EMPLOYMENT PROCESSING

[Published in Manila Bulletin last November 2011]

Getting hired is an exciting time for many people. After spending time, money and effort sending out resumes, answering job tests and going through interviews, you finally get that good news call saying, “You’re Hired”.

It’s music to every jobseeker’s ears. It’s definitely something to cheer about and celebrate. The prospect of starting in your new job brings new hope and the promise of a better future.

But before we get ahead of ourselves, there is an important step that needs to be done as you enter the workforce---The Employment Processing.

Let’s take a quick look at how an employee goes through this and what HR practitioners do to facilitate this step.

Work Commencement

As an employer, I believe that the first day of an employee is critical and it is best that s/he starts it right. So I make sure that I’m there to greet the newly hired employee and set expectations properly on day one. Then in the first two weeks, we conduct orientation and training to help familiarize the employee on how things work in the company.

At the same time, I also know that the first two weeks is a “try out” to see if the newly hired employee is a good match for the job and if s/he can adapt to the company’s work environment. This “try out” gives the employer a good opportunity to observe the employee’s actual performance on the job…after all, the real test of an employee is not how good s/he answers the interview questions, but rather how well s/he performs on the job. The “try out” also gives the employee an opportunity to try and see if s/he is comfortable with the company’s set up. We explain this properly to the newly hired employee.

Based on experience, within a week or so, an employee will either show promise if s/he is a fit, or opt out if s/he is not right for the company.

Employment Documents

Meanwhile, the HR department starts to process employment documents, such as Employment Contract, Company Policies and the 201 file of the employee. This is a critical step that benefits both the employer and the employee to ensure proper documentation of the employment. Proper employment documentation will establish the terms of the employer-employee relationship. It protects the employee against illegal labor practices, but it also protects the employer against baseless labor disputes.

Many companies have a structured HR department that does all this. However, there are some who do not practice proper documentation processes yet. That is why our organization has been working with start-up companies or even mature businesses in setting up an HR system and operations manual to properly guide people through this process. This way, labor disputes are prevented and companies can focus on other important aspects of their business.

HR Practices

Now you need to understand that not all companies have a structured HR department in place. Professionalizing the HR department is a work-in-progress for almost all companies as it adapts to the changes, trends and needs of the work environment.

Moreover, not all companies practice the same process and standards. Some companies immediately process the paperwork and issue ATM salary cards and uniforms, while others do it at a later time. Some do one-on-one orientation, some do group orientation and others, like my company, conduct orientations through online webinars.

Employer-employee contracts may also differ from company to company as some business enterprises hire project or contractual employees, while others prefer to hire probationary employees for future regular employment.

Employment Outcome

Definitely, not all newly-hired employees go on to full employment. This is usually a cause of disappointment for employers and employees as both have put in a lot of effort and energies into the employment process. Let me share the experience of one of our readers…

LETTER FROM A JOB SEEKER:

Ms. Jhoanna, I just want to ask if I could sue a company wherein I'm about to start for orientation and have already been issued a set of uniforms, then suddenly they informed me that they are not hiring me anymore? It really caused me a lot of depression. Now I don't have the courage to apply with other companies. I'm afraid that it might happen again. Hope you can help me and give me advice regarding this matter. Thank you very much and more power.

MY ADVISE:

I understand how disappointing it is to gear up to start your new job, only to find out that it will not push through. There are many reasons why this happens and I hope the reason was properly explained to you. Sometimes, business plans change and the employment needs of the company are put on hold. It’s not your fault; it’s just the way things are in business---not everything pans out. It is depressing but it is not the end of your career.

Since it is too early in the process, I do not think it is prudent for you to sue the company. Filing labor cases involves time, effort, energy and money. You also need to prove that there is in fact an employer-employee relationship already. Rather than exert effort in this battle, I firmly believe that it is more beneficial for you to pick yourself up, lick your wounds and treat it as a sign that it wasn’t meant to be. Then stand up and go find employment elsewhere that will be a better fit for you.

As you go through life, there will be disappointments. That’s inevitable. What will make a person succeed is the strength and courage to move on. Don’t let this hiccup dampen your spirit. Instead, move on and you will find better opportunities.

Getting Hired is Just the Beginning

Getting hired is not the end of the journey for jobseekers. Rather, it is the start of your career. You will have to undergo orientation or training, employment processing, performance evaluations all throughout---it’s an “ongoing test and interview”. The phrase: “You’re hired” is not equivalent to job security. So take the time to learn the ropes and ensure that proper procedures and documents are processed for your employment. And if things do not pan out, don’t lose hope. Your dream job may be just around the corner.