Policies and Procedures for Today

03/07/07

Society—the demographic and social setting in which your organization does business—is changing rapidly.

As a result, you may need to adopt or adapt policies and practices in four key areas to keep up with the times—and to ensure the safety, competitiveness, and retention of your workforce.

1. Violence
There is no doubt that violence is seeping into the workplace in ways it never did before. Weapons are used in the most unlikely places by the most unlikely of individuals. If you haven’t already, you must face the fact that violence could erupt in your workplace.

The first step in safeguarding your employees is to create a violence-in-the-workplace policy. The policy should state your company’s stand against the use of weapons of any kind in the workplace and the consequences if anyone violates the policy.

Besides informing your employees of the policy effectively, make sure you have procedures in place to enforce it.

And take a look at current workplace security. Consider having a security expert review your site and procedures. He or she can suggest changes that will increase the safety of your workers.

2. The Aging Workforce
The statistics don’t lie. The average age of the population in the United States is going up and with it the average age of your workers.

This is affecting the business world in extraordinary ways, from the products companies offer to the pool of workers available to fill vacant positions.

While some companies are working vigorously to lure the limited number of new workers with unheard-of benefits, more are simply trying to keep hold of the workers they have.

One new effort in forward-thinking companies is to find ways to retain the skills of older workers in creative ways.

Two ways to do that are to allow:

Flex time. This gives workers a window of time they can begin and end work, while making sure they are on the job during core hours (say, from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.).
Job sharing. Generally, this means two employees sharing one job. It’s a great option for working parents as well as for seniors.

In addition, consider creating part-time positions for high-level work, or simply do a better job keeping older workers challenged.

If your company has a retirement policy, now is the time to review it and ensure it helps you retain older workers. Forced-retirement requirements—illegal except for some police officers, fire fighters, and those in high-level executive positions with rich retirement packages—could be especially harmful. Why force wisdom and experience out the door?

Also, some pension plans discourage workers from working past age sixty-five. Review yours and decide whether it complements your desire to retain able employees of all ages.

3. Internet
Use of the Internet is now the norm rather than the exception in the workplace. And why not? It’s a tool that links you and your company to the world easily and inexpensively.

Because the Internet is now as important to your business as the telephone, it’s important to set usage guidelines for your employees. That’s something many companies have yet to do.

Companies without policies could face problems. Why? For one thing, some employees lose self-control and spend too much time chatting with friends or visiting Web sites on personal business.

Another concern is that some Web-surfing employees may violate the rights of others. If an employee views pornographic Web sites that others see, or if anyone receives raunchy, unwanted material via e-mail, your company may find itself in a vulnerable situation.

Consider crafting a companion policy for use of the Web.

When adopting any Internet policy:

Specify clearly to whom it applies.

Specify whether any personal use is permissible.

Prohibit employees from downloading programs or games.

Mandate scanning files for viruses.

Forbid visits to pornographic or discriminatory Web sites—or any that in any way disparage anyone of a certain sex, color, race, nationality, or age.

Forbid solicitation, political lobbying, or use for personal economic gain.

Once you have a policy in place, consider having employees sign it.

One last thing: Many experts now recommend you define for employees the nature of slander, libel, and defamation, as well as outline the basics of copyright law. Many people blunder into these sensitive areas in sheer ignorance.

4. The Employee Market and Work/Life Considerations
The final societal change is the change in the job market from a buyer’s market, with the employer in control, to a seller’s market, with the employee in control.

Few employers have truly acknowledged that the power has shifted. But look at the facts: It wasn’t long ago you could get a dozen competent applicants for each position you had open. Now, if a good applicant comes in your door, chances are that you are competing with two or three other organizations eager to hire the same person.

Companies must work hard to find creative ways to keep employees and to lure new ones.

One key way to attract and retain quality workers is to provide flexibility and choice in setting work hours and days. This helps solve the work/life dilemma so many dual-career couples face: not enough time.

Providing flexibility and choice reflects a new truth: that today’s workers no longer live to work. Rather, they work to live. They make employment choices based on interests outside of work and how a job will impact the family.

How you choose to implement a flexible work schedule varies depending on company needs and employee requirements. Besides flex time and shared jobs (mentioned above), your choices include:

Compressed workweek. Some employers allow workers to fit a forty-hour week into four or even three days, giving them an extra day or two to take care of chores or pursue a hobby.
Project-based schedules. This option allows employees to work whenever they want as long as they complete their work by a certain deadline.
Telecommuting. A work arrangement in which employees enjoy flexibility in working location and hours. This may also be referred to as working from home.