FORMULATING HR POLICIES

The following steps should be taken to formulate and implement HR policies:

1. Gain understanding of the corporate culture and its core values. 

2. Analyse existing policies, written and unwritten. HR policies will exist in any organization, even if they are implicit rather than expressed formally. 

3. Analyse external influences. HR policies are subject to the influence of UK employment legislation, European Community Employment Regulations, and the official codes of practice issued by bodies in the UK such as ACAS (Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service), the EOC (Equal Opportunities Commission), the CRR (Commission on Racial Relations) and the Health and Safety Executive. The codes of practice issued by relevant professional institutions, such as the CIPD, should also be consulted. 

4. Assess any areas where new policies are needed or existing policies are inadequate. 

5. Check with managers, preferably starting at the top, on their views about HR policies and where they think they could be improved. 

6. Seek the views of employees about the HR policies, especially the extent to which they are inherently fair and equitable and are implemented fairly and consistently. Consider doing this through an attitude survey. 

7. Seek the views of union representatives. 

8. Analyse the information obtained in the first seven steps and prepare draft policies

9. Consult, discuss and agree policies with management and union representatives. 

10. Communicate the policies, with guidance notes on their implementation as required (although they should be as self-explanatory as possible). Supplement this communication with training.

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IMPLEMENTING HR POLICIES



The aim will be to implement policies fairly and consistently. Line managers have a key role in doing this. As pointed out by Purcell et al (2003), ‘there is a need for HR policies to be designed for and focused on front line managers’. It is they who will be largely responsible for policy implementation. Members of the HR can give guidance, but it is line managers who are on the spot and have to make decisions about people. The role of HR is to communicate and interpret the policies, convince line managers that they are necessary, and provide training and support that will equip managers to implement them. As Purcell et al emphasize, it is line managers who bring HR policies to life.