The keys to success

Personnel policy

A key to managing staff is adopting a strategic approach, and ensuring that, as far as the law - and best practice - allows, every element of the employer-employee relationship fits within the strategy.

A strategic approach will pay dividends in the end, and will enable you to consolidate and manage if you've been going for some time, or think more clearly if you are just setting out - see the recruitment case study.

It's worthwhile to develop an overall personnel policy strategy document, and incorporate all rights, obligations and procedures into a comprehensive staff handbook. See the good practice checklist for details.

Recruitment

Good staff make good organisations. You may be lucky and keep them for years. But the chances are you are going to have to replace people, and bring in new talent. It's vital you get it right. Getting it wrong can result in:

• Poor performance.
• Disruption and resentment in the workplace.
• Loss of income, efficiency and credibility.
• Expensive remedies through retraining, industrial tribunal judgements and the need to recruit all over again.

The real costs of recruitment can be as much as the equivalent of six months of the new recruit's salary, so it's important to get it right. It makes sense to closely examine what the job involves, so you have a good idea of the kind of person you need. A job description is essential.

Writing a job description

Think of the job title, then write a summary of the basic nature of the work. Be clear and concise.

Once you've outlined the tasks, highlight the knowledge, skills and abilities the employee needs to do the work. For example: a knowledge of certain software packages, skilled at writing sparkling proposals to tight deadlines and an ability to relate to people and make them feel comfortable.

The job description should also specify the level of educational and professional experience you would like the candidate to have. It pays to be flexible to avoid missing potentially excellent people and to allow for the job changing - see the sample job description.

Casting the net

There is a whole range of possibilities, from personal recommendations, to job centres, public adverts, or recruitment agencies. You will need to decide from the outset what is most appropriate, for the particular vacancy, for the style of your organisation, and in terms of what resources you can afford.

The interview

The interview remains the basis of the recruitment process, but poor interviewing can lead to poor recruitment decisions and interviews alone are rarely good predictors of future job performance. Some tips:

• Make sure your interview room gives candidates the right image of the organisation. Arrange the seating to help candidates feel comfortable.
• Focus on the requirements of the post - think about what the job is really about, how it is done, and what qualities candidates need. A day planning now can save months of agonising later.
• Make sure that interviews are formalised and structured. By using preset questions, it's easier to compare different candidates.
• Use a panel of interviewers, who can debate their impressions afterwards.

You may consider using a range of other selection techniques for getting an accurate picture of potential recruits.

Equal opportunities

Employers must ensure their selection procedures comply with accepted equal opportunity policies. See the recruitment case study.

Getting the best out of your staff

So you've determined what your personnel policies are, established appropriate service conditions, and recruited good staff. But it doesn't stop there. Every new employee starts with a flush of enthusiasm and it's your job to keep them that way. It's all about motivation:

• Praise produces better results than criticism.
• Criticism when it's needed will work better if it's constructive.
• Targets give a sense of purpose.
• Accept that people work at different speeds and to different abilities. The manager should help them maximise their potential, not set unachievable targets. Constant failure is the worst demotivator.
• Give employees incentives to succeed not sanctions to fail.

The keys to successful management of staff are appraisal and training and development.

Coping when things go wrong

Things don't always run to plan. Demands on organisations, and the funds available to them, may change. Staff may no longer be able to provide the required service. Individuals can make misjudgments and demoralised staff can create a poisonous atmosphere. These situations can be a minefield and handling them well is tricky. Four key issues are redundancy, incapability, misconduct and absence. See the dismissal case study. Established procedures help smooth the passage and give organisations a greater chance of riding out these storms.

Carrying the can - trustees and executives

In non-profit organisations, the trustees are ultimately liable for the actions of their employees - see the trustee section. Only delegate to people you have confidence in - and then avoid the temptation to meddle.

The more confidence you can demonstrate in staff, the better motivated they will be. Sometimes it can be tough being an employer, so if in doubt, seek professional advice - see resources.

Employment law

You need to know the basics of employment law to avoid the most obvious pitfalls. But there are many traps for both the unwary and the non-specialists, and it is very important, especially in matters of contracts, that you get good advice either from lawyers or personnel specialists.

Employment law is very extensive and, in the area of equal treatment and maternity in particular, it is becoming increasingly complex. Key statutes is a handy summary of the most pertinent issues for charities.