New to HR in a Small Company? Seeking Advice on Getting Started and Managing Files

Guidance Needed for Starting HR Work

Dear Seniors, please help me as I have newly joined the HR department. I am the first person in the HR department. Could you guide me on how to start HR work initially? Which types of files should I maintain? Your assistance in this matter would be greatly appreciated.

Company Details
- Employees: 85
- Manufacturing: CNC sheet metal, UPS ports
- 3 shifts are in place

Thank you,

Regards,
Susheela Dayanand

Good. Please inform about yourself. If you are a professional with a degree in HR and have experience creating an HR department, it is not a problem.

Categorize Basic HR Functions

Categorize the basic functions like time office works, welfare works, personnel works, and HR works. Your strength is 85, so a single person can handle the initial setup. Your first step is to gather details about the manpower and categorize them into contract, skilled, unskilled, apprentices, probation, confirmed, staff, etc.

Consultation and Compliance

Consult with your management for statutory benefits and legal compliance. Monitor and determine the shift times, maintain attendance, and overtime registers. Monitor the welfare activities that are in practice. Go through the labor laws and maintain the registers and records as per laws. These are the basics for HR functions.

Regards,
Thangaveluchinnathambi

You are a lucky person as you have a challenging job - setting up an HR department. Firstly, concentrate on the employees' database. Prepare and maintain individual personal files for each employee. Also, ask your management to install an employee database software (Emptrack is a good software). Remember, just as a hospital maintains medical records of patients to show their medical history, an HR representative should maintain personal records of each employee to display their personal and career history.

With best wishes,

Regards,
R K Nair

Firstly, I would like to congratulate you on your new position as an HR personnel. It is indeed a challenging role, especially when tasked with establishing a new department. This requires you to be meticulous in creating a human resources manual, which will serve as your guiding tool for effective management.

Next Steps in HR Management

Your next steps should involve preparing guidelines and procedures for your staff members' daily operations. It is crucial to familiarize yourself with the labor laws specific to our country to ensure compliance within the organization. Additionally, creating standard forms for various types of leaves such as annual leave, sick leave, maternity/paternity leave, and holiday leave is essential.

Furthermore, organizing and maintaining individual employee files, along with keeping accurate records, are vital aspects of your role. Attached herewith, you will find a sample of a human resource manual for your reference as you develop your management style.

Kind regards,
Pytah

Great! That's a big opportunity for you, but remember it's also a big responsibility. You can start by maintaining the records of all employees. Then you can identify what should be updated and done first.

By the way, I also need all your help. I was assigned to generate and issue new employee numbers. Our company is a group of companies, so it has different divisions. I already have an idea regarding the employee number; however, there is a situation where the employee number indicates the division of the employee. But what if the employee is transferred to another division? Should we issue another employee number or remain the same?

For example:
Employee A in XYZ Division
Current employee ID: XYZ-08-02-2013-001
Transferred to ABC Division on January 5, 2014.
Looking forward to your suggestions. Thank you!

Congratulations on your new job, which is the world's most fantastic and challenging too. Just keep one thing in mind - 'anything you construct, the SKELETON is the main part.' Do the skeleton first as R K Nair said in his post because before you get into work, you should know the person you are talking to - the ins and outs of a person, so only then you can predict how they will react to your words. In no way should you show your attitude towards them, because the department you are in is meant to handle people with problems only. Unless you know the person, it can lead to a mess. Once the skeleton is done, you can add flesh to it, making it much easier for you. Just as hands do certain jobs and legs others, similarly, you will find different departments within yourself which will be fascinating to explore. I hope you understand my point.

All the best!

Cheers

Congratulations on getting an opportunity to start a challenging job. The information and suggestions provided are enough to help you prepare a basic plan. Now, you should summarize all suggestions and set goals accordingly.

As you enter a new environment, consider how you will involve and interact with employees around you.

Best of luck.

Regards,
Lalit
[Email Removed For Privacy Reasons]

It should be another employee number; otherwise, you will not be able to categorize. The best way would be to terminate the existing employee and reissue a new employee ID for a different division (mention in the termination as Transfer) 

Congratulations on a great assignment! Ideally, you can start by designing the organization's structure, creating departments, assigning roles, and developing job descriptions for each role, along with defining key result areas (KRA) and key performance indicators (KPI) for each role. This procedure serves as a fundamental step in initiating HR practices within a new organization.

Please feel free to reach out if you require further clarification.

Thanks & Regards,
Nilesh Sachdev
[Email Removed For Privacy Reasons]

1. Pre-Recruitment Process

a. Receipt of manpower requirements from various department heads.
b. Scrutinize them and take approval from concerned authorities if the post is new.
c. Prepare a recruitment budget and CTC for the employee and take approval.
d. Select the appropriate recruitment process.

