Frank goodbye: Use exit interview to advise former employer
Working World - Career Transition
A. Absolutely, I believe participating in an exit interview is the right thing to do. Obviously, you left the organization for personal reasons and if you didn't have a chance to speak to your supervisor about your areas of dissatisfaction, now is the time. This opportunity allows you to be open and frank and to give advice to your former employer on what areas could be improved. This assists the organization to examine its human resource practices and hopefully make improvements that prove valuable to their current and future employees.
These surveys will include more than just your one interview; all the data from all of the exit interviews is compiled together and therefore there is no need to be concerned about confidentiality.
Q. I am a professional trained in social work and I am interested in entering the field of human resources. How do I go about that?
A. There are certainly a good number of parallels between social work and human resource management and so that could help the transition into your new profession. In fact, at one time, 80 per cent of all human resource managers came into their jobs through another profession. There are several programs in human resource management at each of our educational institutions. You can take courses in the evening and/or you could join a full time program. Each of these programs offers a certificate and/or a diploma.
Another option if you can afford the time and expense is to attend those intensive hands-on training programs offered through York or Queens universities and/or through institutions such as National Training Laboratory (NTL) in the United States. If these options aren't appealing, you can also enrol in an online university program that will lead to a degree in human resource management.
All in all, the transition will take time. If you progress along in your studies and/or if the opportunity arises, the best place to transition into human resources is within your own workplace. Be sure to meet your HR management team and let them know of your intentions.
Q. As an employer, I am frustrated that my managers do not take their performance appraisal responsibilities seriously. What should I do?
A. Unfortunately, managing the performance appraisal process is one of the worst managed functions in human resources, so believe me, you aren't alone. However, with that in mind, it appears that your managers need to be engaged in a "refresher course" in performance management. You need to once again set the stage and outline your expectations in this area. You also need to directly tie this responsibility with the performance of your managers. Take a half day and work with your managers to discuss the purpose and process for your performance appraisals. Review all of the policies and procedures and review the forms to determine if there are any challenges in this area.
I find that many managers are somewhat afraid of conflict, especially when they are confronting a challenging review with an employee. As a result, it is important to review your process and to coach any individuals who needs help. It is also helpful to prepare a comprehensive manual on the management of the performance appraisal process so that managers can consult this when needed.
Q. We recently initiated a change in work hours and now we are faced with unhappy workers. What can we do?
A. Managing change in an organization is very challenging but even more so when the change impacts individual employee work habits or timeframes. If change is not managed effectively, you can create a lot of grumbling for a good period of time. In fact, some people may outright quit and you can also find a drop in morale, especially if the employees see the change as a negative rather than a positive change.
There is no way around it, you will experience some productivity issues but these can be mitigated with a solid change management plan. First of all, you need to have someone to champion the change. This person must be a respected member of your workforce who can help employees understand the benefits to them in the long run. Involve employees as much as possible and create some excitement around your project. Keep people informed, roll out the change through pilot projects and continually evaluate the challenges encountered. Keep in mind that change takes time so don't expect everything to go smoothly all of the time. Finally, be sure to celebrate success.
Q. I am interested in getting involved in a family owned business where succession planning is an issue. What suggestions do you have for making these type of contacts and marketing my skills and abilities?
A. I agree that succession planning in family owned businesses as well as many other small to medium sized businesses offers extraordinary opportunities for high performing individuals who want to "buy" in. And you are right that the challenge for professionals with an entrepreneurial bent is how to find these opportunities. This is particularly so because in most cases, owners do not want their plans to leak out because it may well affect their business.
As a result, I strongly recommend that you begin meeting the various commercial lawyers, senior accounting partners, business valuators and management consultants to introduce yourself and the skills that you offer. As well, you can make yourself known by contacting the various groups and associations where small business owners might belong. This includes groups such as the Canadian Association of Family Owned business (CAFÉ), the Federation of Independent Business (CFIB) or the TEC advisory groups that exist across the country. Good networking with a wide variety of contacts is the best way to become known and to let people know what you are looking for. But, this won't be quick, so be prepared to give yourself time.
Barbara J. Bowes, FCHRP, CMC is President of Legacy Bowes Group, a leading HR consulting and executive search firm. Barbara also has a weekly radio show and is the author of several books. She can be reached at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
