A reader asks an interesting question. Do any of you have a different point of view, knowledge of trends, or the experience of rehiring an employee you fired? Please post in "comments."

Question:

"I am looking for your point of view on trends from the employers' perspective to rehire someone whom they fired. Do you have any posts or details on this subject?

"Specifically, are employers concerned that there would be resentment on the employees' part, the psychological aspect of it? The internal politics with employees and how the employer would be 'viewed' rehiring a fired employee? Is this a problem? I am based in Shanghai, China and finding HR experts is tough."

My Response:

I would not rehire someone I have fired. This is because I follow all of my recommended steps before I would fire someone. That means that the former employee had every chance to improve. They did not and they are not suitable for my organization, for whatever reason.

People don't change that much. If you are prepared to overlook the reasons you fired the individual in the first place, the same reasons won't go away but, possibly, the firing was not totally justified.

I'd rather train and mentor someone new. And, yes, there will be anger and resentment and the other employees will question management's judgment if you rehire someone you fired. But, mostly, the reasons for which you fired the person have usually not gone away. I recognize that laws and other considerations in your region may be different.

This is what I believe. I am not aware of trends or research. I have not written on this topic as I don't believe it should happen, except under a rare circumstance. I can't really think of any that would qualify. Let's give other readers the opportunity to chime in.

I'm curious about what other readers think? Many of you have taken the time to share your thoughts.

_{Image Copyright Diego Cervo}

More About How to Fire an Employee

• Fire With Compassion and Class
• What's the Best Day to Fire an Employee?
• Top 10 Don'ts When You Fire an Employee
• Is a Poisonous Attitude a Reason to Fire an Employee?

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Anyone who has ever worked in training can identify the trainer's eternal dilemma. How do you help the pumped up, happy trainees, who pass their training session end test with flying colors, apply the new knowledge back on the job?

You can follow my recommendations about what to do before, during, and after the training session to facilitate the transfer of the training to the job. But, even when you do the right things right to foster training transfer, you do not control the environment in which employees must try to apply the new knowledge.

All components of the work environment affect the trainee's application of skills. Work environments are ready to foster change or they are not. Supervisors may resist employees performing in new ways. Employees have varying degrees of motivation to practice new skills. New ways of doing work may require more time. The employee may receive no recognition for applying new skills.

The above training transfer tips develop an environment that supports skill practice. If the trainer can impact the trainee's workplace, training transfer is more likely to occur.

Take a look at the Forum thread that discusses training transfer and I promise to address the subject again in the future. The trainer's dilemma never ends.

_{Image Copyright Jacob Wackerhausen}

Training Success Tips

• Train Managers to Train
• Tips for Leadership Training
• Use Training or Lose Training

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There has been much discussion in recent years about the role of Human Resources in today's organizations. Over the years of writing this site, I have heard about almost every possible iteration of the role.

From traditional personnel functions to major company management committee members, HR serves many and divergent roles. And, the roles differ from country to country, firm to firm, and HR practitioner to HR practitioner.

Please vote in my poll. You can select multiple answers in this week's poll. Like my suggestions - or not - please respond in "comments."

The challenge is always to provide seamless administrative functions such as benefits enrollment and changes while having the time and energy to do the equally important, but more time and thought consuming, strategic tasks.

Too many people in HR and management roles are hung up in the administrative aspects of the business while the more challenging, and one might argue, more important, aspects of the business are given short shrift.

A Reader's Thoughts About HR Roles

Today, in response to yesterday's blog post and my newsletter, a reader wrote to me:

"Your piece on HR sounds like you have not worked in HR before. It is not a pretty picture. It can be but HR is an expense and if run properly will provide tools for management to run their departments effectively to meet the bottom line. Hiring is costly and so is firing an employee, but nothing in the article talks about this.

"Operations doesn't really care about the fluff, and if this article was written to recruit HR professionals into the field, they need to understand that politics, and legalities, are there to protect the Company not the employee. HR management shouldn't hire employees, they should provide management the tools to do this. All of the things that you list are things that HR professionals hold (influence) but it is management that runs the company and must do these things to make a company successful.

"Policies are written to protect and provide the Company with written documentation. Most managers do not know policies until they need to. 90 day probations are just to show that you have given the employee time to improve before you let them go. Most employees don't change, and the people that end up in HR for discipline don't make it. Management should have been doing these things way before the employee gets to this point.

"HR management does not fire; managers do the firing. Policy provides the level of severity for discipline, and consistency, and some actions are cause for immediate termination."

I did respond to this reader, but I am curious about what you might say if you responded?

More About the HR Role

A site visitor shared her ideas for how HR can reinvent itself from the classroom to the boardroom and I'm wondering how your voting will bolster her thoughts. If you have roles I missed, that you believe deserve mention, please post your comments.

_{Image Copyrigt Jacob Wackerhausen}

Reading About the HR Role

• What Does a Human Resources Manager, Generalist, or Director Do?
• New Role for HR: Support Company Brand
• Ten Tips for a Seat at the Executive Table
• HR as Product: Be the Brand of Choice
• Grow Your Strategic Consulting Skills

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Whether you're new to the field, starting a department, or you'd like a quick reference guide to those important Human Resources management moments when you must get it right, this list of memorable HR management firsts is for you.

And, I'd like your feedback, too. Are these the right moments? The moments you remember? What do I need to add to make this a truly useful resource? Please email me, post in the forum or add your thoughts in "comments."

_{Image Copyright Jeffrey Smith}

More About HR Management

• You Know You're in HR When...
• So, You Think You Want a Career in HR?
• Transition to a Career in HR

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