2. Recruitment Process

a. Prepare advertisements, etc., for recruitment.
b. Scrutinize and shortlist the applications received.
c. Send interview call letters/mails as required.
d. Conduct interviews through panels.
e. Prepare offer letters as required.

3. Joining Formalities

a. Administering joining formalities.
b. Pre-employment reference checks.
c. Preparation of appointment advice and intimating the same to other departments.
d. Preparing and entering new hire paperwork.
e. Coordinating to get employee ID cards.
f. Handing over the new hire to the concerned HOD/Manager.
g. Preparation of job profiles in coordination with HOD/Managers for new posts.

4. Employee Personal File Maintenance

a. Opening new files and closing resigned employees' files.
b. Ensure all employee files are maintained safely with care.
c. Ensure all personal records are available in the files.
d. Periodic personal file auditing.

5. Employee Database

a. Keeping track of knowledge management software.
b. Maintenance of HRIS.

6. Confirmation Formalities

a. Intimating the concerned HOD/Manager about the due dates for confirmation.
b. Conducting confirmation appraisals.
c. Coordinating for skill gap analysis.
d. Coordinating to set quality objectives for each job profile.
e. Ensuring updating of the existing job profiles.
f. Processing the confirmation.

7. ISO Compliance

a. Ensuring all the updating of the ISO documentation and HR formats.
b. Learning and enforcing Standard Operating Procedures (SOP).
c. Facing internal and external audits, accountable to enforce the correctional actions.

8. Statutory Compliance

a. Handling PF and ESI formalities and coordinating with other departments.
b. Handling apprentice training, submitting periodic returns to the board.
c. Submitting other returns to the labor department as per the Shops and Establishment Act.

9. Training and Development

a. Conducting induction training for new hires.
b. Training need analysis based on skill gap analysis, appraisal feedback, and suggestions.
c. Coordinating external and internal training programs.
d. Maintaining training records.
e. Analysis of training feedback.

10. Performance Appraisal

a. Prepared the new appraisal form.
b. Educated employees about self-appraisal.
c. Provided inputs to HODs for appraisals.
d. Prepared appraisal letters.

11. Employee Relations

a. Having formal and informal counseling with employees.
b. Prepared an event calendar of monthly recreation to motivate employees.
c. Handling corporate medical insurance.
d. Processing required letters on employees' requests.

12. Report Generation

a. Generating and analyzing employee attrition reports, training evaluation, and manpower status.
b. Weekly and monthly recruitment reports.
c. Report generation of pre-appraisal, appraisal, and post-appraisals.
d. Salary details reports to the accounts department.
e. Reports as per the HOD's request.

13. Exit Formalities

a. Administering exit paperwork including all statutory requirements.
b. Conducting exit interviews.
c. Preparing exit interview summaries.
d. Giving post-employment references for relieved employees.
e. Processing files to the accounts department for final settlement.

Activities of HR Department

Strategic

Organization Development

- Organization Mission/Vision, Business Goals, Strategy
- Organization Life Cycle Stage
- Organization Competency Identification (Key Competencies Required)
- Competency Dictionary - Definitions
- Proficiency Levels Defined
- Existing Organization Competency Assessment
- Existing Proficiency Levels
- Competency Prioritization
- GAP Analysis
- Competency Map (Employee Ratings, Observed/Desired/Gaps)
- Employee Prioritization for Competency Development
- Competency Development Program
- Competency Mapping Industry/Competitor Analysis

Performance Management

Strategic

- Performance Management & Review Mechanism
- Key Result Areas
- Key Performance Indicators (Highest/Ideal Performance Expected)
- Key Deliverables (Role Definition)
- Competence Required
- Position Descriptions Mapping across Organization
- Performance Agreement
- Goals/Objectives
- Key Deliverables (Role Definition)

Professional & Administrative

- Performance & Potential Evaluation
- Goals/Objectives (Previous Year)
- Key Deliverables Assessment (3m, 6m, 9m, Yearly)
- Developmental Deliverables Assessment (3m, 6m, 9m, Yearly)
- Shortfalls in Deliverables Achievements
- Significant Achievements
- Strengths & Weaknesses
- Competency Ratings (Managerial/Behavioral/Functional)
- Trainings Received/Required Analysis
- Performance Scores (Deliverables & Competencies Ratings)
- Final Performance Ratings
- Miscellaneous Discussions
- Recommendations
- Rewards & Recognitions - What is to be Rewarded/Awarded?
- Overall Performance
- Critical Performance
- Spot Performance
- Personality Growth
- Loyalty Recognition
- Best of the Best (Individual, Team, Group Recognitions)
- Developmental Deliverables (for Career/Succession Planning)
- Trainings Required (Objective, Priority, Evaluation Parameters)
- Organization Support Required
- Career Planning
- Succession Planning

