 | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  |
Human Resources (Part 2)
Chelsea Mc Cafferty writes Part 2 in a 3 part series on Human
Resources. In this part she interviews Heidi Kierson of Johnny on the
Spot. In this part we focus on managing new employees.
By Chelsea Mc Cafferty
Resources. In this part she interviews Heidi Kierson of Johnny on the
Spot. In this part we focus on managing new employees.
By Chelsea Mc Cafferty
Employee Handbooks, Training
As a brief reminder, we are working through a three-part series regarding the Human Resources Department (HR)
and its role within the portable sanitation industry. Last month we focused on the recruiting and hiring process.
This month we will concentrate on managing new employees, which includes employee handbooks, training of new
staff and career pathing. Next month we will look at employee benefits (insurance, holidays etc), employee
discipline and dismissal procedures. Assisting with this deep look into the world of HR is Heidi Kierson of Johnny
on the Spot Inc.
Employee Handbooks
“Do we get Christmas Eve off?” “How much vacation time do I have annually?” “Why would I be disciplined for
being late four or five times?”…These are questions that managers deal with on a regular basis, and this is just the
tip of the iceberg. Questions about company policies, rules, employee benefits, dress codes and so forth must be
dealt with consistently and forthrightly from the onset of employment. This is where employee handbooks can be
extremely beneficial in managing employees and minimizing confusion, grievances and unnecessary disciplinary
actions.
“We do have an employee handbook,” advised Heidi Kierson, HR representative for Johnny on the Spot Inc. “It is
made available to all employees by going onto the employee website. The handbook is very important as the
company likes to be consistent and fair to all employees and situations. The handbook is essential to HR, because I
can go to the handbook and print out any information that applies to any situation and can always be consistent.”
As Kierson pointed out, the employee handbooks are useful in saving time and in being steady with all employees.
When managers or HR personnel are being peppered with these types of questions, it distracts them from
completing their own work. In business it’s often said that “time is money.” If time is money, then employee
handbooks can save a company funds by cutting back on unproductive time.
For example, if a manager receives 5 questions a day (of the type that would be found in an employee handbook),
and each question takes approximately 5 minutes to answer, that would cost the manager 25 minutes a day, 125
minutes a week, 9.5 hours a month or approximately 115 hours a year— if the manager has the answers to the
questions at hand and doesn’t need to look it up or consult with HR. That is almost 14 days a year of time that
could be saved if employees could simply refer to their handbooks for the answers to these straightforward
questions.
Consistency
Employee handbooks are also vital for maintaining a high degree of consistency when dealing with employees. If
everyone is playing by the same set of rules, there should be fewer problems and less miscommunication. Having
the information at hand can improve employee morale, as confusion is minimized. Nothing is more frustrating to an
employee than inconsistency and this can often lead to a company losing good employees. Along the same lines,
employee handbooks can curtail the chance of a company ending up in court as company policies and procedures
are clearly spelled out.
Inconsistency is the most frequent reason for business lawsuits. While it is important that employees adhere to
company procedures and policies, it is also crucial for companies to fulfill what is expressed in the handbooks
consistently. If a company therefore states in their handbook that there will be monthly opportunities for overtime,
it is important that there are monthly opportunities for overtime. When drafting the handbook, make sure to think
through all of the policies being included and then to have a company attorney look over the handbook.
The same rules and regulations must apply to all employees, and this can be an area of trouble for many companies.
It is important that all employees be treated equally. If one employee is disciplined for arriving late to work three
times within the same month but another commits the same offense and it is overlooked, this will cause problems.
How lenient and casual a company wants to be is up to the owners’ preference, but the same policies must apply to
all employees equally and fairly.
Content
“All topics that apply to being an employee of this company are covered in the handbook,” said Kierson.
One thing that’s important to keep in mind is that employee handbooks are not only to help the employees adhere to
company standards and policies, but also for employees to know what to expect from their employers. It is
therefore important that only solid, pertinent information be provided in the handbook. “Good ideas” such as
company picnics and the possibility of bringing in soda machines should be left out. If employees see inconsistency
between company actions and what is mentioned in the handbook, trouble inevitably arises. Therefore, the
handbook should contain only important information that they can count on to stay relatively resolute.
