HR Elements is an exclusive UBA Partner Firm monthly newsletter that delivers insights about timely human resources and employee benefits topics.
Dear HR Manager
AUGUST 2023 | Key questions
My team's needs to be more consistent when we rare interviewing and want to ask key questions to develop a well-rounded view of the candidate and compare answers. What are three key questions to ask when interviewing job candidates? – Key Questions
Dear Key Questions, Conducting effective interviews is crucial for finding the right candidates for your team. While traditional questions about qualifications and experience are important, it is equally vital to delve deeper into a candidate's potential and cultural fit. To help your team make the most of your interviews, here are some key questions you may want to ask consistently. 1. "Tell me about a time when you faced a significant challenge at work and how you overcame it.". This question assesses a candidate's problem-solving abilities, resilience, and adaptability. Look for specific examples demonstrating their approach to challenges, decision-making processes, and outcomes.
2. "How do you handle feedback and criticism?" Understanding how candidates respond to feedback is essential for fostering a constructive work environment. Look for candidates who are receptive to feedback, take responsibility for their actions, and are willing to learn and grow.
3. "Can you give me an example of a time when you had to collaborate with a diverse group of individuals?" This question assesses a candidate's ability to work effectively in a diverse and inclusive workplace. Look for candidates who value diversity, can adapt their communication style to different perspectives, and foster collaboration among team members.
By regularly incorporating these questions during job interviews, you can gain valuable insights into a candidate's problem-solving skills, attitude toward feedback, and ability to work in diverse environments. Remember, the goal is to find candidates with the necessary qualifications, align with your organization's values, and contribute positively to your team.
– HR Manager
JuLY 2023 | BIG IDEA
My team's workload has increased exponentially, and we need a dedicated project manager. I want to propose a new position, but also want to be the person in that role. How do I pitch this big idea to my boss? – Big Idea
Dear Big Idea, The best way to prepare for this conversation is to put together a business case. 1. Do your research. Investigate the “why” behind the new position. What problem would this job solve? How does this relate to company goals and strategic plans? How will this benefit the team and company? What is the return on investment?
2. Talk to key stakeholders. Share your thoughts with key decision makers to get their feedback. Planting seeds early can help you address any identified obstacles in your pitch. These informal discussions concerning your idea also help pave the way ahead.
3. Put together your business case. Summarize your research in a problem-solving format. What was the identified problem? How does this new role solve that problem? This is where you include proposed job responsibilities from your research, and a plan to transition any of your current responsibilities. Include the potential impact of this role.
Keep your business case concise and to the point. Your eagerness to grow in the company will come through in your pitch. Good luck!.
– HR Manager
June 2023 | WAGE WORRIES
A tenured employee on my team just found out we hired a new team member in the same position and level at a much higher salary. Both employees are in the same position and level within the organization. The tenured employee is rightfully upset. What should I do next to assess potential solutions? – Wage Worries
Dear Wage Worries, It is a fact – employees talk about salary. Start by investigating the situation.
First, gather the facts. Identify the reason for the salary disparity. Is it due to external factors like a competitive talent market or inflation? Alternatively, does it result from a difference in employee experience or role focus? Compare the skill sets and jobs of the two individuals. Given their knowledge, skills, and abilities, is there merit to a higher salary?
Next, bring the information to your HR team. A compensation audit is one technique HR professionals use to evaluate pay levels. Work with them to validate the pay range for the role and employees. In some situations, companies discover longstanding employees’ pay has not kept up with market increases, and an adjustment may be needed.
Alternatively, you may discover that the pay range is appropriate. In this case, HR can provide insight into how previous issues have been resolved and help you script talking points—partner with your employee to build a development plan positioning them for future pay increases. Your open communication is an opportunity to build trust in your relationship.
– HR Manager
MAY 2023 | Ready for a Mentor
I am a few years into my first job and want to find a mentor. How do I find someone who will help me at this stage of my career? – Ready for a Mentor
Dear Ready for a Mentor, Mentorship has evolved. Today, instead of one life-long mentor, savvy employees are creating a network of informal relationships with individuals from a range of experience levels. This strategy enables them to build a team of qualified mentors to support their professional growth.
Keep these tips in mind to develop successful mentoring relationships.
Identify your short- and long-term goals. Clarifying your objectives will be the road map to finding mentor relationships. For example, do you want to improve your negotiation skills? Look for someone with outstanding sales experience in your network pool.
