When In doubt Call Department of Labor and Employment

I remember numerous times when the subject matter helped me a lot.

First experience, I was very new to being an HR Manager. I shifted from being a training manager whose skill was in designing and running training program to becoming in charge of everything that has to do with managing a company's human resource department. My regulatory knowledge was next to zilch and I was a one-man army in a disarrayed department that I inherited. I heard from someone that a company should be registered with the Department of Labor (one of the laws a.k.a. suggestions that HR Managers should comply with if they feel like it...nasty huh!). I didn't know how to go about it. I called the department of labor and got the information I needed. Don't ask me about them now, that was ages ago. Go ask them, that' what this article is all about.

Next, I recommended a compressed work-week to my boss so that we don't have to go to work on Saturdays and at one point we even tried the 4-day workweek. Couldn't find the needed information online, hence I called DOLE and they pointed me to Bureau of Working Conditions. I looked for someone there to ask about the regulatory requirements of making this scheme happen. I also got what I needed.

A couple of years ago, the company I was working for experienced a terrible financial situation because our biggest client pulled out their business. I had to retrench so many people. I asked around in the e-groups, I got good answers but I felt that I didn't get enough, so what did I do? Right, I called the Department of labor about our predicament. I told them I wanted to do it right and I needed advice from them. A representative guided me through the process. While I will never forget the pain of that experience, I was able to go through the process smoothly.

One of the things HR practitioners fear is D.O.L.E. inspections, especially the ones who have a lot to hide. I had the same worries but not because we have something to hide. I was afraid that there are regulations I was not aware of and is innocently not complying. I think a lot of HR Managers have the same problem. I realized however that the experience will enrich me. You are right, that what I did! I called up DOLE and told them I'm a new HR Manager. I, together with my boss wanted to be compliant and I told them we need their help. I learned from them that they were able to formulate a self-audit mechanism. They sent me the documents I needed to do a self-audit and then I did. I found some questions I can't understand or fear that we might not be compliant, so there I was again, calling DOLE asking them how I can comply. A gentleman came to my office and explained the requirement. I told him I'll be ready for his audit the next three months but he never returned. I think he realized that auditing me would be a waste of time when there are other companies who are hiding their noncompliance.

I hope the message here is clear by now, so I won't go any further. Let me just say this. It's been a while since I last ask them for anything. If things didn't change in that department, I tell you that it'll be worth your while to when in doubt, call D.O.L.E.

For D.O.L.E.and attached agencies contact details, click here.

Sharpen Your HR Saw

Call this post a result of a hangover after I spent a few thousand pesos to attend a six-day training on coaching. As a matter of fact, this post idea came to me as I sat there listening to the facilitator. It was the first day of training. I hardly have any idea if my training investment is worth it (I found that it was well worth it later) but I was already feeling good and was giving myself a pat on the back for squeezing in the time from my very busy schedule and putting in the money that's getting hard to come by these days. I was telling myself, "Ed, if you want more profit, you gotta invest more and you did, congratulations!" The people who joined that six-day session are incredibly self-driven. No one was instructed by a boss to attend that training. Most paid from their own pockets and those who didn't are not less driven than those who did because as I said, they all chose to be there. No instruction, no coercion. As a result that training was successful not only because our resource person was great but because the participants are out to get their money's worth... and yes they are all super smart.

As I said, money is getting harder to come by these days. The economic crunch may force companies to hold tight on their money and forgo staff development. If this happens in your company, will you postpone your personal and professional development and wait till your boss is willing to pay for your training? I suggest not. I suggest that YOU TAKE MATTERS IN YOUR OWN HANDS AS FAR AS YOUR CAREER DEVELOPMENT IS CONCERNED (I hope that's clear enough). I suggest that you set aside some of your earnings for a training that you feel will help you do a better job and advance in your career or will help you set a better direction for yourself. Never stop from sharpening your saw. If you are an HR practitioner, that is an even bigger reason not to stop from sharpening your HR saw. Why, because I believe that this profession requires continuing learning if not continuing education.

Some people feel that investing in their own training and then using their knowledge to improve a company is not a fair deal. I say that, that way of thinking is shortsighted. When you invest in your own learning you acquire knowledge. When you use your company as a laboratory for testing your new knowledge, you develop a skill and you improve your stock. Yes the company benefits from your training but you benefit more because you get recognized for your new capabilities and it may pave the way for promotion. If they fail to recognize your capabilities, another company will and they will pay a premium for it, you still win in the end. The participants in the training I attended last week know all these and that's why they are all winners in my eyes.

