Some time ago, an associate of mine who worked as a Health and Safety consultant shared a valuable insight with me. Even in what we might consider to be the most dangerous workplaces with potentially hazardous machinery, such as sawmills, engineering workshops or factories, the most frequent accidents are caused by simple trips and falls.

This highlights a crucial point for employers: while we rightly focus on the really risky elements of work to prevent the major catastrophes, it’s equally, and arguably more important to pay attention to basic practices and not overlook what we might consider to be routine or mundane.

As we run and manage our businesses, our attention often centres on growth, expansion, and more ambitious plans where we are praised for our endeavours and results. While pursuing these goals however, we must ensure that we don’t neglect the fundamental aspects of managing people effectively. Our employees, the "doers" within our organisations, are essential to achieving our bigger goals and aspirations, so we must execute our people management in ways that work for the business and the employees.

To maintain effective management, businesses and organisations need to keep sight of the fundamentals

• Maintain clear and effective channels of communication: All tiers of the workforce should know the direction of the businesses. If new avenues are being pursued or new contracts sought, this should be relayed throughout the workforce so there are no surprises if a change to the ways of working are introduced and no one should be complaining about being kept in the dark.
  
  
• Ensure employment basics and legal compliance: Keep contracts of employment up to date and be sure that induction training for new staff always happens and is made current and relevant.
  
  
• Manage probation periods properly: Train thoroughly with frequent (monthly) reviews. Clearly sign off successful employees in the agreed timeframe or extend probation as needed and communicate this.
  
  
• Set appropriate goals and objectives: Give employees challenging but achievable objectives that are regularly reviewed at one-to-one and appraisal meetings. Offer support when targets are not achieved but be prepared to consider sanctions when staff underperform.
  
  
• Don’t avoid those perceived difficult conversations: With proper preparation, there need be no such thing as a difficult conversation. Ensure all managers have the confidence and skills to deal with those prickly moments.
  
  
• Maintain a compliant workforce: This doesn’t just mean ‘Working at Heights’ training for roofers. We are seeing big tribunal awards weekly for breaches of dignity at work and sexual harassment and it’s happening in a multitude of industries. Make sure your managers and employees know the boundaries and are adequately trained so that the organisation doesn’t end up being liable.
  
  
• Keep employees motivated and engaged: Incentives and bonuses work but can cost money. Regular employee surveys, and a genuine focus on employee engagement and wellbeing will also pay dividends for employers.

It’s easy to let these basics slip, perhaps due to boredom, complacency, or believing they are no longer necessary. Sometimes we delegate tasks without proper training or forget to check periodically to ensure these tasks are still performed correctly or to the required standard. When these basic procedures fail, it can lead to significant issues, including diminished accountability or, in worst-case scenarios, legal problems and tribunal actions.

At HR Champions, we stress the importance of mastering these fundamental practices through our comprehensive training programmes, especially our ILM qualifications. Even seasoned managers can benefit greatly from revisiting these essential management practices. Taking a refresher of our ILM Level 2 qualification ensures managers remain proficient in foundational management skills.

Plus of course, we have training solutions for all the scenarios mentioned above.

Don’t let neglecting the basics become your business’s trip or fall. Strengthen your team's management skills by enrolling in one of our practical training programmes today. Contact HR Champions Ltd now to ensure your organisation is equipped to achieve ongoing success. Call us on 01452 331331, or complete the contact form.