HR Maverick
Ryan Archibald
Ryan is an HR Director with four years of experience and three masters degrees. One accomplishment he is proud of is the design and launch of a learning and development program for 800+ employees.
What words of advice and encouragement would you give to someone just starting out in HR?
Your impact on an employee's experience cannot be over stated. Learn what you can and ask questions about everything HR- whether from your boss or one of your colleagues.
HR Encyclopedia articles written by Ryan Archibald:
Four-Day Work Week
A four-day work week may seem like a dream. However, there are aspects you need to consider before implementing it at your organization. Read on to learn more about advantages, disadvantages, experiences of companies who have offered a four-day work week, and tips to help you determine if a four-day work week will benefit your company.
Performance Review
Performance reviews are an opportunity to celebrate the employee and identify what opportunities are next for them. This data then helps the organization measure the efficacy of their talent and make better decisions. Read on to learn more on why performance reviews are important and the types of performance reviews that exist. In addition, discover what you as HR can do to help ensure effective reviews, how to conduct a performance review and what questions to ask during the performance review.
Direct Reports
Growth in your company is exciting! Nevertheless, with growth comes the question of organizing your talent effectively, including who will get direct reports. Read on to learn more about direct reports, who will have direct reports and best methods to manage direct reports.
Management Styles
No one enjoys a workplace full of miscommunications and conflict—or a manager who doesn't allow you to contribute your best work. Understanding management styles will set you up for success personally as an HR representative and help you prevent miscommunication and conflict in the workplace. It's a big topic, but here are some basic insights about management styles and how they can help you succeed.
Workplace Bullying
Regardless if it is “only a joke,” workplace bullying should no longer exist in any company. The impact it will have on your company is not worth the time or money. Read on to learn more about workplace bullying and how to combat it.
Micromanager
If you’re asking yourself why your boss is excessively involved in everything you do, you may be dealing with a micromanager. Read on to learn about the impact micromanagers have on their employees, how to identify micromanagers and what to do after a manager is identified as a micromanager.
Phone Interview
The candidate is preparing for the phone interview, and you need to as well. It may seem like an easy task to conduct a phone interview, but your preparation will determine if it is successful. Read on to learn the advantages and disadvantages of a phone interview, the process of a phone interview and tips to elevate your phone interview.
Employee Write-Ups
Are you comfortable disciplining employees? Discipline can be a challenging part of HR, so knowing your tools, and when to use each to correct the behavior needing change, is useful. Employee write-ups are one of those tools. Read on to learn how to improve your current practice.
Pay Date
How often do you pay your employees, and how do you decide? When building the HR function in an organization, the question of when to pay employees is bound to come up. Read on to consider your options and determine the best pay date for your company.
All-Hands Company Meeting
Your boss tells you to pull together a company-wide meeting. Now what? Don't be overwhelmed; the all-hands company meeting is a great opportunity to communicate goals, build culture, and address issues. Read on to learn more about its benefits, frequency, and how to plan and facilitate one.
Seasonal Employee
Whether your company is a ski resort or a retail store, certain seasons can make or break your business. In this article, you will learn about seasonal employees, why you should hire them, and how to build a great seasonal employee experience.
Human Resource Management (HRM)
What does it mean to be an HR professional? In this article, we will discuss why organizations need Human Resources Management, what its functions and best practices are, and how you can enter the profession.
I-9 Form
The I-9 form may look like boring paperwork, but don’t be fooled: it is a very important part of the hiring process and has legal consequences. Read on to learn more about the I-9 form and how to fill it out properly.
Mental Health Days
Every employee (including you!) is important. Mental health days are becoming increasingly common as companies learn about the impact of mental health on productivity. Learn more about how employees benefit from mental health days, signs that your employees may need one, and companies that implement this benefit.
Employee/Office Gossip
Do you ever gossip? Do your employees? Gossip can serve good or bad purposes. Read on to learn the difference and how to minimize any harmful impacts, prevent negative gossip, and respond to reports of gossip.
HR-to-Employee Ratio
How big should your HR team be? To determine that, you need to calculate the HR-to-employee ratio. Read on to learn what this ratio means, why it is important, and what factors to consider when calculating the ratio.
Change Management
Change is coming! There is no need to stress if your change management plan is ready to implement and leadership can support those impacted by the change.
Voluntary Turnover
Shock and disbelief: your best employee has submitted their resignation. How can you prevent this from happening? Read on to learn the primary causes of voluntary turnover, how to calculate it, and tips on how to prevent it.
