Linking HR To Your Corporate Vision

Accelerating Leadership Transition

Interim Leadership

Linking HR to Organizational Vision

Talent Acquisition

Contact Dave Kourtz
Tel: 617-851-9599
Email: dave.kourtz@hr-roi.net

Case Studies

When HR words and actions don’t match

Expert Witness

Situation:  A 77 year old Sales Representative is terminated by the national firm. When pursuing his interests in the courts, the former employee and attorney receive confusing and conflicting information and deposition statements.

Action: Dave is engaged to explain the material provided.

Result: Dave is able to identify multiple inconsistencies among the personal and corporate statements vs. the documents and actions taken by the employer. Based upon Dave’s insight, the wronged former employee is able to submit arguments to the court to justify continuing to trial.

Helping management to regain its rights

Situation: In a small professional firm, an employee had been a positive contributor for over three years. Given her contribution, the partners had given her much leeway in flexibility in her hours, schedule, etc. Seemingly overnight her attitude changed, and they were now faced with significant legal liability and office morale issues.

Action: Dave helped the Managing Partner understand possible options to regain control of the situation. Once the Managing Partner determined an approach, Dave provided counsel on communication content (written and verbal) with each step in the agreed-upon approach. With each reaction by the employee, Dave supported the Managing Partner in continuing or modifying the plan.

Result: The employee resigned a few weeks after the program began. She filed for unemployment benefits, and was denied. The client firm had regained control of the situation, improved office morale, avoided unemployment and possible litigation costs.

HR practices that protect

Situation: An employer with over 400 employees had started the revision of the Employee Handbook a number of times, but it was never finished. Hence, the current handbook was a sloppy combination of photocopies, handwritten notes, e-mails and memos.

Action: In under a month, the handbook was updated to reflect both the new policies and the latest court decision standards in employment liability, all in one readable format.

Result: The employer now has an Employee Handbook that now provides:

• Professional presentation of the organization
• Accurate recording and communication of current actual practices
• Improved consistency in treatment of all employees
• Latest court decisions on employee communication and protection of management rights

HR support of the management team

Situation: Over time, a service organization had changed it focus as its client base shifted in their needs. The President needed to address this shift with some organizational changes. He wanted to minimize the impact of the changes on the leadership team, as all were performing well.

Action: Dave worked with the management team to develop accurate job descriptions.

Result: The management team grew closer. Through open discussion, documentation and revision of the descriptions, the members all saw the importance of both their own and others' responsibilities, and their integration with the total organization’s client shift. Organizational change occurred with a minimum of disruption, and it improved the ability of the team to work toward common goals.

HR help in managing the business

Situation: In a small professional office, a new employee had been hired. Initially successful with her high energy, she unfortunately did not take directions well. After numerous discussions, the employee continued to ‘do it her way’ and did not follow the direction of the Office Manager or the professionals on the team.

Action: Dave counseled the President on good supervisory practices to try to correct the situation. As he got to the point of a decision to terminate, Dave counseled on the process, approach, timing and actual communication.

Result: The President addressed an employee problem quickly. Once improvement did not develop, the organization terminated the individual in a manner that preserved her dignity and resolved the situation with minimal financial liability and office disruption.

Designing an HR service

Situation: A service firm wanted to expand their offerings to customers but was unsure of the issues involved in creating the service, and simultaneously a large client pressed them for time.

Action: With effective use of our previous time with the client, Dave quickly understood the broad vision the client had for this service. Dave designed a research approach to investigate competing organizations, services, etc. The research produced enough information and data for the client to design and start the new service immediately!