Workplace Wellbeing Guide 9: Getting off on the Right Foot

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n order to develop positive employment relationships from the outset, itis important that employers follow careful processes for recruiting, selecting,and inducting new employees. For sector organisations this includes ensuringapplicants and new staff are well acquainted with the organisations’ mission,culture and values,its relationships with volunteers, with other organisations, and with the widercommunity.

JOB PLANNING CHECKLIST

Before making a decision to employ someone, an organisationneeds to consider the following questions:

1. What is the job that needs to be done? What outcomes are required?
2. Does the proposed work further the organisation’s strategic goals?
3. Does the organisation have the necessary funding resources?
4. Is there a funding plan in place for the position?
5. What work environment and equipment will be provided for the new staff member?
6. Where will the position be placed in the organisational chart?
7. Who will supervise and support the position?
8. Are there good financial and administrative systems in place?
9. What other resources are needed to enable the employee to function?
10. How will the new appointment interact with existing staff and volunteers?
11. Do you know your legal obligations as an employer?
12. Is your organisation familiar with the other obligations of being a good employer, such as providing good induction, supervision and training? Does it have employment policies in place?

Where vacancies arise, always take the opportunity tore-evaluate the position and decide whether the job is still relevant or shouldbe redefined.

Having answered all these questions satisfactorily, the nextstep is to write a job description.

PRE-RECRUITMENT

Job Descriptions

Clear job descriptions form the foundation of both a goodrecruitment process and a successful performance appraisal process, as they setout the standards and expectations for the position against which thesuccessful employee’s performance can later be evaluated.

A job description should be clear and concise, andaccurately reflect the role and its contribution to the organisation.

Job Description Checklist

Job descriptions will vary according to the organisation andthe requirements of the position, but generally include:

• Title of the position
• Purpose of the role
• Who the person will report to
• Overall organisational goals
• Key responsibilities of the position
• List of working relationships (internal and external)
• Any lines of responsibility
• Any delegations of authority
• Any decision-making responsibilities
• Required capabilities
• Key tasks and duties and any relevant deadlines
• Dated signatures of the manager(s) and employee
• Date the job description was last reviewed.

Source: Community Resource Kit www.community.net.nz

© Crown Copyright Department of Internal Affairs

PAYING PEOPLE WELL

Employees in our sector often find their work immenselysatisfying – indeed, this is one of the main reasons they are attracted to workin the sector. Yet fundamentally, everyone seeks paid employment for the samereasons – to meet the financial needs of themselves and their families.

Primarily because of limited finances, remuneration in thesector has traditionally lagged behind other sectors. In 2008, for instance,the average difference in median base salaries between the not for profitsector and the public sector was 17.9%, and between the not for profit sectorand the general market was 20.8%. (Source: StrategicPay 2008 Not for Profit Sector Remuneration Survey, www.strategicpay.co.nz)

However, the concept of “love factor” only explains the gap- it does NOT justify it!

Our values as a caring sector must extend to valuing thework of our staff. Therefore as a responsible employer, organisations must lookat remunerating staff realistically. Unacceptably low salaries make it verydifficult to recruit and retain skilled and experienced staff, act asdisincentives to good performance, and can also be seen as contradictory to thebelief that community organisations care about their people.

For all these reasons, boards and management in our sectorhave a responsibility to try to achieve funding contracts that provide for fairremuneration.

Setting Remuneration Levels

There are a number of ways of establishing fair salaryrates. These include job sizing based on the duties, responsibilities andqualifications of the role, which enables comparison with rates paid forsimilar positions elsewhere. This can be assisted by contacting human resourceconsultants such as Strategic Pay (see More Information box, further below). Designinga salary structure which provides a series of salary steps can also provide avaluable source of motivation and reward for continued and improvedservice.

In setting salaries and wages, employers should take intoconsideration:

• The calibre of candidates they wish to attract or retain – their qualifications, experience and overall responsibilities
• Relativity to other positions in the organisation and in other organisations
• Expectations about time commitments, including irregular, evening or weekend work
• The value of other benefits offered, such as allowance of work vehicles for personal use, use of a mobile phone, group health insurance and superannuation provisions.

As outlined in the Guide to Minimum Employment Rights inthis Resource, there are other non-monetary ways in which sector organisationscan attract and retain their staff. These can include flexible working hoursand workplaces, family friendly work provisions, supervision and peer mentoringall help to maintain the huge job satisfaction that comes with the work itself.

RECRUITMENT AND SELECTION

Recruitment

Be careful to word all advertisements carefully so thatapplicants have a clear idea both of the job they applying for and the valuesof the organisation. This is often people’s first exposure to an organisationand an early opportunity to ground them in its culture and values.

It is important that job descriptions clearly reflect therole and size of the positions being advertised, and the responsibilities andexpectations involved.

Employers also have an obligation to ensure thatadvertisements are accurate and not discriminatory.

Advertisements should include:

• The position title
• Brief description of the position and nature of the work
• Brief information about the culture and mission of the organisation
• Qualifications or experience sought
• Application details – closing date (at least 14 days after first publication), contact person and details.

