Sustainable HR
Next semester, I’ll be teaching human resources at a local university. Very excited about it. I enjoy teaching. The interaction with students is terrific.
The university where I’ll be teaching has implemented a new policy that adjunct professors must be paid on the payroll…not via an independent contractor invoice. So, for the first time in a long time, I find myself filling out new-hire paperwork. I had forgotten all about this corporate rite of passage until I received the package…all 31 pages of it.
You heard right, 31 pages. I do think it’s important to point out that pages 7 and 15 are duplicates but I need to sign them anyway. Same with pages 13 and 14.
Your first reaction is probably “Good grief!” This is a fresh employee’s first impression of the organization. They shouldn’t be spending hours filling out 31 pages of forms. They should be meeting their co-workers, learning about the mission of the organization, touring the facilities, etc.
There’s also another side to ponder. Have we become a marketplace where we need new employees to sign 31 pieces of paper to protect our butts in a court of law? Not all HR Pro’s are into killing trees and filing paperwork. But part of our job is to mitigate potential liability.
Now’s the time to pursue that elusive ‘paperless office’ and research transitioning to electronic solutions. Not only can it speed up the process for the organization and make it a breeze for your employees…think of all the trees you could be saving.
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