we’re all winging it
Hi ya party people,
Friday is here, and we’re all waiting for clock out for the weekend!
Today I was wondering…do you ever feel like you’re just winging it, trying to figure stuff out at work?
Like, I gaslight myself into thinking stuff isn’t that hard sometimes, and that’s how I ended up taking a 12-week adult tap dancing class. 😬
I’ll save that story for another day, cuz it’s Q&A time!
This week, we’ve got an HR generalist out here drowning in time and attendance rules with no life raft in sight, and a new leader nodding along in meetings pretending they know what [insert super nerdy HR jargon] means.
Truly, the HR experience in its purest form. Let's get into it!
Also, submit questions if you have any!
ASK AWAY
🤔 jargon & generalistsCopy anchor linkCopied
✍🏾 I am a new HR generalist for manufacturing plant. I am not a payroll or specialist but the things most challenging to me is time and attendance! There are so many rules and policy I struggle a big time. Is there any easy to see time and attendance cheat sheet template? How everyone is managing to remember all those rules? Your advice much appreciated!
Context: N/A
📣 Rachel Ackerman, Senior Director, People Operations @ Barstool Sports:
Ooh this is a good question and one I dealt with firsthand managing over 3,000 employees, including 7 unions, with incredibly complicated contracts, when I worked in sports.
The easiest thing I could suggest is to see what your HR tech stack offers in terms of the ability to build the nuanced rules and policies into the system so you can automate it as much as possible.
If automation isn't possible in the current state of tech you have, is there an ability to propose getting new HR tech into the org to help facilitate this task? Building a strong business case, including what would be in it for the org (automation, lessen human error, efficiency, etc.), the employees (lessen the potential of a liability by not paying folks correctly), and you as the admin (time saved, stress lessened, etc.).
If automation is completely off the table, I'd recommend putting together your own SOP by carefully reading through the contracts/policies/etc. several times and downloading the important pieces that you need for payroll/time and attendance into an easier to digest Standard Operating Procedure/manual/whatever you want to call it.
📣 Timmi Lasley, Administrative Manager @ Sexy Pizza:
I'll echo what everyone else has said regarding tech stacks and real life pattern viewing, and also add something that has helped us immensely as a small business: joining an advocacy group for your industry who may offer labor law updates or consultations as member benefits. I work in the Restaurant Industry in CO and we are members of both Good Business CO and the Colorado Restaurant Association.
Both of these orgs offer what I'll call a monthly legal "stipend" that we have used in the past to answer specific questions. (Usually a 15 min call a month with a partnered law firm for a VERY specific question on labor law.) Because sometimes, you've parsed out a legal requirement as far as you can and you still need that final authority whose job it is to navigate these things in order to do it correctly! Ultimately, automation will be your best friend, but a helping hand may be out there for you too. Keep an eye out!
📣 Gretchen Bourg, Human Resources Manager @ Park Printing Solutions:
100% what @Rachel Ackerman and the others have said.
I am an HR generalist in the manufacturing space and, prior to that, I managed operations (including payroll and timekeeping) for a performing arts nonprofit. In both roles, I advocated for electronic time and attendance tracking because it's just such high stakes.
I have used the TAA module within our last two payroll/HRIS systems, and have been able to make a case for the additional expense to leadership by pointing out how critical it is that TAA is done accurately and in compliance with wage and labor laws (yes, even in my very cash-strapped nonprofit). People on both sides of the paycheck don't like it when things are wrong.
With electronic timekeeping, overtime compliance is built into the system, you can set up automatic punch rules to ensure meals are paid or paid up to a certain duration, PTO requests are tracked and paid out seamlessly, and the hours feed directly into payroll to avoid data entry errors. We even had electronic reminders for missing punches that allowed our employees to submit a punch that would go through an approval process to correct it. BAM.
Would be happy to help you craft a case to management, if you need the support!
Safe Space members can join this discussion here. Not a member yet? Apply to join here.
✍🏾 How can new leaders find ways to improve their communication with seasoned leaders that use jargon you may not be familiar with?
Context: N/A
📣 Danielle Maddox, CHRO @ Amos House:
I’ve definitely been in rooms where it felt like everyone was speaking in acronyms and shorthand except me. I’ve gotten more comfortable over time just asking in the moment, “Can you pause for a second and explain that one?” Most of the time, there was someone else in the room was wondering the same thing.
One thing we ended up doing in our organization was creating a simple dictionary/cheat sheet of the acronyms and systems we use most often and adding it to onboarding. It’s a small thing, but it’s actually been really helpful, especially for people stepping into leadership spaces where the shorthand can be pretty heavy.
📣 Gabriela Batista, Director, Human Resources @ DC Public Charter School Board:
One of the tools we use to get folks familiarized with leadership styles is called PTR: Preference, Traditions and Requirements. You can find more info here: https://www.managementcenter.org/resources/examples-of-ptr-in-action/
Basically, it helps people map out must knows, but within the context of understanding where it's coming from: is it your personal preference we call it XYZ or is that a requirement? Making a cheat sheet out of this could be the key. I hope this helps!
📣 Karen Wood, Human Resource Department Manager @ United Consulting:
Here a couple of options, depending on the context of the situation and use of the jargon.
1) Interrupt the flow of conversation and directly ask what the jargon word/acronym means and why it's important because otherwise the new leader will be lost on the rest of the conversation. It is vulnerable to do this, and the timing may or may not be appropriate; use your best judgement.
2) Write the jargon down or mentally take a note and then ask that person/peers/Google it later to find out what it means; then have a follow up conversation on why it's important. I agree with Gabriella's idea of making a cheat sheet in the beginning to reference the jargon to keep it straight!
Safe Space members can join this discussion here. Not a member yet? Apply to join here.
🚨 ON YOUR RADAR
🎧 I Hate It Here Podcast: L&D gets blamed for everything…while somehow getting the smallest budget in the building. Hanan Sahourieh and I discuss why learning functions fail before they even start and what it actually takes to rebuild trust. Check it out on Spotify or Apple Podcasts!
🏀 If your hiring process has more in common with a busted bracket than an actual game plan, HR Therapy on March 31st is exactly where you need to be! We're getting into why hiring is so broken right now and what it takes to recruit and interview like you know what you're doing.
📊 What are 1000+ HR leaders prioritizing in 2026? Lattice's State of People Strategy Report breaks down the biggest trends and concerns shaping this year. If you want to know what everyone else is wrestling with (and how they're handling it), this is your cheat sheet!*
❤️ From ‘I Hate it Here’ to ‘I Love it Here’: Your Culture Transformation Roadmap. HR can influence culture change in any organization, and this course teaches you how. Join the Safe Space community to access it!
*This one is brought to you by one of my amazing brand partners
📝 RESOURCE OF THE WEEK
Each week I feature a resource I love from the Safe Space library that I believe would be relatable to this week's newsletter topic.
Today, we’re talking performance management. Check it out HERE ⬇️
FRIDAY FUN
😳 why would you say that????Copy anchor linkCopied
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Do you ever look at someone and think: why don't you think before you speak?!!!!
Working in HR has taught me not to react to everything using my face but sometimes I don't catch myself in time!!!
Here's to neutral faces and employees who don't say every thought out loud.
That's all for this week! I hope you enjoyed! If you have any thoughts, please let me know. I'm allll ears.
Reminder: Today is FRIDAY. 🙏
