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Resources and Tips

 

Cannabis Will Be Legal in 2023

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Maryland recently voted to legalize cannabis use and possession.  Adults 21 and older may possess, use, and grow cannabis.  This law becomes legal July 1, 2023.  If your business is safety sensitive, what are you doing to prepare?  Here are a few things to consider:​

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  • Pre-hire drug screening vs post-accident drug screening

  • Review job descriptions - what positions are safety sensitive and what positions are not

  • Medical Cannabis Cards - Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA)  â€‹â€‹
    • Can you make reasonable accommodations for workers to perform the essential functions of the job?​
  • Identify instant drug screening tests (urine and/or saliva) as an option for post-accident testing

  • If positive during pre-hire drug screening, then...

    • Confirm whether positive drug test is connected to medicinal use before making employment decision

    • Retest vs one and done

  • If positive during post-accident drug screening, then...

    • Disciplinary action up to and including termination depending on the severity​ of the accident

    • Examples of disciplinary action include verbal warning, written warning, suspension, and termination

    • Recommend Employee Assistant Program (EAP) if applicable

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Recruiting and Retention

go Hand-in-Hand

Gone are the days of just 'filling a seat on the bus'.  Having a recruiting strategy that ties to your strategic plan is a recipe for success!  How many people do you need to hire to meet your company goals?  How are you attracting candidates? Are you utilizing your employees to help find top diverse talent?  Are you searching for essential skills or technical skills?  If your retention is not where you want it to be, it's time to rethink your recruiting strategy. 

 

Over 60% of potential candidates are passive candidates - not looking for a job but could be enticed by a new opportunity.  Create an elevator pitch about your company, share with your team and have them help with recruiting efforts.  Freshen up your job descriptions - make them brief, describe your culture and play to the emotions of the candidate (day in the life at...).  Don't forget to show career paths and growth opportunity.    

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Train your interview teams to ask behavioral questions that align with your company's values or guiding principles.  Try an unconventional interview, such as meet at a job site or at a restaurant instead of the office.  In-person is always best because 93% of communication is nonverbal.  Body language and speech inflection can provide insight into whether or not the candidate would be a good fit. 

 

Review your benefits package.  Are you competitive?  Candidates are in the driver seat in today's market, and they are not only shopping a cultural fit, but also benefits that align with their needs. 

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On a final note, the devil is in the data.  Invest in automation and track recruiting and retention.  Create a database for your talent community.  If a candidate declines an offer, put a note next to their name to call in two years.  You never know, the grass isn't always greener on the other side.  

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Transactional to Strategic HR

 

Now is the time to elevate your human resources from transactional to strategic.  Companies need to focus on transaction HR duties such as processing new hires, benefits administration and payroll.  Fortunately, we have Human Captial Management (HCM) systems that can do most of these manual processes.  The first step is to invest in automation.  This allows your HR team to focus on the strategy of your business.

 

Human resource leaders should streamline processes and develop a human resources strategic plan that aligns with the company's strategic plan.  Some things to consider including in your HR strategic plan include:

  • Recruiting and selection process

  • Outreach programs to source candidates

  • Competitive compensation and benefits package

  • Onboarding program

  • Training and development that aligns with career development (clearly defined career paths)

  • Ongoing performance management program

  •  Total wellbeing to include wellness, social, community service, professional development, and financial health

  • Compliance on a federal, state, and local level

  • Data analytics - a way to track recruiting, retention, learning and development, etc.  

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What are some mistakes executives make with their HR team?

  • Putting a 'warm body' in an HR role rather than an HR professional that is transactional and strategic

  • Not investing in HR

  • Not giving the HR leaders a 'seat at the executive table'

  • Lack of accountability - it starts from the top

  • Lack of autonomy for the HR department to take care of your most valuable resource - your employees

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What are some mistakes HR teams make?

  • Lack of understanding the mission, vision, and values of the company and not able to align HR initiatives with the strategic plan

  • Out-of-the-box thinking to be more efficient and effective with processes

  • Lack of understanding HR data analytics

  • Not being able to speak in 'executive language' - they want to know cost and risk

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