways from the 90–120-minute Bootcamp sessions.
Brooke Contacos is an HR expert that gave exclusive training for Startup Alleghenies entrepreneurs. And it’s at your fingertips at no charge. Check out Startup Alleghenies for the full videos.
Hiring employees can be an exciting and scary time for small business owners. Your company has grown, but now you trust another individual to represent your company.
Human Resource (HR) expert Brooke Contacos shares common mistakes you should avoid when hiring employees:
Including unlawful policies in your handbook
Your employee handbook is meant to guide you and your staff to success and a cohesive employee-employer relationship and ensure laws are followed.
“Something that is seen often is that the employer wants the employee to get prior approval to work overtime,” Contacos said. “That policy is acceptable; however, you cannot refuse to pay appropriate employee wages if they do not obtain that prior approval.”
In a case like this, it’s ok to discipline the employee for not obtaining prior approval, but it is required that you pay employees for all hours worked.
Using a copycat handbook instead of creating one unique to your company
Your handbook and policies should represent you and your company. If you use a handbook you found on the internet, there is no way to know if the policies fully comply with your specific state’s laws. Policies in your handbook must be in line with state-level requirements. The only way to guarantee this is by creating an original document.
Complying with laws that are not required
As soon as you put a policy in your handbook, you are responsible for complying with that policy. FMLA is a great example. It is not a required law, but if you put it in your handbook, you now have to uphold that policy and follow the FMLA law.
Making promises
A workaround for falling into this trap is using the word “typically” in your policies where applicable. “Saying you will give employee feedback quarterly and then now completing it is an example of a promise being made and then not met,” Contacos said. “If you rephrase the policy to say employee feedback will typically be given quarterly, you are covered if it does not occur.”
Failure to train
Failing to train employees is a common mishap that can easily be avoided. Time to educate employees on policies will save much frustration for both parties. All employees must have a basic understanding and know how to apply the policies.
You can watch Brooke Contacos’ full presentation “Preparing for Employees” here.
Startup Alleghenies helps startup and emerging small businesses succeed by providing free coaching to entrepreneurs in Bedford, Blair, Cambria, Fulton, Huntingdon and Somerset counties. To access personal, one-on-one support from a coach in your county, including guidance, resources, tools and networking opportunities, sign up at startupalleghenies.com.
