Personnel Management Human Resource Management RPTS 209 Eight

Personnel Management *Human Resource Management RPTS 209

Eight Areas of Operations Facility Management (Building/Grounds Maintenance and Custodial Services) Information Services Management Fiscal Management (Finances and Budgeting) Risk Management (Computers & Technology) (Health & Safety of Visitors and Employees) Personnel Management Sales Management (Human Resources) (Marketing and Customer Relations) Program Services Planning & Development (Delivery of Leisure Services) (Facility & Event Planning

“You balance the role of leader, coach, cheerleader and score-keeper, all in the midst of constant changes and shifting priorities. ” n n In today’s economic environment, the manager’s job is especially challenging. You must help staff deal with constant changes, budget cuts, staff reductions and wage freezes. You do this in addition to the normal responsibilities of performance management, delegation, team development, and coaching and conflict resolution.

The Importance of Personnel Management Personnel are a MAJOR factor in determining the quality of experience a visitor receives. n “You can dream, create, design and build the most wonderful place in the world…but it takes people to make the dream a reality. ” n • Walt Disney

At a minimum, personnel training should accomplish the following: § § § Train employees to be friendly and courteous Give employees basic knowledge of facility features and programs Introduce employees to the visitor and his problems and needs Train employees to be alert to situations where they can help visitors Make employees aware of the image projected both by themselves and the facility

A sound personnel administrative program is vital in: Obtaining and retaining intelligent and capable workers n Utilizing employee’s efforts effectively n Maintaining a willingness to work to attain your organization’s purposes and objectives n

Human Resource Functions Traditional Additional Functions n Leadership n Hiring n Recruiting n Instructional strategies n Selecting n Counseling n Training techniques n Supervising n Crisis confrontation n Evaluating and intervention n Motivating

The Goal of Hiring: The goal of filling a vacant position is not to fill the position, it is to fill the position with the right person. n Hiring the right person helps to keep your turnover rate low. n n The turnover rate at Walt Disney World has been averaged about 24% among service employees, compared to 200% for companies such as Burger King and Mc. Donald’s.

The Job Description n Thorough and accurate job descriptions must be prepared for each position in your organization, from front-line personnel to middlelevel managers to top-level managers.

What to Include In a Job Description: Title n Listing of responsibilities and functions n Required knowledge and skills n Minimum acceptable education level, certification requirements and previous experience n Physical or medical standards. n

Recruiting Employees n Recruiting n Types of: • Internal • External n Goal of recruiting: increase the ratio of employee applications to those actually hired. How to recruit n Promote from within n Use staff to recruit n Use armed services n Use construction industry n Farming/agriculture background n Apprenticeship training programs n Universities & technical schools n Internet

Selecting and Hiring n Selecting Application n Interview n • Phone • In Person Reference & Background Check n Medical Exam n Negotiations n Appointment and Probation n

Equal Employment Opportunity n n n An important aspect of the screening and selection process involves the need to comply with EEO regulations for moral and legal reasons. Avoiding any form of discrimination based on religion, sex, national origin, race, age, disability or genetic information is essential. Out of work, out of luck

Training n Thorough orientation n Introduction to the agency and its personnel and program practices. • • • n n Tour of facilities Exposure to its various divisions and functions Introduction to personnel Outline of responsibilities and procedures Overview of organizational climate/environment On-site training/Apprenticeship “Scrimmage games” – Mock work environment

Personnel Policy Manual – Major Categories of Policies n n n General Regulations Definitions Employment Hours of Week Compensation and related benefits n n Absences and leaves Travel and vehicle use In-service training Rules of conduct Relations between employees

Definitions: n Full-time n Seasonal n Salaried n Exempt n Non-Exempt n FLSA

Employment n n n Application Recruitment and selection Appointment Probation Seasonal Evaluation and ratings n n n Promotions Assignment and transfer Disciplinary actions Separation and resignation Reinstatement

Hours of Week: n Workweek Full-time salaried n Full-time hourly n n Work schedules

Compensation & Benefits n n Salary classification Pay periods and time reports Deductions Holidays n n n Overtime Vacation Insurance Retirement Credit Union

In-Service Training Purpose n Conference Attendance n Staff Meetings and Conferences n

Rules of conduct Dress and appearance n Employee cooperation n Reporting for duty n

Relations between employeesdepartment-community n n n n Employee-administrator relations Employee-community relations Gifts Solicitation of funds Management of funds Publicity releases Employee-patron relations Accidents to patrons

Employee Manuals A good employee manual will not just include personnel policies but will also serve as a reference with the details of more complicated or less frequently performed tasks. n It will present a numbered sequence of operations, in order, for each of these tasks. n

Disciplinary Action n Manuals should clearly specify the required behavior. In addition, both informal and formal disciplinary actions should be included.

