Human Resource Management

Discuss the relationship between human resource planning and recruitment.

Explain when training costs are an investment or expense.

How and why should reference information be collected about job candidates. What legal problems can arise with
giving and collecting references?

What are the advantages and disadvantages of the inclusion of the elastic clause “any other related duties assigned in
the job description of the worker?

Suppose the regional sales manager who needs to hire four (4) sales people delegates recruiting and internal
screening to the regional HR office. What type of information must be exchanged between sales manager and the
recruiter to maximize the likelihood of successful recruiting effort?

Discuss the relationship between human resource planning and recruitment.

HR planning and recruitment process goes hands in hands with each other. HR planning allows the HR managers to
do complete analysis of organizational HR needs. It tends to determine the gap between the supply and demand of
labor in the organization which helps to analyze the need for recruitment in the departments. The purpose of
recruiting greatly depends on the objective of recruitment which is decided in Human Resource planning. The
organizational strategy may determine the need for young employees to change the organizational structure for
which they ask HR department to conduct a recruitment process for hiring young graduatesonly. Therefore HR
planning and the recruitment process are highly related to each other.

To ensure that the organization gets right people at the right time and right place,Human resources systems
like Human resources planning, recruitment and selection are implemented. ... The quality of this system decides
the overall human resources quality in the organization.

In order to manage the human resources it is very important that right quality and quantity of human resources are
engaged as per business needs. To ensure that the organization gets right people at the right time and right place,
Human resources systems like Human resources planning, recruitment and selection are implemented. Effective
implementation of these systems ensures that organization gets the required human resources. These systems are
explained in details in this chapter in ensuing sections. First each of these systems is introduced, available literature
on the subject is reviewed, status of the particular system in the sample organization is described and finally the
empirical evidence is presented. The status of the systems in sample organization is described on the basis of
interview and information provided by the human resources professional of the particular organization. At the end of
the chapter, a summary is provided to highlight the major points discussed in the chapter. The first system is Human
resources planning, followed by recruitment and selection. Human resources planning is one of the important part of
overall human resources system of the organization. The quality of this system decides the overall human resources
quality in the organization. It is very important to study and evaluate human resources planning process in order to
understand the overall status of human resources system in an organization. This is a forward looking process which
decides future requirement and quality of manpower to achieve organizational goals. This 76 process is a helps the
organization decide and achieve the human resources for future needs. The process involves planning and
forecasting of human resources on the basis of organizational needs and how to arrange the human resources. It is
very important to have right kind of people at the right time and right place in order to meet the individual and
organizational goals completely. Human resources plan is part of the over all business or corporate plan of the
organization. In order to make an optimal human resources plan it is necessary to study the organization’s objectives
for the given period. The human resources planning involve all the steps of planning i.e. anticipating, looking at
present available human resources, forecasting of human resources, and planning for future requirements on the
basis of business plans of the organization. This is important for making arrangements of manpower as and when
needed as per the required quality in terms of qualification, experience, competency etc. In order to make a proper
human resources plan and forecasting the future requirements it is important to look at both quantity and quality.
Organizations make use of human resources management system for this purpose. Human resources management
system is a computer based system which provides all the details related to present human resources inventory and
helps in monitoring the availability of human resources. The system provides all the details with respect to existing
human resources with their demography, educational qualifications, competencies,

Meaning of Human Resource Planning

Human resource planning is a process that identifies current and future human resources needs for an
organization to achieve its goals. Human resource planning should serve as a link between human
resource management and the overall strategic plan of an organization.

The process that links the human resource needs of an organization to its strategic plan to ensure that staffing is
sufficient, qualified, and competent enough to achieve the organization's objectives. HR planning is becoming a vital
organizational element for maintaining a competitive advantage and reducing employee turnover.

Meaning Human Resource Planning:

Human resource is the most important asset of an organisation. Human resources planning are the important
managerial function. It ensures the right type of people, in the right number, at the right time and place, who are
trained and motivated to do the right kind of work at the right time, there is generally a shortage of suitable persons.

The enterprise will estimate its manpower requirements and then find out the sources from which the needs will be
met. If required manpower is not available then the work will suffer. Developing countries are suffering from the
shortage of trained managers. Job opportunities are available in these countries but properly trained personnel are
not available. These countries try to import trained skill from other countries.

In order to cope human resource requirements, an enterprise will have to plan in advance its needs and the sources.
The terms human resource planning and manpower planning are generally used interchangeably. Human resource
planning is not a substitute for manpower planning. Rather the latter is a part of the former i.e., manpower planning
is integrated with human resource planning.

Definition Human Resource Planning:

Important definitions of human resource planning are discussed here to understand the concept in right
perspective:

According to E.W. Vetter, human resource planning is “the process by which a management determines how an
organisation should make from its current manpower position to its desired manpower position.

Through planning a management strives to have the right number and the right kind of people at the right places, at
the right time to do things which result in both the organisation and the individual receiving the maximum long
range benefit.”

Dale S. Beach has defined it as “a process of determining and assuring that the organisation will have an adequate
number of qualified persons available at the proper times, performing jobs which meet the needs of the enterprise
and which provide satisfaction for the individuals involved.”

In the words of Leon C. Megginson, human resource planning is “an integration approach to performing the
planning aspects of the personnel function in order to have a sufficient supply of adequately developed and
motivated people to perform the duties and tasks required to meet organisational objectives and satisfy the
individual’s needs and goals of organisational members.”

On the analysis of above definitions, human resource planning may be viewed as foreseeing the human resource
requirements of an organisation and the future supply of human resources and making necessary adjustments
between these two and organisation plans, and foreseeing the possibility of developing the supply of human
resources in order to match it with requirements by introducing necessary changes in the functions of human
resource management.

Here, human resource means skill, knowledge, values, ability, commitment, motivation etc., in addition to the
number of employees. Though accomplishment of organisational objectives and goals is the primary concern of the
human resource planning, concern for the aspirations of the people and their well-being has equal importance in it.
In fact, the human resources planning must result in humanisation of work environment.

Features of Human Resource Planning:

From the study of various definitions, the following features of human resource planning can be derived:

1. Well Defined Objectives:

Enterprise’s objectives and goals in its strategic planning and operating planning may form the objectives of human
resource planning. Human resource needs are planned on the basis of company’s goals. Besides, human resource
planning has its own objectives like developing human resources, updating technical expertise, career planning of
individual executives and people, ensuring better commitment of people and so on.

2. Determining Human Resource Reeds:

Human resource plan must incorporate the human resource needs of the enterprise. The thinking will have to be
done in advance so that the persons are available at a time when they are required. For this purpose, an enterprise
will have to undertake recruiting, selecting and training process also.

3. Keeping Manpower Inventory:

It includes the inventory of present manpower in the organisation. The executive should know the persons who will
be available to him for undertaking higher responsibilities in the near future.

4. Adjusting Demand and Supply:

Manpower needs have to be planned well in advance as suitable persons are available in future. If sufficient persons
will not be available in future then efforts should be .made to start recruitment process well in advance. The demand
and supply of personnel should be planned in advance.

5. Creating Proper Work Environment:

Besides estimating and employing personnel, human resource planning also ensures that working conditions are
created. Employees should like to work in the organisation and they should get proper job satisfaction.

HR professionals working towards developing HR planning for an organization, assists theorganization to

manage its staff strategically. Apart from that HR planning can also ensure a proper career planning for employees
and help them in achieving their goals

Human resources planning is the process of understanding the needs of the company and making any necessary
changes to meet company goals and objectives. This planning is important to the success of the company; and
factors like growth, change, and technology need to be considered in the process.

The main objectives of Human Resource Planning are: Achieve Goal: Human Resource Planning helps in
achieving individual, Organizational & National goals. Since Human resource planning is linked with
career planning, it can able to achieve individual goal while achieving organisational and national goal.

Recruitment (hiring) refers to the overall process of attracting, shortlisting, selecting and appointing suitable
candidates for jobs (either permanent or temporary) within an organization.[1] Recruitment can also refer to processes
involved in choosing individuals for unpaid roles. Managers, human resource generalists and recruitment specialists
may be tasked with carrying out recruitment, but in some cases public-sector employment agencies, commercial
recruitment agencies, or specialist search consultancies are used to undertake parts of the process. Internet-based
technologies to support all aspects of recruitment have become widespread

Explain when training costs are an investment or expense.

Training is an integral part of any organization; it equips the employees with skills required to perform the job.
Every organization invests in training their employees that are responsible for giving results. Most
organizations/businesses consider training as an expense when it is actually an investment.

There are numerous reasons to invest in training, like; improved quality or in other words reduction in errors or
defects, enhanced productivity, increased motivation, helps in retaining the talent pool, capacity building, groom the
leaders, etc. Training helps in building capacity within an organization, and investing in people is vital as this is the
workforce which can bring excellent profits to your business.

In the times of economic crisis, organization often control its budget by cutting down on non-core or non-billable
activities, and unfortunately training is one of such activities – if not cancelled completely. However, training can
help both employees and organizations in such challenging situations. With the advancement of technology and
globalization, there are various methods to reduce the cost of training whilst maintain its effectiveness. Virtual
classes, use of instructional system designs, video conferencing and other technological improvements have helped
revamp the training making it cost effective. In this era of globalization, where organizations are spread across the
globe, such advancement in training delivery techniques are highly cost effective and have reduced the need of face
to face training.

Training should be designed to focus on immediate business

need and to cater the various talent pool bespoke training or curriculum is the preferred way of keeping at pace with
the organizational changes and needs. Training should be pragmatic in approach and directly applicable to day to
day activities which will help organizations to measure ROI. An efficiently trained staff with improved skill set will
have high productivity and quality, efficient at their job whilst feeling recognized and valued by management.

As leaders and managers, you are responsible for the success of your organization, and developing your people to
increases your chance of success. For any organization, people are one of the biggest investment and they should not
be left to rust.

We know training can improve productivity, customer satisfaction, and sales, but how do we compute the return on
each training investment? The answer is much more complex than can be explained in the space of this column, but
perhaps an overview of the process might inspire some leaders to evaluate their training at deeper levels.

The rewards for doing so are plentiful. For example, in-depth analysis helps companies improve the design of their
training, as well as decide which training methods provide the best impact for their companies. Also, calculating a
training program's return on investment (ROI) can justify the costs of training and therefore validate training as a
business tool.
Let's start with the fact that if one plans on calculating ROI for a training program, that decision is best made before
the training starts, because preliminary data must be collected for comparison use down the road. Preliminary data
collection is done with methods appropriate to the situation, but can include surveys, questionnaires, interviews,
focus groups, observations, and tests.

If one of the factors being assessed will be performance, one best practice is to create a control group for the
training. Control groups are employees who do not participate in the training, so that their post-training program
performance serves as a baseline for the group of employees who participated in the training. That way, any
difference in performance between the two groups can be attributed to the training with a high level of confidence.

It's also good to establish a timeline for how and when each level of evaluation will occur. Training and development
guru Donald Kirkpatrick created the first evaluation model 40+ years ago, which has since been modified by ROI
expert Jack Phillips to include the ROI component. The model advocated by Phillips for ROI has five levels. Here
are the levels and what they measure:

Level 1: Reaction/Satisfaction : What are the participants' reactions to the learning and what do they plan to do
with the material?

Level 2: Learning : What knowledge, skills, or attitudes have changed and by how much?

Level 3: Job Application: Was there any behavior change and did participants apply on the job what they learned in
the training?

Level 4: Business Impact : Did the on-the-job application produce measurable results?

Level 5: ROI : Did the monetary value of the results exceed the cost of the program?

Phillips, author of over 20 books on ROI, says that when training programs are implemented they should create a
chain of impact at several levels, ultimately ending in ROI. A chain of impact needs to occur as skills and knowledge
are learned (Level 2) and applied on the job (Level 3) to produce business impact (Level 4).

Once a training program has been completed, data collection continues. Again, depending on the situation, it can
involve follow-up surveys and questionnaires, additional on-the-job observation, post-program interviews and/or
focus groups, program assignments and performance contracts, among others.

A second main task is isolating the effects of training. Control groups, as mentioned earlier, are probably the best
way to attribute results to training. Also valuable is analyzing trends of pre- and post-training factors, such as
employee turnover, grievances, sales, customer satisfaction, employee production, and the list goes on. Differences
in pre- and post-training trends can often be attributed to the training with a high degree of confidence.

A third task needed before calculating ROI is converting all the collected data into monetary value. Performance
output, improvements in quality, and myriad other factors can be converted to monetary value for comparison and
ROI calculation.