Selection

There are four parts to the selection of staff:

A. Shortlisting

Prior to the interviews, develop an initial shortlist by:

1. Acknowledging each application upon receipt. Draw up a summary sheet of the essential details of each applicant and attach to the front of their application
2. If there is a large field of applicants, set aside all applications that don’t meet the minimum criteria
3. Appoint an interview panel and consult them on the process and criteria for shortlisting.

Contact the shortlisted applicants, making suitablearrangements for an interview, and checking whether interviewees have anyparticular requirements, such as time constraints or cultural needs such aswhanau support.

Confirm dates, times and venue for interviews in writing,providing any additional background material that may be helpful.

Send a letter to non-shortlisted applicants, thanking themfor their application and advising them that they have been unsuccessful onthis occasion.

B. Interviewing

There are a wide range of resources employers can call onwhen preparing to interview job applicants. Two of the best are:

• www.community.net.nz – The Community Resource Kit hosted by CommunityNet Aotearoa contains a series of useful checklists for preparing for the interview process, including an interview structure checklist, a whanau support checklist, an interview questions checklist, guidelines for reference checking, and a critical competencies chart for scoring interviewees
• www.nscss.org.nz – North Shore Community and Social Services – “Employing Staff – Getting It Right” contains suggestions about processes for scoring applicants, do’s and don’ts of interviewing, plus much more.

Once again this is an important opportunity to assess, amongother things, how well the applicant will fit in with the culture and values ofthe organisation.

C. Reference and Police Checks

Once the interview panel has agreed on a suitable applicant,and before offering them the position, it is very important to always undertakereference checks.

These should be done with the permission of the applicantand should serve to validate what has been learned from the interview process.

Increasingly, it is becoming the norm that organisationsrequire applicants to also undergo a police check before they are appointed.While this is usually done after an offer of employment has been made, it isadvisable to complete the police check before the person actually commenceswork. (As there is often a time delay in receiving the report back, if theperson is employed it should be subject to any issues that may arise from thePolice Check and not disclosed by the applicant).

Contact the Licensing and Vetting Service Centre, PoliceNational Headquarters, PO Box 3017, Wellington for a sample police vettingform.

There are a number of ways that employers can manage thesensitive issue of police checks:

Have a formal policy that applicants working with vulnerableclients will be required to undergo a screening process. (Funders often requirethis anyway). This policy should be conveyed to all applicants at the time ofapplication and can be written into the supporting material supplied toapplicants.

As part of the application process the applicant can fill ina form declaring whether they do or do not have a criminal record – and if theydo have a criminal records, what it relates to. This can then be confirmed viathe police check.

Never appoint an unsuitable or inappropriate applicant.Re-advertise, broaden the recruitment net, defer the proposed work, orre-arrange the job requirements, but don’t make the mistake of appointing anapplicant because there is no-one else who is suitable. Inappropriateappointments inevitably lead to on-going problems.

D. Offering Employment

When the interview team has decided on a preferredcandidate, the next step is to formally offer them the position and also offerthem an employment agreement. This should be done in writing, but usuallypreceded by an initial telephone call to let them know.

From the first offer of employment, whether by phone orletter, the employment relationship has effectively commenced, with all thelegal protections around that relationship.

Letters offering employment will vary depending on whetherthere is a relevant collective agreement in place which covers the type of workthe employee will perform, and whether or not the successful applicant is amember of a union that is a party to that collective agreement (see the Guideto Employment Agreements elsewhere in this resource.)

The applicant may respond to the offer and proposedagreement by accepting it, rejecting it or indicating they wish to accept theoffer but wish to discuss changes to the proposed individual agreement.Employers are required to consider any changes the candidate wishes tonegotiate, and respond to their suggestions.

Several laws cover how a job can be offered, including theHuman Rights Act and the Employment Relations Act 2000. In most cases, jobsmust be open to anyone, whatever their colour, race, ethnic or nationalorigins, disability, sex (including pregnancy or childbirth status), marital orfamily status, age, religious or ethical belief, political opinion, employmentstatus, or sexual orientation. The Employment Relations Act also states thatjobs cannot be withheld from anyone because they do, or do not, belong to aunion.

Generally, none of these reasons should be the basis foroffering different terms and conditions or fringe benefits to differentapplicants. Under the Fair Trading Act it is also a breach to make misleadingstatements about the type of work, work conditions, rates of pay and promotionprospects. Depending on their nature, complaints can be taken to the HumanRights Commission, Commerce Commission, or Employment Relations Authority.

E. Unsuccessful Applicants

You have a responsibility to handle all information gatheredabout unsuccessful applicants in a confidential manner. This includes lettersof application, application forms, CVs, and interview notes. After theselection process is complete, this material should either be destroyed orpermission sought from the applicant to retain it for consideration in theevent of a future vacancy – in which case all documents must be retainedsecurely.

When an appointment has been made or it has been decided notto fill the vacancy, it is good practice to promptly advise other applicants thattheir application was unsuccessful.