What information is most important to include in employee handbooks? Employee handbooks vary greatly from
company to company. Important company policies should be spelled out as clearly and concisely as possible.
Some policies and topics that may be covered in the handbook are: personal information and confidentiality,
attendance, use of company property, dress code, safety and accident rules, substance abuse and testing policies,
sexual harassment, permitted smoking areas, performance evaluations, disciplinary procedures and employee
grievance handling. Also included should be a brief job description, outlining what is expected from the employee,
hours worked per week and any other company policies that are deemed important enough to include.
Compensation and benefits should be included in the employee handbook. This can act as a great motivator for
employees. The book should cover: payroll, vacation, holiday, sick leave, maternity leave, family and medical leave,
funeral leave, short term disability, group insurance benefits, jury duty, military service, worker’s compensation,
retirement plans, tuition assistance, grants for adopting parents and employee assistance programs. Any steady
benefits should be listed and briefly explained as this will encourage employee contentment, resulting in fewer turn-
overs. The handbooks should be reviewed every year to check all the information is up to date. Any changes should
be presented in writing to all employees before they go into affect.
“Any changes to the policies in the handbook are handed out to employees or put into our quarterly employee
newsletter,” explained Kierson. “It is revised any time a new situation arises or when a policy has been changed.”
Training New Staff
“Training is extremely important,” shared Kierson. “Employees need to be completely trained in the job and the
company's ideology in order to provide the best service to our customers. We help them to understand our
company culture along the way. We are an employee-oriented firm which relies heavily on our employee-employer
relationships to grow the firm. Happy employees generally create happy customers.”
One thing HR personnel see very clearly is the connection between high-quality training and satisfied workers.
Training is not only important for technically preparing the employee to do his/her job, but also for motivating the
employee to meet his or her full potential in the workplace. Staff certainly need to know “how” to do their job, but
they also must be encouraged to give one hundred percent to the job.
An appropriate way to begin training would be to go through the employee handbook. Some HR departments prefer
to hand out the handbook and allow time for the employee to review it and ask any questions that arise. Other
companies will develop a separate training manual to outline the format of the training period, insuring that all new
hires receive the same training. There should be an overview of job expectations and company policies.
As Kierson shared, it is important that employees understand the company’s business ideology. This is a step that is
too often left out of training, but the fruit of this type of training is often seen out in the field, when employees are
dealing with their clients. For companies who pride themselves on being customer-service oriented, it cannot be
assumed that staff will automatically know how to provide quality care to customers. In this industry, as in most,
good customer service is crucial, and employees must be advised of the importance of meeting the company’s
standards in both skill and attitude.
When it comes to technical training, the method will often depend on the size of the company and the number of
new hires being trained at any given time. Some businesses will hire large groups that all go through training
together. The HR department for these companies will therefore organize a training team and much of the training
will take place in a classroom. For those in sales, this is often the preferred method. Other employers will hire only
a handful of new staff at a time and opt for a side-by-side, or “on the job” training.
“We will usually put drivers on the road with a region leader to learn the business,” said Kierson. “A check list is
used by the trainer to confirm all tasks have been demonstrated and/or discussed. Our shop and mechanics train
hands-on. Our office staff train with another employee or supervisor for at least one week, frequently longer. All
training is one-on-one except forklift and hazmat.”
Depending on the job description, some employees may need to go through specialized training and a certification
process for safety and legal reasons. For example, the Hazardous Material Regulations (HMR) applies to anyone in
the field of transporting hazardous materials.
Kierson explained that, “Drivers must have a CDL (Commercial Drivers License) and tank endorsement if they are
driving a commercial vehicle. They must have a current CDL physical and participate in a random drug testing
program. All DOT (Department of Transportation) laws must be followed. We train hazmat (Hazardous Materials)
and certify forklift operators. We have safety discussions at all meetings. There are also several skill certifications
our portable restroom shop personnel can achieve for pay raises.”
