New to HR Management - HELP!

jburmeister · September 2003

[font size="1" color="#FF0000"]LAST EDITED ON 09-21-03 AT 08:21AM (CST)[/font][p][font size="1" color="#FF0000"]LAST EDITED ON 09-21-03 AT 08:16 AM (CST)[/font]

Hey, everyone! I just started my new HR Manager position last Wednesday for a small (45 employees) very NEW company - less than 1 year old. They did not have a Human Resources department before me. Within 3 days, I have already had to resolve about 3 major personnel issues and have had literally NO time to set up my files and get organized. I don't know about you guys, but I must have some kind of organization and work flow process before I am of service to anyone. I have stayed from 9am - 9pm each day trying to get some things under control, and I am just getting a bit overwhelmed. I guess this is very different for me because this is my first "Management" position - before I was actually reporting to a Director of HR. Now that person is me.

I guess what I am asking from you guys is a way to "deal" with being needed constantly vs. taking the time to do the administrative, compliance and paperwork - I MUST get this company's internal processes in place before anything else, yet they have so many employee personnel issues that need resolved because they really had no one to go to before I was there. I want to be there for them, but at the same time I have to get these company processes in place...and my own processes in place! On top of all this, I am also responsible for benefits and recruiting...2 more major things, and I really have no materials yet - no enrollment forms, no SPDs, no HIPAA policy... nothing.

I love HR, and I love being able to help employees on a daily basis, but I need a few days (or at least sections of my days) to get some organizing, ordering and research done.

Any suggestions, comments, etc.?

(:l

Thanks in advance for any help, guys!

System · September 2003

My opinion is that the problem you are experiencing is the same one we all experience from time to time. We all get so overwhelmed with being a 'fire department' that we have no time to spend on cutting dry brush. I can tell you what works for me, as simple minded as it sounds. During times when I find myself overwhelmed with three or more priority type things to get done and am so involved in dealing with 'day to day' and brush fires, I slap a postit-note on my desk and run a piece of scotch tape across the top of it. I write down the three things I need to knock out and put a self imposed deadline beside them; one that is reasonable. I have that note in a spot that I cannot overlook, it faces me all day long. I force myself to ignore brushfires and this takes a bit of discipline and prioritization. One at a time I knock out the little list and check them off or line through them. Its all a matter of time management and refusing to let other people and things manage you. Ignore people who will give you a list of books to read or articles to research on the subject. Just list what you MUST get done, by when, and whittle away at it on a daily basis. You must also learn to say, "I'll get back to you." and "I'll need some time to do that but will get back to you" and "Let me get with you on that, say, tomorrow at 10:00". Another thing you must do in your new management role is establish reasonable time lines for major projects and overhauls. None of it has to be re-tooled by Wednesday at 3:00. The things you want to improve didn't get in this shape overnight, nor can you correct them overnight. There should only be one manager of your time.

jburmeister · September 2003

Don Ds Twin,

Thanks for the excellent advice.

I will try some of these things out starting tomorrow...

I will have to for my sanity...

Thanks again...I'll check back later for more comments.

HRQ · September 2003

jburmeister,

I feel your pain. x:'( I've been in my current position for two years and have not accomplished nearly as much as I'd hoped by now. Similar story - too many fires, too little me. I don't have a door that I can close to the physical interruptions, and I am learning to say "I need to finish this right away and I'll get back to you by (whenever)". I share the office with four others of various departments and it's crazy all day.

I like Don Ds Twin's suggestion and I take a similar approach. In my day timer (week at a glance) I highlight the "do or die" stuff for the week and just move the rest to the next week. I tend to schedule waaayyy too much and every now and then have to reprioritize.

I am also fortunate to have a great ops manager and sometimes ask her help in non-decision-making HR tasks such as investigating employee complaints. The time-consuming groundwork gets done and I can take it from there. Of course I return the favor when she needs help. Maybe you could ask whoever handled personnel issues before you to continue with the "gathering information" process for just another week while you get things in order? (That's assuming they are good at that sort of thing...)

Good luck and stick with the Forum. I learn from it every day, and it brings me sanity (and sometimes a dose of humanity) when I'm losing it.

