Relationship Management

Sometimes, action needs to be taken to address an issue of conduct or the handling of a staff grievance. This can often be time consuming and challenging, but at Eagle HR, we’re on hand to guide you through the process. If you prefer, we can take the lead for you in meetings and when communicating with your colleagues.

Managing poor performance and capability

Poor performance can be detrimental to both businesses and the individuals concerned. Loss of motivation will often lead to a loss of productivity. In order to manage performance, a culture of continuous improvement needs to be created – one which values individuals’ skills and contributions. It is also essential to have clear job descriptions which confirm expectations and performance levels.

Regular reviews through one-to-one’s and appraisals are key in ensuring that an employee’s performance doesn’t fall below what is expected of them. These review processes allow both the manager and employee to discuss workload, issues preventing them from achieving their objectives and goals whilst also identifying any support required. Regular catch ups and reviews enable managers to pick up on performance issues at an early stage and agree a performance improvement plan.

Managing Sickness Absence

Sickness absence is inevitable, however, by implementing clear policies and procedures, businesses can manage sickness – whether it be persistent short-term absence or for a longer period. Staff should phone their manager, or nominated person, by their normal work start time.

Ideally, they should provide basic information, such as the reason for their sickness, how long they anticipate being off for and anything that the business should be aware of whilst they’re absent. If staff are absent for more than seven days, they should obtain a ‘fit note’ from their doctor. Any absence under seven days can be monitored through self-certification forms.

If you need to discuss an employee’s absence, the first step should be a one-to-one meeting to discuss their health and recent absences. These meetings can centre around any reasons for absence and underlying causes, and what can be done to prevent the number of sick days in the future. You may need to discuss what reasonable adjustments can be implemented to enable the employee to return to work.

Mediation

Workplace conflicts often arise as a result of relationship issues between colleagues, or a manager and a member of their team. These situations can often be resolved in an informal mediation meeting to reconcile any areas of conflict. Eagle HR have trained mediators who can mediate on your behalf, ensuring you aren’t involved in time consuming disciplinary or grievance issues.