Best practices in human resources
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This document outlines best practices for human resources in game development companies. It discusses goals like enabling developer success and improving relationships between developers, publishers, and retailers. Some key HR best practices presented are conducting roundtable discussions, mandatory meetings between managers, an open book management style, performance reviews, hiring temporary workers, linking bonuses to performance, knowledge sharing, and rewarding top performers. The overall aim is to implement practices that support employees and business goals.
Best practices in human resources
- 2. GOALS OF THE BUSINESS Enable developers to build stronger, more successful companies Provide knowledge and business support resources Increase the perception of game development as a credible business and raise the profile of game developers as viable companies Improve the publisher/developer relationship Improve the retailer/developer relationship
- 3. THE BEST PRACTICES Roundtables & Reports Mandatory meetings with producers and department managers Recruiting Open Book Management Style Bonuses Performance Management Feedback System Hiring Temporary Workers
- 4. ROUND TABLES A round table is one which has no "head" and no "sides", and therefore no one person sitting at it is given a privileged position and all are treated as equals
- 5. MANDATORY MEETINGS Conduct regularly scheduled, mandatory meeting times with producers and other department managers to discuss individuals and their performance, training needs, succession planning possibilities, etc.
- 6. RECRUITING – The Process It is well known pet peeve that hiring managers begin the process with the vague idea of what they are exactly looking for. Job Description – Hiring managers must review it. Each year Requirements and criteria change Post jobs in Company web site Once having Candidate – Telephone Screening, Conduct Behavioral & Technical test Face to Face Interview
- 7. OPEN BOOK MANAGEMENT STYLE Sharing information about contracts, sales, new clients, management objectives, company policies, Employee personal data etc. This ensures that the employees are as enthusiastic about the business as the management Through this open book process we can gradually create a culture of participative management and ignite the creative endeavor of our work force.. It involves making people an interested party to your strategic decisions, thus aligning them to your business objectives.
- 8. 360 DEGREE FEEDBACK SYSTEM This system, which solicits feedback from boss, peers and direct reports if there are any, has been increasingly embraced as the best of all available methods for collecting performance feedback. The feedback is therefore inclusive and every person on the team is responsible for giving relevant feedback, whether positive or constructive.
- 9. HIRING TEMPORARY WORKERS Due to the nature of our business and the long production cycle which requires head count flexibility, the hiring of temporary workers is seen as the most creative, cost effective method to increase efficiencies around the ebb and flow of the production cycle.
- 10. KEEPING IT LEGAL Put together a list of organizations you can turn to for legal advice in the ever- changing world of HR. References should at least include membership in a national human resource organization and links to your national, state or provincial government.
- 11. SAFE, HEALTHY AND HAPPY WORKPLACE This will ensure that your employees feel homely and stay with your organization for a very long time. Capture their pulse through employee surveys.
- 12. PERFORMANCE LINKED BONUSES Bonus must be designed in such a way that people understand that there is no payout unless the company hits a certain level of profitability. Additional criteria could be the team's success and the individual's performance. Never pay out bonus without measuring performance, unless it is a statutory obligation.
- 13. FAIR EVALUATION SYSTEM FOR EMPLOYEES Develop an evaluation system that clearly links individual performance to corporate business goals and priorities. Cross – functional feed back, if obtained by the immediate boss from another manager (for whom this employee's work is also important), will add to the fairness of the system. Relative ratings and Normalization of evaluation is yet another dimension of improving fairness.
- 14. KNOWLEDGE SHARING When an employee returns after attending any competencies or skills development program, sharing essential knowledge with others could be made mandatory. Innovative ideas (implemented at the work place) are good to be posted on these knowledge sharing platforms.
- 15. HIGHLIGHT PERFORMERS Create profiles of top performers and make these visible through company intranet, display boards etc. It will encourage others to put in their best, thereby creating a competitive environment within the company.
- 16. REWARD CEREMONIES Merely recognizing talent does not work, you need to couple it with ceremonies where recognition is broadcast. Looking at the Dollar Check is often less significant than listening to the thunderous applause by colleagues in a public forum.
- 17. DELIGHT EMPLOYEES WITH THE UNEXPECTED Delight with unexpected things that may come in the form of a reward, a gift or a well-done certificate. Reward not only the top performers but also a few others who are in need of motivation to exhibit their potential.