Education for Employees

The head of Human Resources has an enormous role in the organization. They must oversee all of the functions associated with HR, such as recruitment, on-boarding, and payroll to include proper distribution of benefits. It can be tempting to cut corners in other areas, such as on-going training and education for employees. That is a bad idea, though. Here's why.

Proper training programs can pay off big rewards for the time invested to develop and administer them. Most people are aware of training regarding sexual harassment, and cultural differences. If that is all that is being addressed, however, there is a gap that could lead to a risk for the employee and organization overall.

Speaking specifically to social media, it is important to develop policies that are specific to organizational health. Too often, employees wander into the weeds on social media, and the results can be catastrophic. From general complaining about one's company, to tying that company to controversial statements and images, social media is a platform that can derail an employee in one simple post.

It is important to pay close attention to the statutes that govern an organization. Is your organization one that is grounded in the healthcare arena? The education forum? Become familiar with privacy laws, and the policies that are specific to your organization and then develop very clear, concise guidelines for employees to access. This is a good beginning, but will fall short if there isn't an active training plan to be certain that employees are clear about what can, and cannot be shared via social media. What steps will be taken if there is a misstep? Which offenses are so egregious that they will result in immediate dismissal? Outlining these issues will help to eliminate problems before they have a chance to develop.

Lastly, be certain that all employees are treated equally. A serious risk will be present for the organization from a legal standpoint if one employee is allowed to behave badly, and another is penalized. Discriminatory behavior on the part of an organization cannot occur. If it does, there will be additional issues to address that will likely involve the EEOC.

Is your organization up to date on this critical issue? SES can provide an assessment and plans to move forward to ensure you are in compliance, and have the least risk possible in this area.