4 Essential Weekly Tasks to Make HR Easier

IMPACT GUIDE #3
4 Essential Weekly Tasks to
Make HR
Easier
“So much to do, so little time”.
If you feel like that every day, you probably work in HR. But don’t worry, we’re not here
to add to your task list. In fact, using our suggestions below will actually cut down
on the number of HR issues you’re facing daily, and will make your working day more
productive, more fulfilling and more fun.

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1:
Say Thanks
You probably know already that one of the key ingredients to HR success is a happy workforce.
But did you know that this can be achieved in just one word?
Showing your people they’re valued creates immense ripples of morale and productivity
across your entire workforce, and it’s one of the easiest tools in your arsenal. In
fact, research shows that employers who thank their staff have a significantly
lower turnover (i.e. less people leaving), and their staff tend to be super-engaged and
mega-productive.
Top Tip: Make a note of everything you think deserves a “Thank
You”, and send a personal note of ‘Thanks’ to everyone on your
list at the end of the week – or, if you want to start the week on a
positive note, send out your thanks for the previous week every
Monday! Either way, don’t let hard work go unnoticed.
What to avoid: Empty thanks don’t work; the most effective “Thank You” is one given for a specific
activity or achievement.
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2:
Well-Being Initiatives
According to the ONS, 131 million days are lost every year due to sickness. That’s a
staggering figure! Imagine what you could do with all those days…
Yet despite us seeing record illness statistics (not to mention the growing trend of ‘pulling a
sickie’), small businesses tend to just put up with it, assuming the only option is to confront
their staff – something they don’t want to do. But did you know that engaging your workforce
in sickness-prevention initiatives could significantly cut down on the sick days? Not
only because there is less illness at work, but also because a happier, healthier workforce
is less likely to call in ‘duvet days’.
Top Tip: Introduce a ‘Fresh Fruit Friday’ or a ‘Walk to Work
Wednesday’ (steady with this one – especially if your people are outof-city
commuters!) to encourage a healthier staff. You could even
organise extra-curricular activities, like a five-a-side football league
or even a running club.
Caution: Don’t start something without consulting your staff first – you may find that nobody wants to participate.
Why not send out a memo asking for suggestions from your people on what they’d like to do to make
work more healthy and more fun?
3:
Track Overtime
Have you ever been tempted to let your employees burn the candle at both ends and work
un-human amounts of overtime? I think we’ve all been guilty of it at one time or another, but
it’s actually a counter-productive trap to fall into.
According to research, productivity drops by a massive 50% per person after 40 hours a
week have been worked. And when you factor in that many companies offer ‘time and a
half’ for each of these unproductive hours, suddenly you’re paying three times more per
each ‘unit’ of productivity. Remember, in supermarkets, buying in bulk is usually better value
– but in HR, it’s the opposite.
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Top Tip: Create a weekly hour-tracker and aim to cap the maximum
number of hours each employee works. Don’t be afraid of hiring
more staff – you’ll not only be bringing in more fresh productivity,
but you’ll be helping your local community by creating new jobs.
Caution: Everybody is different, and statistics are not a sure-fire method of understanding individual productivity.
Some employees might actually stay productive for 50 hours or more, whereas others may burn out
after just 30 – if you have the time, you could create custom time-caps for each.
4:
Monday Huddles
Not many people like being ‘micro-managed’ – most members of your workforce prefer
the freedom to get on with the work they’ve been hired to do without a manager breathing
down their neck.
But there’s nothing wrong – in fact, there’s everything right – with getting your team together
for a Monday morning ‘huddle’, to share problems, recap goals and inject some fresh
motivation for the week to come.
Top Tip: Set a weekly performance target at the beginning of the
week, then start your next Monday Huddle by reviewing progress
from the last. Rinse and repeat!
Caution: If your huddles are too goal-focused and progress-oriented, they might have the opposite effect.
Remember to encourage every person and keep spirits high!
Maybe you’re already doing some of these tips we’ve included above. If you are, then we’d
love to hear how they work for you – just drop us a comment below. But if you’re not, then
start right now; we know from experience that these four essential weekly tasks can really
help to lighten the load and foster a happier, more productive workforce for your company.
People l HR Software for companies where people matter

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About Us
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People is a modern, cloud-based HR system built by a compact team of HR veterans
with nearly 50 years’ collective experience in Human Resources and HR software. It was
built to help ambitious HR professionals and business owners take advantage of modern
technology and build their business using HR.
People is made of all the bits HR has been missing for years. It’s us giving you the
stuff we never had but wished we did. It’s a revolution, and we’re proud to have started it.
website www.peoplehr.com
email hi@peoplehr.com
phone (+44) 020 7138 2884
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