Part B of this third task involves determining the complete cost of the training itself. Factors to consider include
costs involved in designing and developing the training, materials provided to each participant, the cost of the
instructor (including prep time), training facilities, travel, lodging, meals, and the cost of salaries and benefit of each
participant while attending the training.

Once the above number crunching is done, you'll have a final number that represents the benefits accrued as a result
of the training, and a number that represents program costs. Dividing the benefits by the costs provides the
cost/benefit ratio. To determine the ROI for a program, divide the net benefits by the program costs and multiply that
number by 100.

Many companies find their results to be amazing. For example, after I conducted a six month supervisor training
program for 32 front-line supervisors in a 600-person company, I worked with that company to calculate the ROI.
Together we discovered that the program brought a 968% return on investment. That number gave the VP of HR a
lot to brag about and helped justify further training expenditures.

By crunching the numbers, many see training is not an expense, but a profit center.

Staff training is essential for specific purposes related to your business. You may require new workers to undertake
instruction in first aid, food handling or a new booking system. Incorporating training that develops employees
toward long-term career goals can also promote greater job satisfaction. A more satisfied employee is likely to stay
longer and be more productive while on your team.

THE COST OF TURNOVER

A recent survey indicates that 40 per cent of employees who receive poor job training leave their positions within the
first year. They cite the lack of skills training and development as the principal reason for moving on.

Consider the cost of turnover. With one fewer worker, your company’s productivity slips. Sales decline. Your current
staff members are required to work more hours. Morale may suffer. To find a replacement, you spend time screening
and interviewing applicants. Once you hire someone, you need to train that person. The cost of staff turnover adds
up. Figures vary, but it can cost as much as $2,500, depending on the position, to replace a frontline employee. That
is a hefty price to pay for not training staff.

Other benefits of training:

Despite the initial monetary costs, staff training pays back your investment. Here are just some of the reasons to take
on development initiatives;

Training helps your business run better. Trained employees will be better equipped to handle customer inquiries,
make a sale or use computer systems.

Training is a recruiting tool. Today’s young workers want more than a pay cheque. They are geared toward seeking
employment that allows them to learn new skills. You are likely to attract and keep good employees if you can
offer development opportunities.

Training promotes job satisfaction. Nurturing employees to develop more rounded skills sets will help them
contribute to the company. The more engaged and involved they are in working for your success, the better your
rewards.

Training is a retention tool, instilling loyalty and commitment from good workers. Staff looking for the next
challenge will be more likely to stay if you offer ways for them to learn and grow while at your company. Don’t give
them a reason to move on by letting them stagnate once they mastered their initial tasks.

Training adds flexibility and efficiency. You can cross-train employees to be capable in more than one aspect of the
business. Teach them to be competent in sales, customer service, administration and operations. This will help keep
them interested and will be enormously helpful to you when setting schedules or filling in for absences. Cross-
training also foster team spirit, as employees appreciate the challenges faced by co-workers.

Training is essential for knowledge control. It is very important to share knowledge among your staff. If only one
person has special skill, you will find time recouping their knowledge if they suddenly leave the company. Spread
knowledge around – its like diversifying your investment.

Training gives seasonal workers a reason to return. Let seasonal employees know there are more ways than one to
contribute. Instead of hiring someone new, offer them a chance to learn new skills and benefits from their
experience.

Learning and upgrading employee skills make business sense: It starts from day one, and becomes successive as
your employees grow. Granted, it may take some time to see a return in your investment, but the long-term gains
associated with employee training make a difference. The short-term expense of a training program ensures you
keep qualified and productive workers who will help your company succeed. That’s an investment you can take to
the bank.

Training is an investment, not an expense

HR is a cost centre in most companies, meaning that it does not provide any direct revenue for the company and
instead, adds to the costs of running the company. This is why most HR teams and budgets are kept as small and tight
as possible — to ensure costs are kept low by a team that doesn’t generate any revenue to offset their spending.

This is likely why your training initiative didn’t get funded, or your new HRIS didn’t get implemented, or your
request for more recruiters didn’t get approved.

When you see human resources ONLY as an expense, you’ve missed the point — or — you don’t have the correct
leaders at the helm of your HR function.

What if you looked at and treated HR as an investment instead of as an expense?

An expense is simply the cost required for something — it’s the money spent. Buh-bye!

An investment, however, is the action or process of investing money with the expectation of profit or a worthwhile
result.

Let’s take ‘implementing a new training program,’ for example, as the initiative you want to get senior leader
approval (and budget) for.

So often training programs are evaluated — or measured — by exit surveys. Did the program meet the intended
learning objectives? Did the participants experience a shift in perspective or create a new skill? Would they
recommend the program to another person in the company?

Those are great, yet they don’t show how the training program drives business results. They show that the training
program did what it said it was going to do — train people in a way that resonated with attendees.

But is that generating more profit or creating a worthwhile result?

Instead of measuring learning objectives and participant feedback — consider what business metrics your program or
initiative is advancing.

(Psst: if it’s not driving a key metric, why are you doing it!?)
Here are some results you could measure over the 6 months following a training:

Revenue generated by trained participants

Error rate or system errors done by trained participants

Customer satisfaction related to trained participants

Retention rate of trained participants

Remember: open roles are usually open for 8–12 weeks, adding a burden on existing team members, plus the average
recruiting expense for a manager is $20,000. So retention is actually a cost-saving result!

Being able to measure the results you achieve from a training is key to shifting the perception from an expense to an
investment in the growth and success of the business.

And, if you really wanted to evaluate the trained participants learning, consider evaluating people other than the
trained participant. Ask their boss, their colleagues, or their direct reports to complete a feedback survey to see
whether or not any of the learnings they gained through the training program actually translated into practice.

When you treat your training and HR initiatives as an expense, the business will treat you only as a cost centre and
minimize your budget and efforts. But if you can’t get the support to invest in your employees, you risk losing them to
someone who will.

When you treat — and pitch — your training and HR initiatives as an investment, you change the conversation.

You change what you measure, and you change how integral the good work you do is for the business. And that will
change your bottom line.

Every company needs to recruit new employees time to time when there is a requirement to do so. Hiring new
employees is not just HR related headaches but hiring a new employee needs additional efforts and there are
employee training costs related to that. But these costs are justifiable since they will certainly lead to the pforits in
the future.

Different employees have different skill sets and position

The costs associated with training different types of employees differ. This is because the skill levels of no two
employees are same and so as their positions. The efforts and employee training costs are different for different
types of employees. For example – Warehouse workers have to be trained quickly on the job. But in contrast, a
mortgage underwriter needs time to get instructed on the process and needs to understand the complexities and
guidelines involved in the job.

Costs associated with the recruitment and administration

The employee training costs related to recruitment and administration varies. For example those workers who get on
the job training are relatively affordable as they learn as they go on the job. On the other hand lengthy induction
training is the training schedules which you provide the workers before they are ready to begin job functions and
you will incur higher costs associated with this type of employee training. The cost of off-site courses and training
staff salaries and others are also high in this case.

Elements of calculating employee training costs

Here are some of the basic elements to be used in deciding the employee training costs your company incurs.

Facilities- It means that where the employee training will be conducted? It has to be considered that whether the
rooms of a hotel or meeting space is required, whether the training is web or computer based, what are the specific
resources required, utilities, software, hardware maintenance and more.

Instructors- The following things need to be considered with regard to the facilitators. Do they need a salary or they
are billed by another firm? Should the company pay any license fees for using the materials or the outside firm will
do?

Participants- What are the combined salaries and benefits which will be dedicated to the time which is spent on the
training activities? What is overall price on time spent on seminars, travel, preparation for training and outside
activities?

Marketing and communication- Will there be materials like brochures, pamphlets, postage and direct mails are there
to generate interest in training process? Are there any kick-off and information meetings on the training to be
provided?

Material- What are the materials which will be used in employee training like media, CDs, books, videos? What is
the procedure to obtain the materials? Is there any shipping or transmission costs? Is there any redesign cost
associated with the training material?

How to calculate the costs and the return of the training

Written by Martin-Christian Kent on 4 April 2014

When conducting training, it’s important to know how much it is going to cost you and most organisations will have
this information readily available. However, when carrying out an evaluation it’s important to consider all training
costs, including indirect, for example, participants’ time. This will ensure you have an accurate and credible view of
the potential benefits of the programme in comparison to its cost.

Even if you aren’t conducting an evaluation, accurate cost information can give you an idea of how much you spend
in comparison to other similar organisations, and to stimulate discussion on how much you should be spending on
training.

When calculating the it’s obviously important that you use accurate, reliable, and realistic figures so that any
resulting costs are seen as credible. The key costs are:

Planning costs - This covers any work selecting the training programme, such as a training needs assessment or
stakeholder analysis. This will include any staff time spent on conducting an assessment or external consultant fees.

Programme development and design costs - This includes any time spent researching or designing the programme,
the purchase of the training programme or supplies, or the use of consultants.

Delivery costs - Any external instructor or facilitator costs would be included here. However, if an employee ran the
training, make sure you calculate their time, including travel and subsistence. You also need to include the cost of
training facilities and refreshments or supplies. The time employees spend out of work completing the training and
any pre- or post-coursework should also be included.

Evaluation costs - This would cover the fees of any external evaluators or the time internal staff spent evaluating the
training. Include the cost of any evaluation materials, analysis or data collection tools, and the distribution of any
reports. If staff require any training to be able to complete an evaluation, then ensure to include costs such as time
and course fees.

Costs such as a training needs assessment, programme development and design, and acquisition should be pro-rated
and divided across the expected shelf-life of the programme, not attributed fully to the ROI calculation.

Once you have calculated the cost, you need to compare this to the benefit. Looking at business impact measures
will calculate the monetary benefit of the programme. Some, such as increased turnover, may be readily available in
a monetary format, while others will require conversion. As discussed previously, this should only be done for
credible measures. The change in the measure over a set period of time should be multiplied by the cost of each unit
of change.

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For example, a complaint may have an estimated cost of £5,000 to the organisation, and if there have been a
reduction of 70 complaints in the year following the training (after isolation), the total benefit from the intervention
= £5,000 x 70 = £350,000.

What happens if you are unsure of how much a complaint costs the company? This figure can be calculated a
number of ways. Consider any direct costs, for example, gift vouchers that are sent to the person who made a
complaint. Also consider staff time to deal with the complaint. Now look what the cost will be to repeat business and
add all the costs together. If there is no credible data available about the cost of each unit, it’s best not to convert this
measure to a monetary value.

Once the total benefit has been calculated, this is then compared to the cost of the programme. This is usually done
through a ROI calculation:

ROI = (net programme benefits / total programme costs) x 100%

The total ROI figure represents what the return is over and above the costs of the programme. For example, a return
of 25 per cent means that the costs have been recovered and an additional 25 per cent of the cost gained.

Alternatively, you could consider assessing the payback period of the intervention:
Payback period = total programme costs / annual savings

The resulting figure represents the number of years that it will take for the programme to ‘pay back’ the original
investment.

The Top 10 Benefits Of Ongoing Staff Training And Development

By Angus Gill -

Employee training not only provides benefits to the individual, but also to the business, helping your company to
continue running effectively. However, once you have run initial job training, such as with a new employee, is there
a need for any further training investment?

Training, and especially ongoing training, is a key area for debate in many boardrooms. However, there are a
number of reasons to suggest that initial training should only be the first step of a longer-term process. Regular
training is well worth the investment because building up the skills within the business will effectively improve your
company’s bottom line.

Top 10 benefits of ongoing corporate training

A business should never stand still and so nor should the development of your staff, who are the key asset in driving
your business forward. Regular staff training is essential in helping this ongoing skill development. This can often
be a worry to business managers though, due to its ongoing cost to the business. However, if you look past this,
there are a number of important reasons why ongoing staff training can be beneficial to the business and should
therefore be made a priority. With a quality training plan in place, you will also see your return on investment within
your balance sheet!

Take a look below at 10 top benefits of ongoing staff development:

Keep up with industry changes

Industries are constantly changing and so it is important for a business to develop to avoid being left behind. It’s also
important to make sure your business is complying with any industry regulations, which can be achieved through
ongoing training, making sure your staff’s skills and knowledge are up-to-date.

Be in touch with all the latest technology developments

New technology is being developed all the time and so it is not sufficient to run a one-off training session. Regular
training needs to take place to ensure that staff are using all the latest technology comfortably and to its full
potential. This can be achieved through implementing a customised staff IT training program, and by integrating
employee training with IT support.

Stay ahead of competitors

Standing still can kill your business, so by making sure your staff are constantly advancing, you will continue to
move forward are remain competitive within the marketplace.

Be able to see weaknesses and skill gaps

With regular training, a business can more easily identify any gaps in the market and skill gaps within the existing
workforce. By identifying these gaps early, there is time to train staff in these required areas so they can fulfil the
role effectively.

