NEW HR LEARNINGS _ May 23, 2021 EXIT INTERVIEWS - IS IT NECESSARY?

We, in HR , are very fond of interviewing people. We conduct the interview before we hire someone and we interview when someone resigned. Exit interview specifically is one practice that we do, to know the exact reason why said person is leaving. It is because we believed that in knowing his reason, we would be able to get an idea on what to improve within the organization in order to promote employee engagement.

But are we sure we are getting the true answer from the resignee? Are we getting the right information?

In my own experience, most resigned employees are no longer interested in telling us what we need to change or what are their real reasons from deciding to leave. Why? Well, obviously, because they have decided to separate already. What good will it do for them if they will tell you, " Oh, I am resigning because this company  has a very low salary, management are poor in motivating people, there is really favoritism, I am no longer growing, and so on so forth." Would it help him/her if he/she tells you the truth? And that is exactly the challenge on our part as HR. How can we make them speak-up when they will no longer be a part of the company. It is too late to know how we could make them stay if we will ask these questions only when they are already leaving. The truth is, resigned employee will avoid as much as possible telling words that would hurt or burn bridges. All you would hear from them are nice words because they just want to fast track their clearances and final pay.

Why not do this so-called Exit interview during their employment and just re-termed it into Engagement interview? or as the famous HR group suggested, why not make it a "kumustahan session" during their employment? If we will make this kumustahan session as the practice instead of the Exit interview, I believed there will be more employees who will stay and together with the company, they, too will gain from the positive improvements that were initiated through the so-called Engagement interview or kumustahan session.

SSS SICKNESS BENEFIT

 

SSS Sickness Benefit is a daily cash allowance paid to a member for the number of days he/she is unable to work due to sickness or injury.

How to qualify?

• Confinement either at home or in the hospital for at least four (4) days
• Paid at least three (3) monthly contributions within the 12-month period preceding the semester of sickness
• Has notified his employer; or if unemployed, has notified SSS
• Has used up all current company sick leave with pay

FIRST STEP:  Sickness Notification

Note: SSS has other advise/notification period during lockdown; ECQ or in case there is still a Covid -19 pandemic which causes the branch to close or stop their operation at their office.

In general, the following rules is being followed:

For Employed Members:

• Employee shall advise employer within 5 calendar days after the start of confinement
• Employer shall notify SSS within 5 calendar days form the receipt of employee notification
• If the employee notifies the employer beyond the prescribed five-day period, the confinement shall be deemed to have started not earlier than the fifth day immediately preceding the date of notification.
• If the employer notifies the SSS beyond five (5) calendar days after receipt of the notification from the employee, the employer shall be reimbursed only for each day of confinement starting from the 10th calendar day immediately preceding the date of notification to the SSS.
• If the employee has given the required notification to the employer, but the employer fails to notify the SSS of the confinement within the prescribed period resulting in the reduction of the benefit or denial of the claim, the employer shall have no right to recover the daily sickness allowance advanced to the employee.
• the employer must notify the SSS within ten (10) calendar days from the start of the employee’s sickness or injury while he was working or while he was within the company premises.

 If filed through Company Representative, the following documents should be forwarded to SSS:

·       System-generated Transmittal List (TL) or System-generated Acknowledgment Letter, if filed through Electronic Notification (three copies); or Employer TL (three copies)

·       Member’s Sickness Notification Application

·       Member’s identification card/s or document/s (photocopy)

·       All attached medical documents and reports, if any;

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·       ​​A Medical Specialist shall determine other required medical documents based on a separate checklist.

Amount of Benefit

The daily cash allowance is equivalent to 90% of the average daily salary credit

 Computation of Benefit

• Exclude the semester of sickness/contingency
• Select the 3-6 highest Monthly Salary Credits within the last 12 months preceding the semester of contingency to arrive at the Total Monthly Salary Credit (TMSC)
• Divide the TMSC by 180 to get the Average Daily Salary Credit (ADSC)
• Multiply the ADSC by 90%, then further multiply it by the approved number of days (maximum period of entitlement is 120 days in one calendar year)

  Online Sickness Notification via SSS website

• Employer must have a registered My.SSS account ;
• Employer is enrolled in the Sickness and maternity Benefit Payment Thru-the-Bank Program and has a registered bank account;
• Has an approved SSS notification that is included in the SBRA claim; and
• Employer has a certification to advance the sickness benefit of the employee according to their sickness notification

 How to file SBRA for your employees via SSS website

1. Log in to My.SSS account (sss.gov.ph) and click Employer
2. Encode your User ID and Password then tick box for the captcha
3. Under E-Services, click Submit SS Sickness Benefit Reimbursement Application (SBRA)
4. Encode the SS number of the employee. Then select Claim Reference Number button from the list of approved sickness notifications (ex: confinement period, number of days approved) Then click Proceed
5. Enter other needed information then click the certification box. Then click Submit.
6. Confirmation page will be displayed. Make sure to get a copy of your Transaction Reference Number (TRN)
7. Confirmation of successful SBRA will also be sent via the registered email of the employer.