Pork · September 2003

YES, BUT BE AWARE OF THE FORUM FOR IT IS ADDICTIVE, YOU KNOW? AND CAN CONSUME EVERY MOMENT OF TIME! I HAVE BEGUN TWO THINGS WITH THE FORUM:
1) NEVER CLICK ON THE ALERT FOR A NEW THREAD AT THE END OF YOUR POSTINGS, FOR SURE YOU'LL HAVE LOTS OF POSTINGS BY "THE DON'S OR PORK"!
2) STOP GOING INTO THE FORUM UNTIL TODAY'S FIRES ARE OUT OR WORKING!

GIVE US YOUR E-MAIL ADDRESS AND WE'LL LOAD YOU UP WITH OUR PERSONALIZED ASSISTANCE! Seriously, if you need something in particular just ask and I'm sure anyone of us will give you what we have that might or might not help, but you can be the judge! I have a very good employee handbook that has served me well; I will share for a price, of your asking!!!

PORK

blw · September 2003

One thing that helps me is to actually "schedule" appointments with myself. Just as I would have to put things off to attend meetings or appts with others, I tell someone I have a 2 p.m. meeting, come see me at 4. Then I close my door, meet with me and get something done.

If you don't have a door (Lori you might try this too) and your supervisor is okay with it, take a 2 or 3 hour lunch once a week and work out of the office. We have a pizza hut a block away and I go early and get the corner booth. I can work on drafts, reading newsletters or other materials, update my calendar, write notes, outlines or memo's.

Good Luck! Barbara

scottorr · September 2003

As scarey as it may seem, this can also be exciting. It sounds like you have the freedom to do what you would like with setting up your department. Take this time to do things right. Remember all the things you said you would change if you ever got the chance, this is the time to do it. There are some great sample policies on the HR Hero website. I agree with many of the other suggestions. Take time for yourself or you will burn out and become very disorganized and remember, you always have us!

WOCO Frank · September 2003

Scott brings up a good point. The organizational decisions you make and the processes you create today will either serve you well tomorrow or put you in a hole you can spend years climbing out of.

Take a lot of deep breaths and think about what you want your department to look like next week, next month, next year, etc. It's easy to say and hard to do, but it's critical that you take the time to do it right.

Shortcuts have a way of becoming short circuits.

Good luck, and welcome to the best online HR community in the world!

System · September 2003

I agree with all the above posts. And, I totally agree, this is absolutely the best HR community. I have learned so much in the short months I have been a member and continue to be amazed at the wealth of wisdom and knowledge that passes across this site. Welcome and like the rest of us, you will get there a day at the time. Good luck.

jburmeister · September 2003

Thank you, all, so much for your motivational words and support. I already feel so much better and am excited to jump right in. Yesterday was actually much "calmer" than the first few days because I am finally starting to learn who does what, where things are, etc. I think my bearings were just off for those first few days. Not to say I am not still overwhelmed...but now it's much more manageable.

And you are right, I do have a lot of freedom to set things up how I would like them to be...that is a tremendously wonderful feeling...a very different feeling that I am not quite used to yet. I have always had to "run it by" someone before implementing, and now I really don't have to do a lot of that. Of course, I have to get the final approval from the CEO, but he seems very open to new, innovative ideas...he's great!

Again, thanks guys...and I look forward to coming back again and again!

jrzgrl · September 2003

Hey, count your blessings on the support-from-above front! I have a friend who recently took over the HR Department of a local agency. She was brought in to develop and write policies because they basically have none right now. Hopefully she'll get more support from her Executive Director than he's shown in the past, because I know that the former HR Director there was not getting a ton of it from him. He was approving FMLA in the style of "I would like to approve this person for 12 weeks, but this person only for 9 since I like him so much."

Leslie · September 2003

And what you're already beginning to find out is because there was no HR before you, it'll take a few days to put out the personnel issue fires, but then they will calm down and you can begin to get your other ducks in a row. The more you put in place, the easier it is to deal with the personnel issues because now you have guidelines - and so do the employees.

AnneLa · September 2003

One last thing.............. seeing as how it is a "small company" and if you have employee files, take the time and review each file. Become familiar with who is always in the corrective action proces, on FLMA, on WC, etc. This might help get some "fires" under control.

New to HR Management - HELP!

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