The Complete Idiot's Guide to Human Resource Management

Table Of Contents

I. “IT’S THE PEOPLE—STUPID!”

1. Human Resources-The Key Management Tool.

“Leave Your Brains at the Door.” Scientific Management. Enter the Behavioral Scientists. The HR Function. Personnel Policies and Procedures.

2. You Gotta Know the Laws.

The Civil Rights Act of 1964. Age Discrimination. Affirmative Action. The Americans with Disabilities Act.

3. Still More Laws.

Wage and Hour Laws. Equal Pay Act. The Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986. The National Labor Relations Act. The Family and Medical Leave Act. Laws on Safety and Health.

II. STAFFING YOUR ORGANIZATION.

4. Twenty-Five Mistakes Companies Make in Hiring.

Getting Started All Wrong. Recruiting Resources. Screening Fiascos. Decision Making Goofs. Losing Good Applicants.

5. Starting the Search.

A Job Is Open. What Does This Job Entail? What You Seek in a Candidate. Internal Transfers and Promotions. Finding the Right Candidate from Within the Company. Using Current Employees as a Recruiting Source.

6. Where the Applicants Are.

Using Help Wanted Ads. Employment Agencies. Government Job Services. Executive Recruiters-Headhunters. Recruiting Networks. Job Fairs. The Internet as a Source for Personnel.

7. Screening Candidates.

Screening the Resumés. Determining Whom to Interview. The Application Form. Clauses to Protect You. Evaluating the Application. The Telephone Screening Interview.

8. Becoming a Better Interviewer.

Preparing for the Interview. The Structured Interview. Getting Started. Giving Information to the Applicant. Closing the Interview. Remembering the Applicant.

9. Making the Hiring Decision.

Employment Testing. “Wow! What a Background!” But Is It True? Determining Whether the Applicant Can Do the Job. Choosing Among Several Top-Level Applicants. Making the Offer. Overcoming Obstacles.

III. BUILDING A COLLABORATIVE TEAM.

10. Getting Started on the Right Foot.

What the New Employee Is Thinking. The Orientation Program. On-Boarding.

11. Training for Today’s Job and Tomorrow’s Advancement.

Who Needs to Be Trained-And to Do What? Keeping Up with the Latest Developments in Training. The Ready-Set-Go Approach to Training. Training Tools. Preparing for Advancement. Does Training Pay Off?

12. Getting Ideas Across.

Communications: A Two-Way Process. What You Say. How You Say It. State of Mind. Conducting Effective Meetings.

13. Put It in Writing.

Getting It Down. Write the Way You Speak. The E-Mail Explosion.

IV. MONEY, MONEY, MONEY.

14. The Compensation Conundrum.

Determining the Pay Package. Raises, Cost of Living Increases, and Other Adjustments. Does Money Motivate? Incentive Pay. Some New Twists in Incentive Programs.

15. Benefits: They’re Not Fringes Anymore.

Are Benefits Required by Law? Time Off. Health Care. Retirement.

16. Personalizing the Benefits Package. Pensions. Health Plans. Cafeteria Plans. Employee Assistance Programs. Those “Little” Extras-Perks.

V. DAY TO DAY ON THE JOB.

17. Motivating Your Staff for Peak Performance.

Different Strokes for Different Folks. People Crave Recognition. Five Tips for Effective Praising. “Look What the Boss Gave Me”. Effective Recognition Programs. Motivating Off-Site Employees.

18. Building Motivation into the Job.

Enjoy Your Work. Avoiding Negative Motivation. Career Pathing—A Motivator for the Ambitious. The Power of Empowerment. What Empowerment Does. Problems of Empowerment. Making Empowerment Work.

19. Keep ‘Em Safe and Healthy.

OSHA-What It Is and What It Does. Creating a Safe Work Environment. Maintaining a Healthy Work Environment. Alcohol and Drug Problems. HIV/AIDS in the Workplace.

20. Employee Problems and Problem Employees.

Controlling Absenteeism. Getting to Work on Time. Dealing with Sensitive, Temperamental, and Negative People. Stress and Burnout.

21. Working with a Diverse Workforce.

Sexual Harassment. Religion in the Workplace. Harassment Because of Race or National Origin. Working with a Multicultural Workforce.

VI. KEEPING YOUR STAFF ON THE CUTTING EDGE.

22. Evaluating Performance.

An Overview of Appraisals. Types of Performance Assessments. The 360-Degree Assessment. Discussing the Performance Appraisal.

23. Doling Out Discipline.

The Typical Disciplinary System. Disciplinary Actions.

24. When There’s a Union Contract.

The Labor Relations Process. The Structure of the Union. Who’s Who in the Union. Negotiating the Contract. The Grievance Procedure.

VII. THE END OF THE LINE.

25. How to Fire an Employee Legally and Tactfully.

Employment at Will. Termination for Cause. Spontaneous Termination. When You Can Do It. You Can’t Fire Me-I Quit!

26. “I Quit.”

Losing Good People. Questions to Ask at the Separation Interview.

27. Layoffs and Downsizing.

Short-Term Layoffs. Downsizing: The Permanent Layoff. Processing Out Laid-Off Employees. Outplacement Services.

APPENDIXES.

Appendix A. Glossary.

Appendix B. Resources.
Index.