GETTING THE EMPLOYEE STARTED

By the time the new employee is ready to start work,employers must have:

• Sent them a letter offering employment
• Provided them with a signed copy of their employment agreement
• Received assurance the person is entitled to work in New Zealand.

It is good practice to have on file a copy of the jobdescription, a personal profile, and a copy of the application form.

To complete their records, employers must:

• Have the employee complete a tax code declaration (IR330)
• Set up a wage and time record
• Set up a holiday and leave record
• Set up KiwiSaver records, and discuss with the employee what arrangements they would like to make.

In addition to the documents above, employers should also record:

• Details of citizenship or the work permit held (if this wasnot included on the application form)
• Dates when the employee becomes entitled to conditions suchas long service pay, either under their minimum legal entitlements or underadditional provisions in their employment agreement
• Details of who to contact in case of an emergency
• Details of the bank account to be credited with wages (ifthis is the agreed method of payment).

If this is the organisation’s first employee, theorganisation is required to register as an employer with the IRD, which willalso advise ACC.

INDUCTION

A comprehensive induction process is essential toestablishing positive employment relationships from the outset. This is animportant time for the new staff member and an opportunity for employers toreally set the scene regarding the values of the organisation and the way itworks.

The following checklist should be signed off by both themanager and the employee, copied and placed on the employee’s personnel file.

PRE-ARRIVAL

Employment Documentation

• Employment agreement, including any confidentiality agreement, and job description signed and on file
• Offer of employment letter sent – copy on file
• Employment handbook provided
• IR 330 Tax Certificate completed
• Wage and time records set up
• KiwiSaver enrolment completed and discussed
• Automatic payment form completed, payment and notification process organised
• Holiday and leave records set up
• Police Vetting Report undertaken
• Drivers License copy on file (if needed)
• Details of citizenship or work permit on file.

Other Arrangements

• First day arrangements made, including welcome
• First week induction programme provided as well as any other background information about the organisation
• Emergency contacts on file
• Initial office/workstation equipment arranged.

DAY ONE

General

• Powhiri/welcome
• Discuss induction process and agree induction needs during first week
• Discuss organisation’s strategic plan, culture and values
• Discuss current business plan and budget
• Discuss the staff member’s position and role within the organisation, organisational chart, general information about staff and board roles and relationships, relationships with other sector organisations, and wider community
• Introduce the employee to supervisors and co-workers, including volunteers; board members as appropriate, and the union delegate where there is one
• Orientation to office environment – photocopier, kitchen, stationery, phone, computer drive, intranet, health and safety procedures, environmental practices, security, fax, alarm code
• ·Explain and, where appropriate, sign the employee up to any benefit schemes (such as medical insurance or superannuation)
• Clarify expectations regarding attendance and breaks; forms, timesheets, notification and processes for leave; time in lieu; tangihanga; sick leave
• Touch base at the end of the day to see if the employee needs any further information as a result of their first day’s experience.

Policy

• Include copy of organisation’s policy manual with induction material – acquaint them with any in-house policies that apply to them or their job (such as internet and email policy, sexual harassment, reimbursement of business expenses etc.)
• Highlight complaints process in induction material provided.

Health and Safety

• Provide a full health and safety briefing, including hazards within the workplace and the workplace evacuation plan, emergency contacts
• Introduce the new employee to the health and safety representative
• Provide any safety or other equipment required for the job prior to the employee commencing work.

WEEK ONE

• Discuss communication channels
• Discuss reporting requirements and deadlines
• Discuss and agree performance expectations and set first performance review date
• Discuss supervision and set times
• Discuss training needs – and any training, either on or off the job, that the employee can expect. (It is good practice to record this in writing)
• Go through induction material provided
• If the employment agreement contains a probation or trial period, this should also be discussed, and the support and guidance that the employee will receive during that period should be made clear. (See the Guide on Employment Agreements elsewhere in this Resource).

More Information

• www.acc.co.nz and www.ird.govt.nz The Accident Compensation Corporation and the Inland Revenue Department both produce guides for first-time employers that can be accessed online
• www.community.net.nz – CommunityNet Aotearoa – information about advertising, interviewing and much more is contained in the Employment section of the Community Resource Kit.
• www.ers.dol.govt.nz – The Department of Labour Employment Relations Service website has fact sheets on job descriptions, advertising, sample letters of offer of employment, sample individual employment agreements, information about probationary periods, and much more.
• www.nscss.org.nz – North Shore Community and Social Services has a range of resources for community sector organisations including ‘Employing Staff – Getting it Right’ which are available for purchase for a small fee.
• www.sparc.org.nz – Sport & Recreation Advisory Council (SPARC)’s People Management toolkit provides comprehensive information on building job descriptions, recruiting interviewing, selecting and appointing staff.
• www.strategicpay.co.nz – Human Resources Consultancy Strategic Pay offers useful guidance on setting remuneration levels and for a fee provides both intra- and inter- sector remuneration comparisons.

Resources

• Guide 4 – Employment Agreements
• Guide 12 – Training and Supervision
• Guide 13 – Performance Management
• Resource 1 – Sample Employee Handbook
• Resource 2 – Sample Agreements
• Resource 3 – Sample Job Descriptions