Steps in Conducting an HR Best Practices Review

Updated March 20, 2021. First published February 25, 2020.

Historically, January and February are among the busiest months. As the dust settles from wrapping up the prior year, there is an opportunity to ensure that existing processes still suit the organization’s needs and direction prior to setting any goals for the upcoming year.

A first step we encourage that Leaders do is to conduct an HR Effectiveness Review or Best Practice Review. These types of reviews can provide insight into how HR practices compare to other organizations as well as determine whether your organization meets compliance requirements.

To kick start this process, we recommend the following steps:

1. Select area(s) where you want to focus – recruiting, onboarding, benefits, etc.

2. Develop a set of questions you may need to ask yourself or stakeholders to understand goals and any pain points.

3. Depending on the answers to the questionnaire, understand what documents/resources are available and determine which document(s) to review.

4. Review a sample of job descriptions, personnel files, payroll, and employee documents such as offer letters, or employee exit interviews or surveys.

5. Review the payroll or Human Resource Information System (HRIS) platform for added features or efficiencies to onboarding and offboarding.

6. Review the employee manual for updated regulations or outdated policies or practices that do not reflect the industry trends or the organization's culture.

After these steps, you can devise a work plan with a timeline and an accountability chart to address any findings.

At Kiwi Partners, we support our HR clients by conducting an HR Effectiveness Review or Best Practice Review. For more information on how we can support your organization, please contact us.