The document provides guidance on conducting an HR audit by outlining key areas to evaluate and questions to consider. It recommends developing an HR audit checklist to assess areas like communications policies, hiring and firing protocols, and other HR functions. The goal of the audit is to identify any issues or areas of noncompliance that could pose legal or engagement problems if not addressed.
2. • The job of an HR department isn’t easy! You have to deal
with employee relations, the occasional hiring and firing,
retention, engagement, grievances, and so on. As the HR
department deals with the most important assets of any
business – its employees, it can’t go easy in its role. It is even
more essential to identify lapses and shortfalls in the HR
function, and that is where the ‘all-important all-
encompassing’HR audit comes in.
• HR Audit – An Adventure?
• An HR audit allows a 360-degree assessment of the existing
HR practices, and if done right, you could be shooting
problems even before they arise! HR audits help identify
practices and policies that need to be improved, potential
legal hassles that could crop up if not addressed, and status
of employee engagement and moral. Most importantly, an
HR audit ensures that the HR department’s resources are
aligned with the goals of the company’s bottom line. The
trouble however is that most companies that carry out their
own HR audits find it to be difficult, time-consuming and
non-productive.
• To ease things, we have come up with an HR audit checklist
of our own to help you get started…on this adventure!
• HR Recruiting Services and HR Audit
Services.
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3. Communications in Place
Companies need to have a clear communications policy in place. You need to give
employees access to accurate and concise information as to what responsibilities
and rights they possess under the company policy. To assess whether the HR
department is perfect on this front, begin by gathering and reviewing the
company’s employee handbook, performance evaluation policy and any other
relevant document handed out to employees during their service. For the
assessment, you can ask the following questions:
•Is the handbook or information manual handed out to each employee or are they
given directions on how to access the handbook?
•Is the handbook updated on a regular basis?
•Is it accurate and reliable?
•Is clear information handed out on how employees can file grievances?
•Is the company policy and procedure for discrimination, conduct and other
complaints clearly communicated?
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4. VAre employees informed about the standard policies regarding performance
evaluations and appraisals?
It is essential to know that these are just starters and you can frame your own
questions as per company policy and practices. The audit needs to be
thorough and in-depth.
Hiring and Firing
The recruitment and termination protocols of a company speak a lot about its
attitude towards employees. It is therefore critical that these processes be
perfectly aligned with the values and vision of the company.
For auditing this function, begin by gathering and assessing documents that
are used during the hiring and termination processes. Relevant documents
include job descriptions, job applications, background check policies,
reference check policies, internal job posting policies, rejection letters, etc.
While assessing these, you can ask the following questions:
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5. Are all documents clear and concise?
Are notifications sent out in a timely manner?
Do all protocols conform to statutory laws?
Are the HR policies legally compliant?
Similarly, you can frame questions for other HR functions such as employee
engagement, performance management, training and development,
grievance redressed, etc. What’s necessary is that the HR audit should be
transparent and completely thorough so you can expose loopholes and fix
them before they hurt.
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