Cipd Developing Yourself as an Effective Hr Practitioner

Understanding customer needs As an HR practitioner it is important to indentify the needs of customers and prioritise the needs of each. Three examples of different customer and a need for each: 1. An employee enquiring about their holiday entitlement for the next holiday year 2. Payroll department require new employee details the day before the cut off period 3. Manager who requires the sickness absence report for an employee who has triggered a disciplinary hearing scheduled for the following week In order to be able to prioritise the needs of each customer it is suggested that urgency and importance be considered for each one.

Reviewing the customer needs the order of priority would be task two, three and one. This order of priority has been selected because task two is required urgently and can be dealt with swiftly. Gathering the information for task three is important and can be time consuming so it is essential that this task is completed. Task three is not a high priority as it is for the next holiday year and can be answered at a later stage. Effective communication “To be effective, communication needs to be clear, easily understood and concise.

Information should be presented systematically on a regular basis and be as relevant, local and timely as possible. ” Armstrong 2012 There are various channels of communication and the method needs to be considered to ensure it is appropriate for the recipient. Communication methods: Emails There are advantages to using emails; it is a convenient way to convey information to a wide audience. Information can be sent quickly and any time of the day. However the disadvantages are that it can be open for interpretation of information or tone.

It is impersonal and there’s no guarantee that the recipient has read the email. Team briefings Team briefing can be an effective way of communicating information to a targeted audience. It can work well to provide key details that can be filtered from the top to the bottom. Though briefings can be time consuming and the target audience may become complainant. Information must be concise and enthusecatley presented for team briefings to be effective. Text Messages Recently a growing form of communication for organisations.

It is time efficient way of sending information to a large number of reciepntants. It is cost effective and more likely to reach the receipatnt as they are likely to check their mobile telephone several times throughout the day. Unfortanaley text messages can be open for interpretation of tone or mood. It can also be inappropriate for some organistation communication. Effective Service Delivery Delivering service on time – it is vital for any organisation to ensure service is delivered on time.

It is essential to keep a good relationship with your customers, provide the service that you have agreed and what is expected from a HR practitioner. Ensuring the needs are met will build trust from customers. Delivering service to budget – to ensure service is delivered to budget it is a necessatity to manage time and work load. A balance of customer needs is required. Policies and procedures need to be followed to remain in budget. Dealing with difficult customers – a number of factors must be considered when dealing with difficult customers.

The problem must be clarified; this will then allow the HR practitioner to identify solutions to solving the problem. Pros and cons need to be weighed for each option and the outcome implemented. Handling and resolving complaints – when handling and resolving complaints it is important to stay calm, communicate well and positively try to help the customer. Conclusion In conclusion an effective HR practitioner should ensure services are provided are timely and effectively. Consideration of customer’s needs, communication and service delivery are essential.