Since you've gone this far in reading this piece, let me recommend a few things that HR practitioners who dream of becoming successful professionals can invest their money in:

-Training the Trainer
-certificate or Diploma courses for HR Management from PMAP or PSTD
-Membership in Professional organizations as PMAP and PSTD
- Toastmasters membership
- Performance management Training
- Job evaluation training
- Compensation management related training
- UP SOLAIR's labor laws training
- All sorts of communication training
- Connect with like-minded individuals and share knowledge and experiences with them through social networking and other means.

If you can get your boss to pay for all this, great! I envy you, if not, don't let it stop you from sharpening your HR saw because you'll never know when a bigger tree needs cutting, if you know what I mean.

Good Customer Service is a Product of Teamwork

It's one of those high end resorts in Southern Tagalog Region where I facilitated a teambuilding workshop for a group project managers. Normally I would prefer real team building venues where the resort staffs are trained, skilled and experienced in handling numerous team building workshops like Hotel La Corona in Pagsanjan, Lake Caliraya Resort,Forest Club, MMLDC or Eugenio Lopez Center(I don't understand why I can't find their website). This time however, I had to go with my client's choice. The size of the place is enormous. I mean the whole property but they did not allocate an ideal place for team building so I had to make do with whatever is available. I don't really complain about these things. I always make it a point to adjust to the situation.

The front line people are friendly. I told them about my requirements for the activities and the person handling the account promised that those requirements will be delivered. What I needed was an open space for my outdoor activities. The front line person I was talking to showed me the place where I can hold it. My schedule was divided into two. Indoor activities on the first day and outdoor stuffs on the second day. Since the outdoor location is far from the indoor function room, and as I said, the venue is huge, the account person suggested that we have our breakfast in a nearby pavilion and then asked me what time I needed to be picked up from the lodge which is a good distance from the outdoor venue. The small inconveniences of the venue was made bearable by the friendly front line person who seemed to be on top of everything. We agreed that I will be picked up from the lodge at 6:30 a.m. have the participants picked up at 7:00 am for breakfast so we can start the event at 8:00 a.m.

I woke up at 5:30 to make sure that I'm ready when the resort van arrives. I don't want to waste time because I didn't have an assistant at the time. 6:30 came, no resort service arrived. I called the front desk to remind them I'm supposed to be picked up at 6:30. The person I talked to at the other end of the line was clueless. She said she will check if my request was logged and then found that it was so she said, the service will be there in 10 to 15 minutes. The service arrived at almost 6:45. 15 minutes delay, I told myself, not a big deal, no reason to be worked up. The Driver brought me to the new venue and found it closed.t was not prepped for our activity. The guard asked me what my business was. I told him I'm facilitating a team building event there. He was surprised. He said there was no advice of a team building activity being held there on that day. Another staff came in at around 7:30 to open the pavillion. She was also surprised by the news. I asked her to call whoever is in charge and ask about my concern. She found out that we are supposed to have breakfast there at 7:00 a.m. and at 7:45 they were still preparing the food and we had our breakfast at about 8:30ish. To make the long story short. I started late and ended the session late.

It happens a lot these days. When I need service, a front liner will face me with all the friendliness and genuine concern for my needs that she can muster but end up falling short of expectations come delivery time. Is it because the front liner resorted to "fakery?" I don't think so. I think a company fails to satisfy because the front liner is not getting the necessary support to deliver on the promise. They fail to satisfy because the internal communication line is too messed up to get the client's message across functions responsible for delivery and back. I also think that a company fails to deliver because the leaders don't know how to build a customer centric system or make an already existing one work.

I offer two courses in customer service. One is Service Leadership and the other one is Service excellence for Front liners. On several occasions, organizational leaders beg off from service leadership training because they are either too busy for it or believe that it's not the main focus of their managers and supervisors, hence it is not the right investment for them. I beg to differ. I believe that the leaders are responsible for building teamwork that will make their customer service system work. Without investing in developing the right mindset and sense of responsibility for customer service among leaders of the organization, there can't be teamwork that will facilitate the needed quality of service delivery.

Teamwork is needed in customer service and leaders should facilitate it.