The 4 Cs of HR Explained

Human resource (HR) policies consist of processes and rules that are set to govern the employment relationships between managers and employees. 

They outline the responsibilities, rights, and expectations of both the employer and employees when working as a team. 

To ensure consistency in equity and action in the relationship between employees, HR policies are extremely vital. 

However, you may be wondering, how can these be effectively implemented? Well, this is where the 4 Cs of HR come into play. 

With this in mind, this article will explore everything you need to know about the 4 Cs of HR and how to enforce them in the workplace. 

Let’s get straight into it! 

Also read: 5 Valid Reasons For Reporting A Line Manager

 

Why Is Onboarding Important?

You may be wondering, why do best onboarding practices even matter. 

Well, there are a whole bunch of reasons why you may want to take it more seriously. Below, we have outlined a few of them. 

Also read: 5 Fair Reasons To Dismiss An Employee 

Employee Engagement

Prosperous employees – the ones that help to move a company forward, make the HR department look good, and work hard – are the employees that are engaged. 

There is no other way around it. If your company isn’t producing engaged employees then this will eventually show in the work – showcasing lackluster performance. 

In fact, there have been studies that found that companies that implemented structured onboarding approaches achieved 50% more employee productivity. 

Plus, engagement is also shown to improve employee retention – directly influencing the company’s financial performance. 

Also read: When Is Employee Appreciation Day?

 

First Impressions

Have you ever heard the saying “You never get a second chance at a first impression”? Well, it certainly applies to the world of business. Especially during situations when new recruits are being introduced to the business's inner workings. 

If you have an outdated and chaotic onboarding process, the new employees will simply assume – and for good reason! – that the company isn’t managed properly. 

The worst-case scenario is that they doubt their decision to take the job. This is certainly not the feeling you want your new team members to feel on their first day. 

Also read: 5 Reasons You Need To Perfect A Job Description 

Financial Responsibility 

Onboarding has a direct impact on the company’s bottom line. As previously mentioned, this can elevate a company in the minds of new employees, increasing both engagement and productivity. 

This all leads to enhanced profit. 

Moreover, successful onboarding can also influence how long a person decides to stay with a company – this is important when you consider the cost of employee turnover. 

 

The Four C’s of Onboarding

Now that we have discussed the importance of onboarding, we will now take a look at the four C’s approach – use these techniques to improve your organization. 

 

Compliance

Regardless of whether a company implements onboarding practices, it will always cover compliance with a new team member. After all, it would be illegal not to.

Essentially, compliance measures include the company's policy overview, safety regulations, confidentiality requirements, and more. 

This type of measure needs to be enforced but is also just the beginning of the implementation. Let’s take a look at the second C.

Also read: Full Time Vs Part Time Hours

 

Clarification

Unfortunately, it is at this point that many companies' onboarding processes start to break down. 

As an HR representative, it is your job to ensure that all your new recruits understand their individual responsibilities within the company, as well as what is expected of them – clarification is vital. 

Here, you may even need to answer some questions and queries, ranging from high-level doubts, including the company’s overall objectives and who the new recruits should report to; to ground-level questions, such as where parking is located. 

This is required for a smooth and successful onboarding process, not only for your employees but for the company, too. 

 

Culture

The culture of a company is oftentimes taken for granted. This can be mistaken for perks, such as unlimited time-off policies or catered lunches. 

However, true company culture delves deeper than this. Essentially, it encompasses the organization's values, mission, future vision, and employee interaction. 

During the onboarding process, company culture should be made a priority to introduce to new recruits.

This would include initial interviews and employment advertisements, running through a detailed account of the employee’s first month at the company. 

 

Connection

Connections among employees are vital for a company to be successful. Your staff should be considered more than just random people fulfilling their designated tasks. 

They should be regarded as teammates all working as a team to achieve a goal – or they should be, at least. 

You can foster connection between team members by introducing new employees to their new colleagues on the first day. 

If there are specific subgroups within the company that you believe your new recruit will thrive in – for instance, a band that meets Saturdays to perform at a local service – then arrange an introduction meeting. 

If your company has the resources, you may even assign a mentor to the new employee, this is someone who can show them the ropes as they settle into the company. 

Whatever approach you take, establishing a connection and communication between your team members will help your company grow and achieve for the better. 

 

Putting The Four C’s Into Action

When establishing onboarding schemes, make sure to implement compliance, clarification, culture, and connection into all your new employees. 

Whether you decide to implement this system into your organization on your own or hire professionals to help you do so, you will notice your company beginning to thrive for the better. 

What are you waiting for?! 

Final Thoughts…

A better relationship between employees and employers will create a stronger business as a whole. However, this is sometimes easier said than done. 

However, don’t worry. One way of achieving this is through implementing the Four C’s approach – compliance, clarification, culture, and connection. 

Hopefully, this guide has informed you on everything you need to know about the Four C’s of HR. 

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