Your business is a success, and you cannot keep up with the work unless you hire at least two more employees. You have probably been very busy and focused on starting up and growing the business. You may not be ready to be your company’s human resource manager. The following are a few suggestions that can help you be prepared:

All prospective employees must fill out an Employment Application that includes basic information such as name, address, phone number, social security number, citizenship, past job history, job titles, key responsibilities, salary history, reasons for leaving the previous positions, and education through high school, college, post graduate work, and any special schooling. The application must include a paragraph that states that all statements made by the applicant are true and that the application does not constitute a contract between the applicant and the company. Lastly, the applicant should sign and date the application.

Each applicant should sign a release form that allows you to contact his or her references and former employers, and the release should state that the applicant will not start any legal action concerning any information you obtain while checking references.   Mail or fax a copy of the release to any references, or former employers and they will be more likely to give you complete and correct information.

Before you hire any new employees, write an employee handbook that includes information on retirement or pension accounts, insurance benefits, vacation and sick leave days, holiday schedule, performance reviews and pay increases, office conduct and dress code, personal use of email, fax, or other office equipment, and termination procedures. Place a copy of the handbook in a central location and give someone the responsibility of making sure it stays there and is updated whenever necessary.

Your state probably requires you to carry Worker’s Compensation Insurance for employees that are injured on the job. Most states have an agency that regulates Worker’s Compensation, and in my state it is called the Industrial Commission. Check with you state to find out the requirements and ask for suggestions for an insurance carrier.

Set up a procedure for each new employee and the date on which all elements of the procedure should be completed. For the most part, new employees should complete all of the following paperwork on the first day:

•    Have employees read and sign a receipt indicating that they have read the handbook.
•    Each employee must complete the IRS W-4 Form used to determine tax withholding.
•    Employees should sign up for any benefit programs and provide all necessary information in order to participate in insurance, retirement, or pension plans.
•    Each new employee should sign an agreement stipulating that all proprietary information will remain confidential and that the company owns all inventions or new processes created by the employee while employed by the company.
•    Employees should complete a personal information form that includes their address, phone numbers, names of immediate family, social security number, and emergency contacts’ name, phone numbers, and address.

It is strongly recommended that you review employment laws with your attorney. You can also find good advice on the internet and in libraries.

Ok, after working for a while, you are finally on the verge of career advancement. If you are to be ever considered for any promotions in your place of employ you will have to take a few steps towards this by taking on additional responsibilities such as supervising an important project or a couple additional employees. When you get rewarded for your accomplishments you should relish and gladly accept them as it is recognition of your work and dedication. All along your professional career you should try to develop little values which are important to your becoming a better supervisor and eventually manager.

First and foremost, you need to develop an attention for detail. If you are to make sure that the best interest of the projects and employees and the company you should be able to understand the dynamics that are incorporated into each situation. Some details are readily noticed, while others will require that you have a heightened sense of awareness. The resources of the company being used should only be that which is needed for you to accomplish goals efficiently.

General concepts is great for the employee who has no supervisory position or that individual seeking employment, however now that you have been promoted you need to work on the finer details as this is the only way you will be successful as a supervisor.

 When patterns are broken, new worlds emerge."
~Tuli Kupferburg

Change is not easy. But it is simple. Things will always change. We don't have a choice about that, but we do have a choice on how we react to change. The choice really boils down to this...either we manage change, or it will manage us.

As a leader, however, deciding to make changes is the easy part. Getting your people on board is much more difficult. Why is that? Quite simply, change is an emotional process. We are all creatures of habit who usually resist it, and welcome routine. Uncharted waters are scary!

The truth, of course, is that change can be a wonderful gift. In fact, it is the key that unlocks the doors to growth and excitement in any organization. And, most importantly, without it...your competition will pass you by. As a leader, a big part of success will be your ability to inspire your team to get out of their comfort zones; to assure them that even though they are on a new path, it's the right path, for the right reasons.

Excerpt from Change is Good...You Go First,
by Mac Anderson & Tom Feltenstein

At a speech I (Mac) gave recently, I was invited to attend the company's awards banquet the evening before. The previous year, the new CEO had thrown out a challenge for all of the 6 regions...whoever had the highest % increase in revenue would get to host next year's annual meeting. Well, next year was here, and the winner was being honored.

After the CEO sang the winners' praises, the sales manager for the winning region stood up to say a few words, and here is what she said:

"THE DAY AFTER LAST YEAR'S ANNUAL MEETING, PEGGY GOT US ALL TOGETHER AND TOLD US 'HERE ARE THE RULES FOR THIS YEAR'S CONTEST, AND BY THE WAY, WE'RE GOING TO WIN IT! WHY? BECAUSE WE'VE GOT THE BEST TEAM!'
Week after week she sold her vision of winning the contest; she praised, she encouraged, she listened, and within a few months, it hit home...we all believed we could win it." The sales manager said, "It was a magical moment, going from I think we can win it, to I know we can win it." Then she said, "We won for one reason...Peggy believed in us and believed we could do it...and we weren't about to let her down!!

I have to tell you, I got goose bumps when I heard her speak about what had happened. This may sound trite to some leaders, but during times of change, getting your team to believe it can be done is the most important thing you can do. It won't happen overnight, but through continuous reinforcement, listening, encouragement and most of all earning their trust, it will happen. And, when it does, A TEAM CAN BECOME UNSTOPPABLE!

This quote says it best...
"A good leader
inspires people to have
confidence in their
leader. A great leader
inspires people to have
confidence in themselves."
~Anonymous

Bulletproofing Step #5—Describe the Consequences if the Unacceptable Behavior or Poor Performance Continues

In describing consequences, be clear and direct. Here, says West, are examples of what not to say:

"You know what will happen if you don't turn things around."
"Remember what happened to Bob?"
"The end may not be that far for you if we don't see an improvement."
"Think about updating your résumé."
"Your days are numbered."

Putting these things in your documentation is inappropriate, West says. It panics employees without clarifying the rules.

Use the phrase "up to and including termination" deliberately and sparingly, West says. Say an employee is having a performance issue. Don't suggest termination (that just makes the employee paranoid) unless you think it's the right message for the employee, West says.

Bulletproofing Step #6—Set Forth Time Expectations for Correcting Behavior or Performance

Again, be specific, says West. Don't use these:

"We expect you to turn things around immediately." Immediately might mean something different to different people.
"As soon as possible." That means today to you, but another person could think it means in a few days.
"I'll be watching you and will let you know if things improve to my satisfaction." What a way to torture an employee, West says.

Establish realistic time expectations and lay them out specifically for the employee. Be aware that if you create an exact timetable, you will need to act on it. If you say you will follow up in 30 days and then you don't, the employee will assume "I am perfect unless told otherwise."

Bulletproofing Step #7—Describe the Nature and Extent of the Follow-Up

Be specific, says West. Tell the employee what part of the performance you will be reviewing, and note the specific improvements that are expected.
Mention any additional training that the employee will receive.
Lay it all out so that there will be no surprises, West says.

How about your supervisors and managers? All trained on documentation? How about harassment, ADA and accommodation, FMLA, and a dozen other critical issues? How about just basic hiring and firing? Your managers are doing all those things, but the question is, are they doing them right?

If you're not sure, it's time for training. But training's a hassle—authorizing, planning, delivering, tracking—it's easy to let this critical priority slip.

And it couldn’t be easier—this turnkey service requires no setup, no course development time, no software installation, and no new hardware. Your employees can self-register, and training can be taken anytime (24/7), anywhere with nothing but a PC and an Internet connection. Courses take only about 30 minutes to complete.

for more info visit blr.com