Just write it down!
People management isn’t easy! How many of us are guilty of not doing things properly because we lack time and resources or because we fear that it is gong to be a long boring admin job that we won’t get quite right? ……. So we write nothing down …….
So often day to day people management conversations are had informally and no record is made of them. How often have you said, “What time do call this, eh?” But what happens if these incidents become a regular occurrence and you soon realise that, as a manager, you have a problem?
You know you have to take action so you contact HR and the first question they will ask you is “How many times has this happened and why have they been late?” This is often when things become unstuck as there is no evidence of the numerous conversations you have had. You have to start all over again and create the evidence that you need.
This can be a huge obstacle in dealing with an issue that could be detrimental to your team and business. Also ‘justice must be seen to be done’ otherwise it can have a domino effect on the rest of the team.
Matters such as this are always easier to deal with if there is evidence of interactions. That is not to say that all conversations should be formal (you would get nothing else done) but readily having a place to make quick notes would be ideal.
Enter… The People Manager’s Dairy – your ultimate day to day management tool. It may look like a regular desk diary, but when you open it up it is so much more. Designed to be discreet, you are able to use the daily planners section to make notes of significant dates and times and if you need to write more there is a large notes section which you are able to cross reference. Each week you get tips on HR issues, prompts for any changes coming in or holiday periods that you need to plan for, such as half terms!
Towards the back of the diary, you will find essential HR forms that you are able to copy and use including an induction checklist for new staff members and a return to work form to use after an absence. No more scrabbling around to find the right documents you need, it’s all there in front of you.
And thanks to the wonders of modern technology you are able to have a flick through the diary by clicking here.
This diary will fit into whatever business you work in and whether you have an HR team or existing processes. Simply start today because doing something as simple as writing it down can take you from being a good manager to a great one.