Calibre HR & Training Newsletter
Autumn 2007 Issue
In this issue:
- Back to work needn’t mean back-to-back misery – quick fixes
- Quick fixes for managers
- Quick fixes for everyone
- Planning for a sunny future – training the right way
- Free HR Clinics
- Food for thought
Back to work needn’t mean back-to-back misery - quick fixes
The return to work in September can be traumatic for employees and employers alike. But there are steps clever managers can take to transfer some of that holiday optimism back into the workplace.
Quick fixes for managers
- Let your team know what a good job they have done while you were away – recognise the success of line managers or others in delegating tasks and covering your absence.
- Give team members returning from their holidays a proper debrief of what has happened while they were away to demonstrate you value their contribution – though obviously not the minute they walk in the door.
- Use the opportunity to think about development opportunities for team members and succession planning – who has shone with additional responsibilities and who needs more help? Make proper notes to input into forthcoming appraisals.
- Try not to overload people coming back from holiday, let their work pattern build up gradually over a few hours (or a couple of days for part-timers).
- Think about a genuinely interesting task you can give individuals on their return – something they will enjoy getting their teeth stuck into, not just the job no-one else fancied.
- Remember to welcome returning staff back to work – it sounds obvious, but how many times do you do it – and ask how the holiday went.
Quick fixes for everyone
- Prioritise your work to end the tyranny of your e-mails – most can wait.
- If your break has helped you see your personal goals more clearly, capture that sentiment on paper. Identify which of your goals are work related – for instance you might be looking to expand your skills or role or get a promotion – and plan a strategy for getting there.
- Remember that the autumn sees many annual review processes kick off – have a proper think about what you want from your role and how it can benefit the organisation – prepare to share that in a constructive manner with your line manager.
- Take the time out to review your appraisal from last year – have you achieved your goals and what development do you need to do so?
- Have your sandwich in the park and don’t be tempted to work late to catch up – enjoy the late summer sun.
- Get some exercise – cycle to work, get off the bus early, take the stairs.
Planning for a sunny future - training the right way
If you aren’t already, all this should get you thinking about you and your team’s training needs. If you know where you want to go, how do you know if you have the skills to get there? While individual team members may decide now is the perfect time for you to cough up for their new Swahili lessons, it pays to look at your training needs and investments in a much more cohesive way. Find out how to work out what training you need and how to evaluate your training with our factsheets
Download the Evaluate your training factsheet
Free HR Clinics
Our next two HR clinics will be held on Wednesday, 26th September at the Ashford International Hotel, Ashford, and on Wednesday, 3rd October at Canterbury Christchurch University, Hall Place, Canterbury. Give us a call on 01233 813810 to book your free consultation and let us help you get to grips with your HR headaches.
Food for thought
September 8, 2007 is International Literacy Day.
Could you do more to help and support staff who might struggle with basic reading and writing skills? If you are a larger organisation, could you spare staff to help out in local schools or local help centres a few hours a month?
September 22, 2007 is World Car Free Day.
Do you have a car share scheme in place – what might the benefits be for the organisation and your people?
And don’t forget the autumn will see the launch of the new Commission for Equality and Human Rights (CEHR).