Maintain knowledge and skill

Although one off training may be provided to new starters, or other employees, it’s important that training schemes
are put in place to help develop skills throughout their job. To retain knowledge, skills need to be practiced and
refreshed on a regular basis so elements aren’t forgotten.

Advance employee skills

Once a business has spent money on providing basic level skills, these can easily be built upon and improved to
provide much more benefit to the business. Staff that know more can bring more to the table, and your business will
reap the rewards.

Provide an incentive to learn

If training is provided as part of a longer development pathway, employees will have much more incentive to learn,
participate in the session and put their new skills into practice.

Increase job satisfaction levels

Through continued investment from the business, staff can have a much higher sense of job satisfaction, which can
improve their motivation towards their work. This reduces employee turnover and increases productivity, which
directly improves the profitability. It also prevents competitors from taking away your best employees by offering
training incentives.

Provide internal promotion opportunities

Employing new staff involves high recruitment costs and hiring fees. However, with ongoing training, your existing
staff can become more eligible for internal promotions. Unlike new staff, you can guarantee they have a complete
knowledge of your business, the correct skill set and are people that you know and trust.

Attract new talent

All businesses want to have the best employees and so with ongoing training, this will not only mean better staff
retention, but the business may also attract better talent from the start, as this gives the business a good image and is
a key feature many people look for within their job search.

As you can see, ongoing training is important not just to employee development, but it also affects the success of
your business.

Many businesses are now starting to see the importance of training and investing in their staff, with Forbes
reporting company spending is on the rise, with $130 Billion USD spent worldwide in 2013. However, training
should not be seen as a one-off exception, but as a regular necessity, to help fill skill gaps and keep the business
moving forward successfully.

Just like any other business investment though, there needs to be an organised plan put into place. This will help to
provide more structure and allow employees to know what to expect. Therefore, before jumping into finding training
providers, it’s important to step back and think about a few key areas:

Skills – Make sure you take your time to find out what skills your staff would like to develop and why, as well as
working out where you want to be in the industry and what skills are needed to get you there. Any training you
provide should be transferable and relevant to your employee’s current job, to keep them engaged in the overall
process.

Frequency – You should also consider the frequency of training, to achieve the medium and long-term
improvements. It is a careful balance, to make sure there is enough training, but not too much that staff lose interest
or struggle to keep up with their daily work tasks.

Delivery – You should also look at the many different types of training that are available, to decide what is best for
your specific business. As well as one-to-one training, you could also have group sessions, or eLearning which is
now a very popular route and requires less time away from the business.

Is your organisation having trouble with staff retention, onboarding or skills development? Get in touch with Saxons
Learning Solutions to discuss your technical training needs, or Saxons Training Facilities to discover Australia’s
premier training venues.

How and why should reference information be collected about job candidates. What legal problems can arise with
giving and collecting references?

Typically, employers ask for three references, but that number can vary. Be sure to include full contact information
for each of your references. List their full name, title, and company in addition to the street address, phone, and
email. If the person prefers to use post-nominal letters (PhD, MD, CPA, etc.) or a title (Mr., Mrs., Ms.) it is
appropriate to include it with their name.

Double check to make sure the information is current, and that the names are spelled correctly. (LinkedIn can be a
helpful resource for confirming job titles, spelling, and other details.) Proofread your list as carefully as you
proofread your resume and cover letter. You would not want to include an email address with a typo or a phone
number that is missing a digit.

Give the document a title such as "References" or "References for Jane Doe" at the top of the page so that it’s clear
what information is on the page. Be consistent with your formatting and make sure to include the same information
for each reference. (For example, don’t include a street address for some references, but not for others.) Don’t forget
to include your own name and contact information, just in case the list gets separated from your other application
documents.
If the interviewer does not specify the number of references needed, aim to share three to five. Put the people who
you think will give the most glowing, positive references toward the top of the page.

When to Send a Reference Page With a Job Application

When sending a resume and cover letter to apply for a job, it’s often not necessary, or even desirable, to send a
reference page at the same time. Typically, companies check references near the end of the application process, so
unless specifically requested, you shouldn’t include your reference list with your application materials.

Get Permission Prior to Including a Reference on the List

If you’re currently working, you might want to use your supervisor or a colleague as a reference, but you don't want
them to be contacted prior to letting them know about your job search. If you're not ready to let your employer know
you're job hunting, consider choosing alternate references for your list.

Make sure that you’ve requested permission from everyone you've asked to be on your reference list. Not only is it
polite, it’s going to help them if they’re called upon for making a recommendation. They’ll be better prepared to
endorse you as a candidate if they know in advance that someone may contact them, rather than if they receive an
unexpected phone call.

Select references who are able to speak specifically about your qualifications for the job for which you are applying.
Let them know about your job search and what types of jobs you are interested in so they will know what qualities
to highlight.

If you know in advance that your reference may be contacted by a specific company, you can share your resume and
the job description with your references. You may also ask your reference to write you a letter of recommendation.

Thank Your References

Remember to thank your references when they agree to act on your behalf, and offer to reciprocate in the future.
While your qualifications, experience, skills, resume, cover letter, and interview all play an important role in getting
hired, your references can enhance the whole picture. Make sure they know you appreciate them taking the time to
endorse you.

Who to Use as a Reference

Your list of references should include professional connections who can attest to your qualifications for the job. Your
references don't have to be people who work at your current job; in fact, you shouldn't use references from your
current manager or co-workers if the company isn't aware you are job searching. The last thing you want is for your
boss to learn from one of his or her competitors that you have approached them regarding a new job.

Instead, you could use colleagues from previous jobs, professors, clients or vendors, people you have worked with if
you have volunteered or belonged to a church or sports group, or a former employer (if you’re sure that they would
provide you with a positive reference). You might also use LinkedIn connections whom you feel you have a good
rapport with.

Another option, if you are short on references because of a limited work history, is to use a personal reference who
can attest to your character and abilities (such a teacher, pastor, or club sponsor).

Permission and Confidentiality

It's always a good idea to ask for permission to use someone as a reference in advance - before you give out their
name. This will allow you to determine, by their response, whether they feel like they could provide a positive
reference. If they (or you) have any doubt as to the strength of the reference they might provide, look for someone
else who would be more willing to vouch for you.

Verify that you have the correct contact information and ask the reference how they want to be contacted - phone,
email, etc. Also, ask if there are specific times during the day when they would be willing to be contacted, should
they allow you to provide their phone number. If possible, give them a list of the jobs you have applied for so that
they are aware ahead of time of which employers might be contacting them. Finally, ask if you can send them a
current resume or any other information they might need in order to be prepared to provide a glowing description of
your work and of your character.

In addition, if you are currently employed, ask your reference giver if they can keep your request confidential. As
mentioned above, you don't want your employer to find out through a third party that you're job searching.

Finally, remember that asking for references is a key part of professional networking and that the favor goes both
ways. If you ask someone for a reference, offer to stand ready to provide them with one should they ever need it.
And always write a formal thank-you note or email both after they’ve agreed to serve as your reference and after
you’ve landed a job. People like to know that their efforts have contributed to another’s success. Here's more
information on who to use as a professional reference.

What to Include on a Reference List

The reference list should contain full contact information for each reference including name, job title, company,
address, and contact information.
If you are selected for an interview, print out copies of your list of references to bring with you, along with extra
copies of your resume.

Keep Your List of References Updated

In an economic climate where people are more willing and likely to “job hop” than their parents were, it can be a
key job strategy to create, maintain, and update a reference list that impressively reflects your career history.

Networking (through both your own personal circle of contacts and through sites like LinkedIn) can be very
valuable in building a reference list. Keep your reference list current and ready to apply for jobs, by touching base
with your references now and then. Remember to let them know when you've applied for a job or have been selected
for an interview, so they are aware they might be contacted.

How and Why to Check Job Applicants' Employment References

Filed under Office & HR.

Information from a job applicant's references can be extremely valuable. References from former employers
are likely to be more valuable than personal references and can help avoid negligent hiring claims.
Educational references should also be verified where necessary. Calling or writing are the two basic methods
of checking references and the process should be documented.

Part of the hiring process is checking the background of prospective employees who you are seriously considering
for your open position. Every background check should include checking with an applicant's former employers and
other professional and personal references. You don't necessarily want to check every applicant's references but any
candidate who is in the running beyond the early stages of the hiring process should have a reference check which is
thoroughly documented. Don't make a job offer until you've completed your reference checking.

Employment References

Former employers are in a good position to tell you about an applicant's work history. At the very least you should
be able to verify the factual, objective information the applicant gave you. Employers' references can give you some
or all of the following information:

employment dates

job titles

rates of pay

nature of the tasks performed

work habits — including conscientiousness, sense of responsibility, and ability to work with others

whether they would hire the individual again, knowing what they know about him or her

Think Ahead

When you talk with former employers, ask for specific examples of times when the applicant demonstrated positive
traits. They make excellent documentation, should you run into a negligent hiring claim.

Sometimes, the employer won't tell you anything more than "name, rank, and serial number" information for fear
that the employee may sue them. If you run into that, you may want try reminding the employer that most states
consider the information "qualifiedly privileged." That means that the information is protected, and the employer
who shares it is protected unless the information is given:

with known falsity

in bad faith

with reckless disregard for the truth

On the other hand, a number of states require former employers to provide a job reference letter or some
information about people who worked for them. Obviously in cases where the law is on your side you should be able
to readily obtain the information you need.

Tip

Sometimes you can get information about a job applicant from former (or present) coworkers or supervisors, but
often they too are instructed not to discuss why the employee left or if the employee would be rehired.
Generally, the two ways to check references are by:

Calling: This is the preferred method because it tends to be faster, less time-consuming, and more revealing.

Writing: This tends to be used more when applicants have out-of-area references and when calling doesn't work. It
does provide stronger documentation to prove you did your homework, though, and permits you to send the ex-
employer the written release you've obtained from the applicant.

Calling to check references. The main advantage to calling to check references (other than saving time) is that
people will sometimes give you valuable information over the phone that they do not want to put in writing.

Warning

Just because you are using the phone for a reference check doesn't mean you should ask inappropriate questions.
Whatever you ask about should be job-related. You don't want to be accused of invading anyone's privacy or of
violating anti-discrimination laws.

Here are some tips for successful over-the-phone reference checks:

Call once to schedule the reference check, and call back when you say you will. This gives the employer time to
remember specific facts about the worker, or review the worker's file.

Allot plenty of time in case you get a reference who will talk at length.

Be sure it's quiet. You don't want to be distracted, and the check should be private.

Take good notes during the conversation and be sure to include questions that the former employer would not
answer.

Sum up at the end, and be sure to thank the reference for the information.

Tools to Use

The Business Tools include a sample script that you can use when you get on the phone with a former employer.

If necessary, offer to fax or send a scanned copy of the job applicant's signed authorization to release information.

Writing to former employers for references. While writing to a former employer for a reference check is more time-
consuming than calling some employers won't give out any information unless they get a written request. Often the
written request must also include the former employee's signed release of information form.

Unless they are legally required to do so, you can't force a former employer to respond to your written request for a
reference. Here are some tips for sending a reference letter that may increase your chances of getting a response:

Send requests by certified mail to prove that someone took receipt of the letter.

Be sure to give former employers your phone number, in case they want to call you.

Be sure to enclose a copy of the applicant's release of information form.

Enclose a self-addressed, stamped envelope.

Tools to Use

The Business Tools include a sample letter for checking employment reference. You can personalize it and
customize it, but don't add questions that may violate any anti-discrimination laws to which you are subject.

Personal and educational references where appropriate and provided, should also be checked for any applicants who
may be hired.

Checking Personal and Education References

While previous employers are arguably of the most value when you're checking references, checking personal
references may still be of value even though job candidates are likely to have picked those they know will speak
favorably of them. Also, educational records are sometimes embellished or falsified by job applicants so employers
should check these, especially if they are crucial to an employee's job function.
Checking Personal References

Most employers don't check personal references, even when they ask for them. There is a common perception that
personal references are usually friends of the applicant, and that they will not convey any negative information, in
the event that it exists, because they are friends.

If you do ask for and check personal references, keep these pointers in mind:

Consider it a red flag if the applicant has lived in the area for a considerable period of time but cannot list any local
references.

Like employment references, personal references are more likely to say things on the phone than they are to put
them in writing. Call rather than write, if possible.

Have an information release signed by the applicant and ready in case the reference requests it.

Ask only job-related questions so as not to give support for a discrimination or other legal claim.

Tools to Use

The Business Tools include a sample letter that can be used when contacting a personal reference by mail.

