The importance of keeping employees satisfied and happy on the job is crucial for the overall well being of the organization. The human resource officer is saddled with job of striking the needed balance between the employee work/ family life and the establishment’s growth.
An employee friendly policy is one major issue the employer will always contend with. Whatever policies are put in place should not only benefit the employee alone but also the employer. The allocation of activities for the employee within a time frame must be such that the employee is able to deliver results and still be whole by the time he gets home. The HR personnel is responsible for creating a synergy between the employer and the employee. The HR officer should be able to recognise the signs of overwork in personnel. It has been shown through research that over work can result in variety of illnesses that are work related. The employee that is not up to pal in his health will not be able to deliver on his job requirements. This would make such employees prone to mistakes. It is especially heightened when the establishment is short staffed. However, things can be put in place to facilitate good work ethics. It is important that priorities are clearly set to avoid overwork and the possibility of giving a less than optimal results. A number of things if put in place in the working environment will facilitate the work process, are 1. Employees being able to schedule work for more quiet times. This form of flexibility requires that the HR personnel keep track of actual hours worked by staff. 2. Having official transport arrangement to reduce the stress of commuting to work. 3. Meetings should be held as early as possible, meetings for later in the day should be avoided because it eats into the family time of the employee. 4. Demystifying work by allowing employee kids have the opportunity of being brought to work and getting acquainted with their parents work environment. 5. Effective policies should be put in place for integrating part-time employees and job sharers 6. Witch hunting, segregation and preferential treatment should be discouraged in its entirety in the work environment. 7. Employees should be carried along with developments in the establishment. When they are kept in the dark about issues that should normally involve them, they feel alienated and devalued. 8. Work tools, such as computers, printers, photocopiers, staplers and staples etc, should always be made available or serviced as at when due, to avoid bottles necks and clogs of diverse kinds. 9. Regular surveys should be carried out by HR personnel to find out the pulse of the work environment. 10. Welfare packages should be a norm. By Nehizena Imade. zenabright@yahoo.com