[Osmf-talk] Seeking input on the personnel committee

[Craig Allan]

Dear All,
With reference to Mikel's request for input on the role of the Personnel 
Committee.

1. Note: Not everyone who works for OSMF is Personnel.
With reference to comments at the last Board meeting, the appointment of 
Quincy to work on iD editor has been as an Independent Contractor, not 
as a staff member. It is important to make sure that at all times we 
visibly treat Quincy as an Independent Contractor not as a staff member. 
If we fail to do this there are all sorts of tedious Labour law, Tax law 
and Health and Safety law implications on both us and on him.  He should 
stay far away from the Personnel Committee.

2. Role of the Personnel Committee.
I propose that the Committee has an oversight role. See point 4 below.

 From my years of bad experience as an employee with multiple reporting 
lines I STRONGLY advise that any one staffer should be managed by just 
ONE manager. I can motivate this further if it is not immediately obvious.
So, one manager can have one staffer, or two managers can have one 
staffer each, but one staffer cannot have two managers.  Think SQL 
"managers LEFT JOIN staff".

3. Role of the Manager (Task List)
 From my years of managing many difficult people here is a short summary 
of just why they pay managers more:

- Create or amend the job description (JD) of the post (not the staffer).
- Propose and review the salary and benefits to attach to that post (not 
the staffer).
- Periodically review the post JD against organisational strategy.
- Write or at least review the employment contract when appointing staff.
- Conduct interviews to fill posts and write reports to the Board on this.

- Create and periodically amend the individual performance plan (IPP) of 
each staffer.
- Task the staffer with work within the parameters of the JD, IPP and 
employment contract.
- Regularly review the performance of a staffer against the IPP.
- Decide on granting or denial of performance incentives.

- Handle first stage dissatisfaction, grievance and dispute resolutions.
- Handle first stage disciplinary, suspension and dismissal decisions.
- Ensure compliance of OSMF and staffer with the employment contract and 
applicable laws.
- Provide support, counselling, advice and guidance as needed.
- Conduct on-boarding process for new staff.
- Ensure independent exit interview for departing staff.
- Identify and ensure job training, skills upgrading, career advancement 
opportunities.

- Protect the staffer against pressure, demands and criticism from other 
internal and external parties.
- Make decisions on workload by gatekeeping requests for additional work 
from other parties.
- Grant or deny leave of absence within the parameters of the emplyment 
contract.
- Identify and engage resources to provide services in staffer's leave 
periods.
- Manage and ensure supply of workplace tools, consumables and services.
- Ensure that the conditions for a smooth handover to a replacement are 
always in place.

4. Role of the Board OR Role of the Personnel Committee (PC)
The Board/PC  has an oversight role. The manager could do all or some or 
none of the above tasks, so the manager should report periodically to 
the Board/PC on the performance of the management tasks, and should be 
performance-reviewed by the Board/PC against the above task list to 
ensure that all (or at least most) of the above managerial 
responsibilities are satisfactorily carried out.

I hope that helps
Craig Allan
OSM: cRaIgalLAn
=====================
On 2020/09/24 18:30, Mikel Maron wrote:
> Hello
>
> The Board is considering forming a personnel committee to have a structured way to supporting the current 2, and soon 3, people who are working with the OSMF nearly full time.
>
> We'd like input from members. People with experience in companies or local chapters with staff would be helpful. We're especially want to get the right balance of the community basis of these roles, and ensuring proper support for their working environment.
>
> The draft is here https://wiki.osmfoundation.org/wiki/Personnel_Committee/Charter
>
> Thank you
> Mikel
>
> * Mikel Maron * +14152835207 @mikel s:mikelmaron
>
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