Starboard’s Blog

It seems as if I’m constantly telling organizations that their biggest organizational risk comes from the potential for an enormous lawsuit over a personnel issue.  It may seem odd, then, that I am going to recommend that most boards of directors do not need a standing personnel committee. 

For the most part, the board should stay out of personnel management. “But we don’t want to manage,” you say. “We just want to make sure that employee issues don’t lead to real problems for the organization.” Keep in mind that you’ve hired the executive director to handle the day-to-day details of the organization and direct the execution of the work plan. If you don’t trust him or her to handle the personnel issues, then fire the executive director and find someone you do trust. 

Better yet, help your executive director get matched-up with an experienced human resources professional who can mentor, support, and help him/her through the basics of personnel management. This person does not need to be a board member. Back-up this resource with an employment attorney who the executive director is authorized to call as needed.  Most personnel issues need resolution quickly…like in the next few hours. Give your executive director professional resources to call, not a committee. 

Finally, there are times when it makes great sense to pull together an ad-hoc personnel committee. Maybe it is time to update the personnel policies, review salary ranges, or tackle some other task with a clear beginning and end.  Ask a board member to chair the committee, and then look for volunteers with real expertise to join him/her.  And remember that employment attorney I mentioned earlier?  Your committee chair is sure to appreciate the opportunity to have him/her review their work.  It is sure to be money well spent, and cheaper than any insurance policy!