While the training period should be a time of new beginnings, lessons learned and a friendly welcome into the
company family, occasionally the situation arises where a new employee is found to be struggling during the
training. In a way, training is the last colander to strain out possible problems in the team. Many times lack of
stability, drive, skill or integrity will surface during the training period. Employers will sometimes consider this
period to be a probationary one, so that both employer and employee can be confident that the partnership is a right
fit.
“We have a 90-day probation period,” Kierson shared. “This gives both the employee and management the
opportunity to see if this situation will work. If an employee is struggling, there is a discussion between employee
and management. Ideally, a decision is made within the 90-day probation period as to whether the employee
continues to be employed here.”
U.S. banker David Rockefeller once said, “Success in business requires training and discipline and hard work. But if
you’re not frightened by these things, the opportunities are just as great today as they ever were.”
When cutting financial corners in business, the training program should not be an area of compromise. Although
thorough training can be costly, it is important that it be considered an investment, not an expense.
“Training is viewed as an investment to improve our company and customer relationships,” said Kierson. “Our
trainers prefer thorough to often!”
Career Pathing
"Career pathing” is the art of planning for and accomplishing personal career goals. This business tool can assist
companies in retaining the right kind of employees, motivating the workers and being truly progressive in the HR
field. From youth people are taught that if you work hard, you can and will get ahead in life. Unfortunately, in the
real world this is not always the case. There are many obstacles and challenges facing the working men and women
of this generation. This is what makes career pathing within companies such a positive incentive.
Developing a career path for employees is like creating a roadmap. When going on a road trip, there is a long
journey to a final destination, as well as many stops along the way. Consider that the final destination is highest level
of management and the stops are climbing ranks of shift supervisor, shift manager, operations manager, and so
forth. Each stop requires more responsibility and yields more rewards (pay and benefit increases).
Career pathing also shows employees how to get there. Achieving individual targets, showing high levels of
personal drive and dedication, punctuality, customer service, integrity, ingenuity…these attributes being made
manifest in the workplace are all the fuel workers need to get from one place to the next on this career path. With a
plan in place to show employees what their futures could hold with this company, employees are no longer signing
up for a job cleaning units from 9am to 5pm, but are embarking on a career journey with endless opportunities.
These highly-motivated employees will be an enormous asset for any company.
Also in this series
HR Part 1
HR Part 3
HR Part 4
As a brief reminder, we are working through a three-part series regarding the Human Resources Department (HR)
and its role within the portable sanitation industry. Last month we focused on the recruiting and hiring process.
This month we will concentrate on managing new employees, which includes employee handbooks, training of new
staff and career pathing. Next month we will look at employee benefits (insurance, holidays etc), employee
discipline and dismissal procedures. Assisting with this deep look into the world of HR is Heidi Kierson of Johnny
on the Spot Inc.
Employee Handbooks
“Do we get Christmas Eve off?” “How much vacation time do I have annually?” “Why would I be disciplined for
being late four or five times?”…These are questions that managers deal with on a regular basis, and this is just the
tip of the iceberg. Questions about company policies, rules, employee benefits, dress codes and so forth must be
dealt with consistently and forthrightly from the onset of employment. This is where employee handbooks can be
extremely beneficial in managing employees and minimizing confusion, grievances and unnecessary disciplinary
actions.
“We do have an employee handbook,” advised Heidi Kierson, HR representative for Johnny on the Spot Inc. “It is
made available to all employees by going onto the employee website. The handbook is very important as the
company likes to be consistent and fair to all employees and situations. The handbook is essential to HR, because I
can go to the handbook and print out any information that applies to any situation and can always be consistent.”
As Kierson pointed out, the employee handbooks are useful in saving time and in being steady with all employees.
When managers or HR personnel are being peppered with these types of questions, it distracts them from
completing their own work. In business it’s often said that “time is money.” If time is money, then employee
handbooks can save a company funds by cutting back on unproductive time.
For example, if a manager receives 5 questions a day (of the type that would be found in an employee handbook),
and each question takes approximately 5 minutes to answer, that would cost the manager 25 minutes a day, 125
minutes a week, 9.5 hours a month or approximately 115 hours a year— if the manager has the answers to the
questions at hand and doesn’t need to look it up or consult with HR. That is almost 14 days a year of time that
could be saved if employees could simply refer to their handbooks for the answers to these straightforward
questions.