Give as much as you receive. Mentorship is a two-way street. Your network will naturally want to help you if you establish a give-and-take relationship. Create new connections internally at work by looking for opportunities to help. After an impromptu mentor meeting, ask how you can return the favor.
Show up with an agenda. Mentor relationships are most successful when they are development oriented and tied to professional goals. Make the most of your time together by outlining specific questions ahead of scheduled meetings.
Building your mentor network now will benefit your career in the long run. – HR Manager
APRIL 2023 | workplace guilt
Last week my company had layoffs and my team lost several members. The Employees who remain are struggling. I don't know what to do. How do I re-engage my team after this layoff? – Workplace Guilt
Dear Workplace Guilt, Layoffs are brutal for everyone involved. The remaining employees can feel lost even with a thoughtful layoff communication plan. They are grieving the loss of their colleagues and may experience all five stages of grief: denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance.
Leaders can support their team following a layoff in several ways:
Check in regularly. Employees need to know you care about their wellbeing, especially during hard times. Sharing your own feelings can help them feel safe to voice their questions and concerns.
Connect them with support. Employees may experience burnout, depression, or anxiety, and other mental health issues, following layoffs. Connect them with Employee Assistance Program (EAP) resources.
Ask for feedback. Changes in roles and responsibilities are often necessary after a layoff. Include your team as much as possible to give them some control.
Overcommunicate. Transparency is vital during times of change. Continue to provide your team with as much information as possible.
With your support, your team can grow closer during this challenging time. – HR Manager
MARCH 2023 | WORD ON THE STREET
An employee from another department applied for an open position on my team. Normally, I would be thrilled, but rumor has it that this individual is not a stellar performer. What should I do? – Word on the Street
Dear Word on the Street, Above all, keep an open mind; the rumor mill may not be accurate. All employees have strengths and weaknesses. Your job is to determine if this candidate’s skill set would be a good match for your team. Use these questions to guide your evaluation.
Is the candidate qualified? Use the same evaluation criteria across the board. Then, proceed if their application materials are strong enough to merit an interview.
Can you learn more about their performance history? Prior supervisors or HR may be able to provide feedback on the employee or share historic performance reviews.
How can you vet concerns during the interview process? Ask behavioral questions that will uncover examples of how they respond on the job.
Regardless of the outcome, provide feedback to your internal applicant. You can support their continued growth by sharing your insights. – HR Manager
FEB. 2023 | STEPPING ON MY TOES
One of my employees is infringing on my responsibilities. He emails directives to the department without my approval. Sometimes the information is incorrect and sends the team into a tizzy. At other times, it is correct but outside of his domain. What do I do? – Stepping on my Toes
Dear Stepping on my Toes, This situation is tricky. On the one hand, you have an employee eager to help with communications. But, on the other hand, you have incorrect information reaching a large group of people.
What an ideal coaching opportunity!
Work with your employee to harness this excitement around communications and mentor him on the appropriate process. Provide feedback to him about the repercussions of distributing inaccurate information. Ask questions to gauge his interest in communications as a development area. If he is interested in growing in this area, partner with him to outline an approval process that includes you as a critical stop along the way.
– HR Manager
JAN. 2023 | MONEY TALKS
I am delivering 2023 compensation updates to my team. In the past, I sent an email with the results and an offer to meet if they had any questions. Many seemed disappointed with their increase or needed clarification about the outcome. This year, I want to be more prepared. What is the best practice for discussing compensation changes with my staff? – Money Talks
Dear Money Talks, Compensation can be an uncomfortable topic to broach with direct reports. However, with the right information, you can turn this process into a chance to promote understanding and trust.
Schedule a meeting. It’s best to have the conversation in person or via a virtual call. Plan on at least 30 minutes, so you have enough time to respond to concerns, questions, or next steps.
Share the data. Be straightforward in sharing the numbers, including their base salary increase and bonus, if applicable. Then, follow up the conversation with an email so your employee can refer to it later.
Share what it means. This is the most crucial part of the conversation. Communicating figures alone can leave a lot to the imagination – partner with your HR team to determine what information can be shared. Remember, your employee may not have the big picture. Be ready to answer questions from your employee. A few questions to consider: – How does the raise compare statistically within the organization or external market? – Was this a flat increase or based on a “pay for performance” approach? – What factors about their job performance contributed to their compensation?
Let the data help you tell the story. Your team will appreciate your informative feedback.
– HR Manager
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