Developing Employees through Coaching and Mentoring
Part 2: Using a Scenario to Compare and Contrast the Two Concepts

In last month's issue of eFlash we introduced readers to the concepts of coaching and mentoring. Many organizations are implementing coaching and mentoring programs, so we wanted to help readers better understand them. That article focused on defining the concepts, and if you missed it you can read it here.

With this issue we go beyond the basic definitions and help readers compare and contrast coaching and mentoring, to give an idea of when best to use each tool and how to incorporate both into an overall learning and development program. To demonstrate this, we present the following scenario:

Sharon recently was promoted from a human resource generalist (one of three in your company) to manager of the entire HR department. Since her promotion she has been performing well overall. She struggles, however, with a few problems. First, because she now manages her former peers, she finds that it is more difficult to have personal relationships with them and feels excluded from the group. Second, she now reports directly to a vice president and often has to communicate with other executives and directors. She has never had to deal with organizational politics before and is struggling to navigate these waters. Finally, she wants to make HR more of a strategic player within the organization, but to do that she needs to learn more about her company and its industry and to improve her business skills. Sharon has come to you, the director of training, and has requested help with these issues. You're considering either a coaching or mentoring program for her, but which do you use?

Read the rest of the article to learn FlashPoint's recommendations. To explore how we can help you develop and implement coaching and mentoring programs at your organization, e-mail us or call 317.229.3035--or visit the coaching and management and leadership development pages on our website.

Congratulations and Celebrations

FlashPoint is excited to celebrate the accomplishments of our clients and our team members. We offer congratulations for the following successes!

• The American Medical Informatics Association recently recognized Jon D. Duke, M.D., and Jeffrey Klann, M.Eng., for their development and testing of two new physician support computer tools. Duke and Klann are medical informatics fellows at the Regenstrief Institute.
• College Mentors for Kids, a nonprofit organization dedicated to mentoring youth, is planning for its inaugural "Inspire 2010, The Power of Mentoring Awards." The awards will celebrate the efforts of seven individuals and one organization for their involvement with mentoring to inspire excellence. For more information, visit the College Mentors website.
• The Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra has promoted Shawna Lake to vice president of human resources. In her new role, Shawna will sit on the ISO's executive leadership team, ensuring that HR issues are at the forefront of the ISO's decision making and strategy development.

If you're a client and have a success story you'd like us to acknowledge, e-mail us.

Laws and Rulings Affecting HR

President Obama Signs Department of Defense Appropriations Bill

In December, President Barack Obama signed the Department of Defense appropriations bill H.R. 3326. The final enacted bill includes a controversial amendment introduced by Senator Al Franken (D-Minn.), which prevents the Department of Defense from granting federal contracts in excess of $1 million to entities that require their employees to resolve certain claims through arbitration. The amendment applies expressly to "any claim under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 or any tort related to or arising out of sexual assault or harassment, including assault and battery, intentional infliction of emotional distress, false imprisonment, or negligent hiring, supervision, or retention." The amendment prohibits covered entities from entering into new agreements with any employees or independent contractors that require arbitration of such claims as a condition of employment, and it also precludes covered entities from enforcing any such provision in existing agreements. It's important to note that the Secretary of Defense may waive the application of the above to particular contractors or subcontractors where it is in the interest of national security.

To learn more about the amendment and its implications, read the Labor and Employment Law Alert that Barnes & Thornburg LLP issued on this topic.

The information we present here should not be construed as legal advice or legal opinion. Visit Barnes & Thornburg's website for more information about its Labor and Employment Law department.

Tips from the FlashPoint Team--Advice on Maintaining Employee Records

FlashPoint conducts human resource assessments for many organizations, helping to ensure they're following best practices and remaining compliant. Consultant Jeremy York oversees most of these assessments and finds three key areas in which organizations often fall behind: record keeping, recruiting, and employee handbooks. We'll give some tips on each of these three areas in the next few issues of eFlash, starting here with Jeremy's advice on maintaining proper records:

• Keep all personnel files and information in a secure, locked, fireproof cabinet with limited access.
• Keep all employee documentation in the personnel file (unless otherwise required). Disciplinary actions, payroll information, tax forms, etc., should be included in this. Managers may keep copies of disciplinary actions for their own files; however, the personnel file should house all original documents.
• Be sure that you complete an I-9 form for each new employee within three days of his or her start date. It's a good idea to audit your current I-9 forms to ensure that all applicable sections are completed accurately and to reverify if necessary.
• Keep I-9 records and medical/employee benefits documents in separate files and not in the personnel files. Each of these types of documents should have a file of its own.
• Follow record-keeping guidelines on employee files. Some general examples:
  • Keep employee benefits records for six years.
  • Keep I-9 records for the duration of employment; after an employee is no longer with the organization, keep the I-9 for three years after the date of hire or one year after the date of termination, whichever is later.
  • Keep payroll and tax records for four years.

These are just a few of the things you should consider when maintaining your employee records. For more details on these tips or to learn about additional steps you should take, contact us or visit our website.

Upcoming Events

Indiana Chamber HR Workshops
FlashPoint sponsors the Indiana Chamber's 2010 HR Training Series. Sessions take place in Indianapolis. More information is available at 800.824.6885 or the Chamber's website.

• Indiana Workers' Compensation Conference, January 28
• Supervising and Managing People, February 11-12
• 16th Annual Employment Law Seminar, February 16
• Generational Divide Seminar, February 25
• HR Webinar Series (see details below)

Indiana Chamber HR Webinar Series Presented by FlashPoint
The Indiana Chamber is teaming with FlashPoint to present a series of one-hour webinars on a variety of HR-related topics throughout the coming winter. FlashPoint team members will develop and present the sessions, which participants can follow online from the convenience of their own office or home. To register or learn more, call the Chamber at 800.824.6885 or visit its website. More information is also available at FlashPoint's website.

• Employee Retention, February 10
• Performance Management, February 24
• Developing Compensation Programs, March 10

Case Study Highlight
DK Pierce & Associates

DK Pierce and Associates, a biopharmaceutical and medical device marketing consulting firm located in Zionsville, Indiana, has been experiencing significant growth in the past few years. Anticipating this, the company president contacted FlashPoint to help her with her human resource needs. She wanted to be sure she had in place progressive and competitive programs that would serve as a strong foundation for DK Pierce's expansion.

Read a case study on how FlashPoint helped this small business grow and in the process became its trusted HR partner. You'll learn about our work with HR assessments, employee handbooks, compensation, recruiting, and organizational development.

To view additional case studies, visit our website.