According to me, as well as many researches, the most important technique in addressing issues common to HR is communication. You need to build a communication plan that includes all stakeholders and communicate all needed info in a timely manner. This will eliminate many problems before they pop up. Well communicated staff will not be burned out in first two months; well communicated parent will not blow up to your face; well communicated students will know the expectations from them and will not act up. In the case of having any angry stakeholder talking to you, be careful not to lose your temper. If you do so, you lost the first round. Be a good listener instead. That will make you win/win most of the time.
Next thing that you need to pay attention is the relations with the Board and Management Company. Those two are the ones who plays major role on your employment, status, salary, and bonuses. You better have a list of things to do and do them on time. If you will not be able to do it on time, say it ahead when the task is given to you. Making up later will never do the same effect as it is done on time or telling it before it was past due.
One of the most important items is the discrimination issues. You should never discriminate any stakeholder according to their race, color, national origin, creed or ancestry, political belief, sex, disability, handicap, religion, age, height, weight, or marital status. This applies to hiring/firing process, student enrollment, parent relations and/or board relations.
Most of the time, parents of children with disabilities or who need special education, are reluctant to cooperation. They feel and act, as they are always right. Even though you may be doing many things towards their children’s education, if you do not go by the paper, themselves or their lawyers will give you a hard time. Therefore, it is really important to hire someone who knows his/her job to oversee this process. Make sure you have a scheduled regular meetings to follow that person up.
If somehow, your staff applies for being unionized, you need to cooperate with them instead of getting upset and/or losing your temper. You may get a legal counsel and training before you start dealing with the union. Union representatives usually will be more prepared than you will since this is their job and they do this all the time. Therefore, you better find someone who has been in this kind of process in any charter school and go over the process and contract with him/her. You will hear many things like; I wish I could redo this contract since it ties my hands like …. You will need to specify each little thing during this contract preparation. Otherwise, you may not ask anyone to do any work other than covering the classes.
Lastly, since it is really difficult to let any union member staff go, you will need to keep all paperwork very neat and organized. There are many rules and procedures to follow up if you need to fire any unionized employee. You may need to spend a lot of many for that purpose and even may not be able to get rid of that employee. Please spend some time to learn what those paperwork requirements are.
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