Checking Education Records

Educational credentials are frequently misrepresented on resumes and job applications, because many employers
don't check educational references. It's important to do it, though, to make sure that the applicant has the
qualifications and background you want, or in some cases, require.

Some common problems concerning educational background include applicants claiming that they have a degree
that they don't have, claiming that they graduated from a particular school when they may have only attended it for a
short time, or claiming that they have a degree in one field when they really have a degree in another field.

How do you obtain the educational background information you need? Most colleges or universities will verify a job
applicant's degree or dates of attendance, and many will do it over the phone. In many cases, you can also obtain a
transcript if you follow the school's guidelines for releasing records.

Tools to Use

If an institution will not verify the applicant's information over the phone, use the sample letter for requesting
educational records contained among the Business Tools. Don't forget to include a copy of the applicant's signed
release.

You can also pre-screen an applicant's education by asking him or her to produce copies of diplomas or certified
copies of transcripts.

Tip

If you've never heard of the educational institution referred to in a prospective hire's references, you might also want
to check:

what type of institution it is

which degrees it awards

if it is accredited

As with employment reference checks, be sure to document the details of your personal and education reference
checks to assist you with your hiring decision and perhaps avoid legal action against you if the employee doesn't
work out or commits a crime.

Documenting the Reference Check

Documenting your reference checking activities is useful for hiring purposes as well as an aid in avoiding negligent
hiring claims that may arise. In case of a lawsuit, or even just to protect yourself in case an employee you hire later
proves unsatisfactory, you should document every step of your reference check in order to show that you acted
reasonably in hiring the applicant based on the information that you had or alternatively, could not obtain.
Tools to Use

The Business Tools contain a reference check control form to help you document your reference checks effectively.

In order to avoid questions regarding your hiring methods, it is a good idea to create the following documents as you
perform a reference check:

a list of all references checked

the name of the person who actually contacted the references

how you contacted the references, namely, by telephone or by letter

notes on all phone conversations made

name and job title of every person you spoke with

a copy of the return letter

copies of actual records received

the fact that you made every reasonable effort to contact the reference listed but could not do so

the fact that you did contact the reference given but could not get sufficient information from the source

Keep the records, once you have gone to the trouble of documenting your actions, as indicated below:

So long as the employee works for your company, include the reference checks as part of the hiring papers and keep
these records in the employee's personnel file.

Treat an ex-employee's reference records and reports as merely part of that ex-employee's personnel file. A common
rule of thumb is to keep an ex-employee's personnel file for seven years.

Do not throw out records of your reference checks on unsuccessful applicants. They are considered part of the
employment records "having to do with hiring" that the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC)
requires you to keep for at least one year after the date of the employment decision (if you are subject to federal anti-
discrimination laws).

Once a discrimination charge has been brought or any court action has been pursued, keep the records until the
matter has been resolved.

Warning

Your state's law may require you to retain records of your reference activities for longer periods of time than
required by federal law. Be sure to check your state's rules before you set up your recordkeeping for reference
documentation.

Finally, you should follow these housekeeping tips when it comes to properly maintaining your reference
documentation:

Remove any especially sensitive records from the file. If the reference records include credit reports or criminal
record reports, you may want to put them in a separate file with the employee's medical records, which also by law
must remain confidential.

If you take reference reports out of a personnel file, leave a note in the file indicating this action.

Avoiding Defamation in the Workplace, Giving References and Disciplining Employees While Avoiding Liability

Increasingly, people who are unable to find work are blaming former employers for hindering their job search by
giving negative references to prospective employers. This blame often evolves into a lawsuit for defamation,
although the theories of intentional infliction of emotional distress, interference with contract, invasion of privacy,
and discrimination have all been used in an attempt to make a former employer pay for an ex-employee's
misfortune.

As a result, employers are increasingly reluctant to give out references. This reluctance means that prospective
employers are not able to make hiring decisions based upon complete information, probably do not hire the person
best suited to the position, and face exposure to liability for negligent hiring. Liable employers have recently begun
to sue former employers for "negligent referral," alleging that the former employer should have revealed adverse
information. In addition, employers that refuse to give references may still be liable for defamation based upon the
theory of compelled self-publication.

This chapter explores some of the risks of giving references and disciplining employees, with primary emphasis on
defamation. The chapter then discusses ways in which employers can give references while reducing the risk of a
lawsuit. Finally, this chapter describes how employers can investigate, confront, and discipline employees without
defaming them. It is extremely important to emphasize at this point that the information provided in this article is
meant to provide general guidance only. Because the law of defamation can vary from state to state, employers
should consult with the employment attorney of their choice with any questions.

The Risks of Giving References and Disciplining Employees

Employers that are asked to give references about current or former employees, or who face the need to investigate
and discipline suspected violations, are rightfully concerned about the risks of litigation. They may face exposure to
claims of defamation, intentional infliction of emotional distress, invasion of privacy, interference with contract, and
discrimination, among others.

Defamation.

The Claim.

To establish a claim for defamation, a former employee must demonstrate that the former employer published a
defamatory statement about the employee. In other words, an employer may be liable for defamation if the employer
communicated a statement about the employee to a third person that could be harmful to the employee's reputation.
If the employer cannot demonstrate the truth of the statement, the employer may be liable for defamation.
Defamation can be oral (slander) or written (libel).

Defamatory Statement.

To be a defamatory statement, a communication must be capable of defamatory meaning. The communication need
not cause actual harm -- it merely must be capable of impugning the employee's good name or reputation. Courts
will examine the statement, the context in which it was made, the audience, and the surrounding circumstances.

An employer may be liable for "defamation by conduct" if a defamatory statement can be inferred by the employer's
conduct. For example, in one case an employer was found liable for defamation by conduct when it forced an
innocent employee to resign amidst an investigation for theft, along with the actual thieves. The employer's actions
inferred that the employee was a thief when, in fact, he was not. Thus, mere conduct can support a claim for
defamation if the surrounding circumstances permit.

Publication.

To be liable for defamation, an employer must publish the defamatory statement. "Publication" does not require a
large audience; a statement made to one person other than the employee-plaintiff is publication. Thus, announcing
over the loudspeaker that an employee was fired for stealing is a publication, but so is responding to a request for a
reference.

The new theory of "compelled self-publication" holds that an employer may be found liable for defamation of a
terminated employee without saying a word. If the employee was terminated based upon evidence that was
defamatory, and if the employee is required to disclose the reason for the termination to a prospective employer, the
former employer caused compelled self-publication. Liability attaches if it would be foreseeable to the employer that
the employee would be compelled to provide the information.

Special Defamation Claims.

Defamation by Neglect.

In addition to the above, an employer may be held liable for defamatory statements made by others if it adopts them
either intentionally or by implication. In most instances, this occurs where some writing containing a defamatory
statement appears on the employer's property and the employer does little or nothing to see that it is removed.

For example, in Tacket v. General Motors Corp., 836 F.2d 1042 (7th Cir. 1987), Thomas Tacket, a supervisory
employee, sued GM for failing to remove a sign that was spray-painted by an unknown individual on a wall located
on the production floor. The sign, "Tacket Tacket What a Racket," apparently was in reference to an earlier incident
where Tacket was instrumental in assigning a subcontract to a company that was owned, in part, by a subordinate.
The union complained about the subcontracting of unit work, and the subordinate was discharged for his role in the
incident. However, Tacket received only a transfer since there was insufficient evidence that he knowingly assigned
the work in an improper manner.

The sign was first posted in the plant, only to be torn down two or three days later by an unknown individual.
Immediately thereafter, it was replaced by the stenciled sign that remained on the wall for seven to eight months.
Tacket alleged that, by its failure to act in removing the sign, GM implicitly adopted the defamatory statement and
was, therefore, liable for any damages resulting from it. Id.

Reversing a lower court's ruling for GM, the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals held that the lower court should have
allowed the jury to decide whether or not GM had "published" the statement by "adoption." In this regard, the circuit
court followed the Restatement (Second) of Torts, §577(2) (1977), which states:
One who intentionally and unreasonably fails to remove defamatory matter that he knows to be exhibited on land or
chattels in his possession or under his control is subject to liability for its continued publication.

The circuit court also concluded that the lower court should have permitted the jury to decide the issue of whether or
not there existed "avoidable circumstances." Under this doctrine, the employee-plaintiff would not be permitted to
recover for defamation where he had the authority and the opportunity to remove the sign and avoid injury but failed
to do so.

Defamation by Conduct.

An employer may also be held liable for defamatory "statements" that can be inferred by its conduct rather than
through some oral or written communication.

In Berg v. Consolidated Freight Ways, Inc., 421 A.2d 831 (Pa. Super. 1981), the employee-plaintiff was instrumental
in discovering a theft conspiracy involving his immediate supervisor and several subordinates. When he denied any
involvement in the scheme, plaintiff was given the option of resigning or being discharged. He chose to resign.

After a jury verdict for the plaintiff, the superior court affirmed, noting that, "[the plaintiff] was forced to resign
amidst an investigation for theft, along with the actual thieves, and there was also evidence adduced which showed
communications from [the employer] reflecting on [the plaintiff's] character and reputation, which were proved to be
untrue...." Id. at 833. Therefore, once it was determined that the plaintiff's reputation was injured, it was proper to
permit the jury to determine (1) whether the injury was the result of the employer's conduct, and (2) whether the
"normal foreseeable harm to an employee that goes with any job termination was exceeded."

The Berg court carefully noted that sufficient evidence to support plaintiff's claim was adduced from the employer's
"verbal" and "non-verbal" communication. However, the court went on to say that, in view of its holding, most
likely, mere conduct alone could support a claim of defamation.

Defenses.

Absolute Defense of Truth.

A true statement that is not misleading is absolutely protected and may not be the subject of a claim for defamation.
This is true even if the statement is made maliciously. If a true statement is made in a context that could cause a
reasonable inference that is false, however, the statement may lose its protection.

Example: Bob resigned from his position at XYZ, Inc. because he wanted to move closer to his family in Arizona.
The day he resigned, XYZ, Inc. completed an investigation into a recent theft from the company safe, and
discovered that employee Charlie stole $1,000. Charlie was fired. When Bob applied for a job at ABC Co. in
Phoenix, the company contacted XYZ, Inc. to check Bob's references. XYZ, Inc. responded with the following
statement: "Bob resigned the day we completed our investigation into who stole $1,000 from the company safe."
ABC Co. did not hire Bob.

While the statement is technically true, the implication is that Bob stole the money. Bob therefore has a claim
against XYZ, Inc. for defamation, and XYZ, Inc. may not use the truth defense.

Absolute Privilege.

The absolute privilege defense applies when public policy dictates that an employer must have complete immunity
to the threat of defamation lawsuits. For example, statements made in a report to be filed in accordance with
workers' compensation statutes are absolutely privileged. Statements made in a labor arbitration hearing or a fact-
finding conference, however, might not enjoy the absolute privilege.

Conditional Privilege.

A conditional privilege may attach where several persons have a common interest in a matter and have a need to
communicate with one another about the matter. In many states, employers enjoy a qualified privilege that permits
them to give defamatory references. The privilege attaches if the following conditions are satisfied:

The reference is made with a good faith belief in the truth of the statements;

The reference serves a legitimate business need;

The statements are made only to persons with a legitimate interest in hearing the reference; and

The reference is made only on a proper occasion.

Thus, if the reference is not made with malice (knowing or reckless disregard for the truth) and if the reference is
limited to legitimate business interests and to a legitimate business audience, the reference may enjoy a qualified
privilege.

In some states, former employers have a degree of immunity from lawsuits when providing reference
information. See Florida Statute §768.095, which provides that an employer that discloses information about a
former employee's job performance is presumed to be acting in good faith. Furthermore, unless lack of good faith
can be shown, the employer cannot be sued for the disclosure of information about job performance or the
consequences of such disclosure. The former employee can prove a lack of good faith only by showing that the
information was "knowingly false or deliberately misleading," given for a malicious purpose, or in violation of the
state anti-discrimination laws.

In routine reference checks, employers in states with these statutes can rely on the state statute for protection from
litigation in disclosing the reasons for an employee's separation from employment, his or her employment history,
and job performance. In cases involving extreme situations, such as an individual who was terminated for strange or
dangerous behavior, the statute will protect the employer that discloses any facts that are documented or
substantiated through witness accounts. The employer should not disclose gossip, rumors, or subjective opinion that
is not based on fact. Likewise, the employer should not engage in "blacklisting" of an individual.

Consent.

Consent is a complete defense to an action for defamation.

Other Possible Claims.

Intentional Infliction of Emotional Distress.