Disability Discrimination
Disabilities, both visible and invisible, are a prime target for discrimination in recruiting and the workplace. Read on to learn about the types of disability discrimination, laws related to disability discrimination, and examples to help create a better employee experience.
Depression in the Workplace
Depression in the workplace is not conquered by telling someone to “just be happy” or “get over it.” Read on to learn about depression in the workplace, the effects it has at work, signs to look out for, the factors that cause depression, and how to combat it.
Human Resources Assistant
A career in human resources often begins with a position as an HR assistant. Read on to learn more about the importance of this position, common responsibilities, skills needed to be successful and tips on how to become an HR assistant.
I-9 Acceptable Documents
You are given I-9 documentation that you have never seen before. How do you know if they are acceptable to complete section 2 of the I-9 form? Read on to learn why acceptable documents are important, a brief look at each document, and tips on how to examine the documents.
Onboarding Feedback
An employee’s first few weeks will set them up for success or failure. Regardless of how much a company prepares for an employee’s first day, it is critical to create a safe space where they can provide feedback on their onboarding experience. Keep reading to learn more about why receiving feedback is important, how to collect the feedback and what tools to use to collect that feedback.
Manager/Supervisor Onboarding
Onboarding a new manager has more impact—and therefore more opportunity—than onboarding a new employee. Read on to learn about manager onboarding, why it is important, what should be included, and best practices to include.
Blind Screening
A diverse workforce has become more important than ever. Nevertheless, how do you ensure that recruiters and hiring managers won’t inadvertently impose their cognitive bias on the recruiting process? A blind screening process is a tool that helps you find the best candidate for the job and minimize bias.
Hiring Undocumented Workers
It’s not worth the risk: hiring undocumented workers will bring legal embarrassment and humiliation to your organization. Regardless of how desperate you are for talent, keep reading to learn more about the consequences of hiring undocumented immigrants, as well as relevant laws.
Employee Misconduct
“They did what?!” Does your stomach sink when you prepare for conversations with misbehaving employees? Find support for one of the most difficult HR tasks here.
Panel Interview
It can seem like you are walking into a courtroom as a candidate walking into a panel interview. As the HR representative for your company it is easy to ensure a candidate feels comfortable and engages in conversation about their background and goals. This article covers what is a panel interview, should you conduct a panel interview, advantages, how to conduct one
STAR Method
When you interview a candidate, do you get the information you need to make a good decision? Using structured interviews can help keep you on track and avoid the candidate giving you their life story when all you want is to fill a certain role.
The STAR Interview Method allows you to stay on schedule with your candidates, easily identify the candidates' past behavior, and see their potential to fulfill job expectations. This article covers what is the STAR Interview method, why you should use it, how to conduct the STAR interview, and examples of interview questions.
The STAR Interview Method allows you to stay on schedule with your candidates, easily identify the candidates' past behavior, and see their potential to fulfill job expectations. This article covers what is the STAR Interview method, why you should use it, how to conduct the STAR interview, and examples of interview questions.
Job Hopping
Don’t reject that candidate just yet! Historically, job hopping has been looked down upon, but as the job market changes, opinions are changing, too. Read on to widen your vision and see job-hopping candidates in a new light.
Contrast Effect
It hides in plain sight and you won’t see the impact until after the fact. The contrast effect is a seemingly normal mindset with regards to recruiting, performance management and leadership development. Nevertheless, the impacts of this bias can result in poor data and poor decision-making. Read on to learn the definition of contrast effect, examples of this bias, and how to prevent it in recruiting for your organization.
Nepotism
“He only got the job because he is related to the owner.” Nepotism can destroy the motivation and morale of any team. In this section, we will discuss nepotism, its impact in the workplace, examples of nepotism, how HR can respond to nepotism and nepotism policies you can implement in your workplace.
Cross Training
You've heard about cross-training, but should you implement or recommend it, and why or why not? Cross-training increases employee flexibility and allows you to adapt to unexpected changes. Read on to learn about benefits, drawbacks, and how to get started cross-training employees.
Lunch and Learns
A lunch break is considered ‘sacred time' for many employees. It begs the question if a company should hold lunch and learns in the first place. Keep reading to learn more about the advantages and disadvantages of lunch and learns, and how to set up a lunch and learn to ensure a fun, relaxing atmosphere.
