New Directions How you implement a change is as important as the change itself.

No matter how important a change in one of your company policiesmight be, how you implement the new process is critical to whetheryour employees will accept it. "It's important youremployees not feel something is being done to them that theyhave absolutely no choice about--whether or not that's actuallythe case," says Peggy Isaacson, president of Peggy Isaacson& Associates, a human resources consulting firm in Orlando,Florida. "How you make the announcement and schedule thechange has a lot to do with how it will be accepted and embraced byyour employees. Keep in mind, too, that people tend to beuncomfortable with change, even when it may be to their benefit.You want to implement new policies in ways that will make thechanges as painless as possible."

Making an unwelcome change can result in low morale among youremployees, a decline in productivity and even unnecessary turnover."The primary keys are communication and time," saysIsaacson. "Communicate with every affected employee so theyunderstand exactly what you're doing, why you're doing it,and what the impact will be on them personally and on the companyoverall. Then, as you implement the new policy, allow enough timefor people to get used to whatever is going to be different. Duringthe transition period, encourage your employees to give youfeedback. And be alert to signs of trouble: any general attitudeshifts, perhaps increases in absenteeism or other signals thatemployees are dissatisfied."

The positive implementation of a policy actually begins with itsdevelopment, says Greg Hally, 35, co-owner of Hally O'TooleDesign, a full-service advertising agency in Salt Lake City."Even though our employees don't ultimately make the[policy] decisions, they feel ownership because we involve them inthe process," Hally says. Hally helps his employees understandwhat prompted the need for the policy, the reasoning that went intoits creation, and what ideas were accepted and rejected before thepolicy was finalized. With this foundation, implementation isusually only a simple matter of relaying the final details.

Is it easier to make a decision on your own and announce itwithout discussion? Of course, says Hally, but that approach ismore likely to result in disgruntled employees who don't feellike they're part of the team. Not only do Hally and hispartner disagree with a dictatorial style of management, they alsobelieve employee input helps create stronger, more effectivepolicies. "We hope our people always feel comfortable enoughthat they can step up and offer something," says Hally."They all come from different backgrounds, and that diversitycan bring something to light that we wouldn't have thought ofotherwise."

Hide The Keys!

Some employees may not be so qualified to take thedriver's seat.

When you hand someone the keys to a company car or truck, howcan you reduce the risk that they'll endanger life or propertywhile they're driving?

Begin by setting a policy on driver qualifications and history.The first step is making sure drivers hold valid driver'slicenses. Then decide what isn't acceptable in the way ofviolations and check the driving records of your employees.According to Deborah Jaeger of TML Information Services Inc., acompany in Forest Hills, New York, that provides clients withaccess to motor-vehicle data, a typical policy may be that three ormore serious violations (such as speeding 15 miles or more over thelimit, reckless driving, leaving the scene of an accident orracing) over a period of two or three years would be cause toreject a candidate. A DUI conviction alone may be reason not togive an employee driving duties. Also be sure to look atindividuals' accident histories.

It's a good idea to check out everyone who's going to bedriving on company business, whether they're driving a companyvehicle or their own. "There's a growing sense that if[employees are] driving on behalf of an employer, there's aresponsibility on the employer's part to take action to removea driver who is known to have a problem," says Jaeger.

Your insurance company may be able to help you develop a policyand screen potential drivers. Lori Denton, 35, owner of Galaxy FunRaising Inc., a South Daytona, Florida, company that providescasino-themed event planning, says she provides her insurancecompany with a copy of every job applicant's driver'slicense so the insurance company can verify the person'sdriving record. The insurance company, Denton says, has a vestedinterest in helping her make good hiring decisions in thisarea.

Jaeger says once drivers are on board, you should consider doingan annual review of their driving records. If you see a potentialproblem, such as a pattern of tickets, you can address it withdiscipline, training or even by removing the person from theirdriving position before something serious occurs.

Religious Rights

When religious practices conflict with workplacerules

You probably know it's illegal to discriminate againstsomeone on the basis of their religion, but did you know thatprohibitions against discrimination also cover religiouspractices, including dress, hairstyle and days of work?

Most lawsuits charging religious discrimination are"accommodation cases, where someone does something in the wayof religious observance and the employer doesn't understandit," says Michael Wolf, a Washington, DC, attorney, labor andemployment arbitrator, and co-author of Religion in theWorkplace: A Comprehensive Guide to Legal Rights andResponsibilities (American Bar Association).

Employers have a duty to "reasonably accommodate"workers' religious practices. They can disregard suchaccommodation only if doing so would constitute an undue hardshipon the business. Although statutes on religious discriminationdon't define the term "undue hardship," courtdecisions have indicated that it includes incurring significantcosts, reducing productivity, causing other employees to suffer,endangering workplace safety or creating a violation of publiclaw.

Once an employee notifies management of a conflict between hisor her religion and work, steps must be taken to resolve thesituation in a way that allows for both sincere religiousobservation and effective company operations. Most commonly,accommodation takes the form of rearranging work schedules to allowindividuals to observe holy days, or rewriting dress andpersonal-grooming codes to make allowances for employees who wearspecial clothing or have beards for religious reasons.

Other issues, such as harassment and hostile work environments,are more difficult to define. Employers can be held liable ifthey're intolerant of employees' religious convictions orif employees are subjected to religious harassment. Courts havefound behaviors that contribute to a hostile work environmentinclude improper humor, such as telling jokes about the Holocaustto Jewish employees; daily transmission of prayers overcompanies' public address systems; and preaching religion in away that makes employees feel they're targets of conversionattempts. At the same time, employers can't discriminateagainst employees who proselytize in the workplace if thoseactivities aren't interfering with business or objected to byother employees.

While the legal obligation to accommodate religious practicesisn't a particularly onerous one, Wolf says, many businessowners don't realize it's an issue they need to be awareof. "They're not paying attention to religious practices;they're looking only at business practices," he says."If you have a diversified work force, realize this issomething you need to pay attention to."

Next Step

To check an applicant's driving record, call yourstate's department of motor vehicles. It will tell you what theproper procedures and costs are. If you don't have the staffresources to handle this yourself, or if it's necessary toresearch other states' records, it may be easier to use aninformation service. To locate one, Deborah Jaeger of TMLInformation Services Inc. in Forest Hills, New York, suggests doingan Internet search for "motor vehicle records," or askingyour state's motor vehicle department for a recommendation.Another option is to contact your insurance company for help.

Contact Sources

Audit Protection Insurance Services Inc., (888)999-4274

Galaxy Fun Raising Inc., (800) 241-8991, http://www.venturesys.com/galaxy

Hally O'Toole Design, (801) 355-5510, http://www.hallyotoole.com

Michael Wolf, 4532 43rd St. N.W., Washington, DC 20016,wolfdc@erols.com

Peggy Isaacson & Associates, (407) 290-1146, prtprsoff@aol.com

TML Information Services Inc., (800) 743-7891, djaeger@tml.com