First-time people leaders

Debbie Dawson is the writer and presenter on the revised HR Essentials for People Leaders course. Here, she outlines topics covered in the updated course and why it should feature in new people leaders’ development plans.

Do you remember the first role you had where you were responsible for leading a team? And do you remember how much preparation you were given for such an important role? If you are anything like me, you probably received zero preparation, and while it may have been a type of test to see how I would go, it was pretty brutal both for me and the team. As I recall, one of the team members actually walked out in a ‘huff’ and I was utterly at a loss as to what to do. Fortunately, this person came back of their own accord, and when the dust settled I was able to reflect and see how I had contributed to the situation. More importantly, I could see I had to learn to communicate more explicitly and not assume the team could read my mind or agreed with my view of the world.

WHAT IS TODAY’S LANDSCAPE?

Fast forward a few decades, and we are fortunate that our professional association HRNZ provides us, as HR practitioners, with a rich offering of professional development opportunities. Despite this, there can still be a bit of a gap for our team leaders and line managers. We know that much of our work in HR, and particularly our remedial work, comes via our people leaders and, in a lot of cases, could be avoided. Although, in fairness to these colleagues, many have had no preparation or specific guidance for their role.

HRNZ’s revised one-day offering of the former HR101 – HR for non-HR people has had a makeover and a shift in focus. The new version, HR Essentials for People Leaders, is deliberately jargon-free. For instance, there is no talk of engagement, talent, culture fit, employee value proposition, rightsizing or organisational development. These topics are covered in plain language and explained with illustrative examples.

Once people leaders understand the importance of fairness and good process then they are well positioned to navigate any situation that comes their way.

VALUE OF ‘GOOD FAITH’

Activities and discussion topics also provide participants with the opportunity to apply the principles of good HR practice to real-life situations. One of the underlying themes in this workshop is the principle of ‘good faith’, which is a valuable feature of New Zealand’s employment relations. Once people leaders understand the importance of fairness and good process then they are well positioned to navigate any situation that comes their way.

• The workshop starts with a brief overview of the main legislation applying to HR practice in New Zealand, including the Employment Relations Act 2000, Human Rights Act 1993, Privacy Act 2020 and Health and Safety at Work Act 2015. This is followed by a section called ‘Hiring good people’, which explores the common pitfalls encountered with recruitment and selection and how to avoid these.

• When participants are asked at the beginning of the day what they want to get from the course, most respond by saying they want to be better at managing the performance of their team members, particularly under-performance. This workshop explores how to set expectations for the team and, importantly, how to apply consequences when performance falls short. Tips and advice on coaching and feedback round out this section, ending with a brief look at the best use of formal training.

• The short section on wellbeing focuses on managing bullying and harassment in the workplace, leading on to the further examination of the concepts of ‘good faith’ and ‘natural justice’ and how these apply to everyday situations. Brief references are made to employment relations documentation that people leaders should be familiar with, plus discussion on specific features, such as fixed-term contracts, casual staff, contractors and trial periods, with the main focus on managing under-performance. This section is designed to help participants understand the importance of good process, particularly in relation to managing misconduct, and ultimately dismissal.

• The day ends with advice for people leaders facilitating change within their team or organisation, including the legislative requirements for these processes and helpful ideas for managing the human response to change.

I had to learn to communicate more explicitly and not assume the team could read my mind or agreed with my view of the world.

All Provided

This one-day course is delivered either virtually or in person. HRNZ workshops are scheduled throughout the year, attracting a mix of participants from various organisations, which is good for the exchange of ideas and comparing workplace practice. In-house workshops are also popular and can be tailored to focus on specific areas of interest. Some organisations offer this course as part of their leadership development programmes for employees who want to step up to a leadership role. Participants receive a workbook containing a mixture of notes that can be referred to later, along with activities and exercises designed to help participants understand, absorb and apply what they are learning.

To sign up for the next HR Essentials for People Leaders, happening on 10 September online, please go here or email events@hrnz.org.nz.

Debbie Dawson, CFHRNZ, is a selfemployed coach, writer and facilitator based in Ōtautahi Christchurch. Following a corporate career in senior HR roles, Debbie works with senior leaders and professionals to help them enjoy their work and other priorities without compromising their wellbeing through a mixture of coaching, short programmes and workshops. Debbie has written this revised programme and is the course presenter.