It’s fall and the time of year when I have mice come into the house. I learned when we moved into our current house 5 years ago, that as the weather cools down, the little field mice which live in the woods around our house seek a place for warmth and shelter. Needless to say, this does not go over well with my better half and I have gotten quite accustomed to catching them and ensuring that they are no longer a threat to return. Despite my best efforts to find their entry points and favorite spots, I still get a few each year and simply need to be ready to catch them.
As we look at the people in our organizations, are there always some reliable things that happen? Do you have an employee who takes FMLA every year about this time? Is there an employee who can be relied on to find the exception to any policy or procedure you may put in place? I’m guessing a few names may be popping into your heads about now.
So, if that is the case, what are you doing to be proactive to keep them from coming in? Just as I try to find every tiny entry (even a dime size hole is big enough for a mouse) we need to be proactive in heading off the inevitable things that happen within our organizations. If we can avoid the game playing and have a solid response ready for these reliable events, we can spend more time planning our workforce strategy for the next year, implementing solid wellness initiatives to lower health care costs, or planning that wickedly fun holiday party (ok, maybe not that last one!)
So, take a little time as the weather cools down and find your entry points to the HR version of a mouse in the house. Pests in one way or another are controllable. Which method is often up to you.
