HR Policies - Human Resource Management | Human Resource Management - B Com PDF Download

HR Policies
Human resource policies are formal rules and procedures that dictate how certain matters should be addressed in the workplace, including employee rights and duties. HR policies are tied to employment law. To avoid non-compliance and penalties from the government, employers must adhere to HR policies. Employees must play their part by complying with the human resource policies that relate to them.

Significance
Each human resource policy addresses a specific workplace issue and is incorporated into the company’s policy manual. HR policies are designed to promote communication and understanding between managers and their subordinates, and to give employees an overview of the company’s programs. They give employees access to valuable resources that help foster their professional growth. Without HR policies, a chaotic work environment could result because there are no set rules to follow. Employers should develop comprehensive policies from the start instead of waiting until issues arise to establish them. For a positive work environment and to avoid disciplinary action from their employers, employees should comply with HR policies.

Types
An HR policy addresses recruitment and selection processes. This includes interviewing, hiring, performance evaluations, employing family members, reference and background checks, immigration, physical and medical examinations, rehires and new-hire orientation. Additional policies pertain to employee classification such as identifying and paying employees according to their exempt or nonexempt status, personnel files, layoffs and terminations, discrimination, work schedules, compensation, employee conduct and disciplinary measures. Matters relating to health and safety, business expense reimbursement, employee benefits such as health and retirement plans, and paid and unpaid time off all fall under HR responsibilities.

Implementation
An employer might hire a qualified human resources professional to establish HR policies for its business. Or it may establish the procedures itself and have an HR consultant or employment attorney review them. It could outsource its HR duties to a third party provider if it wants to minimize its HR tasks. Each policy has its own set of legal rules and must be implemented according to those criteria. For example, though employers are not required to offer medical benefits, the program must meet Internal Revenue Service guidelines if they choose a cafeteria plan. In addition, a legal requirement might pertain specifically to businesses of different sizes. For example, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration requires that employers with more than 10 employees during the year record and report on-the-job illnesses and injuries, unless an exception applies. Employers with 10 or less employees during the year are exempt from most of OSHA’s record-keeping criteria .

Communication and Maintenance
Employers must communicate HR policies properly to employees and stand by those policies to avoid sending employees the wrong message. They use different communication channels to reach employees, such as brief meetings or sessions, workshops, email, bulletin boards, memorandums, team meetings and written documents and graphic illustrations. They might conduct employee surveys to gauge the effectiveness of the policies, and if necessary, modify them according to the responses. They must update the procedures as the law or the company’s stance on certain issues change. All employees should receive a copy of the policy manual when they are hired and after versions of the manual are updated.

Considerations
For clarification on laws that apply to HR policies, employers and employees may consult the government agency that enforces them. For example, the U.S. Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division administrates federal wages and hours guidelines. The state labor department enforces wages and hours regulations under state law.