 Manner of Payment & Reimbursement for Employed Members

1. Once employer successfully sent the sickness notification, employer shall advance the benefit every regular payday of the employee
2. The amount advanced will be reimbursed 100% by the SSS thru employer’s depository bank.

 

Reference: SSS website

 

 

GAP IN APPLICANT’S EMPLOYMENT – SHOULD YOU FOCUS ON IT NEGATIVELY?

My answer is a big “NO”. Why? Because something good might have happened during the gap period. He/She may have experience a milestone in her life where she has to stop working for a while and give time to a certain happening. Probably, she got married and needed to take care of her husband’s needs. A time to deserve her married life. Or it might be that she needed to take care of her old mother. A time to pay back and express her love and care of her old parents. A time of joy and a time of sorrow – yet both entails LOVE. If you will dig on it deeper, both experiences will make him/her a mature and better individual. Both will make her strong and nurturing. Both will make him/her a good leader – happy and humane.

Some applicants do have a long gap period of employment. But have you asked her what did she do during this break? Having the gap period in employment does not always mean incompetence. In fact, some people use it in upgrading their knowledge. With the advent of new technologies, being out of work is not anymore a reason to stop learning and remain extinct. Online magazines and newspapers have left printed ones out of fashion.

Being at work the whole period does not always mean that an individual is learning or in trend with the current practices in ones field of work. There is even a higher chance for the unemployed person to continue learning and upgrading his/her craft.

With the rise of blogs and google, unemployed person has a better chance of getting updated information as long as he/she uses internet at home. A better alternative in order to add value in ones career.

So should you say “NO” to an applicant with a big gap in employment? 

ARTICLE V OF REPUBLIC ACT NO. 9165 - A DRUG FREE WORKPLACE – IS A MUST

Pursuant to Article V of Republic Act No. 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002, and its Implementing Rules and Regulations and DOLE Department Order No. 53-03, series of 2003 (Guidelines for the Implementation of a Drug-Free Workplace Policies and Programs in the Private Sector), the following policies and programs must be adopted to achieve a drug-free workplace:

COVERAGE

This law applies to all establishments in the private sector, including contractors and concessionaires.

COMPONENTS

Advocacy, Training and Education – employees should be kept aware and educated about the dangers of using drugs including its consequences.

Drug Testing – random drug testing should be done in accordance with the company’s rules and regulation in order to avoid or lessen the risk in the workplace.

Treatment, Rehabilitation and Referral – this option is given only to officers and employees who are diagnosed with drug dependence for the first time, or who turn to the Assessment Team for assistance, or who would benefit from the treatment and rehabilitation.

CONSEQUENCES OF POLICY VIOLATIONS

1.       Any officer or employee who violated or commits other unlawful acts as defined under Article II of RA 9165 and its Implementing Rules and Regulations shall be subject to the pertinent provisions of the said Act.

2.       Any officer or employee found positive for use of dangerous drugs shall be dealt with administratively in accordance with the provisions of Article 282 of Book VI of the Labor Code and under RA 9165.

WHAT TO DO WITH EXCESS LEAVES?

If  a company have always practiced non-conversion and non forfeiture of its leaves and resulted in a number of excess-leaves, what is the best thing to do?

The scenario is that the company only provides the 10-VL SL. Due to non-treatment of excess leaves, employees have as much as 20+ leaves. Co. Wants to change this .

ANSWER:

It depends on what the management is willing to do and what is it that you want to convey to your employees. In other words, go back to your purpose: “ what is the reason for granting SL and VL to your employees?”

Do you want them to take a break and recharge from an exhausting work in order to have a better performance when they come back?

If you really want them to take a break, forfeiture of unused vacation leaves would be in order. This would compel them to use it. This way you put across the message that vacations are important to their well-being and that the company is looking out for them on this.

SL on the other hand should be treated differently. Unused SL could be monetized. This then serves as an incentive for them to keep themselves healthy, as the SL is actually savings for them. 

