Addressing Common HR Issues

Human Resource offices in school systems face a variety of challenges on a weekly basis.  Often times the challenge itself is not nearly as problematic as the method of dealing with the challenge, if not handled correctly.  Here are some common challenges and proven, practical techniques for dealing with them.

1.  Defining and Maintaining a Clear Mission Statement - this challenge can most easily be met by drafting, revising (with staff input and suggestions) and posting a mission statement at schools, at School Board Office and on school related websites.  Once the statement is complete and posted, it is essential that the HR department audit department divisions to ensure that the mission statement is being followed.

2. Balancing the needs of the School(s) and the needs of the staff that work in the schools - while this can be one of the most challenging aspects of HR, two theories have shed a great deal of light on this challenge:

• Hawthorne Studies: study carried out by Western Electric (at their Hawthorne Plant) in the 1920s.  This study surmised that monetary incentive, working conditions and a number of other variables did not have any quantifiable significance when it came to productivity.  The one factor that did elevate employee contentment, and therefore employee productivity, was a having a healthy organizational culture.
• The Executive Theory: this theory was developed in the 1930s and spoke specifically about efficiency vs. effectiveness in the Cooperative System phase.  Barnard concluded that organizations that purposely and effectively take into account and satisfy employee needs and desires are much more likely to raise company effectiveness.

3.  Disciplinary Action:  This can be a nagging challenge if HR does not deal with it unilaterally.  HR must conduct and document staff evaluations regularly (this should be included in the Standard Operating Procedure and closely tied to the Mission Statement).   These evaluations should be discussed at length with the employee and plans for staff correction should be made, documented and followed.  Often times a diligent HR department can ease the strain of dealing with disciplinary problems by simply clearly stating (most effectively in writing) employee expectations and then holding employees accountable if they do not meet those expectations. 

HR is faced with a number of intricate issues on a weekly basis.  The effectiveness in dealing with these issues is often dependent upon their ability to identify the problems and their established course of actions once the problem is identified.  Although it is impossible to prescribe a course of action for every issue, the aforementioned 3 common areas of HR issues and the techniques listed are an ample start to creating and maintaining a competent HR department.

Elements of Human Resource Program in Schools

The human resource department (HR) for schools on any level is tasked with creating an effective and efficient working environment for teachers, staff and students.  In order to accomplish this a few elements must be present.  Although other elements that are centric to school culture may be necessary, these core characteristics must be in place.

First and foremost the human resource department is responsible for creating a mission statement for the school system.  This statement needs to be culturally relevant, easily accessible by teacher, staff, students and parents and monitored to ensure that it remains in line with the school system goals and objectives.  Secondly the human resource department must effectively plan for staffing needs.  This task includes evaluating existing staff for competence, removing ineffective staff and gauging the need for new positions within the school system.  In addition to planning for staffing needs, the HR department must establish a professional rubric o evaluate and select potential employees from the applicant pool.   In addition to fulfilling staffing needs, it is imperative to staff retention goals that HR create and implement an effective induction program for new teachers.  This program must meet the needs of first year teachers as well as experienced teachers that are simply new to the school system.

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HR is next tasked with ensuring that employees are motivated and effective at their specific job.  This may include finding creative ways to compensate employees that excel above and beyond expectations.  According to Chester Barnard's "Executive Theory," and more specifically the "Cooperative System" within that theory, employees must receive personal satisfaction from the organization in order for the organization to prosper as a whole.  In conjunction with employee motivation it is incumbent upon the HR department to provide relevant and effective professional development sessions to employees.  This aspect allows employees to approach their respective jobs with confidence and in turn will produce positive educational results for the students. Also intrinsic to the HR role is creating a system of professional evaluation of employees.  This allows the employees the opportunity to recognize weaknesses in job performance and correct them.  In addition, this allows the HR department the opportunity to address weaknesses in employee performance and suggest correction methods, which will in turn improve student results.

The last, an possibly most important, element that must be present in an effective HR department is the ability to successfully manage and mediate employee conflict.  This task will differ for each individual school system, but must be a strong entity to ensure fluidity within school operations.

The Human Resource Department can be easily defined by acknowledging that it is the department within a school system that ensures that effective, competent employees deliver quality educational lessons to prepared students.