HR Maverick
Ryan Archibald
Ryan is an HR Director with four years of experience and three masters degrees. One accomplishment he is proud of is the design and launch of a learning and development program for 800+ employees.
What words of advice and encouragement would you give to someone just starting out in HR?
Your impact on an employee's experience cannot be over stated. Learn what you can and ask questions about everything HR- whether from your boss or one of your colleagues.
HR Encyclopedia articles written by Ryan Archibald:
Four-Day Work Week
A four-day work week may seem like a dream. However, there are aspects you need to consider before implementing it at your organization. Read on to learn more about advantages, disadvantages, experiences of companies who have offered a four-day work week, and tips to help you determine if a four-day work week will benefit your company.
Performance Review
Performance reviews are an opportunity to celebrate the employee and identify what opportunities are next for them. This data then helps the organization measure the efficacy of their talent and make better decisions. Read on to learn more on why performance reviews are important and the types of performance reviews that exist. In addition, discover what you as HR can do to help ensure effective reviews, how to conduct a performance review and what questions to ask during the performance review.
Direct Reports
Growth in your company is exciting! Nevertheless, with growth comes the question of organizing your talent effectively, including who will get direct reports. Read on to learn more about direct reports, who will have direct reports and best methods to manage direct reports.
Management Styles
No one enjoys a workplace full of miscommunications and conflict—or a manager who doesn't allow you to contribute your best work. Understanding management styles will set you up for success personally as an HR representative and help you prevent miscommunication and conflict in the workplace. It's a big topic, but here are some basic insights about management styles and how they can help you succeed.
Workplace Bullying
Regardless if it is “only a joke,” workplace bullying should no longer exist in any company. The impact it will have on your company is not worth the time or money. Read on to learn more about workplace bullying and how to combat it.
Micromanager
If you’re asking yourself why your boss is excessively involved in everything you do, you may be dealing with a micromanager. Read on to learn about the impact micromanagers have on their employees, how to identify micromanagers and what to do after a manager is identified as a micromanager.
Phone Interview
The candidate is preparing for the phone interview, and you need to as well. It may seem like an easy task to conduct a phone interview, but your preparation will determine if it is successful. Read on to learn the advantages and disadvantages of a phone interview, the process of a phone interview and tips to elevate your phone interview.
Employee Write-Ups
Are you comfortable disciplining employees? Discipline can be a challenging part of HR, so knowing your tools, and when to use each to correct the behavior needing change, is useful. Employee write-ups are one of those tools. Read on to learn how to improve your current practice.
Pay Date
How often do you pay your employees, and how do you decide? When building the HR function in an organization, the question of when to pay employees is bound to come up. Read on to consider your options and determine the best pay date for your company.
All-Hands Company Meeting
Your boss tells you to pull together a company-wide meeting. Now what? Don't be overwhelmed; the all-hands company meeting is a great opportunity to communicate goals, build culture, and address issues. Read on to learn more about its benefits, frequency, and how to plan and facilitate one.
Seasonal Employee
Whether your company is a ski resort or a retail store, certain seasons can make or break your business. In this article, you will learn about seasonal employees, why you should hire them, and how to build a great seasonal employee experience.
Human Resource Management (HRM)
What does it mean to be an HR professional? In this article, we will discuss why organizations need Human Resources Management, what its functions and best practices are, and how you can enter the profession.
I-9 Form
The I-9 form may look like boring paperwork, but don’t be fooled: it is a very important part of the hiring process and has legal consequences. Read on to learn more about the I-9 form and how to fill it out properly.
Mental Health Days
Every employee (including you!) is important. Mental health days are becoming increasingly common as companies learn about the impact of mental health on productivity. Learn more about how employees benefit from mental health days, signs that your employees may need one, and companies that implement this benefit.
Employee/Office Gossip
Do you ever gossip? Do your employees? Gossip can serve good or bad purposes. Read on to learn the difference and how to minimize any harmful impacts, prevent negative gossip, and respond to reports of gossip.
HR-to-Employee Ratio
How big should your HR team be? To determine that, you need to calculate the HR-to-employee ratio. Read on to learn what this ratio means, why it is important, and what factors to consider when calculating the ratio.
Change Management
Change is coming! There is no need to stress if your change management plan is ready to implement and leadership can support those impacted by the change.
Voluntary Turnover
Shock and disbelief: your best employee has submitted their resignation. How can you prevent this from happening? Read on to learn the primary causes of voluntary turnover, how to calculate it, and tips on how to prevent it.
