Who Makes the Job Offer?
Dfox
39 Posts
Our company is growing rapidly. In the past few years we have gone from 450 employees to 610. It has always been our policy that the hiring manager would make the job offer to the applicant. This was done for two reasons 1. to start building a bond between employee and manager and 2. negotiating salaries is done at the manager level, and not through HR.
Now the managers want HR to do the negotiating?
How do other companies make a job offer?
Now the managers want HR to do the negotiating?
How do other companies make a job offer?
Comments
HR is involved as a sounding board or for advice. But I agree with what you have posted. The hiring manager should be seen by the new employee as the person who has "hired" them.
As HR Manager, I hire employees as well but they are typically those that do not report to a specific department.
I read that article recently, too, maybe a month or so ago. I just went through all my e-newsletters from the past three months and couldn't find it. I'll let you know if I come across it.
I don't do any hiring, but I do approve all terminations.
We have 30 employment sites and it's just not reasonable for me to be involved in all hires. I do train all supervisors at least annually on hiring practices during which we also review/revamp the interview forms as a team. I also do annual training on discrimination, disciplinary practices, etc. and they do a pretty good job of calling me when in doubt about a hiring or other employment decision.
The person who hires is always the person who "fires," the only exception being when the hiring manager is no longer in that position.
HR serves as a resource if they want help with strategy or are faced with an unfamiliar question during the negotiation process.
HR Mgr does initial interview
Location GM does second interview, makes offer
HR Mgr tracks performance reviews, but does not give any, sit in on any, or write any. HR Mgr does inform employee as to amount of increase.
HR Mgr reviews/approves/tracks performance management (write-ups, etc) but does not deliver or observe delivery.
HR Mgr reviews/approves terminations, but does not deliver or observe delivery.
So... to recap... HR Mgr may be involved in preparation of documentation, but has little or no involvement the actual delivery.
BUT... HR Mgr is responsible for EACH and EVERY step in any post-termination actions, whether it involves District/Regional/National oversight, the EEOC, or whomever, and is expected to do so with little or no involvement of the rest of the management team (to "preserve confidentiality").
Great system, huh?
Hiring manager makes verbal offer so any negotiations are taken care of - salary, date of hire, even job title. They have guidelines on what they can negotiate and what they can't (like they can't negotiate that the company will waive the waiting period for 401(k) or something similar).
Then the hiring manager submits an offer letter request form to HR. We make the formal offer in writing and send to the employee along with all the new hire and benefit paperwork. This way, we're in the loop, but not the "first" person to talk with the employee.
It involves the cat's paw doctrine, and I'm really interested to see the outcome of this. Just recently, the Supreme Court dismissed the company's appeal and the case will go back
to the district court for trial.
Sorry it took so long!