The H.R. Guy Talks HR, Company Culture, and Avoiding Lawsuits
4 December 2024
HR processes for the Trades - what every business needs to know, from the H.R. Guy
BPC's owner, Ian "H.R. Guy" Schotanus, recently featured with Tim Hook on the Plumbing & HVAC Hustle Podcast to discuss the big issues of HR in the Trades. Check out the video
for the full discussion. Here are a couple key highlights:
What question is most frequently asked of The H.R. Guy?
- Typically it's "How do I fire this person (for lack of performance, not showing up, etc.) without getting sued?" Quick tip: it comes down to communication.
How much info should leadership share with employees who are being let go?
- You want to give at least a little explanation or employees will invent their own reason (which will never reflect well on the business), but you don't need to engage in a long discussion. Quick tip: Use the line "At-will separation for failure to meet performance/attendance/attitude expectations."
How should companies address drug/alcohol use?
- While employers can use personal preferences in deciding how to interpret pre-hire drug tests, there are still basic laws to follow: you can't drive a company vehicle while under the influence of ANYTHING, regardless of company policies. Quick tip: Make it clear what's okay "on your own time" and what's never okay at work. And don't get actively drunk while hanging out with your employees!
How do you address the fact that "on the job site, there are different rules" for behavior, joking, and ribbing among Blue Collar workers... but these same things could be interpreted as offensive or even harassment in other contexts?
- This ambiguity is one of the reasons most HR firms avoid working with the Trades! Quick tip: Help employees to better understand each other by having EVERYONE do a ride-along when they join the company. When office staff understand what happens in the field, and field staff shadow CSRs/dispatch to observe their role, everyone has a better relationship, makes a more cohesive team, and gives more grace for outbursts that might be borderline.
There's so much more to HR for the Trades than these quick takes, including how The Big Picture Consulting can help you keep more of the revenue/profits you're working so hard to earn! Check out the video for more.
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