Disability Discrimination
Disabilities, both visible and invisible, are a prime target for discrimination in recruiting and the workplace. Read on to learn about the types of disability discrimination, laws related to disability discrimination, and examples to help create a better employee experience.
Depression in the Workplace
Depression in the workplace is not conquered by telling someone to “just be happy” or “get over it.” Read on to learn about depression in the workplace, the effects it has at work, signs to look out for, the factors that cause depression, and how to combat it.
Human Resources Assistant
A career in human resources often begins with a position as an HR assistant. Read on to learn more about the importance of this position, common responsibilities, skills needed to be successful and tips on how to become an HR assistant.
I-9 Acceptable Documents
You are given I-9 documentation that you have never seen before. How do you know if they are acceptable to complete section 2 of the I-9 form? Read on to learn why acceptable documents are important, a brief look at each document, and tips on how to examine the documents.
Onboarding Feedback
An employee’s first few weeks will set them up for success or failure. Regardless of how much a company prepares for an employee’s first day, it is critical to create a safe space where they can provide feedback on their onboarding experience. Keep reading to learn more about why receiving feedback is important, how to collect the feedback and what tools to use to collect that feedback.
Manager/Supervisor Onboarding
Onboarding a new manager has more impact—and therefore more opportunity—than onboarding a new employee. Read on to learn about manager onboarding, why it is important, what should be included, and best practices to include.
Blind Screening
A diverse workforce has become more important than ever. Nevertheless, how do you ensure that recruiters and hiring managers won’t inadvertently impose their cognitive bias on the recruiting process? A blind screening process is a tool that helps you find the best candidate for the job and minimize bias.
Hiring Undocumented Workers
It’s not worth the risk: hiring undocumented workers will bring legal embarrassment and humiliation to your organization. Regardless of how desperate you are for talent, keep reading to learn more about the consequences of hiring undocumented immigrants, as well as relevant laws.
Employee Misconduct
“They did what?!” Does your stomach sink when you prepare for conversations with misbehaving employees? Find support for one of the most difficult HR tasks here.
Panel Interview
It can seem like you are walking into a courtroom as a candidate walking into a panel interview. As the HR representative for your company it is easy to ensure a candidate feels comfortable and engages in conversation about their background and goals. This article covers what is a panel interview, should you conduct a panel interview, advantages, how to conduct one
STAR Method
When you interview a candidate, do you get the information you need to make a good decision? Using structured interviews can help keep you on track and avoid the candidate giving you their life story when all you want is to fill a certain role.
The STAR Interview Method allows you to stay on schedule with your candidates, easily identify the candidates' past behavior, and see their potential to fulfill job expectations. This article covers what is the STAR Interview method, why you should use it, how to conduct the STAR interview, and examples of interview questions.
The STAR Interview Method allows you to stay on schedule with your candidates, easily identify the candidates' past behavior, and see their potential to fulfill job expectations. This article covers what is the STAR Interview method, why you should use it, how to conduct the STAR interview, and examples of interview questions.
Job Hopping
Don’t reject that candidate just yet! Historically, job hopping has been looked down upon, but as the job market changes, opinions are changing, too. Read on to widen your vision and see job-hopping candidates in a new light.
Contrast Effect
It hides in plain sight and you won’t see the impact until after the fact. The contrast effect is a seemingly normal mindset with regards to recruiting, performance management and leadership development. Nevertheless, the impacts of this bias can result in poor data and poor decision-making. Read on to learn the definition of contrast effect, examples of this bias, and how to prevent it in recruiting for your organization.
Nepotism
“He only got the job because he is related to the owner.” Nepotism can destroy the motivation and morale of any team. In this section, we will discuss nepotism, its impact in the workplace, examples of nepotism, how HR can respond to nepotism and nepotism policies you can implement in your workplace.
Cross Training
You've heard about cross-training, but should you implement or recommend it, and why or why not? Cross-training increases employee flexibility and allows you to adapt to unexpected changes. Read on to learn about benefits, drawbacks, and how to get started cross-training employees.
Lunch and Learns
A lunch break is considered ‘sacred time' for many employees. It begs the question if a company should hold lunch and learns in the first place. Keep reading to learn more about the advantages and disadvantages of lunch and learns, and how to set up a lunch and learn to ensure a fun, relaxing atmosphere.
