But That’s Not Fair!

This all too common phrase is often spewed from the mouths of siblings.  A big sister is allowed to go to bed a little later than her younger brother. A little brother is able to stay home from school sick while the big sister has to face a possible pop quiz in math class. A child’s perception of an unfair act by a parent might cause a small tantrum that lasts for a few minutes or start an all out war that lasts for what seems like forever. Alas, the quest for fair treatment does not stop when we become adults.  We, too, would like to be treated fairly in our daily lives and especially in the workplace.  Clearly written personnel policies are important for nonprofits now more than ever.  Given the current economic climate and with layoffs and bailouts in the daily news, fairness is now a hot topic.  Even for an organization with only a couple of employees, there is real danger in foregoing formal personnel policies in favor of lax workplace practices.  Clear policies allow us to manage personnel with uniformity, fairness, and help with making tough decisions that can significantly impact a company’s culture and morale.  Take a moment this week to review your personnel policies to ensure that they address at a minimum, the topics recommended by the Standards for Excellence® code. The code states, “In addition to covering basic elements of the employment relationship (e.g. working conditions, employee benefits, vacation and sick leave), the policies should address employee evaluation, supervision, hiring and firing, grievance procedures, employee growth and development, confidentiality of employee, client and organization records and information.”

Did you know?  The Standards for Excellence® program’s educational resource packet, “Personnel Policies,” includes a discussion on personnel policies and includes model personnel policies. The packet is free and available to Standards for Excellence Institute® members.  It is available through the members only section of our website.  Hard copies are also available upon request. Log in to access this educational resource packet. Not a member? Join now!