An employee may claim that a former employer was extreme and outrageous in giving a false reference with the
intention of inflicting extreme emotional distress. An employer that maintains a professional reference policy and
avoids personal attacks or extreme and embarrassing revelations should avoid liability for intentional infliction of
emotional distress.

A claim for intentional infliction of emotional distress is more likely to arise during the course of confrontation or
discipline of an employee. Verbally abusing an employee in front of co-workers, conducting a strip search of a
suspected thief, and announcing over the loudspeaker that an employee was fired to "make an example" out of the
employee may all give rise to a successful claim for intentional infliction of emotional distress. Avoiding extreme
and outrageous investigation and disciplinary tactics should prevent such claims from arising.

Invasion of Privacy.

An employee may claim that a false reference or public discipline placed the employee in a false light to the public.
An employee might also claim that the employer disclosed a private fact to the public. Both claims state a cause of
action for invasion of privacy. Privilege, truth, and consent may all be valid defenses to a false light privacy claim.
Consent may be a valid defense to a claim based upon disclosure of private facts.

Interference With Contract.

A former employee may claim that a former employer intentionally interfered with the formation of an employment
contract by giving a false or misleading reference. Limiting statements about employees to a proper forum and
maintaining a professional reference policy should prevent this claim from succeeding.

Title VII Discrimination.

If discrimination against a member of a protected class is a motivating factor in the giving of a negative reference or
the choice of discipline, the employer is probably in violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, regardless
of the truth of the statement or the appropriateness of the discipline.

Note: Because defamation claims are the primary vehicle for employee recovery, this presentation will focus on
avoiding such claims in both giving references and disciplining and confronting employees. Adherence to the
suggestions below should also minimize the likelihood of a lawsuit for one of the other claims.

Negligent Referral, Misrepresentation, and Fraud.

The emerging theories of negligent referral, misrepresentation, and fraud pose new concerns for employers who
refuse to divulge information in a reference check. The theories state that giving an incomplete reference increases
the risk that a bad or dangerous former employee may be hired by a company that is unaware of the employee's
negative history. The new employer is thus unfairly burdened with a bad employee and increased exposure to
lawsuits for negligent hiring. Employers who are found liable for negligent hiring have attempted to recover from
the employer who failed to disclose damaging information in a reference check.

Legislative Outlook.

Many states have passed or are considering legislation that would grant civil immunity to employers who provide
accurate references for their employees. Typically, this legislation provides that an employer who provides a
reference at the request of an employee or a prospective employer is presumed to be acting in good faith. Unless
lack of good faith is shown by clear and convincing evidence, the employer is immune from all civil liability that
may result. Thus, unless an employer knowingly provides false information, makes a reference maliciously, or
violates anti-discrimination laws, liability should not attach. Even if an employer is covered by this type of
legislation, however, the following tips should be considered as a way to minimize the risk of liability arising from a
negative reference.

Giving References with Minimal Exposure

Many companies place strict limits on what may be disclosed in a reference check. Former employers may be
unwilling to reveal anything but a candidate's official title, dates of employment, and salary. While this "solution"
may reduce exposure in a defamation lawsuit, it has a negative impact on the business community. Employers
should consider adopting a reference policy that would enable them to provide a fair and accurate appraisal of a
former employee. The best reference policy is clear, is premised on employee consent, promotes objective and
accurate statements, maintains the qualified privilege, and is strictly enforced.

Formulate a Clear Policy.

If strictly followed, a clear policy can be a valuable defense to an employer in a defamation lawsuit.

Obtain Employee Consent.

It is never too early to begin building a defense to a defamation lawsuit. Require all applicants for a position with
your company to sign an authorization and release for you to disseminate information to future employers. Such a
release could read:

I hereby authorize XYZ, Inc. to provide information regarding my employment with XYZ, Inc. to any future
potential employer who requests such information as part of a background check. I release XYZ, Inc. and any person
acting on behalf of XYZ, Inc. from all claims arising from the release of such information.

When coupled with the release obtained immediately prior to the reference request, this authorization should be
effective in establishing a consent defense.

Maintain an Accurate and Objective Personnel File.

Because references will be based upon what is in an employee's personnel file, the file should be accurate and
objective. Negative comments should be verified, and the file should be free from personal attacks and opinions. All
personnel files should be kept confidential in a secure area and information should be released only on a "need-to-
know" basis.

One Person/Department in Charge of References.

The best way to ensure consistent reference disclosure is to limit the number of people who are permitted to give
references. Require that all reference requests be directed to the human resources or personnel department, and
prohibit all other employees from providing references on behalf of the company.

Require That Reference Requests Be in Writing.

It is important to document every step in the reference process, and the best way to accomplish this is to require that
all requests be in writing.

Require That Each Request Be Accompanied by an Employee Release.

Do not answer a request for a reference unless the request is accompanied by a signed authorization of the applicant.
Such an authorization should release your company, employees, and agents from all claims that may result from the
reference. If the release is limited in scope (for example, limited to verification of information provided to the
prospective employer by the applicant), your company should not exceed the scope of the authorization in its
disclosure. The authorization, coupled with the release signed by the employee upon being hired at your company,
should support a consent defense in a defamation case.

Avoid Phone References.

Due to the possibility of a dispute over what was said, a reference given over the telephone is more likely to be the
subject of a successful defamation lawsuit than a formal, written reference. If you do decide to give a phone
reference, the following procedures will reduce liability:

Call the requesting party back. Attorneys and investigators have been known to call former employers pretending to
do a reference check. Do not answer any questions until you call the requesting party back and verify the caller's
identity.

Demand a fax of the applicant's signed release before answering any questions. The mode of giving a reference has
no effect on the importance of receiving applicant consent.

Limit answers to specific objective statements. Phone references tend to be less formal than written references, and
this creates a danger of making comments that would not have been made in a written reference.

Keep an accurate record of the phone reference. Take accurate notes during the reference check. Note the name of
the person and company seeking the reference, the date and time of the phone call, the questions asked, and the
answers given.

Limit Disclosure to Privileged Audience.

An important element of the qualified privilege defense to defamation is that the communication is limited to a
legitimate business interest and made only to parties with a legitimate interest in the communication. Thus, any
disclosure of defamatory information to a person with no legitimate business interest eliminates the qualified
privilege. This includes unnecessary publication within your company.

Limit References to Questions Asked.

Do not volunteer information. Liability can be limited if it is clear that you restricted your comments to answering
the questions of the prospective employer. You may appear vengeful and malicious if you voluntarily disclose
unrequested, negative information. Remember to limit your answers to the scope of the signed applicant release.

Limit References to Objective and Verifiable Information.

The best defense to a defamation lawsuit is the absolute defense of truth. The key to a truth defense is to limit
references to objective, verifiable, and irrefutable statements. The former employee's name, dates of employment,
titles and positions held, promotions received, and attendance record should all be undeniable, and are thus proper
subjects for discussion.

Due to the emotion of a termination meeting, there may be a dispute as to whether an employee was fired or
resigned. When a person leaves employment with your company, the circumstances of the termination should be
clear and in writing. If the circumstances surrounding the termination are subject to reasonable dispute, do not
discuss them with a prospective employer.

Do not make personal comments or character attacks, and avoid repeating gossip. For example, if the human
resources director says "He was a drunk" based upon what she heard from other employees, you will probably lose a
defamation lawsuit.

A common problem in a truth defense is that the former employer and the applicant know a different version of the
"truth." The best way to avoid this problem is to avoid giving statements that describe the applicant with words
subject to different interpretations. Instead, state the objective facts behind your opinions. For example:

Do Not Say: Instead, Say:

He performed poorly. He achieved the company quota 30 percent of the time. The
company average is 92 percent.

She is not a team player. On 12 occasions, she was asked to perform an extra task to
fill an unexpected need. She refused each time.

He is violent and disrespectful. He punched a supervisor in the nose.

She is not dedicated. She worked one hour of overtime in two years.

He came to work drunk. He arrived at work smelling of alcohol 10 times, and he fell
asleep at his desk each time.

She was a drug addict. She tested positive for cocaine on two occasions

In sum, if it is possible for the former employee to dispute the statement, do not make it. Limit comments to true
statements that are objective and verifiable. All statements should be supported by evidence found in the former
employee's personnel file. All negative claims should be investigated for accuracy.

Extreme care should be taken if asked to rate the applicant on a scale of one to ten, below average, average, or above
average, or by any other subjective ranking mechanism. These rankings are inherently subjective and subject to
reasonable dispute. If asked to provide such a ranking, you should decline.

Keep a Record.

Make a copy of all references provided by your company. There should never be a dispute about what is said in a
reference check.

Treat Good References as Objectively as Bad References.

Employers typically desire to give positive references for good former employees. Such references often include
subjective statements about dedication, attitude, and ability. If an employer becomes known for giving subjective,
glowing references for good former employees, however, a stale and objective reference by the same employer will
be inferred to be a negative reference. The safest policy for giving good references, therefore, is to objectively state
the positive achievements of the former employee.

Do not lie in an attempt to assist a former employee in a job search. False "positive" statements can be used by the
employee in a wrongful termination lawsuit. For example, assume XYZ, Inc. fired Charlie for theft and then gave
the following reference in an effort to help Charlie get back on his feet: "Charlie was a good worker who never got
into trouble." Charlie could use the statement in a wrongful termination suit against XYZ, Inc. as evidence that he
did not commit theft and that XYZ, Inc. terminated him based upon false and defamatory reasons.

Avoid Compelled Self-Publication.

A claim for defamation based on compelled self-publication arises when an employee is terminated based upon
evidence that is itself defamatory. If the terminated individual is then required to disclose the reason for the
termination to prospective employers, the person will be compelled to defame himself or herself. Thus, extreme care
should be taken when making a determination to terminate an employee.

Strictly Enforce the Policy.

The reference policy will only be successful if it is strictly enforced among all employees. First, employees should
be notified of the policy. The policy should be contained in employee handbooks and manuals. All employees,
especially supervisors and managers, should be trained in the new policy. Importantly, they should be notified that
they are not authorized by the company to speak on its behalf. If they do, they should be disciplined, because they
are exposing the company to risk of litigation.

Some employees may desire to give a personal reference based upon their own experience with the applicant.
Employees should be instructed that personal references about other employees are discouraged. The policy should
indicate that if someone does decide to give a personal reference, it must be preceded by a statement that the person
is not speaking on behalf of the company. To reinforce this fact, personal references should never be on company
letterhead and telephone references should never be on company time.

Disciplining Without Defamation

Employers have a vested interest in maintaining a productive workplace. Preventing employee misconduct is an
essential element of protecting that interest. Employers often need to investigate alleged misconduct and, if a
problem is found, confront and discipline wrongdoers. If employers conduct investigations, confrontations, and
disciplinary situations in a consistent, professional manner, they should be able to defeat claims of defamation.

Investigation.

If an employer suspects misconduct, the situation must first be investigated. Investigations should be conducted in a
manner consistent with professional business standards. A properly conducted investigation may be protected by the
qualified privilege. The following guidelines should be followed to prevent charges of defamation.

Carefully Plan Investigations.

Prepare for investigatory interviews in advance. You are less likely to make a defamatory remark if you carefully
plan what you will discuss in an interview.

Avoid Accusations.

Explain at the outset of any employee interview that the purpose of the interview is investigatory and that no one is
being accused of anything at this time. Ask questions in a general, nonaccusational manner. Do not reveal that you
suspect a specific person of doing anything wrong. Do not answer employee questions about the suspect employee.

Be careful not to accuse the employee of anything when you are still investigating the alleged misconduct.

Limit Publicity.

Keep all information and conversations on a "need-to-know" basis. Limiting the audience to those who have a
legitimate business need to participate is the best way to protect the investigation under the qualified privilege. To
limit publicity, do not announce investigations over the loudspeakers or in company newsletters. Do not conduct
interviews in front of other employees, and do not confront the suspected wrongdoer in public.

In general, do not act in such a way as to allow employees to infer that a specific employee has committed
misconduct. This rule may be very difficult to follow in practice, but the risk of defamation can be minimized if
employers are careful to limit investigations to carefully planned, nonaccusational fact-finding efforts conducted
with as much respect for the privacy of the suspect as possible.

Confrontation and Discipline.

When an employer is satisfied that an employee has committed misconduct, confronting and disciplining the
employee may be necessary. When a decision to discipline is finally made, be careful to avoid an emotional
confrontation filled with accusations and personal attacks. Remember that employers have a right to discipline their
employees, but they do not have a right to defame them.

Base Decisions on Reasonable and Objective Grounds.