There are a number of ways to treat the excess, but the key is what do you (and management for that matter) want to do?

PHILHEALTH - ON REGISTERING AND REPORTING EMPLOYEES

Philhealth is one of the government mandatory benefits in the Philippines. It aims to provide medical assistance to nearly the entire population. It caters the five patient groups as : the workers; the Retirees; the OFWs; the indigents ; and the Non-poor and others.

Benefits package are the same for each group except for indigents and the OFWs who have additional outpatient primary care benefits.

Let’s leave it at that and now continue with the write-up on the formal sector since HR works for the  employed.

PHILHEALTH REGISTRATION FOR NEWLY HIRED AND EXISTING EMPLOYEES WITHOUT PIN YET

• Get a Philhealth Member Registration Form from the HR Department and fill it up.
• Attach the supporting documents for qualified dependents as: birth certificate for children and the marriage contract for spouse.
• Submit to HR Department. Better to have a receiving copies of your evidence in doing follow-ups.
• HR Department will then forward it to Philhealth office together with ER2 Form or Report of Employee Members.
• Then, Philhealth will send the Philhealth ID card and a copy of the Member Data Record to the member through his employer or the HR Department.

HR Department should be organized in keeping up this files of the employees since they are designated as the custodian.

PHILHEALTH FOR NEWLY HIRED EMPLOYEES WITH PIN

For newly-hired with PIN , he/she just have to report his PIN to the employer to indicate the same in ER2.

HR TO REPORT NEW AND SEPARATED EMPLOYEES TO PHILHEALTH

HR must be responsible enough to report the employees to Philhealth to ensure that they can get due benefits especially in times of need.

Newly – hired employees must be reported using the ER2 Form . Reporting must be done within 30 days of hiring date.

Separated employees must be reported using RF1 within 30 days from date of separation from the office.

LOW COST "PERKS" THAT HELP ATTRACT EMPLOYEES

When we ask an applicant in the interview on how much salary is he currently receiving, you may hear this response, “ I am receiving this ____________ amount as a basic salary plus other perks. If you would come to dig with it deeper, you would agree with me. Most of the times, there is no difference with the salary offerings of different companies but with the other benefits that they can offer? – It is really what makes them different. And it is that “other perks” which attract most of the applicants.

Below are some of the less expensive perks we can offer the employees:
1. Flexible time – it all depends on the kind of industry that we are in. If you found out that employees find it hard to make it on time at 7 am, then probably, it is too early for him and he can’t cope up with it. If said employee is of one of the potential talents and his position is considered as one of the hard-to-fill in, then it’s time to make a way I order to make him fit for the job. Consider adjusting his reporting time but be sure to make it 8 hours as required by the policy and the law.

2. Free Lunch – To foster teamwork and happiness in the workplace by way of celebration, why not offer a free even just once a week or once a month. This could be done along with the celebration of those who have birthdays for the month.

3. Pick and Drop – Free transportation can free the employees from worrying with everyday traffic and stress from commuting.

4. Gym Facilities – it is just a one-time investment which we can offer to employees. Make this sports or strengthening and healthy activities free for all employees during non-working hours and on weekends.

5. Libraries for leisure and learnings – encourage reading habits and learning sessions with the employees in order to make them at home even when they are at work.

6. Organize a family day – This will bring the employees including their families closer to the organization.
7. Livelihood Projects – This will interest old employees even the young ones who wants to be productive outside their works.

8. Summer Hours or Summer Days – Aside from the regular teambuildings during summer, give “one Friday” free for all employees. This to give them time with their family for their scheduled outings or summer escapades.

9. Free Chair Massage – Again, this is a “one time” investment which will benefit the employees to ease their back pains from sitting for just around 5 minutes. After that, they can go back to work with the feeling of comfort and relax.

10. Free snacks – Fill the kitchen or the pantry area with fruits, biscuits,  juice, coffee or milk. This will take out the employees from the burden of buying small time snacks and at the same time, it would reduce the office time spent outside the office by buying in the nearby convenience store.

Those are just a few of the perks that would attract talents and helped in retaining them. How about you? Any sharing on unique ideas that would help retain talented employees?

HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT – a Thankless Job

Human Resource Management is a very difficult job but is viewed as a thankless job. For one to love this job, you must really be interested and see its worth as a function in a company or organization. Getting into full understanding of its processes and its importance depend on ones interest and commitment to the job. I mentioned, it’s a thankless job for the reason that more often than not, no one ever notices or appreciate its importance and its contribution. They are always in a dilemma between employees and the management. But most important of all, they still retain their principle of fairness and professionalism despite any pressure.

