Of Performance Reviews and Mobile Devices
Tips on Human Resources trends of the times
Every few months we highlight trends that affect small to mid-size businesses. This article focuses on two hot topics in the labor and employment arena, changing the traditional performance review and instituting a policy on the use of mobile devices. Most managers would agree that their personnel, whether performing sales, technology, or administrative functions, are the key to any successful organization. High turnover or an unhappy staff can be a big hurdle to building a strong company, so here are some noteworthy developments related to maintaining a productive and satisfied workforce.
Say Goodbye to Annual Performance Reviews
The traditional performance review model requires all
supervisors to review their employees on an annual basis using
a company-wide rating scale. The thinking is that a standardized
review will provide an objective ranking that can
then be used to hand out promotions and raises fairly. Plus,
the lawyers have always required a well-documented personnel
file that neatly tracks negative or positive feedback in case
of a lawsuit or at the time of termination. The rating scale also
provided an easy tool for identifying employees with potential
within the organization and those that needed to be let go.
Well, the basis behind those theories has been debunked. Many companies, large and small, have completely moved away from the annual review by immediate supervisors, opting for more agile, values-based feedback systems. The idea is to give an employee assessments as you go and as needed, even daily if appropriate, and in close proximity to the actual performance. Additionally, a ranking system by its nature will leave some people at the bottom, which unnecessarily disincentivizes a percentage of the workforce. Managers are also being trained to focus on an employee’s “fit” with their peers and the corporate culture rather than individual performance, based on the notion that a team player with mediocre skills can be much more valuable in the long term then a superstar with their own agenda. There is also a push to separate longterm career plans from the day-to-day performance issues of the employee. Considering the increased mobility of today’s worker, the identification of future management has become, for many HR managers, an anachronism with limited utility.
Mobile Devices: Implementing a BYOD Policy
The mass use of devices (smartphones, notebooks, and
other wireless gadgets) has led employers to consider or implement
Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) policies. Allowing employees
to pick up email wherever they are or access company
documents from their iPads is good for business while giving
employees flexibility outside of work hours and office constraints.
However there are a number of risks that go along
with the use of these devices, including exposing a company’s
entire system to a cyber-attack, compromising the confidentiality
of customer or company data, and violations of laws related
to protection of medical or personal identification information.
A device in the wrong hands can be an easy gateway
to a company’s most valuable asset, its proprietary information.
An additional issue is the employee’s privacy. Although
employees may have no expectation of privacy when using a
company email system, that expectation may be different
when it comes to their activity on an iPhone. Imagine the situation
of an employee who is being abruptly terminated: the
company can easily cut off access to their email account, but
what about the data that was previously downloaded to their
smartphone. Can a company access and delete that data
without violating the employee’s privacy rights? An important
first step for most companies is to implement a BYOD policy
that outlines the company’s expectations with regard to devices.
The policy should at a minimum address:
• the types of devices that are not allowed;
• password protection and other required security
measures;
• company’s access remotely and physically to data stored
on devices;
• sharing of devices that contain company information;
• immediate reporting of a lost or stolen device;
• use of personal email accounts for company business;
• transfer of company information to personal emails;
and finally
• the critical “no texting or emailing while driving” policy.
Sonjui L. Kumar is a founding partner of KPPB Law and focuses her practice on serving as general counsel to closely held companies and succession planning for family and closely held businesses.
Disclaimer: This article is for general information purposes only, and does not constitute legal, tax or other professional advice.
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