Policies and procedures managed by your HR team should be considered dynamic assets. These are documents that grow and change reflecting the company’s evolution over time in terms of organizational goals, industry trends, and both state and federal legislation. For these reasons, the core message or elements of the document, policy, or procedure remain intact; however, the surrounding details and procedure application remain fluid.

At first, the idea of regularly revisiting seemingly well-oiled policies may seem redundant or unnecessary. The reality is, though, that the business requires and deserves to have effective and current guiding principles to protect the business and its employees.

The top areas where your team will want to keep a close eye includes hiring and recruiting, policy and procedure compliance updates, communication, and departmental gap analysis.

Hiring and Recruiting
Hiring and recruiting is not only one of the primary responsibilities of the HR team, but they are one of the greatest sources of value for the entire organization. Good hires improve the company’s bottom line, form stronger relationships, and fortify company culture. Poor hires can result in diminished company culture, the dissolution of important relationships, and can damage the company budget by requiring additional funds to be funneled to recruiting efforts.

As your business continues to grow and thrive, you can expect to devote additional resources and attention to hiring and recruiting. During these times of flux is where your HR team should be spending time understanding the needs of the current workforce in order to continue the positive trajectory.

Policy and Procedure Compliance
Once considered a more expensive task, maintaining compliance across multiple areas of your HR department is no longer a financial drain. With some special consideration to labor or employment laws, team members should feel less overwhelmed with policy updates. Stay current with local and federal changes by subscribing to trusted blogs or signing up for email updates from law firms in your area who focus on these changing regulations. Bookmark the Department of Labor website (and/or local or state agencies) for quick references and resources pertinent to your industry.

Communication
Communication is a learned strength for many and an opportunity for everyone else. Your communication skills can help others improve their own communication deficiencies and will help you connect with people more easily at events, meetings, or even in new hire orientation.

Communication comes into play when reviewing and delivering employee development plans. Speaking with employees will help you understand their skill levels, career aspirations, and opportunities for involvement or improvement from your perspective. Use these objectives to clearly outline how the employee can benefit from these tips and skills. How this information is communicated to the employee can make a difference in their success with a development plan.

Departmental Gap Analysis
One of the best ways to determine where your department is falling short is to perform a gap analysis. As your company matures in line with industry and trends, a regular review is required to ensure HR practices are meeting the demands of the organization. For example, if the business expands into new geographic locations, the company may become subject to a more diverse group of guidelines than your documentation or department has previously supported. The gap analysis can help uncover elements that require updates, such as training programs, job descriptions, or even updates to the employee handbook.

As important as it is to maintain industry best practices across your organization, it is even more important to ensure business policies are not only consistent but are still as effective as they were when they were put in place. Vensure is able to assist your HR team regular reviews of your policies and reduce exposure by increasing compliance with federal and state laws. Contact Vensure to get started today.