Consistency
Employee handbooks are also vital for maintaining a high degree of consistency when dealing with employees. If
everyone is playing by the same set of rules, there should be fewer problems and less miscommunication. Having
the information at hand can improve employee morale, as confusion is minimized. Nothing is more frustrating to an
employee than inconsistency and this can often lead to a company losing good employees. Along the same lines,
employee handbooks can curtail the chance of a company ending up in court as company policies and procedures
are clearly spelled out.
Inconsistency is the most frequent reason for business lawsuits. While it is important that employees adhere to
company procedures and policies, it is also crucial for companies to fulfill what is expressed in the handbooks
consistently. If a company therefore states in their handbook that there will be monthly opportunities for overtime,
it is important that there are monthly opportunities for overtime. When drafting the handbook, make sure to think
through all of the policies being included and then to have a company attorney look over the handbook.
The same rules and regulations must apply to all employees, and this can be an area of trouble for many companies.
It is important that all employees be treated equally. If one employee is disciplined for arriving late to work three
times within the same month but another commits the same offense and it is overlooked, this will cause problems.
How lenient and casual a company wants to be is up to the owners’ preference, but the same policies must apply to
all employees equally and fairly.
Content
“All topics that apply to being an employee of this company are covered in the handbook,” said Kierson.
One thing that’s important to keep in mind is that employee handbooks are not only to help the employees adhere to
company standards and policies, but also for employees to know what to expect from their employers. It is
therefore important that only solid, pertinent information be provided in the handbook. “Good ideas” such as
company picnics and the possibility of bringing in soda machines should be left out. If employees see inconsistency
between company actions and what is mentioned in the handbook, trouble inevitably arises. Therefore, the
handbook should contain only important information that they can count on to stay relatively resolute.
What information is most important to include in employee handbooks? Employee handbooks vary greatly from
company to company. Important company policies should be spelled out as clearly and concisely as possible.
Some policies and topics that may be covered in the handbook are: personal information and confidentiality,
attendance, use of company property, dress code, safety and accident rules, substance abuse and testing policies,
sexual harassment, permitted smoking areas, performance evaluations, disciplinary procedures and employee
grievance handling. Also included should be a brief job description, outlining what is expected from the employee,
hours worked per week and any other company policies that are deemed important enough to include.
Compensation and benefits should be included in the employee handbook. This can act as a great motivator for
employees. The book should cover: payroll, vacation, holiday, sick leave, maternity leave, family and medical leave,
funeral leave, short term disability, group insurance benefits, jury duty, military service, worker’s compensation,
retirement plans, tuition assistance, grants for adopting parents and employee assistance programs. Any steady
benefits should be listed and briefly explained as this will encourage employee contentment, resulting in fewer turn-
overs. The handbooks should be reviewed every year to check all the information is up to date. Any changes should
be presented in writing to all employees before they go into affect.
“Any changes to the policies in the handbook are handed out to employees or put into our quarterly employee
newsletter,” explained Kierson. “It is revised any time a new situation arises or when a policy has been changed.”
Training New Staff
“Training is extremely important,” shared Kierson. “Employees need to be completely trained in the job and the
company's ideology in order to provide the best service to our customers. We help them to understand our
company culture along the way. We are an employee-oriented firm which relies heavily on our employee-employer
relationships to grow the firm. Happy employees generally create happy customers.”
One thing HR personnel see very clearly is the connection between high-quality training and satisfied workers.
Training is not only important for technically preparing the employee to do his/her job, but also for motivating the
employee to meet his or her full potential in the workplace. Staff certainly need to know “how” to do their job, but
they also must be encouraged to give one hundred percent to the job.
An appropriate way to begin training would be to go through the employee handbook. Some HR departments prefer
to hand out the handbook and allow time for the employee to review it and ask any questions that arise. Other
companies will develop a separate training manual to outline the format of the training period, insuring that all new
hires receive the same training. There should be an overview of job expectations and company policies.