Do not make quick decisions. Wait until an objective investigation is completed. The investigation should be
meticulously conducted, and should support your decision. Do not base a disciplinary measure on any ground that is
not supported by the investigation. If you are not able to articulate specific reasons for the discipline, or if the
reasons are not supported by objective evidence, you should reconsider your decision.

Advise the Employee.

Establish clear guidelines for advising the accused employee of your decision. The employee should be informed of
the decision in private, and no attention should be drawn to the employee before or after the meeting. For example,
after conducting a well-rumored investigation about theft in the workplace, do not call the accused to your office
over the loudspeaker to fire him.

In the meeting, articulate the specific reasons for the discipline. Avoid personal attacks or accusations. Your
comments should be objective and verifiable. For example, do not call the accused a "thief." Instead, explain that
your investigation revealed evidence to support your conclusion that the employee took funds from the safe. The key
is to not make any statements impugning the character of the employee. This meeting should be carefully
documented, and a witness should be present.
If an employee is being terminated, the employer may consider having security personnel escort the employee from
the premises. This practice is acceptable if the employee is being terminated for dishonesty or has threatened violent
or inappropriate conduct. Care should be taken to avoid a public spectacle, however, so do not parade the terminated
employee through the workplace surrounded by security.

Limit Publicity.

Employers may desire to inform other employees about the disciplinary measures taken against an employee.
Similarly, employees may have an interest in understanding how the employer handles misconduct. Despite this
interest, employers must be extremely cautious to limit the disclosure. Explaining disciplinary action to numerous
employees might be outside the scope of the qualified privilege if the employees do not have a legitimate business
interest in the information. Without the privilege, the employer will be required to prove the truth of every
defamatory statement to avoid liability.

In a recent case, an employer announced the reasons for a termination decision to the employee's co-workers. The
reasons turned out to be false, and the employer was liable for defamation. While you may have the right to fire an
individual based upon false information, you do not have the right to publish the false information to an audience
outside the scope of the privilege.

Statements made to an internal personnel report should be protected by the qualified privilege due to the legitimate
needs of an employer to document employment decisions.

Remember that conduct can substitute for communication in establishing defamation. For example, escorting a
terminated employee from the workplace with security may imply reasons for the termination that are untrue. If an
employee is not being terminated for dishonesty and violence or inappropriate behavior is not anticipated, use of a
security escort can support a claim for defamation by conduct.

Writing a reference (or giving an oral reference) for an ex-employee can land you in legal hot water, but you
don't want to prejudice your employee. Understand your rights and obligations when providing references, so
you stay safe, but fair

First, make sure you know whether the reference you are giving is on behalf of your business, or a personal
reference from you as an individual. If given on behalf of the business, then the business is responsible for what is in
it.

If given on the business' headed notepaper, or via your work email account, it is likely to be treated as a business
reference if there is a dispute. Consider introducing a policy that identifies who can give references, and whether
they need to be 'signed off' by anyone else first.

What can go wrong

If you give a written or oral reference, you have a duty to take reasonable care to ensure it is true, accurate and fair
and that it is not misleading - a duty that is owed to both the employee and to the new employer.

So if you provide a bad reference that you can't substantiate, you run the risk of your employee suing you for
damages if they didn't get the job, or suffered some other financial loss, because of it. In a worst-case scenario, they
could even bring an action against you for defamation or discrimination.

Care should also be taken if you agree what can be said in a reference as part of a settlement agreement, as you may
be liable to legal action if you do not abide by this.

The new employer could also claim damages against you if you give a glowing reference for an employee who has
not in fact been satisfactory, and that person goes on to perform badly in their new job.

Options

1. Giving no reference

One option is to refuse, as a matter of policy, to give references for any employee - you are not under any obligation
to do so unless your employee's contract of employment explicitly states that you will. But this is inconvenient for
your employees and ex-employees.

Failure to give a reference, without any explanation, can also imply that you have had problems with the employee.
This could give rise to claims that you have discriminated against them. They could also argue that you have broken
the term of mutual trust and confidence that is implied in every employee's contract of employment.

If you have a policy of not giving references at all, respond to each request for a reference with a specific statement
that it is not your policy to give them, to avoid misunderstandings.

2. Giving the bare facts

Many employers provide only bare facts - the position(s) held by the employee, salary and other benefits, and
commencement and termination dates.

State that this is your policy on the reference you give, so that the new employer does not read anything into the fact
that you have not provided fuller details.
You may also agree that you will only provide bare facts as part of a settlement agreement where an employee has
been made redundant or has been dismissed.

3. Giving a full reference

Most full references include the bare facts, plus key responsibilities, an assessment of the employee's performance,
views on their personal qualities relevant to the positions held, eg honesty, integrity, drive, etc, their timekeeping,
and reasons for leaving.

The duty to take care to be true, accurate and fair, and not to be misleading, means you should avoid:

Failing to respond to specific questions in a request for a reference without explaining why.

Omitting key information that a new employer would expect you to disclose.

Organising the information in a way that would give a reasonable person a wrong inference or impression of the
employee.

Saying whether an employee is suitable for the role advertised - you do not know what the job entails. If you must
say this, qualify it by saying it is your opinion only.

If an employee's performance has been poor or they were dismissed for serious misconduct, refer specifically to the
problems experienced with the employee (as well as any positive points, in the interest of balance). It is dangerous to
leave them out if they are material.

A bad reference is permissible, provided that it is not malicious and that you took reasonable care to ensure that the
information is true - for example, by investigating any matter giving rise to the bad reference.

If an employee has been dismissed, ensure that the statements made in the reference tally with the reasons given for
the dismissal.

If the employee is senior enough, agreeing the wording of their reference with them may be part of a compromise
agreement in settlement of their claims, leading to them 'going quietly'.

Your reference policy

Avoid inconsistency - giving a reference in one case and not another, or giving only a factual reference to one
employee and a full reference to another - as this could give rise to a claim of discrimination by a disgruntled
employee. It is best to establish a policy that states whether you will give references or not and, if you do, who may
give them and what they should contain.

Requests to see the reference

If your ex-employee asks to see their reference, you do not have to disclose it. However, the new employer has to if:

you have consented to its disclosure; or

it is 'reasonable in all the circumstances' that the new employer should do so.

Take advice before giving any reference if it is important to you that your employee should not see it, or parts of it
that you consider confidential. At the very least, you should make it clear to the new employer that you do not
consent to disclosure of the reference, or the confidential parts of it, to the employee.

If the new employer is obliged to disclose the reference, generally they should take care not to disclose any part of it
that relates to another person - ie, anyone other than the employee.

Disclaimers

Disclaimers excluding liability for the accuracy of the reference are of limited effect - they will protect you only if
they are reasonable. Attempting to exclude liability for a statement is likely to fail if it is something that an employer
can be reasonably expected to know.

That said, you may wish to include a disclaimer in your references as a 'belt and braces' measure.

Third parties

All references should be marked 'private and confidential', to make it clear that they are intended only for the person
to whom the reference is given (the new employer for example), and must not be disclosed to, or relied on by, any
third party - whether by your staff giving the reference, the new employer or, if they have sight of a copy, the
employee.

Some employers include a specific statement in the reference that no third party is to rely on it.

An employer doesn't usually have to give a work reference - but if they do, it must be fair and accurate. Workers
may be able to challenge a reference they think is unfair or misleading. Employers must give a reference if: there
was a written agreement to do so.
There is usually no legal obligation to provide a reference. Employers who give references must make them fair
and accurate. Employers who ask for referencesmust handle them fairly and consistently.

There are two ways that you can file a lawsuit against your former employer forgiving out
negative references about you. One way is by suing for defamation. A second way if by suing for discriminatory
retaliation. ... This Hub will cover suing a former employer for defamation.

Employee Rights: Can I Sue My Former Employer For Giving Bad References?

Updated on April 21, 2016

Undercover Lawyer

more

Job Applicants Have Rights Too

Are you are working hard at getting a new job, sending out resumes, getting interviews, and being told you only
have to pass a reference check, but then not getting the job? Multiple people have recently contacted me about this
exact scenario wanting to know if the law provides them with any recourse at all. The answer is: YES! There are two
ways that you can file a lawsuit against your former employer for giving out negative references about you. One
way is by suing for defamation. A second way if by suing for discriminatory retaliation. Each way requires that you
meet certain criteria, and neither way should be taken lightly. This Hub will cover suing a former employer for
defamation. A second related Hub will explain suing a former employer for retaliatory discrimination. In brief, can
sue for defamation if:

Your former (or current) employer says untruthful things about you;

To a company where you have applied to work;

The company where you applied would have hired you had your ex-employer not said untruthful things about you;
and

You lose out on income as a result.

Number for may seem obvious, but if you were hired by a third company right away, for the same or more money,
then you would not be “out” any income. You would not have a case because you would have no "damages."

Hiring Managers Often Avoid Calling the Former Employer's H.R. Department

What this means is that employers must give references that are completely accurate or they face being sued by
former employees. This is the primary reason why so many companies today refuse to give out any information
besides:

Date of Hire;

Date of Separation;

Beginning Wage;

Ending Wage; and

Job Title.

Each of these five things is totally objective. A company can prove that it was completely accurate and truthful with
your job references if it only releases these five things. Many companies refer all letters and telephone calls about
references to their Human Resources Department, and the H.R. Department strictly follows the “name, rank, and
serial number” approach to giving references. But many reference checkers purposefully avoid calling the human
resources department because of this.

The End of an Employment Relationship Can be as Nasty as the End of a Marriage

What happens, then, is that a hiring manager from Company B will not call the H.R. Department of Company B, but
instead will call around to get a hold of your former manager, or a lower level supervisor. Frequently line managers
are annoyed by the H.R. Department always telling them what they can and can't do, and who they can and can't talk
to. They feel put-upon by Human Resources, and they may also feel jilted by the fact that you left, or, they are still
angry about your perceived short comings when you were working for them.

As a result, a lower level manager often decides on their own to tell the caller (the hiring manager from Company B)
what a pain in the neck you were (not that you really were, but that's what the manager might wrongly believe). The
larger the company, the easier it is to find someone, somewhere, who is willing to talk about you. In this way, a
bully boss or abusive manager can continue to come after you even after you have left the company.

Also, employment relationships are the closest thing we have to family relationships. Often companies proudly say
“We're like family here.” And just like a divorce, the breakup of a working relationship can cause feelings of
resentment, betrayal, anger, and a desire for revenge. A former manager will occasionally act on these feelings by
“sticking it” to you through giving a very bad reference to a company were you applied, even though you don't
deserve it.

Take Action and Dig for Evidence

If you suspect that a prior bully boss or abusive manager is trying to "stick it to you" by giving you bad references,
you should take action. Go to the company that did not hire you, Company B in our example, and ask for a copy of
your application and all the notes that went with it. Give them this request in writing, and specifically ask for
interview notes and reference checks.

This will probably scare Company B, who will think you are about to sue them for discrimination because they hired
someone else instead of you. Keep a copy of your written request for yourself. If Company B does not comply, see
an attorney about writing a letter on your behalf, or opening a case for you and subpoenaing your application
records.

Another easier, cheaper, and sneakier way to check what is being said about you is to have a friend pose as a
potential employer, and have your friend call and ask questions about you. Tell your friend to be chummy and not to
take “no” for an answer. You can even find a friend who owns their own business do this so it is more legitimate.

After you establish that your former employer is saying something negative about you, you will have enough
evidence to file suit, even pro se (meaning filing it yourself) if you need to. To win in court, however, you will need
to prove each of the following elements to win your defamation case against your former employer:

The Four Legal Elements of Defamation

When you've completed your investigation compare your evidence (it does not have to be written evidence) to the
following four elements that are required to prove that your former employer defamed you:

"Publication..." -- this does not mean that your employer must write untruthful things about your past job
performance in a book or newsletter. "Publication" in legal terms simply means "communication to a third party."
Your former abusive manager satisfies this element by simply talking about you on the telephone to your potential
employer;

"...Of a false statement..." -- This is the element that employers try to avoid my only giving out name rank and serial
number, which can be objectively proven true. But if some jerk you used to work for tells a potential employer
anything negative about you that is subjective, then you can argue that it is false by using your entire employment
record at the old company as evidence. You can also use oral testimony from your former co-workers as evidence. In
other words, if your old manager describes you as anything other than a good employee then you will be able to
argue that you were defamed.

"...that harms your reputation..." -- This element is simple to prove. Just show that you did not get the job you
applied for at the new company.

"...and damages." -- Your damages are the equal to the salary of the job you did not get, from the time someone else
was hired through to the present day. The only way you won't be able to prove your damages would be if you got
some other job soon after finding you you did not get the one in question.

