What can bite you in night?
Do you ever wake up in the middle of the night worried?
Often in my role in Human Resources I hear of employers who are kept awake at night due to the stresses and issues with their employees.
What is keeping them awake isn’t just what the employee might have done wrong; sometimes it’s something them as the employer has done wrong. Right now, with things in full swing on the farm, it is more common for these sorts of sleepless nights to happen.
In the dark of the night, the employer has woken up and has that sinking feeling that they may be being played by an employee. That the employee was waiting for them to snap (and they did).
An employee who didn’t have a strong desire to work and achieve. An employee who now has a way out that will give them the upper hand – and potentially cash.
Yes, the mistake has already been made. The employer will now have to seek some advice regarding what can be done to retrieve the situation.
So as a good employer, what can you do to prevent the thing that can bite you in the night?
Here’s a few of the basics that employer’s must be aware of: Do not lose your temper – no matter how provoked you feel; Do not swear – at anyone or anything; Others have made the mistake of swearing at inanimate objects, thinking that will prevent an employee taking offence and being intimidated – it didn’t and it won’t.
Do not hit anything – not objects, and especially not animals; Never suggest to an employee that if they aren’t happy they can always leave; Do not accept an employee’s resignation given during or straight after a dispute; Do not try and use a recession and a restructure to remove an under performing employee. Use performance management.
Always keep the communication going and ensure you deal with an issue when it arises – do not leave it and allow it snowball.
Do not assume that the employee will have a sense of humour and be able to ‘‘take a joke’’.
Remember communication is key and tackling problems early, training, setting clear expectations and managing those expectations all go a long way to making and keeping good employees.
For any help with regards to employment and HR policies please call John at CooperAitken Limited. Phone 07 889 8838 or email john@cooperaitken.co.nz