As Kierson shared, it is important that employees understand the company’s business ideology. This is a step that is
too often left out of training, but the fruit of this type of training is often seen out in the field, when employees are
dealing with their clients. For companies who pride themselves on being customer-service oriented, it cannot be
assumed that staff will automatically know how to provide quality care to customers. In this industry, as in most,
good customer service is crucial, and employees must be advised of the importance of meeting the company’s
standards in both skill and attitude.
When it comes to technical training, the method will often depend on the size of the company and the number of
new hires being trained at any given time. Some businesses will hire large groups that all go through training
together. The HR department for these companies will therefore organize a training team and much of the training
will take place in a classroom. For those in sales, this is often the preferred method. Other employers will hire only
a handful of new staff at a time and opt for a side-by-side, or “on the job” training.
“We will usually put drivers on the road with a region leader to learn the business,” said Kierson. “A check list is
used by the trainer to confirm all tasks have been demonstrated and/or discussed. Our shop and mechanics train
hands-on. Our office staff train with another employee or supervisor for at least one week, frequently longer. All
training is one-on-one except forklift and hazmat.”
Depending on the job description, some employees may need to go through specialized training and a certification
process for safety and legal reasons. For example, the Hazardous Material Regulations (HMR) applies to anyone in
the field of transporting hazardous materials.
Kierson explained that, “Drivers must have a CDL (Commercial Drivers License) and tank endorsement if they are
driving a commercial vehicle. They must have a current CDL physical and participate in a random drug testing
program. All DOT (Department of Transportation) laws must be followed. We train hazmat (Hazardous Materials)
and certify forklift operators. We have safety discussions at all meetings. There are also several skill certifications
our portable restroom shop personnel can achieve for pay raises.”
While the training period should be a time of new beginnings, lessons learned and a friendly welcome into the
company family, occasionally the situation arises where a new employee is found to be struggling during the
training. In a way, training is the last colander to strain out possible problems in the team. Many times lack of
stability, drive, skill or integrity will surface during the training period. Employers will sometimes consider this
period to be a probationary one, so that both employer and employee can be confident that the partnership is a right
fit.
“We have a 90-day probation period,” Kierson shared. “This gives both the employee and management the
opportunity to see if this situation will work. If an employee is struggling, there is a discussion between employee
and management. Ideally, a decision is made within the 90-day probation period as to whether the employee
continues to be employed here.”
U.S. banker David Rockefeller once said, “Success in business requires training and discipline and hard work. But if
you’re not frightened by these things, the opportunities are just as great today as they ever were.”
When cutting financial corners in business, the training program should not be an area of compromise. Although
thorough training can be costly, it is important that it be considered an investment, not an expense.
“Training is viewed as an investment to improve our company and customer relationships,” said Kierson. “Our
trainers prefer thorough to often!”
Career Pathing
"Career pathing” is the art of planning for and accomplishing personal career goals. This business tool can assist
companies in retaining the right kind of employees, motivating the workers and being truly progressive in the HR
field. From youth people are taught that if you work hard, you can and will get ahead in life. Unfortunately, in the
real world this is not always the case. There are many obstacles and challenges facing the working men and women
of this generation. This is what makes career pathing within companies such a positive incentive.
Developing a career path for employees is like creating a roadmap. When going on a road trip, there is a long
journey to a final destination, as well as many stops along the way. Consider that the final destination is highest level
of management and the stops are climbing ranks of shift supervisor, shift manager, operations manager, and so
forth. Each stop requires more responsibility and yields more rewards (pay and benefit increases).
Career pathing also shows employees how to get there. Achieving individual targets, showing high levels of
personal drive and dedication, punctuality, customer service, integrity, ingenuity…these attributes being made
manifest in the workplace are all the fuel workers need to get from one place to the next on this career path. With a
plan in place to show employees what their futures could hold with this company, employees are no longer signing
up for a job cleaning units from 9am to 5pm, but are embarking on a career journey with endless opportunities.
These highly-motivated employees will be an enormous asset for any company.
Also in this series
HR Part 1
HR Part 3
HR Part 4
 | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  |
Serving the American Liquid Waste Industry Since 2002