Defamation Can be a Powerful Weapon Against Your Former Abusive Boss

Conclusion: Defamation Can Be a Powerful Weapon Against a Past Bully Boss

As you can see, the four required elements of defamation match up almost perfectly with the process of a past
employer giving you an unwarranted bad reference about you to a potential new employer. This is what makes
defamation such a powerful weapon that job applicants can use to keep a past bully boss in check, and ensure that he
or she doesn't try to continue trying to hurt you even after the employment relationship is over.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of the inclusion of the elastic clause “any other related duties assigned in
the job description of the worker?

Positives and Negatives About Job Descriptions

Employee job descriptions are written statements that describe the duties, responsibilities, required qualifications
and reporting relationships of a particular job. They are based on objective information obtained through job
analysis, an understanding of the competencies and skills required to accomplish needed tasks, and the needs of the
organization to produce work.

Employee job descriptions clearly identify and spell out the responsibilities of a specific job. They also include
information about working conditions, tools, equipment used, knowledge and skills needed, and relationships with
other positions including the immediate boss.

Effectively developed, employee job descriptions are communication tools that are significant to your organization's
success. Poorly-written employee job descriptions, on the other hand, add to workplace confusion,
miscommunication, and make people feel they don't know what is expected from them.

If you use employee job descriptions as living, breathing documents that are updated regularly to reflect the
changing requirements of each employee, these descriptions can become more of a job plan than an irrelevant
document.

Positives about Job Descriptions

Job descriptions provide the following:

Provide an opportunity to clearly communicate your company direction and inform employees how they fit
into the big picture. Whether you're a small or large business or a multi-site organization, well-written employee
job descriptions will help you align employee direction with the direction of your senior leadership.
Alignment of employees with your goals, vision, and mission spells success for your organization. As a leader,
you're guaranteeing the trans-functionality of all of the positions and roles needed to satisfy your customers.

Set clear expectations about what you expect from people. Ferdinand Fournies, in Why Don't Employees Do
What They're Supposed to Do and What To Do About It? says that worker expectation is the first place to look if
people aren't doing what you want them to do. He says you need to make certain that all employees clearly
understand your expectations—and that understanding starts with the employee job description. This holds true
whether you're recruiting new employees or posting jobs for internal applicants.

Help you cover yourself legally. As an example, for compliance with the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA),
you'll want to make certain that the description of the physical requirements of the job is accurate down to the letter.

Help organizational employees, who must work with the new hire, understand the boundaries of the person's
responsibilities. People who have been involved in the hiring process are more likely to support the success of the
new employee or promoted coworker. Developing employee job descriptions is an easy way to involve people in
your organization's success.

Remember, as you develop employee job descriptions, recognize that they are one component in an effective
performance management system. Consider these warnings about employee job descriptions.

Negative Potential of Employee Job Descriptions

Employee job descriptions have their downside, including the following:

They become outdated in a fast-paced, changing, customer-driven work environment. You must supplement
employee job descriptions with regularly negotiated goals and developmental opportunities, at a minimum, quarterly
—preferably monthly. This requires the employee to meet with the boss, or the team, to establish the next set of
specific, measurable objectives.
This meeting must also be realistic. If the employee receives new goals and is still responsible for every task listed
in the original employee job description, this is unfair.
Especially, if the goals and job accomplishments are tied to salary or bonus, you must take a look at where the
employee is investing his or her time. If the employee job descriptions provide an inaccurate picture, change the
employee job description.

Don't always have enough flexibility so individuals can "work outside of the box." Employee job descriptions
must be flexible so that employees are comfortable cross-training, can help another team member accomplish a task,
and have the confidence that they can make appropriate decisions to serve their customers.
You want people who are comfortable taking reasonable chances to stretch their limits.

Don't always provide for reviews of an employee's day-to-day work. - In addition to the updating of regular
goals and objectives suggested, employee job descriptions are an integral part of the performance management and
evaluation system. They are used to determine salary increases and bonus eligibility.
They are a job reference for determining how an employee spends her time at work on a daily basis. They provide a
measurable focus for energy and attention.

Can sit unused in a drawer and therefore are a waste of time; they - Employee job descriptions must be integral
in your hiring selection process.
Bottomline

You can use employee job descriptions to obtain employee ownership and to trace the parameters of the skills and
abilities you seek for the position. When hiring, well-written employee job descriptions can help you make sound
hiring decisions. And hiring the right team is critical to your future success.

What is Job Description?

Job description can be defined as the written statement which includes roles and responsibilities or functions of a
particular position. It also includes the job title, job location, position description, job summary, working conditions
such as qualification that a person’s relationship with other level members in the organization.

An example of job description: Human resource generalist is responsible for the progressive authority of the
employees.

Aims of Job Description:

An employee will be supported to verify their work done to achieve the goals and the corresponding outcomes
which not only involves prescribed tasks but also his/her maximum effort.

The job description is a specified explanation of all the duties that a Career Support Worker might be expected to
work with the given samples for the related duties.

The actual duties should be carried out by each employee or staff with best care. These assigned tasks will be agreed
by the senior member of staff before the Worker begins the task where in the senior staff will provide support.

Stages of Job Description:

1. Job identification
2. Job Specification
3. Job summary
4. Job accountabilities.
5. Job responsibility.

1. Job identification:

Job identification jobs id mainly deals with the job title and job code in which the employee can check whether that
job will suit him/her. It also comprises of the skills that an eligible candidate should possess. Actually, this is
considered as an outset of the job by all the recruiters.

2. Job Specification:

Job Specification deals with the primary responsibilities that should be performed by the candidate. It denotes the
minimum and maximum qualification of the candidates. Job specification is also a note which has functions that are
assigned to the employee by the employer. A perfect job specification acts as advantages of person specification i.e,
in finding out the best candidate suitable for the role.

3. Job Summary:

Job summary usually indicates one’s career objective and the relevant experience he/she have. Sometimes it deals
with overall achievement in one’s career.

An example of Job Summary: Administrative support professional who has ten years of experience in a
corporation which provides secured casework.

4. Job Accountabilities:

Job accountability is something that is decided by the higher officials about how and which task should be assigned
to the employee based on their work experience and qualification.
It is also defined as the duty of the trustee in which the jobs will be prioritised to the employee based on their
capability.

5. Job Responsibility:

Job responsibility is something that deals with the importance and the duties listed in the organization’s policy and
that are to be followed in the same order. The higher job responsibility is complex which is more difficult to explain
in words.

The Importance of Job Description:

If one possesses the job descriptions, it means that he/she has been accepted to have more practice upon the certain
task.

For few of them, it is a greater hindrance towards their work. It pays a way for the employee and the employer to
become aware of the task that has to be completed. It helps one to identify the instructions, procedures and the
corresponding methods to achieve the goal.

What is the Purpose of a Job Description?

Importance of job description is very high in hiring/recruiting sector. Job description can be defined as a way of
collecting and recording job-related information which will help one to proceed further with the opted job title.

The job description format includes job location, job duties and reporting information. It also deals with the tools
and equipment and sometimes the corresponding machineries that are used, which depicts the hazards that are
involved in it.

The purpose is to find the prospective employee. It specifies the task that is to be performed and checks whether the
employee meets the deadline.

Different Types of Job Description:

Job description can be broadly classified into two types. They are:

General purpose job description

2. Specific purpose job description

1. General purpose job description:

The general purpose job description will be based upon the organization about a particular job opening, which
includes the duty of the workers and their performance standards. Here, it is not mentioned about the duty of the
subtask.

The benefit is that it will not consume much time and quick report to the managers that can be done. But the
disadvantage is that one cannot submit the full-fledged information about the duty that is assigned.

2. Specific purpose job description:

This Specific purpose job description comprises of a particular description about a job wherein it involves huge task,
the employee should do. It helps the Human resource member to recruit the candidates based upon the information
provided. But the biased nature of the analyst causes severe problem.

Types of Work in Job Description:

Job description are of three types which helps the work to be handled. They are:

Work under immediate action

Work under general direction

3. Work under guideline policies

1. Work under immediate action:

As the name says work under immediate action is the duty performed by the employee as soon as receiving the
detailed instructions which involves a standard method and procedure. This is usually assigned by the employer.

2. Work under general direction:

Work under general direction depicts that the assignment can be performed by the employee in his own technique
after receiving the general instructions, for which an employee should be an expert in that field respectively.

3. Work under guideline policies:

Work under guideline policies means that employee can complete the given task by the limited policies that are set
by the organization and legislative authority.

Goals and Limitations of Job Description:

Goals:

It helps to manage employees. Communication plays a vital role in the recruitment methods and parameters. This
helps one to increase the individual accountability. The legal risk in the employment law which are bounded by the
job description mainly focuses on the document position goals and the implied performance standards.

It aims at validating the need of pre-employment testing/screening towards legal risk management. More than
everything it protects the team members and helps to assist them based on performance appraisal system

Limitations:

Job description is the one that attracts the qualified candidates. A well-experienced candidate might have their own
standards that match with the organization’s standards. But in few cases of the job description, it will be mentioned
that people with disabilities are not allowed. This sentence will make the candidate feel discriminatory towards the
organization. These terms in job description should be turned off so that anyone who is interested in that particular
position may opt.
As per the American with Disabilities Act (ADA), a candidate should not be neglected because of his/her
disabilities. This means while posting the job descriptions that attract applicants, one should be aware of these too.

Rules to be followed for Writing Job Description:

There are few rules that need to be followed while writing a job description:

1. Employer should think before they hire a candidate.

2. The job requirement should be reasonable and made with good faith.
3. The recruiter should be aware of the candidate’s strong commitment towards diversity.
4. The recruiter should post job description that will be abided by the organization’s standards, but at the same time
he/she should not discriminate the candidates by posting “People with disabilities are not allowed”.
5. While the auditing is done, the managers should be more specific about the job description of the new employee.
6. The human resource team should intimate the candidates that job description will be the major part of the
evaluation process.
7. They should also request the candidates to mention if they are currently employed or not.

A format of a Job Description:

Job description should be present in a proper format that will attract the applicants.

1. Title/Designation about the job and the corresponding location.

2. Nature of duties along with the operations to be performed.
3. Nature of authority regarding the relationships.
4. Eligibility criteria that should be matched with respective job.
5. Accommodation and working condition along with the performance of that particular job should be mentioned.

Typical Sections of Job Description:

This involves a huge summary of the key responsibilities. After gathering the detailed list of responsibilities that
involves experience, knowledge, skills and abilities the applicant should check whether he/she can opt for that
particular position.

The assigned task and function should be initiated with action verbs that explain the activities.

Few of the action words are listed below:

Controls

Develops

Evaluates

Supervises

Trains

Advantages and Disadvantages of Job Description:

There are huge benefits of having a job description.Even though there are large benefits in job description, there are
few of the disadvantages which both the employer and the applicant face. Mentioned here are few advantages and
disadvantages of job description.

Advantages of job description:

1. A project lead or a team lead must have a higher range of profile which will help him/her to face the challenges in
the other organization. Also this helps him/her deal with the staff and the other business officials of the same
community.
2. To design and to deliver a project to an enterprise that helps one for the chances of employability.
3. Job description helps one to support the career worker teams to embed the new employee with practical
entrepreneurial experiences into their curriculum and to provide guidance as needed.
4. The concept of entrepreneurship, employees the staff through innovative and cost-effective
5. To establish and improve the usage of mobile applications as a communication tool and social media for
employability by the enterprise.
6. It provides an opportunity to build a smooth and good relationship within the enterprise
7. It helps in better recruitment process for the employer.
8. It is transparent, in which the job credentials and experience of the applicant will be known to the employer.
9. Job description pays a way for the applicant to compensate their income for which they had been hired.
10. Decreases liability, because the Job description provides a documented review of potential of the applicants.
11. Job description is explained to manage the performance of the job requirements.
12. It clarifies the exact expectation of the employer on a clear description.
13. It helps one to become aware of the position he/she has been hired for.
14. It renders the structure and discipline of the enterprise which the applicants should abide.
15. Once the Job description is submitted to the employer, then he/she can create things by using his/her own
equipment and the related systems.
16. It helps one to identify whether the applicant is qualified for the hired position or not.
17. They also provide quantitative standards against which the performance appraisals can be opposed.
Disadvantages of Job Description:

1. Job description in few cases tends to typecast the applicant that means being an initiative or improving the
methods and procedures are prohibited.
2. It should be updated periodically; otherwise, it may lead to outdated data or information.
3. Time commitment towards the assigned work will play a major role in job description.
4. It becomes outdated quickly.
5. Discourages the innovative ideas which may or may not take the enterprise to greater extent.
6. Sometimes, it does not meet the employee expectations.
7. Poorly-written job descriptions of the applicant might take them to a wrong doing activities i.e. illegal activities.
8. Job description explained by the employer and submitted by the employee should correlate each other.
9. If measurable focus is not done upon job description then the applicant will be terminated or eliminated for the
assigned work.

