Making Sense

of HR
Your guide to Human Resources
from Gravitas HR

7A Basset Court, Loake Close, Grange Park, Northampton, NN4 5EZ

 MAKING SENSE OF HR

Thank you for downloading this Gravitas HR eBook. In this eBook we will be sharing our expert
knowledge on Human Resources.

If you like this eBook, and would like to get in touch please visit us online at:
http://www.gravitashr.co.uk or call on 01604 763 494. Alternatively, connect with us on Twitter
at @gravitashr or on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/2949905

Full contact details, and more about Gravitas HR can be found at the end of this eBook.

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 Table of Contents

Introduction to HR ........................................................................................................................................4

What is HR Anyway? ...............................................................................................................................4

HR Business Partner ...............................................................................................................................5
HRIS ...........................................................................................................................................................6
Development .................................................................................................................................................7
Organisation Development .....................................................................................................................7
Talent Management .................................................................................................................................8
Workforce Planning..................................................................................................................................9
Change Management ............................................................................................................................10
Management Development ..................................................................................................................11
Coaching .................................................................................................................................................12
Recruitment .................................................................................................................................................13
Psychological Testing ............................................................................................................................13
Assessment Centres..............................................................................................................................14
Pre-employment Checks .......................................................................................................................15
Induction v “Onboarding” ......................................................................................................................16
Probationary Period ...............................................................................................................................17
Performance ...............................................................................................................................................18

Employee Engagement .........................................................................................................................18

Performance Management ...................................................................................................................19
Competency Framework .......................................................................................................................20
Appraisals................................................................................................................................................21
SMART Objectives.................................................................................................................................22

Sickness ......................................................................................................................................................23
Sickness Absence Management .........................................................................................................23
Occupational Health ..............................................................................................................................24
Benefits ........................................................................................................................................................25
Private Medical Insurance ....................................................................................................................25
Permanent Health Insurance................................................................................................................26

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 Death in Service Benefit........................................................................................................................27
Employee Assistance Programme ......................................................................................................28
Pensions Auto-enrolment......................................................................................................................29

About Gravitas HR Solutions ................................................................................................................30

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 Introduction to HR

What is HR Anyway?
HR stands for Human Resources, which we used to (and some still do) call “Personnel
Management”. It is often perceived as a support function that tells the rest of the business what it
can and can’t do with its employees, and slaps wrists when procedures aren’t followed. This
couldn’t be further from the truth as far as we are concerned. We at Gravitas HR are on a mission
to save businesses from “can’t do HR”.

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 HR Business Partner

This is a term that has come to the fore in the last 20 years or so and typically refers to an HR
professional who understands the commercial objectives of the business within which they work
and works closely and strategically with the management to support the achievement of those
objectives, in particular designing and implementing HR systems and processes that support
strategic business aims. This is a far cry from the old-style “personnel manager” roles many will
remember as having no influence on business strategy and being little more than a shoulder for
employees to cry on.

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 HRIS
This stands for “HR Information Systems”, an umbrella term for a variety of technological tools and
systems that may be implemented to support an organisation’s management and development of
its people. A HRIS may include such elements as employee records, training needs analyses and
corresponding online training, or flexible benefits administration to name just a few.

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 Development

Organisation Development
Generally speaking, organisation development concerns the formulation and delivery of a long
term strategic development plan focused on the people within the organisation which uses data,
research and behavioural science and which involves multiple functions within an organisation
(including but not limited to HR). The use of long range organisational development allows for
gentle sustained change rather than knee-jerk reactions to situations as they occur.

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 Talent Management
The continued success of any business depends not only on attracting a high calibre of employee
to the organisation in a recruitment exercise but also developing and keeping the “talent” within
the organisation and anticipating future requirements. “Talent management” refers to this entire
strategic process

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 Workforce Planning
Workforce planning is the process whereby the right number of people with the right skills are in
the right place at the right time to deliver short-, medium- and long-term organisational objectives.
It may involve the training and development of existing staff, through to long range recruitment
planning and outsourcing.

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 Change Management
This refers to the process of managing the impact of organisational change (whether planned or
unplanned) on the people within the business. It goes far beyond the alteration of contractual
terms and conditions and working environments and can be necessitated by rapid growth,
economic downturn and business restructuring, the introduction of new technologies, mergers and
takeovers and even a change of government and corresponding new legislation.

