Audits of employee issues can provide data as valuable as many financial reports because they flash early warning signals of turnover, lowered productivity and an in-ability to carry out strategies. These audits are especially valuable if executives acquire thorough data analysis and succinct, pragmatic plans as part of the audit process.
Human resources issue audits require front-end time and dollars. They delay answers to questions like, “What courses should we offer?” and “How much more productive can we be?”
But audits assure focus and precision of future development efforts by identifying pockets of satisfaction and dissatisfaction, by separating competence problems (training and development needs) from systemic problems (organization structure and management practices) and by iden¬tifying the areas where management action will have the most impact.
Resist the lure of Band-Aid solutions to human resources problems. Executive requests often cause flurries of activity in organizations. Un¬fortunately, many executive requests in human resources areas are for solutions to on-the-surface problems (e.g., “develop a time management course”) rather than for research and data-based action plans.
The solutions executives receive in these situations are frequently off-target, expensive, and at worst mask problems until they reach unmanageable proportions.
This is exacerbated by the unwillingness of many human resources managers to question and guide executive directives. Ultimately the buck stops with top management, which must learn to question “quick and dirty” answers to complex human performance and satisfaction problems before the surface solutions become directives.
Hold managers accountable for climate and personnel development practices in their units. Unless personnel measurement systems assess managers on the quality of work life in their units and hold them accountable for employee development, many managers will continue to downplay their responsibilities in these areas.
As a consequence, the organization risks losing its most competent employees and developing a reputation in the recruiting market that makes it difficult to attract high-talent personnel.
By : Patricia Lagan. Training Magazine.