Recruitment & Selection

Strategic

- GAP Analysis/Future Requirements
- Budgeting New Manpower, Cost Estimates
- Recruitment Plan of Action (Numbers, Time Frame, Sources, Cost, Internal Movement)
- Internal Resources/External Resources
- Position Description
- Candidate Specification
- Experience Specification (Mandatory/Preferred)
- Key Performance Indicators (Highest/Ideal Performance Expected)
- Key Deliverables (Role Definition)
- Competence Required

Professional & Administrative

- Sources of Manpower (External)
- Placement Consultants
- Job Sites
- Advertisements
- Campus Recruitment
- Employee Referrals
- Head Hunting
- Networking
- Professional Institutions
- Vendor Relationship Management (Agreements, Contracts, Quotes)
- Manpower Requisition Process (Authorization, Documentation, Closures)
- Selection Methodology
- Interview Process (Panel, Evaluation Methodology)
- Testing Processes (Test Instruments, Administration, Monitoring)
- Documentation
- Forms & Formats (Requisition, Application Blanks, Interview Evaluations)
- Recruitment MIS Reports

Training & Development

Strategic

- Training Needs Identification
- Skill-Gap Analysis
- Competency Map (Employee Ratings, Observed/Desired/Gaps)
- Training & Development Plans (Technical/Soft Skills/Knowledge)
- Competency Development Programme
- Behavioral & Functional
- Skill Development Programme
- Performance Improvement Programme

Professional & Administrative

- Training Calendar
- Prioritized List of Training Programs
- Individual Analysis
- Faculty Feedback & Analysis
- Employee/Supervisor Feedback
- Developing Knowledge Sharing Practices
- Training Effectiveness Parameters
- Key Improvement Indicators Defined (Performance, Skills, Competence)
- Time Frame for Improvement
- Review Mechanism

Employee Satisfaction & Motivation

Strategic

- Organization's Philosophy & Values
- Work Culture
- Best HR Practices/Policy
- Grievance Management Process

Professional & Administrative

- Employee Communication – Formal & Informal
- Notice Boards
- Intranet
- Emails
- Circulars
- Inter-Dept Meetings
- Dept Meetings
- Staff Meetings
- Suggestion Scheme
- Newsletter
- Work Culture Survey, Analysis & Findings
- Employee Satisfaction Survey, Analysis & Findings
- Effective Grievance Resolution

Personnel & Administration

Professional & Administrative

- Offer/Appointment Letters, Compensation Sheet, Contract Letters, Consultant Agreements, etc.
- Salary Fitment Benchmarks/Salary Matrix
- Joining Formalities & Documentations
- Documentation Coding & Revision Guidelines
- Induction & Orientation Company Overview (History, Business, Market, Products/Services, Geography)
- Company Presentations
- Key Personnel Meetings
- Technical/Domain/Process Training Programme
- Maintaining & Updating Personnel Files
- Compensation & Benefits Administration Salary Structure (Fixed, Variables, Perks)
- Employee Welfare Schemes
- Insurance Covers
- Retiral Benefits
- Tax Consulting
- Legal Compliances (Employment/Labor/Compensation Acts)
- Incentives, Motivational Allowances
- Employee Relations Employee Benefit Schemes
- Birthdays/Anniversaries
- Festival Events
- Sports Events
- Inter-Dept Events/Competitions/Games/Quizzes
- Health & Safety Measures

Also, click on the below link:

https://www.citehr.com/108493-how-do...essionals.html

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Here Are Some Useful Guidelines to Set Up HR Department

Stage 1

- Review the current practices/policies [if any]
- Audit all HR activities that are performed [even in the crude format]

Here Are the Core HR KRAs (Key Result Areas)

- KRA 1: Recruitment/Selection
- KRA 2: Workforce Planning and Diversity
- KRA 3: Performance Management
- KRA 4: Reward Management
- KRA 5: Workplace Management and Relations
- KRA 6: A Safe and Healthy Workplace
- KRA 7: Building Capabilities and Organizational Learning
- KRA 8: Effective HR Management Systems, Support, and Monitoring

Stage 2

- Understand the organization
- Understand the organization structure
- Understand the organization systems
- Understand the organization politics/influential people
- Understand the organization/individual roles
- Understand the organization/positions
- Understand the individual job descriptions
- Understand the job/job specifications, etc.