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 Management Development
Management development is the process by which managers enhance their skills, competencies
and/or knowledge, via formal or informal learning methods, to the benefit of both individual and
organisational performance. Organisations large and small can benefit from structured
programmes of management development, particularly where managers move from operational
roles into management without prior formal training.

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 Coaching
Coaching may be used as part of a management or other organisational development programme.
It usually involves a professionally trained coach working on an individual basis with a manager or
other employee to improve performance and develop skills. It is intended to be a positive process
aimed at investing in and enhancing the performance of individuals, rather than a sanction for poor
performance.

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 Recruitment

Psychological Testing
Psychological (or psychometric) tests may be used in an occupational setting to identify and
measure individual behaviours, personality and capabilities. They can be used by employers to
give an objective quality to a recruitment or development process, in contrast to interviewing which
is highly subjective.

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 Assessment Centres
As part of a recruitment process, an employer may use a series of structured tasks over a period
of several hours to several days, often delivered by external recruitment professionals. The tasks
will be designed to test behaviours and attributes relevant to the specific role. Tasks may involve
individual or group exercises problem solving exercises, individual presentations and verbal or
written responses to time limited tasks.

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 Pre-employment Checks
Employers will often conduct a range of pre-employment checks on a prospective employee. The
most important of these is to obtain evidence of every worker’s right to work in the UK as there are
hefty fines on employers who are found to have illegal workers in their organisation. Other pre-
employment checks may include obtaining references, criminal record checks, evidence of
qualifications and, where appropriate, health checks.

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 Induction v “Onboarding”
Most employers carry out some form of induction for a new employee to introduce them to the
organisation. This can range from a brief session with an office manager to a multi-day programme
across several departments. The relatively new buzz word “onboarding” refers to the whole
process of a new employee joining their employer. It encompasses all pre-employment
communications as well as the induction and initial period of an employee getting up to speed in
the new role.

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 Probationary Period
Many employers will begin a new employee’s employment with a probationary period of several
weeks or months. This is not a legal requirement, it is a conventional method of allowing both
parties a period of time to ensure that the relationship is working. We consider that many
employers fail to make the most of this initial period of employment.1

1
To find out more, read our blog “Skip to the Good Bit”
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/article/20140828204953-70780843-skip-to-the-good-bit?trk=prof-post

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 Performance

Employee Engagement

This refers, broadly speaking, to employees’ level of involvement in and emotional connection with
the organisation in which they work. Employers benefit from having an engaged workforce as
engaged employees are happier, healthier, and more productive. They will also act as advocate
for their employer’s brand.2

2
If you think this is all fluffy HR speak – see here for the evidence:
http://www.engageforsuccess.org/ideas-tools/employee-engagement-the-evidence

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 Performance Management
This term is often used in a negative sense when an individual employee’s performance is below
standard. In this context it means setting out what is expected, providing support or training where
appropriate and giving the employee an opportunity to improve. The Acas Code of Practice on
Disciplinary and Grievance Procedures should be followed to advise the employee that their
performance is not up to standard, and allow for improvement. It is possible to dismiss fairly for
poor performance if the employee does not improve to the standard required within the timescale
allowed.

In a wider (and more positive) sense, performance management means ensuring all employees
are clear about what is expected, and working with them towards continuous improvement
(typically by use of objectives and appraisals), even where their current performance is not in issue.

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 Competency Framework
Generally speaking, competencies are the behaviours and attributes that an organisation
considers essential to effective work performance. These will very often differ between functions,
levels, departments and teams. Setting these into a competency framework tells everyone in the
organisation how each competency should be achieved or demonstrated in their individual role.
Typical competencies include communication skills, problem solving, team working and customer
focus.

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 Appraisals
An appraisal system can be a useful tool in the continuous management of employees. We often
recommend an annual review with 2 or 3 further mini-meetings over the year to track progress.
Used correctly, an appraisal system allows for dialogue between an individual employee and their
employer about not only their current and historic performance but also their future development
and contribution to the business. Used incorrectly, it is a very long meeting once a year which both
parties dread, neither takes particularly seriously and everyone forgets about until the next year.