Disciplinary Action n n Reprimands – either verbal or formal, which are entered in the service record. Suspensions – or temporary separations without pay, for specified periods Demotions – involving placing the employee on a lower job classification at a lower rate of pay Dismissals, which are discharges or separations for cause.

Supervision Role as a coach: Pass along your experience and knowledge. n Role as a counselor: Employing encouragement, criticism and a range or techniques to deal with possible problems in the work environment, interpersonal difficulties, or other emotional or social issues that may occur. n

Guidelines for Effective Counseling: n n n Listen patiently - without interrupting Refrain from criticizing or offering hasty advice Never argue with employees while counseling them Give them your undivided attention while they are talking Look beyond the mere words of what they are saying

Guidelines for Effective Counseling: If the problem is minor, simply helping the employee unburden him/herself may lead to a solution. n If the problem is more severe, you should recommend a counselor or trained professional in that subject. n

Employee Motivation n Reinforcement techniques: n n Positive reinforcers – add something good to the employee’s life Negative reinforcers – remove something unpleasant, such as a distasteful task or schedule, from the employee’s life Punishers or deterrents – adds something unpleasant or removes something good. Reinforcement techniques are considered to be far superior in producing lasting behavioral changes.

Evaluations n It is essential that supervisors regularly rate employees on criteria such as personality traits, degree of responsibility, enthusiasm, initiative, human relations skills, appearance, specific job related skills and overall level of performance.

Evaluations n n n Evaluations should be both formal and informal. Formal evaluations should be done regularly. They should be nonthreatening and part of a two-way process in which both parties come to a mutual agreement about the goals that need to be set. Peer evaluations – help to guard against bias and error

Volunteers n n Motivation for volunteering – desire to serve/contribute to the community, in a program involving family members, in an activity in which they once starred or for prevocational value. It is important that these motivations are recognized and that volunteers are given the fullest opportunity to meet their needs satisfactorily.

Volunteers n n n Recruitment of volunteers – Should be systematic and professional. The selection of volunteers is important to weed out those who are unstable, have unrealistic expectations or lack the potential for making a real contribution. Orientation and training are as vital for volunteers as for paid staff.

Volunteers n n Supervision is also vital. If volunteers are given meaningful assignments that challenge their capabilities, their involvement will be more consistent than if given trivial jobs to perform. Recognition of volunteers, through simple verbal appreciation, in reports and publicity, at special occasions, or through tangible expressions of appreciation help to make volunteers feel like an integral part of the organization.

Special Maintenance Employee Issues n Occupational Safety and Health Act n Maintenance related safety problems

Occupational Safety and Health Act: n OSHA (1970): The employer has the general duty to furnish employment and a place of employment free from recognized hazards that are known, or likely, to cause death or serious physical harm.

Occupational Safety and Health Act: n n The safety and health standards promulgated by the Secretary of Labor are designed to protect working people from occupational injury and illness. Since 1973, the year CA’s OSHA program began, fatalities dropped 8. 75%, amputations are down 40%, explosiverelated injuries 28% and construction injuries 30% in CA.

Special Employee Safety Problems: Temporary and seasonal employees n Language barriers to safety n Workers in isolated locations n Vehicles and traffic hazards n Tools and equipment n Protective equipment n Rubbish removal n

Other Management Concerns Dealing with employee unions n Terrorism or threats to personnel n Sexual Harassment n Political Correctness n How to manage people you previously worked with or who are friends n

How to set your priorities when you are busy putting out fires n How to delegate work when you know your employees are already overworked n How to deal with problem employees so other employees don’t feel resentment n

How to motivate with little or no raises possible n How to help employees feel ownership for results n How to manage volunteers instead of paid employees n How to manage experienced employees when you are new n

Knowing when to be involved and when to let employees work out their own issues n How to help diverse members of a team work together and value their differences n How to development commitment in spite of constant changes n

Case Problem: Taken from the 1998 WDW College Program Manual n An incident occurred in the Main Street break area involving two employees. According to written statements provided by an employee who witnessed the incident Fred Smith was verbally insulting John James, who finally struck Fred with a closed fist. Fred retaliated and struck John several times before they were physically separated.

Case Problem: Taken from the 1998 WDW College Program Manual n Now assume the following facts were discovered through investigation: n n Fred Smith is a white male, age 24. John James is a black male, age 45. The verbal insults contained racially-based statements. John James had made previous complaints to management regarding prior incidents in which Fred Smith had made similar racial remarks.

Case Problem Solutions: Taken from the 1998 WDW College Program Manual n n Based on the first case problem and barring any other mitigating factors, such as a perfect record, both employees would be fired in accordance with company policy regarding fighting. Based on the additional information and under current Company policy, Fred Smith would be terminated and John James would receive a written warning in his personnel file.

n How do you handle this?