Personnel management policies establish standards for professionalism and conduct, guide hiring practices, and protect against liability. They should include guidelines for discrimination, drug use, harassment, and confidentiality.
Personnel management policies establish an expected standard of professionalism and conduct for employees. These guidelines help management and those working in human resources (HR) maintain fair and consistent hiring practices. They also provide criteria for how a company handles controversial issues such as substance abuse. Implementing people management policies ensures that employees are aware of what qualifies as appropriate behavior and reduces a company’s liability in sexual harassment or discrimination claims. Finally, personnel management policies protect employee privacy and employers’ trade secrets by introducing confidentiality agreements.
Most countries have laws that prohibit discrimination against applicants or employees on the basis of race, creed, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, disability or religion. Violation of these laws can result in a company being sued or fined by the government. Personnel management policies that expressly prohibit bias and establish merit-based qualifications for hiring or promoting employees can guide a personnel manager’s decisions and generate a diverse workforce.
Drug laws vary by region or country, however, the use or sale of drugs may not be conducive to workplace safety or efficiency. It is important for a company to have personnel management policies that define what constitutes drug use or abuse. Some companies may look for drug testing employees at random or on a probable cause basis. Such tests may be considered illegal if personnel management policies do not explicitly notify employees of this possibility.
Harassment or bullying in the workplace can create a hostile work environment that reduces employee morale and productivity. Employers who do not have personnel management policies that prohibit this behavior may be liable in a court of law in a workplace harassment suit. This is because business management has a responsibility to maintain a safe work environment conducive to employee productivity and well-being. People management policies relating to harassment or disrespect for other employees should contain clear examples of what constitutes unacceptable behavior and provide employees who feel they are being bullied with appropriate guidelines for filing a complaint with HR.
Employers and employees must be able to trust each other with confidential or confidential information. Employees may have medical conditions or personal problems that they must disclose to the company they work for to ensure their own safety or the safety of others. A company without people management policies that ensure the confidentiality of this information may prevent employees from sharing it. This can create a liability or negatively affect an employee’s performance. On the other hand, a company may need to share secrets with employees that are essential to the company’s success or competitive advantage over competitors. Personnel management policies that establish confidentiality agreements for all employees expose these secrets to competitors for disclosure.
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