An HR Policy to Boost Morale & Effectiveness

An HR Policy that promotes communication and accountability can only boost the morale and effectiveness of your team. A clearly well-written policy is one of the best tools a leader can utilize when managing the expectations of their team.

Policies or rules can help guide a church, non-profit, educational institution, or business toward its larger vision. If we think of why the nation of Israel is given the law, we see that it is the foundation for guiding the people to a better understanding of how to be in a relationship with each other and God. The law served as a means of guiding the people toward growth.

Having the right policies in place will serve your leadership, your people, and the organization as you build systems that engage everyone in healthy and effective communication.

Prevention is the Cure

My mother used to say “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure”.  We have all heard that saying, and I think you would agree with me that mom was right. This is why we ask our children to move their glass of milk away from the edge of the dinner table.  We know that a misplaced elbow can easily push the glass off the table, and we understand the time and effort involved with cleaning up the non-toxic spill! It’s so much easier to prevent a problem than deal with the mess that follows a mishap.

Over the years, I discovered that there were ways to prevent “spilled milk” in our business. One of our best Human Resource (HR) policies provides a simple way to prevent misunderstandings with our personnel.

Have you ever encountered a situation at work where someone was told they should expect a raise, and the raise didn’t come, leaving the employee with hurt feelings? I’ve seen this type of situation happen multiple times at our own organization.

A Simple HR Policy to the Rescue

Eventually, we instituted an HR policy called “One-Over-One” to help address this very problem. Here is the policy:

Any decision regarding branding, procedures, procurement, or personnel matters must first be discussed with, and agreed upon by, the supervisor one level above the supervisor making the decision.

Managed Expectations Boost Job Satisfaction

So, BEFORE a supervisor tells a direct report that he is going to recommend that he get a raise (promotion, or working condition perk, e.g. larger work area, a special chair, a printer in his workstation, a window, a corner office, etc.), the supervisor must FIRST speak with his supervisor and get approval for the raise.

This simple policy helps manage the expectations of everyone involved, especially the hard-working employee who shouldn’t be assured of something that his supervisor might not be able to deliver.

These potential problems exist in every organization. The good news is that every leader can improve the morale and effectiveness of their organization by adopting this straightforward policy.

Why this HR Policy Works

This directive seems like common sense, and it is.  So, you might wonder why we have a policy like One-Over-One?  Well, there are multiple reasons:

1.  As leaders, we are called to define the standards for how we serve our clients and our people.  The One-Over-One policy is one way we can lead our organizations to higher effectiveness and our team to greater job satisfaction. We’ve all heard the saying, “Two heads are better than one.” This policy encourages our people to tap into this valuable principle.
2.  Leaders can avoid significant complicated personnel risks. Either an inappropriate decision must be allowed to stand, or the supervisor’s decision needs to be reversed. Either of these alternatives can potentially create significant problems.
3.  Leaders can build confidence and trust between a supervisor’s supervisor, supervisor, and the person when the process is explained to the person AFTER the decision to give them a raise, promotion, or working condition perk.

A Policy that Enables Effective Leadership

Imagine being able to better manage the expectations of your team with a simple policy.  The One-Over-One policy will help you prevent “spilled milk” and reduce misguided efforts at your company, thus creating more time for you to proactively build and grow your business.

Consider adopting this HR policy in your own organization. A clearly written HR Policy is one of the best tools a leader can use to guide his team forward.

Pause and Reflect

• How do you address these situations in your organization?
• Do your policies manage the expectations of your team?

Related, Articles, Videos, and Podcast Episode

• The “Higher” In Higher Education with Dr. Donald Sweeting
• Vision for the Future
• 5 Tips to Accomplish your Goals
• Now is The Time to Act on Your Goals

Live Workshop with Q&A

Are you putting a lid on your growth? People are more indifferent and disengaged, causing them to quietly quit and take part in the Great Resignation. Learn how to engage your people to build an irresistible culture that develops passionate and thriving people. Enjoy higher-performing teams with soaring results during challenging times. We will be discussing how to,

Engage Your People to Build an Irresistible Culture

Join us as we give you practical ways and approaches to enhance relationships as you drive for results.

Join us on Zoom

• Every leader knows they need to engage their people, and we are going to tell you how.
• Get your people to start acting like they are key stakeholders in the organization
• A FREE Resource, Get Your People to Start Thinking Like Owners ($250 Value) when you register today

Register Today>>> https://values-driven-leadership-llc.ck.page/478437b4c