HR professionals have different functions or oftentimes are groomed into different specialties. Seeing the job searches or job engines, there a lot of demand than supplies nowadays. Companies are now realizing the importance or significance of Human resources in the corporate world hence the need for more HR people to handle the tasks.

DIFFERENT HR PROFESSIONS THAT ARE PREVAILING IN THE MARKET TODAY

1. Recruitment Officer / Talent Acquisition Officer
2. Recruitment Specialist / Talent Acquisition Specialist
3. Recruitment Manager /Talent Acquisition Manager
4. HR Generalist
5. HR Officer
6. HR Specialist
7. HR Manager
8. HR Executive
9. Timekeeper
10. Payroll Specialist
11. Payroll Officer
12. Payroll Manager
13. Employee Relations Officer
14. Employee Relations Specialist
15. Employee Relations Manager
16. Training Officer
17. Training Specialist
18. Training Manager
19. HR Consultant
20. Employee and Welfare Services Officer

…… And a lot more

Some HR professionals have chosen not to work for a company but have preferred establishing their own businesses. They started a business like Manpower Recruitment, Consultancy, HR Training and other services and as a freelancer in HR jobs.

HR as the center of grievance and discipline is labeled as “Highly Reprimanded” Department rather than “Highly Recommended”. It is also tagged as the department of many excuses, such “ we are waiting for the management’s decision”, “ the position is on freeze”, “we need to cost cutting”, and a lot more excuses. But nevertheless, let’s understand that HR Department is the custodian of all processes but always honor the management decision and fairly discussed the employees’ concerns.

With a vast of HR experience in different industries, I could say that every HR of different companies is unique hence also requires a unique yet most effective approach. It depends on how flexible you are as an HR professional. The learnings in handling the Human Resource Management Department are as immeasurable as the challenges that it may bring. Hence, as an HR expert, a mature worker in that profession that is, should have a solid motivation and a love for the job and expect not to be reciprocated with all the goodness and sacrifices done for the sake of doing the job as an HR. After all, it is really a Thankless Job.

TRAINING NEEDS ANALYSIS

Training Needs Analysis or TNA is often neglected in many companies. Probably because they don’t see its importance. Just as how important the training is, TNA is also a necessary component in order to arrive at a real objective of trainings. We don’t just send out employees to training centers , spend an amount for them just to attend a learning session for nothing. Training should be something that they need in order to do better in their assign jobs. It should be something that will add new skills, a new acquisition of right behavior and attitude towards the success of the department moreso of the organization and it should be something that would improve their performance to the next level.

So how do we know that an employee needs training? It is through the conduct of Training Needs Analysis. TNA produces a list of skills needed in order to perform the job well. It is filling-in the skills and the knowledge gap in order to resolve deficiencies in performance. It is also used in order to prepare the employees to new technologies and approaches in businesses. Moreover, it is also used in order to identify or pinpoint the right training for the staff.

How do we conduct TNA? The process of Training Needs Analysis covers the following:

·         Business goals

·         Job analysis

·         Analyzing cost and budget available

The means or Instruments used in conducting the TNA:

·         Through the feedback portion at the end of the Performance Evaluation – some HR department incorporates TNA in the conduct of the Performance Evaluation, which is just fit and timely. At the time of analyzing ones performance the supervisor and the rate themselves can easily identify the gap in performance and the gap in skills and knowledge that the rate possess and still needs to develop.

·         Through a separate survey form – which is quite easy to implement but the help of the line managers of course.

·         Through online survey – some uses these techniques in order to get quicker results. However, it is applicable to those who have computers.

AWOL - HOW TO DEAL WITH IT?

Two cents for this reality: Every HR practitioner has faced this same problem with employees having the series of absences for long period without any notification given to the HR Department and to the department where he belongs.

The emerging question here is : Can we just delete him from the roster? Or can we just stop his services? Or worst, Can we just terminate him?

The answer is “Yes”, but after doing all the required legal steps. There might be a good reason why they’re gone without asking the necessary permission.

Dismissing an employee because of AWOL  is not just a simple process.

Steps to follow:

1.       Always give the benefit of the doubt. If they didn’t arrive within an hour try to ask their close friend/colleagues. If they can’t you any information, make a move to call the staff’s relatives/family. In cases like , the employee is living independently and just boarding , try to call the landlady or landlord which may be seen from his personnel data information sheet. Give a deadline for a response when you leave a message for the concerned employee. Do not forget to get the name of the person you have talked with. Take note of the moves you have taken and file in the Personnel 201 for the record and documentation purposes.