Stage 3

- Discuss the values/beliefs with senior management/CEO and the need for an HR department.
- Discuss the expectations from the HR department - short/medium/long term.
- Discuss with the CEO the organization's corporate objectives/strategies and how HR can contribute to the corporate objectives.
- Discuss/seek consensus on organization structure/management process.
- Discuss the current organization culture with senior management.
- Discuss with CEO/senior management the core activities/competences and business drivers of the organization.

To get a good start and hold your credibility, you need this information to start your work in the HR department.

Get a copy of the corporate plan, which outlines the company's:

- Vision
- Mission
- Corporate Objectives
- Corporate Strategies, etc.

The HR department is a support unit and hence must work closely with other departments.

Stage 4

Even though there is currently no HR department, there are a number of HR activities being carried out now.

You have to know what they are/how it is being carried out/by whom.

To collect and consolidate these, you need to do a quick HR audit of the present situation.

After you gather all the information and summarize it, you should sit down with your boss (CEO) and discuss and prioritize the items as follows:

- Urgent/Important
- Urgent/Not Important
- Not Urgent/Important
- Not Urgent/Not Important, but needed down the line.

Stage 5

Please review the HR manual as listed below.

Pick points out of it as per your need, based on your discussion/audit results.

You may want to start up with:

- HR department objectives.
- HR department strategies
- Draft on recruitment/selection procedure/process
- Draft on organization/structure
- Draft on jobs' analyses/job descriptions/job specifications/competences
- Draft on payroll/compensation/administration
- Appointment/confirmation/termination/resignation/procedures/process
- Induction program
- Orientation program
- Employee communications
- Training & development of the employees
- Performance appraisals/management

Once you have the preliminary draft ready, you can start with your employee handbook.

Stage 6

Review the HRM processes, make a note of what you think are important for the company and the priority ones.

HRM Processes

- HR auditing
- HR budgeting
- Strategic HRM planning
- HR strategies and policies.
- HR and change management.
- Competency-based HR
- Knowledge management

Job Development

- Job analysis
- Job role
- Job description.
- Job specifications
- Job enrichment
- Job rotation

Recruitment/Selection

- Recruitment
- Selection
- Induction
- Orientation

Organizational Behavior Programs

- Employee engagement
- Motivation
- Organization culture
- Organization development

Organization

- Org. designing
- Org. structuring
- Org. development
- Job/role structuring

Human Resourcing

- HR planning
- Manpower planning
- Succession planning
- Talent management

Performance Management

- Performance appraisals
- Performance managing the processes.

HR Development

- Org. learning
- Training
- Education
- Development
- Training evaluation
- E-learning
- Management development
- Career planning/development.

Reward Management

- Job evaluation
- Managing reward process
- Administration of rewards
- Benefits

Employee Relations

- Organization communications
- Employee communications.
- Staff amenities

Health and Safety

- OHS

Human Resource Information System

Stage 7

Review the HRM systems, make a note of what you think are important for the company and the priority ones.

HR Systems

- HR strategic planning system
- Human resource planning system
- Manpower planning system
- Job profiling system
- Recruitment & selection system
- Performance appraisal system
- Performance management system
- People development systems
- Career planning and development system
- Succession planning system
- Job enrichment system
- Compensation planning and packaging system

This is just a common list.

After Stage 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, make a report:

- What is the current situation
- What kind of HR department is required.
- What you think are your priorities
- What is your action plan
- What is the time schedule.

Regards,

Setting Up HR Files and Reports

You start work by setting up personal files for all staff members and then creating department-wise manpower reports. Make a list of all staff members categorized by department.

Congratulations on your new assignment. I know it's very tough to set up any department, and the HR department has a vast role and responsibility. However, at the same time, it is not impossible; take it as a challenge. I faced the same problem when I joined my first HR job, but time passes, and now everything is under my control.

Steps to Establish an HR Department

First, prepare your organizational organogram. Then, collect employee information from different departments. Once you have gathered employees' information regarding their work, you can create job descriptions for employees, making it easy to develop an Employee Handbook. Proceed with a step-by-step approach.

Regards,
SWETA SATYAM HR

Indeed, it is a very challenging job that you have. First of all, prepare the files of employees, including their date of joining, contractual and permanent status, terms and conditions of employment, joining dates, work and career history. If this information is not available, develop a form to collect these details, including employee numbers and company card details. Get to know your employees first; focus on filling in the basic areas. Additionally, having an effective attendance management system is crucial.

Key Areas to Focus On

- Work stations
- Job descriptions
- Person specifications
- Company hierarchy
- Designations
- Hiring and firing procedures
- Performance appraisals
- Leave management
- Employee record-keeping

Make sure your employees understand the importance of having an HR department within the company by assigning relevant responsibilities.