Welcome back to another edition of HR Basecamp Roundup! This week, we tackle some interesting and common issues that come up in workplaces more often than you think. If you haven’t joined our HR Basecamp Facebook group yet, be sure to join so you can participate in these discussions in real time!
Podcasts and Resources in this Roundup:
- BRAND NEW GUIDE: Blocker’s Guide: How to Manage People Who Block Progress
- Office Holiday Party Guidance
- Episode 207: Holiday Party Guidance
- How Your Company’s Core Values Support Your Business
- Retention Planning: 10 Tips to Keeping Good Employees
I have a high-performing employee who has been with me for five years. They’re extremely knowledgeable and are always willing to help with new projects. However, I’ve noticed that sometimes the projects they’re working on tend to move slowly or stall completely. I think it’s because they’re doing too many things at once. How can I bring this up without it sounding like it’s a bad thing that they’re so helpful?
The legal side of things: Based on this information, the only big legal consideration is documentation.
If the employee has been asked to complete a project, there is likely to be “evidence” of their progress (or lack thereof). But even better is for you to have in writing, even if it’s just a quick note, of what expectations you gave for the project’s progression and completion.
Make a note of any check-ins you have with the employee about the project. When you talk to the employee about her overall performance, be sure to make a record of that as well.
This documentation can become key and a protective shield if you end up needing to separate from the employee, or if anything at all goes awry where the employee feels like they are being treated unfairly. Being able to show that you’ve had concerns about their work and that you have addressed it can be extremely helpful.
Now for the human approach: What you’re dealing with is what us HR nerds call a “blocker” aka an employee who blocks progress. There are several different types of blockers and they can range from new employees who don’t want to use your methods to tenured employees who are resistant to change. In this case, you’ve got what we call “The Overloaded Hand.”
While this kind of blocker can seem super helpful on the surface, their inability to say no and their desire to do it all causes them to become overwhelmed and fall behind. It’s common for this kind of blocker to be a long-term or highly experienced employee who has the knowledge to complete the tasks they take on, but not the time.
We completely understand why you feel confused about how to approach this. After all, you don’t want the employee to stop saying yes to new projects altogether – you just need them to manage their time better. You also have what can seem like a contradictory situation – you have a high performer who is blocking progress.
Luckily, we have a process for these conversations.
- Listen – start with an open conversation to understand the blocker’s perspective
- Empathize – recognize that their situation is difficult and validate their concerns
- Redirect – reframe the situation in a way that aligns with their strengths and business goals
- Require – set clear expectations for what you need from them moving forward
- Measure – follow up on their progress regularly and provide feedback
This process helps breed productive conversation and address the underlying issues that are leading to delays in progress. If, after going through these steps, the employee doesn’t make the changes you asked for and their projects remain in limbo, you can move forward with corrective coaching.
Interested in learning more about the different kinds of blockers you might encounter and how to go through the five steps to manage them? Don’t miss out on our latest guide! Download a complimentary copy of our Blocker’s Guide here.
In the past, our holiday parties have been alcohol-free since they were at the office but this year we were able to splurge on an outside venue. I’d like for my staff to be able to enjoy a couple of drinks with dinner. Is this okay? Should I pay for it? How can I make sure they don’t drink and drive?
The legal side of things: Although you can’t rid yourself completely of all liability when hosting a holiday party, there are some things you can do to reduce your risk.
Let’s start with the basics of a holiday party – make sure the team knows attendance is voluntary, and participation in any part of the event is also voluntary. This means they can choose whether they attend, whether they eat, what they drink, when they leave, etc. Not only does this help you on the legal end, but it also helps ensure no one thinks this is the type of mandatory team building event that they need to be paid for attending.
As for alcohol, you have no obligation to make that available or pay for it. How you handle it is up to you. We recommend being clear about that ahead of time. It’s very likely you’ll have team members who want to have a drink at the party, and they can the option of paying for their own drinks.
If something should happen to them after drinking, such as a car accident, liability falling on you really depends on the exact circumstances as well as your state laws. But the less you’re involved in their potential impairment, the better.
Now for the human approach: Our first recommendation is that you hold your holiday party off-site. That way the actual off-site location (e.g., restaurant) would have their own protocols and liability coverage if something unexpected were to happen.
An open bar or DIY drink station may be tempting, but it can lead to trouble. We suggest hiring a professional bartender since they are trained to spot intoxication and can politely, but firmly, cut off employees that drink too much. If you happen to have any employees that are under 21, make sure that whoever is serving the alcohol (restaurant server, hired bartender, etc.) is properly carding everyone.
Obviously, safety is top priority. We recommend setting up a business account with a company like Uber or Lyft. Most employees already have the app so this is an easy and straightforward transportation option for everyone.Tell your team you expect and want them to use that service to travel to and from the party. That helps assure they aren’t driving. The price you pay for everyone’s ride home is absolutely worth the peace of mind, and will cost much less than the alternative.
Finally, whether you pay for the alcohol or not is completely up to you. Some employers are okay with alcohol being served but don’t want to cover it, others pick up the whole tab, and others cover one or two drinks. It depends on what your budget is and how comfortable you feel paying for it.
For more holiday party guidance, check out this blog and listen to Episode 207 of What the Hell Just Happened?!
This was a hard year for us. We lost a few employees and things went a little haywire. Unfortunately, team morale took a big hit and I can sense how it’s impacting our company culture. What are some good ways to bring the team together and increase engagement and morale in the new year?
The legal side of things: Unless the low moral is coming from you violating employment laws, this is the kind of issue that’s pretty much entirely on the “human side of things.”
Now for the human approach: We’re glad that you’re putting in the time and consideration into improving your business’ culture. Sometimes owners and managers turn a blind eye as long as the work is getting done. As you can imagine, this only makes things worse. Thankfully, improving morale and increasing employee engagement can be done in a variety of ways.
For starters, there are small things that you can incorporate in your day to day to help boost morale and keep good employees
Things as simple as thanking your employees regularly and sharing positive feedback from other employees and customers/patients can improve the energy of a workday. Realistically, employee recognition is something employers should be doing anyway – not just when morale is low.
Maintaining communication with your staff can also make a big difference. It may seem small, but setting time aside to meet with employees individually and discuss what they’re dealing with at the moment and their goals and concerns confirms to the employee that you are paying attention to their needs. This is why we are big advocates for regular one-on-one meetings.
If the dip in morale is causing general performance issues that you don’t necessarily want to address with corrective actions, reminding these employees of your Core Values often does the trick. Your Core Values should represent who you are, what you stand for, and how your business runs. When employees lose sight of that, it’s bound to hurt company culture.
