HR Strategies, LLC
Monthly Strategies
Expired Form I-9 Still in Effect
The current version of the Form I-9, the most
fundamental tool that is used to determine if
applicants are eligible to work in the U.S., expired on
March 31. Until further notice, employers should keep
using the expired form until the recently proposed
“smart” I-9 is in effect, according to U.S. Citizenship
and Immigration Services (USCIS).
On March 28, 2016, USCIS published a second round
of proposed changes to the form in the Federal
Register, giving the public 30 days to comment. Once
the comment period ends April 27 and comments are
considered, USCIS may make further changes before
sending the proposal to OMB, which will need to
review and approve it. Ultimately, the form will be
available for download at www.uscis.gov upon being
approved.
Tact, Tone & Timing: Strategies
for Effective Communication
th
On Thursday, April 28 from 8:30 to noon SHRM
Delaware State Council, Inc. is offering an amazing
workshop. The sessions focus on providing attendees
with the ability to effectively exchange information
with stakeholders. The workshop will be held in the
Atrium at Goldey-Beacom College for $75 and
includes continental breakfast. The sessions are as
follows:
 Session I: “Make Your Presentations
Memorable” with Dr. Joel Worden
 Session II: “Networking Nudge: Connecting
through Communication” with Dr. Deanna
Merritt
 Session III: “Communicating Across Your
Organization in 2016: Considerations for Tool
Selection and Message Tone” with Dr. Monica
D.T. Rysavy
For more information contact [email protected]
or to register: https://deshrm.siteym.com/events/EventDetails.aspx?id=790117
Volume 13, Issue 4
April 1, 2016
How to Say No When an
Employee Asks for More Money
In a perfect world, every time you wanted to reward a
high-performing employee with more cash, you’d
have the wherewithal to do it and no other factors to
consider.
In some instances, an employee may ask and then
receive. However, this isn’t always easy to do, and in
some cases it’s not feasible at all.
In this day and age, it’s common for some
managers to view their subordinates as friends, as
many work environments have taken a more relational
turn in previous years. Because of the heightened
level of comfort, employees may be more willing to
ask for raises, and in the same regard, some managers
may want to please their employees. There’s a
challenge then, in telling an employee no, especially
when the manager is motivated to keep things
amicable.
Here are some suggestions that can help you meet that
challenge.
Listen to your employee’s case. Before making a
decision about the raise, it’s good to know why the
employee thinks s/he deserves one. Does s/he believe
s/he’s underpaid relative to the market? Has s/he
taken on new responsibilities? Has s/he accomplished
something worthy of a bump in pay?
If an employee is confident enough to ask for a raise,
often it’s because s/he’s done something s/he believes
warrants it. By listening to your employee’s case,
you’ll not only gain insight into his or her values, you
may also discover you were unaware s/he's done
something that deserves some form of recognition.
While your employee’s accomplishment may not
warrant a raise, or you may not have the means to
approve one, having more information about your
employee’s performance will allow you to recognize
him or her in the future.
Take time to consider the request. When refusing a
raise, it’s very important to be aware of the
employee’s feelings and how your refusal will come
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across. Being too quick to say no may give the
impression you don’t value the employee, and you
don’t want your employee to think that. When you
take time to consider the request, however, it shows
that you genuinely value the employee, even if your
answer will be no.
On the other hand, taking too much time to consider
the request could cause your employee to believe
you’re dragging your heels because you don’t care.
You want to take enough time to appear thoughtful
but not neglectful.
Give your employee more than “no”. Just telling
your employee no without further rationale will leave
him or her with more questions than answers,
especially if you allowed him or her to make a case to
you to begin with. By providing a reasoned rationale
for the refusal, you continue to show your employee
respect. In explaining your answer, you are also able
to give constructive feedback that can help him or her
earn a raise in the future.
It is also important to affirm the employee’s value to
your organization. If s/he’s taken on additional
responsibilities, for example, you’ll want him or her to
be aware of your appreciation. Ultimately, you don’t
want this refusal to damage the employee’s
engagement or loyalty levels.
Be straightforward. If there’s a specific reason the
employee doesn’t qualify for the raise at this time, be
honest about it. Also, let your employee know what
s/he can do to potentially qualify for the raise later on.
Don’t sugarcoat or fluff your answers. Be kind but
don’t be afraid to tell your employee exactly how it is.
A good employee will generally appreciate the
feedback and honesty and hopefully make the
necessary changes.
Offer support and assistance. A good leader wants
to see their employees succeed. You may have to turn
the employee down this time, but by offering to help
him or her do what it takes to get a raise in the future
you’re showing that you believe in the employee and
genuinely see potential in him or her to get where s/he
wants to be. A good employee can’t help but
appreciate that.
Emergency Preparedness
Whether it’s a tornado bearing down, a fire on the
factory floor or a disgruntled colleague brandishing a
Monthly Strategies
rifle in the office, panic takes hold and chaos often
ensues when emergency situations occur at work.
Emergency Must-Haves - Many employers not only
lack emergency action plans, but also fail to
communicate with and train their workforces about
what to do in case of an emergency. Advance
planning is crucial to emergency preparation, and a
plan won’t be effective if employees are unaware that
it exists. Here are some basic tips for a safer working
environment:
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An emergency safety plan should include
procedures to respond to various emergency
situations, methods to recover and maintain
business continuity, and employee training and
drills.
Businesses should ensure that must-have safety
products are onsite, including first-aid kits, fire
extinguishers, crank-powered cell phone chargers
and flashlights, equipment such as protective
clothing and respiratory protection, and important
emergency supplies (water, food, batteries)
applicable to many different types of emergencies.
Emergency Evacuation Plans - Does your company
have a formal, published policy on emergency
evacuations? Do your employees know what to do or
where to go during an emergency event? If not, you
could be accused of corporate negligence.
Below are some elements that should be included for
an effective emergency evacuation plan:
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Single point of responsibility. Someone is
responsible for the safe evacuation of all
employees onsite.
Trained employees for emergency situations in all
work areas.
Well-marked exit and escape routes.
Multiple safe assembly areas.
Protected exit points.
A visitor awareness program. All visitors need to
be informed about emergency evacuation
procedures as well.
Regular training and drills.
An effective personnel accounting procedure.
Post-incident support.
If your organization would like to learn more about the items
in this newsletter, please feel free to contact Tricia
Clendening at 302.373.1784 (cell) or 302.376.8595 (office) or
[email protected]. Please contact us if you would like
to be removed from our Monthly Strategies mailing list or if
you would like for us to add someone to our mailing list.