PUT THE “HUMAN” BACK IN HUMAN RESOURCES: Watch your profitability & productivity soar!

I hear it from employers all the time, “What a waste of time. I’m not their babysitter. I pay them a salary what more do they need? Why should I inform them about their rights?” I respond by asking them a simple question, “Do you run your business by yourself?” While they know the answer, too many employers refuse to recognize their single most important asset and reason for profitability, their employees. They Are Not the Enemy! I am sure most of us are familiar with Sally Fields’ emotionally charged portrayal of labor organizer “Norma Ray” in the movie of the same name and the depiction of the acrimonious if not hate-filled relationship between management and workers. Unfortunately, the saying that “art imitates life” is all too accurate when it comes to employer-employee relations. Employees are not the enemy; rather, they are the life-blood of any enterprise yet far too many employers continue to treat them as foreign invaders’ intent on sabotaging the corpus. The result is paralysis followed by degeneration and eventually death of the business. Put the “Human” Back in Human Resources: Sometimes we lose site of why we designate something by given nomenclature. We apply the use of title “Human Resources” because that is exactly what our employees are, they are our single most valuable resource and less we forget, just like the employers they work for, they are human too. Since labor movements came on the scene employers have taken an us versus them approach and in some cases started treating their non-human resources with more care and concern. In a post-war era (WWII) America’s employers could afford to disregard the needs of the employee because foreign competition was non-existent. Well, times have changed and I can almost guarantee any employer reading this that your main competition is not coming from the USA but more likely China, India or Mexico where unfortunately they can still get away with substandard employment environments. So competition is a reality we all need to deal with both as employers and employees and it is precisely this shared threat that offers employers and employees the greatest opportunity to redefine the employer/employee relationship and we need to start with humanizing the workplace. Institute a Good “COP” Policy (Care, Opportunity and Productive): Care: Believe it or not, the vast majority of employees start a new job with the greatest of hopes and aspirations and want to believe that their new employer actually cares that these dreams can become a reality. We have all been there, the new-hire, eager to show your metal and optimistic that once your manager takes notice of what you are made of a promotion is not far off. So where does this all break down? Look at your managers because that is usually where the problem lies. Are they aware of who works for them, do they take an interest in teaching their charges and do they audit their staff every now and then? All too often the answer to all 3 questions is a resounding no. Take a lesson from Cal-OSHA whose regulations require employers in the construction industry to have weekly “tailgate safety meetings.” These are great opportunities for employers to gauge the morale amongst the staff, find out if an employee has a complaint and nip minor problems in the bud before they become major ones. Employees who truly believe that the company cares for them feel a bond that results in a desire to see the company grow. Opportunity to Develop: I do not know very many people who are content in never seeing their lives change for the better. Why it that so many employers think an employee is suited for one job and one job only? If that were the case then most of us would still be delivering newspapers, cutting lawns or babysitting, since for most of us those were our entry level jobs back when we were teenagers. The answer is simple, because as humans, we have an innate thirst for knowledge and an inner drive for change and these characteristics apply equally to management and staff. An employer who builds an atmosphere that emphasizes promotion from within will bring out those two preeminent qualities in people, a thirst for knowledge and change. The proof will be the increase in your productivity combined with decreases in turnover costs and absenteeism. Productive: Frustration amongst employers caused by a lack of productivity or their inability to sustain consistent productivity levels is a well-voiced complaint. When I ask them what solutions they have tried the most common refrain has something to do with either wages or “I fired the B@#@#@D” (I will leave that last one to your imagination). Rarely, do I hear employers state that they tried communicating with their staff in attempts to determine if employees have any suggestions regarding productivity matters. Nor do I generally come across employers who have instituted programs to educate and promote from within even going so far as to offer financial aid to employees who pursue certain educational paths. The studies are available to any employer who cares to know but the results are clear and consistent; employees rank minor increases in pay amongst the lowest motivating factors while placing opportunity to develop and respect at the top of the list. Want to increase production, increase an employee’s sense of opportunity to grow and prosper and see the results. No, You Have Not Just Read a Fairy Tale: I know there are skeptics out there. Some of you are probably saying, “He must be wearing sandals and living on a commune,” well you would be right on one of two counts, I am wearing sandals. All kidding aside, taking the time to invest in your employees and making them feel a part of the company are the two most important approaches an employer can take to increase productivity and profits. American employers are facing unprecedented challenges from abroad and its time we implemented unprecedented changes in the workplace, start by putting the human back in human resources. Please visit our website: www.holmanhr.com or follow us on Twitter: www.twitter.com/holmanhr