Keeping track of your employee records can be tricky, especially as your company grows and you have more staff members. There are so many things to remember when it comes to managing staff.
Keeping tabs on their leave, asking them about their personal details, and keeping track of their pay – all while trying to manage the work they do – is a lot for any manager.
Thankfully, there are some simple ways that managers can keep things under control with their employees at every stage throughout their lifecycle at the company.
Here are some easy employee management tips that will help you keep track of your staff and avoid any awkward HR situations down the line.
Keep track of holiday and sick days
You may think that you don’t need to record how many sick days your employees take, but it’s always best to keep track of it. If you have no records of how many days an employee has taken off, you may find yourself in an awkward situation if they take another day off and the company needs them to work.
Keeping track of these things helps keep everyone on the same page and makes it easier to know what to expect from your employees. If you have employees who work a regular 9 to 5 shift, you may not need to track holiday and sick days.
But if you have telecommuters or people who work irregular hours, it might be helpful to have a system in place to keep track of time off.
You can ask employees to note any time they take off on a calendar, which they can then share with you. If they work remotely, they can track this information in a spreadsheet or online calendar.
Ask for your employees’ personal details
You may think that you don’t need to know your employees’ marital status, but it’s important to ask. Asking your employees about their personal lives can help you get to know them better and become a more empathetic manager. It will also help you avoid awkward HR situations.
For example, if you don’t know if your employee has a partner, they may bring someone to your office party. If you ask for your employees’ personal details, it will also help you put them on the correct insurance plans.
Another case, you may need to put your female employees on a maternity leave policy. If you don’t know their marital status, you could end up in an awkward situation where you ask an expecting employee to take time off and they have to decide whether to lie to you.
How much time people are spending at work?
It’s important to keep tabs on how much time your employees are spending at work, whether you have a set office schedule or not. If your employees work a specific work-from-home schedule, you may not need to know their hours.
If you have a telecommuting employee, though, it’s important to set ground rules. For example, you’ll want to make sure that they don’t spend more hours at home than they’re supposed to.
When you see that they’re spending more hours at home than they should be, it could be a sign that they’re not getting enough work done or they don’t have enough to do.
Don’t be afraid to discipline your employees
Discipline is sometimes necessary. If your employees break company rules, you may have to discipline them. If you don’t discipline your employees, it may seem like you don’t care about their actions.
While it’s important to be fair, it’s also important to have consequences for rule-breakers. If you don’t discipline your employees, they may not take the rules seriously and you may have to discipline them more harshly in the future.
If you do have to discipline an employee, remember that you’re doing it to help them improve. Discipline should be constructive, not cruel.
Check in with staff about their wellbeing
Managers should check in with their employees to make sure they’re feeling healthy and happy at work. It’s important to keep tabs on your employees’ wellbeing, both for their sake and for yours. If one of your employees is having a hard time, it may be affecting their work. It may also be a sign that something is wrong and you need to step in to help.
For example, you may notice that an employee is getting a lot of headaches and you may want to talk to them about why that is. It’s important to check in with your employees, but you don’t want to be nosy.
When you’re checking in with an employee, make sure that it’s not just a way for you to get information. Your goal should be to help that person.
Conclusion
Keeping track of your employees’ personal details, how much time they spend at work, and their wellbeing is important. It can also help you create a better work environment by helping you get to know your employees better. It’s important to remember that an employee is more than just their work. By keeping tabs on these things, you can help create a positive working environment and make sure that your employees are happy.