Job description helps the employees to clearly identify the responsibilities of a particular job. It can also be handled
on the legal basis which will help the candidate to be on the safer side. Hence the candidate should be more specific
while writing a job description and even the Human resource members while posting it.

Suppose the regional sales manager who needs to hire four (4) sales people delegates recruiting and internal
screening to the regional HR office. What type of information must be exchanged between sales manager and the
recruiter to maximize the likelihood of successful recruiting effort?

RECRUITING

When Building Your Team, Delegate Recruiting But Hiring Is Your Job

As a leader, you know that delegation is key to being effective. But you also know that your judgment,
experience and bird’s-eye perspective on your organization’s priorities plays a huge role in creating results.

Especially when it comes to an investment as high-risk/high-reward as hiring, it can be stressful and downright scary
to turn control over to others. Some elements of the hiring process can be delegated safely and others are sacred
territory for you, the hiring manager to oversee every time.

Related: Could an In-House Recruiter Be the Key to Success Your Startup Is Missing?

Here’s what you need to know, starting with the parts of hiring you should never delegate:

Final approval on job descriptions. You need to know what prospective employees are reading about your
organization and the role(s) that you have open.

Final selection of a top choice candidate from a set of finalists. You need to personally talk to and understand
each of the top two or three finalists. At the end of the day, the decision needs to be yours so that you have buy-in
from yourself and your team about the choice. Hiring decisions by committee are fine for short listing, but never for
the final pick.

If you have a recruiter who is trying to persuade you to take one finalist over another, then you’re working with the
wrong one. They should know that, ultimately, you have far greater context about your organization and the role.
The final call always needs to be firmly in your hands. If you have a board member or advisor who is doing the
same thing, then you need to gently but firmly remind them that it is your decision to make, for the same reason.

Making the offer. Though it is possible to have recruiters or other parties extend the offer, for top talent it is very
important that you, the leader, the person they are coming to work for or the person representing the HR function, be
the one to extend the offer.

Best practices for making the offer differ depending on the context but, regardless of the delivery of a formal or
preliminary/informal offer, it means a lot more coming from you. Start the relationship off on the right foot by
inviting them to be a part of the team yourself.

Related: Could This New Recruiting Tool Be a Bigger, Smarter LinkedIn?

Onboarding. There’s simply too much at stake during a new hire’s first 90 days. You need to personally design and
oversee the onboarding process for anyone that you have been responsible for hiring.

There are some parts of hiring you can delegate, but at your own risk. Tread cautiously.

Gathering insights. When you work with recruiters, whether internal or external, or use hiring assessments, part of
what you’re paying for is the insights that these third parties provide. This includes profiles, scores, or rankings on
individual candidates.

While these insights can be extremely valuable, you also need to be careful about how you use them. While it’s fine
to let them form an initial impression or add a different perspective, you must approach your finalists with an open
mind and do your own due diligence on them.

Shifting the responsibility for evaluating candidates to someone else (even good recruiters) means offloading one of
your core responsibilities: gathering the info needed for you to make a sound decision on whom to hire.
Lastly, there are parts of hiring that you should delegate as much as possible.

Drafting job descriptions. Unless the role being hired for is directly reporting to you, the odds are that people
elsewhere in your organizations have a better grasp of exactly what this person will be doing, and exactly what type
of work style, personality, etc., would be best fit for the role. Let them do the initial drafting to inform your thinking
and avoid having it be a mental obstacle for you.

Also note that not all job descriptions are created equally. In today’s talent market, you need JDs that are as accurate
and compelling as possible, not just a list of facts about the job and company. If you’re not a natural copywriter, it’s
best to get help from someone who is so that your ideal candidates are compelled to apply when they read about
your role.

Sourcing. Since you’re the expert at doing your job, you’re probably not an expert in knowing exactly where to look
for the ideal candidates for your roles, especially passive candidates who don’t hang out on job boards eagerly
looking for work.

It’s worth your time to delegate the actual detective work of figuring out where to find the candidates that you need
to vet. Assigning it to someone on your team if they have a lot of bandwidth to devote to sourcing and are familiar
with the role. Working with a recruiter you trust is better still. Sourcing is, literally, what they do for a living.

Screening. Most hiring managers mistakenly spend 60-80 percent of their time screening out bad candidates,
leaving only 20-40 percent of their precious time and energy for the really hard and important part, which
is choosing from amongst finalists.

Hiring someone else to wade through resumes, do phone screens and even first-round interviews is a perfect
example of effective delegation. Just make sure that they are clear in what they are screening for/against. They
should be using objective scorecards to avoid random drift or systemic bias in the process.

By following these guidelines, you can safely free yourself from the legwork and confidently dedicate your attention
to the most high-leverage uses possible. Place trust in your hiring team and get back to executing on your biggest
opportunities – as a strong leader should.

360 Degree Feedback: See the Good, the Bad and the Ugly

Want to make people happy? Anxious? Care to create an uproar in your organization? Want to stir up all of the
dormant fear hidden just below the surface in your organization? You think we're talking about laying off half your
staff—right?

Wrong. we're talking about organizations that do a poor job of introducing and implementing 360 degree or multi-
rater feedback. Indeed, we're also talking about organizations that do a good job of introducing 360-degree feedback.
Nothing raises hackles as fiercely as a change in performance feedback methods, especially when they affect
compensation decisions.

What Is 360 Degree Feedback?

360 degree feedback is a method and a tool that provides each employee the opportunity to receive performance
feedback from his or her supervisor and four to eight peers, reporting staff members, coworkers, and customers.
Most 360 degree feedback tools are also responded to by each individual in a self-assessment.

360 degree feedback allows each individual to understand how his effectiveness as an employee, coworker or staff
member is viewed by others. The most effective 360 degree feedback processes provide feedback that is based on
behaviors that other employees can see.

The feedback provides insight into the skills and behaviors desired in the organization to accomplish
the mission, vision, and goals and live the values. The feedback is firmly planted in behaviors needed to exceed
customer expectations.

People who are chosen as raters or feedback providers, usually are selected in a shared process by both the
organization and employee. These are people who generally interact routinely with the person receiving feedback.

The purpose of the 360 degree feedback is to assist each individual to understand his strengths and weaknesses and
to contribute insights into aspects of his work needing professional development. Debates of all kinds are raging in
the world of organizations about how to:

Select the feedback tool and process

Choose the raters

Use the feedback

Review the feedback

Manage and integrate the process into a larger performance management system

360 degree feedback is a positive addition to your performance management system when implemented with care
and training to enable people to better serve customers and develop their own careers. However, if you approach it
haphazardly because everyone else is doing it, 360 feedback will create a disaster requiring months and possibly
years for you to recover.

Pros of 360 Degree Feedback

360 degree feedback has many positive aspects and many proponents.

According to Jack Zenger, he has come to recognize "...the value of 360 feedback as a central part of leadership
development programs. It’s a practical way to get a large group of leaders in an organization to be comfortable with
receiving feedback from direct reports, peers, bosses and other groups. Once leaders begin to see the huge value to
be gained, in fact, we see them add other groups to their raters such as suppliers, customers, or those two levels
below them in the organization."

And later, Zenger adds: "More than 85% of all the Fortune 500 companies use the 360 degree feedback process as a
cornerstone of their overall leadership development process. If you are not a current user, we encourage you to take
a fresh look."

Organizations that are happy with the 360 degree component of their performance management systems identify
these positive features of the process that manifest in a well-managed, well-integrated 360 degree feedback
processes.

Improved Feedback From More Sources: This method provides well-rounded feedback from peers, reporting
staff, coworkers and supervisors and can be a definite improvement over feedback from a single individual. 360
feedback can also save managers’ time in that they can spend less energy providing feedbackas more people
participate in the process. Coworker perception is important and the process helps people understand how other
employees view their work.

Team Development: This feedback approach helps team members learn to work more effectively together. (Teams
know more about how team members are performing than their supervisor.) Multi-rater feedback makes team
members more accountable to each other as they share the knowledge that they will provide input on each members’
performance. A well-planned process can improve communication and team development.

Personal and Organizational Performance Development: 360 degree feedback is one of the best methods for
understanding personal and organizational developmental needs in your organization.

Responsibility for Career Development: For many reasons, organizations are no longer responsible for developing
the careers of their employees—if they ever were. Multi-rater feedback can provide excellent information to an
individual about what she needs to do to enhance her career. Additionally, many employeesfeel 360 degree feedback
is more accurate, more reflective of their performance, and more validating than feedback from a supervisor alone.
This makes the information more useful for both career and personal development.

Reduced Discrimination Risk: When feedback comes from a number of individuals in various job
functions, discrimination because of race, age, gender, and so forthis reduced. The "horns and halo" effect, in which
a supervisor rates performance based on her most recent interactions with the employee, is also minimized.

Improved Customer Service: Each person receives valuable feedback about the quality of his product or services,
especially in feedback processes that involve the internal or external customer. This feedback should enable the
individual to improve the quality, reliability, promptness, and comprehensiveness of these products and services.

Training Needs Assessment: 360 degree feedback provides comprehensive information about organization training
needs and thus allows planning for classes, cross-functional responsibilities, and cross-training.

A 360 degree feedback system does have a good side. However, 360 degree feedback also has a bad side—even an
ugly side.

Downside to 360 Degree Feedback

For every positive point made about 360 degree feedback systems, detractors can offer the downside. The down side
is important because it gives you a road map of what to avoid when you implement a 360 feedback process.

The following are potential problems with 360 degree feedback processes and a recommended solution for each.

Exceptional Expectations for the Process: 360 degree feedback is not the same as a performance management
system. It is merely a part of the feedback and development that a performance management system offers within an
organization. Additionally, proponents may lead participants to expect too much from this feedback system in their
efforts to obtain organizational support for its implementation. Make sure that the 360 feedback is integrated into a
complete performance management system.

Design Process Downfalls: Often, a 360 degree feedback process arrives as a recommendation from the HR
department or is shepherded in by an executive who learned about the process at a seminar or in a book. Just as an
organization implements any planned change, the implementation of 360 degree feedback should follow effective
change management guidelines. A cross-section of the people who will have to live with and utilize the process
should explore and develop the process for your organization.

Failure to Connect the Process: For a 360 feedback process to work, it must be connected with the overall strategic
aims of your organization. If you have identified competencies or have comprehensive job descriptions, give people
feedback on their performance of the expected competencies and job duties. The system will fail if it is an add-on
rather than a supporter of your organization’s fundamental direction and requirements. It must function as a measure
of your accomplishment of your organization’s big and long-term picture.

Insufficient Information: Since 360 degree feedback processes are currently usually anonymous, people receiving
feedback have no recourse if they want to further understand the feedback. They have no one to ask for clarification
about unclear comments or for more information about particular ratings and their basis. Thus, developing 360
process coaches is important. Supervisors, HR staff people, interested managers, and others are taught to assist
people to understand their feedback and trained to help people develop action plans based on the feedback.

Focus on Negatives and Weaknesses: At least one book, "First Break All the Rules: What The World's Greatest
Managers Do Differently," advises that great managers focus on employee strengths, not weaknesses. The authors
said, "People don't change that much. Don't waste time trying to put in what was left out. Try to draw out what was
left in. That is hard enough."

Rater Inexperience and Ineffectiveness: In addition to the insufficient training organizations provide both people
receiving feedback and people providing feedback, there are numerous ways raters go wrong. They may inflate
ratings to make an employee look good. They may deflate ratings to make an individual look bad. They may
informally band together to make the system artificially inflate everyone’s performance. Checks and balances must
exist to prevent these pitfalls.

Paperwork/Computer Data Entry Overload: In traditional 360 evaluations, multi-rater feedback upped the sheer
number of people participating in the process and the subsequent time invested. Fortunately, most multi-rater
feedback systems now have online entry and reporting systems. This has almost eliminated this former downside.

There are negatives with the 360 degree feedback processes, but with any performance feedback process, it can
increase positive, powerful problem solving and provide you with a profoundly supportive, organization-affirming
method for promoting employee growth and development.

However, in the worst case, it saps morale, destroys motivation, and enables disenfranchised employees to go for the
jugular or plot revenge scenarios against people who rated their performance less than perfect.

Which scenario will your organization choose? It’s all about the details. Think profoundly before you move forward,
learn from the mistakes of others and assess your organization’s readiness. Apply effective change management
strategies to planning and implementation. Do the right things right and you will add a powerful tool to your
performance management and enhancement toolkit.