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Managing employees and staying compliant with rapidly changing employment laws can overwhelm any small business owner. In this episode, Peter McDonald of Selected HR shares his 35-year perspective on building proactive HR systems. We discuss the financial risks of avoiding difficult conversations, how to use the probation period to set clear expectations, and the steps to structure a phased onboarding process. Peter also explains his 'parallel lines' policy framework and why having an objective panel in your hiring process is the best way to remove unconscious bias.
Episode Chapters
[00:00:36] Sponsoring the podcast and introducing Peter McDonald
[00:02:07] Lessons from a 35-year international HR career
[00:05:44] Transitioning to consultancy during COVID-19
[00:07:32] Why small businesses must shift to proactive HR
[00:09:35] The cost of avoiding difficult employee conversations
[00:10:27] Why the probation period is your most critical tool
[00:15:15] How to design a structured onboarding process
[00:18:16] Running panel interviews to eliminate unconscious bias
[00:28:29] Constructive discussions: have the chat and write it down
[00:33:14] The parallel lines theory of policy flexibility
[00:35:09] Busting major HR myths about employee change
Key Takeaways
- Document your constructive discussions immediately: When you have a hard conversation with an employee, send a quick follow-up email immediately afterward to summarize what was discussed and agreed upon. This establishes a clear paper trail and prevents disputes.
- Implement phased onboarding, not a quick induction: Avoid a single-day orientation. Structure a phased induction that gives new hires time to settle in, align with your company culture, and understand expectations.
- Conduct panel interviews to prevent bias: Never recruit on a purely one-on-one basis. Form a panel of at least two managers and an objective third party (or coach) to score candidates, removing unconscious bias from your final selection.
Guest Links:
- Peter McDonald on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/peter-mcdonald-4486594/
- Selected HR website https://www.selectedhr.co.uk/
- Email Peter : peter.macdonald@selectedhr.co.uk
Host Links:
Ben Baldwin LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/benbaldwinchuffed/
Chuffed Productions LinkedIn | https://chuffed.video/
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