Small Business Owners and Managers are pulled in so many directions. Decisions that are related to employees can often be overwhelming. We frequently get calls to our Human Resources Helpline that center around employee situations that could become problems down the road. Our experienced, HR-certified professionals typically discuss the four P’s with the client.
1st – First, what is your policy? Do you have a policy? Do you have a written document that the employee has seen and signed that outlines the policy?
2nd – Procedures are the second “P”. Have you followed your procedure? If you are not consistent with all employees, this could create a liability.
Practice
3rd – The third “P” is very important. Especially when you lack policies and procedures. What has your practice been? What happened in similar situations with other employees? Once again, consistency is Key and so is documentation. Great consideration should be given to past practices.
Precedent
4th – The fourth “P” is precedent. Two parts are important on this one. Past precedent is the first. Have you set a precedent by past practices? Does that precedent apply to this situation? Secondly, will you be setting a precedent moving forward by this decision? What is the potential cost in the future of this precedent?
Human Resources-related decisions are never easy. Thinking through the 4 P’s will help you make the best decisions and reduce your liability. If you need help putting these policies and practices in place to be sure you are staying compliant, contact DCSI today: 904-278-5383 Our team of experts can help prevent future issues and train your managers on HR best-practices. Shop and download our HR Forms, Policies, and Checklists: store.dynamiccorp.com/shop