2.       After trying hard to contact the AWOL employees, you still haven’t got any idea on his whereabouts, it’s about time to send him an AWOL letter. It should show some concern and benefit of the doubt plus the explanation that if you haven’t received any response within 3 days upon receipt of the letter, then the corresponding disciplinary procedure which may lead to termination might be imposed. The letter should advise him to report within 3 days upon receipt of the letter or contact the HR Department for any information.

3.       Again, if you don not get a response, send him the second AWOL letter or a follow-up letter. This time, the content of the letter must be firmer, reiterating that they must contact the HR Department for whatever reason they may have otherwise the matter will be of more grievous offense and will be forwarded to further disciplinary action including dismissal.

4.       If no response again, a third letter for disciplinary proceedings may be sent through. Remind them of their rights and attach a copy of the related disciplinary policy. Be clear and explain that if they won’t contact the HR Department, the hearing will go on as scheduled and a decision will be made therein based on gathered facts. Disciplinary action may lead to Termination.

5.       In case of failure of the employee  to attend the hearing, the decision may be made. Send him a letter confirming the result of the hearing and do not forget to give him the right to appeal.

IF THE AWOL EMPLOYEE MADE CONTACT

In case that at at any stage in the above process, the concerned employee does respond and make contact,  the unauthorized absence may be converted to misconduct. Go through the applicable disciplinary procedure unless there is a good reason not to and that an appropriate evidence has been presented to support their reason. Example is a serious illness with a doctor’s advice.

DELIVERY METHODS OF THE LETTERS OF AWOL

To make sure that the letters you are sending are trackable which is very important for an evidence, send it via walk-in delivery, postage with stamp (registered mail), special delivery and first class mail.

RECRUITMENT TIPS

RECRUITMENT TIPS

Architects and Engineers are only two of the hardest to fill-in jobs in the country. Most of these professionals prefer going abroad basically because of higher perks they would receive in another country. It has always been a challenge to get employed as a Talent Acquisition or Recruitment Officer of this kind of industries. It is in these specialized industries that ones resourcefulness in finding the most fit candidates gets tested and proven.

Aside from being totally resourceful, strong selling and negotiation skills  are also a factor. Recruiting for the company is like selling its good image and the opportunities it may offer to the candidate. Learning the art of building relationships which start with being more open in communication and being friendly makes the company the employer of their choice, sometimes.

With the abundance of job engines, networks and tools , it makes the job of the recruiter easier. But it depends on how effectively the recruiter uses it. The recruiter should have the mentality of a hunter. Meaning to say, to be a hunter is not just to simply log in - on jobstreet.com or monster.com and keep on searching ‘till noon. The recruiter does not stay passive , he/she should be active in head hunting.  A recruiter is someone who calls, uses social media to contact the possible candidate, and builds a network among the applicants in order to find the most qualified one. A good recruiter does not only search for applicants the whole day but to look at how these candidates could fit into the organization even though there is no available position at the moment is more valuable.

A Recruitment Officer/Manager could catch more bees with honey than they can with vinegar. In other words, to attract more applicants, even for a very hard to fill-in positions, one must be approachable and personable. Answer phone calls and inquiries as much as you can, contact them via E-mails, or let them follow-up the status of their application and most important of all,give an honest answer and feedback. That is always a consistent rule, do not give false hopes but answer in a very polite manner with whole honesty. No one goes astray with being honest and sincere.

SUGGESTED RECRUITMENT TOOLS

• Employee Referral Program – This is one of the best HR Practices wherein existing employees can refer their former colleagues, friends and classmates for the vacant post. When the referred candidate becomes regularized, then the one who referred will get a Referral Reward or an allowance. In some companies, they give a 10,000 reward for the most hard to fill-in post; then 8,000 to the next; 5,000 and so on. It is very important that a course plan of actions is built before its implementation in order to set the doable direction .Let’s say, is there any budget for the reward? What are the guidelines and mechanics? It is necessary to understand how the team operates and then, plan accordingly.
• Extend the Referral Program to external sources such as your networks, buddies, seminar classmates, etc. Have an unlimited sources to have a variety of applicants to choose from. Give them rewards, too.
• Put a notice on the information board so that the whole organization could know the latest vacancies.
• Pull manpower from other companies in the same industry. Pirating is the term for it. This practice is unethical for some but that’s the trend now especially when it comes to scarcity of resources.