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 SMART Objectives
More than just “management speak”, the acronym SMART is a useful way to ensure that
employees are not given impossibly vague objectives as part of an appraisal process. Objectives
should be:

SPECIFIC

MEASURABLE

ACHIEVABLE

RELEVANT

TIME-BOUND

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 Sickness

Sickness Absence Management

 Businesses with high levels of sickness absence lose money through reduced productivity.
Sickness absence management entails deciding what are unacceptable levels of absence
within the business and how this will be dealt with. High levels of intermittent absence are
often dealt with as a disciplinary matter whereas long term illness or injury will usually
require a more sophisticated approach.
 There does not have to be a rigid formula for deciding what level is unacceptable (although
some businesses do use such a formula). The Acas Code of Practice on Disciplinary and
Grievance Procedures should be followed in all cases, to advise the employee that there
is an issue with their level of attendance and allow for improvement.
 Certain conditions and injuries may amount to disabilities for the purposes of anti-
discrimination legislation. If this is the case, an employer may be required to make
adjustments to the employee’s role or working environment to enable them to continue to
do their job.
 Genuine sickness can be just as disruptive to a business as someone “swinging the lead”
and therefore may legitimately be managed. It is possible to dismiss someone fairly for
unacceptable absence, even where it is accepted that there are genuine reasons, provided
a fair process is followed.

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 Occupational Health

This refers to the medical management and support of physical and mental wellbeing in the
workplace. Some larger employers have dedicated occupational health departments, smaller
organisations may buy services in on an outsourced or ad hoc basis. Carrying out pre-employment
health checks and giving advice on adapting workplaces for employees with disabilities are
examples of occupational health practice. Occupational health practitioners are specifically
qualified to advise on the relationship between employees’ work environment and their health and
wellbeing.

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 Benefits

Private Medical Insurance

Some employers provide private medical insurance for the benefit of employees and their
dependants. Where employees are ill or injured, the use of private medical insurance can speed
up the process of diagnosis and treatment, thereby minimising the disruption to the employee’s
work and save the employer paying out sick pay. It can therefore be a very cost effective element
of an employer’s benefits package.

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 Permanent Health Insurance
Permanent Health Insurance (also known as Income Protection) is a benefit provided by some
organisations to provide a level of income to employees who are off sick long term, following a
qualifying period. Income replacement typically ranges from 50% to 75% for the period of illness,
although the employer will need to pay accrued holiday pay on top of the insurance benefit.
Premiums can be expensive and employers who operate a PHI benefit may be prevented from
dismissing employees who are in continuing receipt of benefits under the scheme.

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 Death in Service Benefit
Many employers provide this benefit in respect of employees who pass away whilst employed (not
just during working hours), which is typically referred to as a multiple of their gross annual salary
at the time of death – i.e. 3x annual salary. This can be a lump sum payable to nominated
beneficiaries or a taxable pension payable to the employee’s spouse, civil partner and/or other
financial dependants, or both.

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 Employee Assistance Programme
This is a benefit provided by many employers to their workforce, to support employees with work
or personal issues on a confidential basis. Almost always outsourced to a specialist company,
services typically include a telephone health advice and counselling service, and may extend to
legal, financial and consumer advice depending on the programme selected.

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 Pensions Auto-enrolment
By 2018 ALL employers will legally be required to enrol certain staff into a qualifying pension
scheme AND make contributions for the benefit of those employees. Staff must be given certain
information about the scheme and be given the opportunity to opt out of the scheme. There are
penalties for failing to put an appropriate scheme in place by the organisation’s “staging date”.3

3
Find out your staging date here:
http://www.thepensionsregulator.gov.uk/employers/tools/staging-date.aspx

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 About Gravitas HR Solutions
Established in 2012, Gravitas HR is owned and managed by its three directors.

Clients benefit from over 50 years’ combined experience gained in a variety of blue chip
organisations and law firms. Professionally qualified, our expertise covers all areas of HR
management, employment law and reward management.

We build lasting relationships built on mutual trust and will work in partnership with you to get to
know and understand your business. We will work with you to design and deliver HR solutions
which are bespoke to your organisation.

Many of our clients refer to us as their ‘Virtual HR Department’, enjoying the benefits and flexibility
of having highly qualified HR professionals on their team, without carrying additional headcount.

Dawn Exley Mark Exley

07811 281905 07789 507262

Northampton Office
01604 763 494

Gravitas HR Solutions
7A Basset Court
Loake Close
Grange Park
Northampton
NN4 5EZ

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