Dear Yogita,
HR policies are very much important, but under some circumstances you can always re consider the rules by higher management's approvals, anyways in rainy season sometimes in Mumbai not a single person reach the office including you then where the rules are going to be and with referance to last three years record of Mumbai rain, you cant even force a employee to resume the office, becuase govt. declears the holiday for that particular day and if any comapny break that order then they are liable to pay the compensation to that particular employee - this is on paper but no one follows that, but employee can claim that compensation, which no one does.
HR should be always for the employees welfare, discipline and benifit but not to screw them or risk their lives.
Rest is up to you.
Cheers !!!!!!!!
Ashwini
From India, Mumbai
1HR policies are very much important, but under some circumstances you can always re consider the rules by higher management's approvals, anyways in rainy season sometimes in Mumbai not a single person reach the office including you then where the rules are going to be and with referance to last three years record of Mumbai rain, you cant even force a employee to resume the office, becuase govt. declears the holiday for that particular day and if any comapny break that order then they are liable to pay the compensation to that particular employee - this is on paper but no one follows that, but employee can claim that compensation, which no one does.
HR should be always for the employees welfare, discipline and benifit but not to screw them or risk their lives.
Rest is up to you.
Cheers !!!!!!!!
Ashwini
From India, Mumbai
Be flexible in your approach Yogitta, there are many other issues under HR where we/ management need to be strict in adherance but show "unreasonable" flexibility and no body questions it. Your staff will bless you for this effort and initiative this monsoon, more so when there is prior alert on the issue.
If there is pressure from your boss/ management to implement this ad verbatim, pls go ahead and ensure that you deduct half day CL from your CEO/ CFO/ HR Head's leave balance too if they are late.
This will ensure that you have won the battle between your mind and heart!
Best wishes
PD
From India, Delhi
If there is pressure from your boss/ management to implement this ad verbatim, pls go ahead and ensure that you deduct half day CL from your CEO/ CFO/ HR Head's leave balance too if they are late.
This will ensure that you have won the battle between your mind and heart!
Best wishes
PD
From India, Delhi
Dear All,
All of you give your great suggestion but it is very difficult that senior people will agree for the same. Humanity & Disipline and puntuality has to be considered equaly.
As per my view you must allow to your emp some relaxation for the same but must to be ensure that nobody misuse the same.
you can not find out if anyone trying to cheat you in such case. think upon it & discuss with your seniors.
you can go by Govt. rules & regulation or as per factory act & your standing order while making any policy for the same.
From India, Delhi
All of you give your great suggestion but it is very difficult that senior people will agree for the same. Humanity & Disipline and puntuality has to be considered equaly.
As per my view you must allow to your emp some relaxation for the same but must to be ensure that nobody misuse the same.
you can not find out if anyone trying to cheat you in such case. think upon it & discuss with your seniors.
you can go by Govt. rules & regulation or as per factory act & your standing order while making any policy for the same.
From India, Delhi
Dear Yogita,
Whenever a rule is made,it is for everybody and everybody has to follow it.No matter who he is and what ever the situation it is.We have to strictly adhere to these rule.In case there is such situation which is hapering most of the employee then it can be discussed and some other alternative can be made like during rainy days the staff time can be considered but then also there have some parameters to be made...like which day to consider as rainy day....
From India, Calcutta
Whenever a rule is made,it is for everybody and everybody has to follow it.No matter who he is and what ever the situation it is.We have to strictly adhere to these rule.In case there is such situation which is hapering most of the employee then it can be discussed and some other alternative can be made like during rainy days the staff time can be considered but then also there have some parameters to be made...like which day to consider as rainy day....
From India, Calcutta
Yesterday I spoke with my friend who lives in mumbai he told that this time the rains gonna be dangerous and public announcements will be made requesting public not at all to venture out of their houses during certain days as per weather forecast. Also there are notices in railway stations and public places informing public regarding the floods and heavy rains.
In this scenario you want your employees come to office that too on time,
Sorry madam, I will prefer to remain at home rather than come and die in floods, and when employee dies you forget him madam, why should I die for your company.
And you need to give full pay for any natural calamity.
So beware
From India, Pune
In this scenario you want your employees come to office that too on time,
Sorry madam, I will prefer to remain at home rather than come and die in floods, and when employee dies you forget him madam, why should I die for your company.
And you need to give full pay for any natural calamity.
So beware
From India, Pune
No doubt we in HR must respect rules & impliment them with all rigidity. Attendance management is one such duty. At the same time employee welfare is another duty that HR must perform with sme enthusiasm. The difficulty of the employees must be projected to the management and exception approval be taken for the days on days when employees rendered unable to attend office in time due to natural calmities or excessive rains disrupting city traffic.
What the company will loose is much less than what you gain in terms of employee motivation & confidence in HR.
Moorthy
From India, Hyderabad
What the company will loose is much less than what you gain in terms of employee motivation & confidence in HR.
Moorthy
From India, Hyderabad
Hi.. Everybody
I think this should be taken care by the each of us as per the situation. I am traveling from Kalyan to Mahim from more than 14 years, and know how everyone suffer during heavy rains.
Regards
Ajay V
From India, Pune
I think this should be taken care by the each of us as per the situation. I am traveling from Kalyan to Mahim from more than 14 years, and know how everyone suffer during heavy rains.
Regards
Ajay V
From India, Pune
Yogita,
I sense that this thread has been turned into an HR vs Employee debate, which in my humble opinion is wrong.
Coming back to your question, I want to know, as to why is attendance such a major concern for you (there are other more important issues like retention, talent management, etc). Is it because there have been issues of indiscipline like late coming always or what else? If that is the case, I think it makes better sense to talk to your employees about the concern of them being late always.
Or is it your senior management feels strongly about discipline and believe that attendance is the most prominent way to show you mean business? You had mentioned about Godrej, let me point to you that, Godrej has a flexitime policy i.e. you can come to office anytime between 7am to 10.30 am and then work for 8.5 hours from the time you came in. Do you also such flexitimes? Please note that for the labour in factories it is based on shift timings and hence they have to be on time. But, Godrej provides accomodation to its employees which is very near to the compound. Does your company provide that? Or does your company arrange for transportation of employees?
There were a few posts which I believe were extremely stupid, wherein someone said that with better planning you can arrive on time, what if the local trains break down due to water seepage onto tracks (very common occurrence, any Mumbaikar would tell you that) and trains stop, how do you expect the person to come?
I will quote the example of HCL, which has recently been voted as the Best Company to Work For, in there they allow people to work from home if such a thing happens, I know their nature of business maybe different from yours and hence that may not be a viable solution.
HR is Human Relations, and not just implementation of policies, I think HCL is a wonderful example because of their policy of 'Employee First'. Remember, it is your employee who generates revenues for you and makes it possible for the organization to thrive. An organization which helps its employees in difficult times will see the employee go extra lengths when the organization needs their help.
I think you need to impress upon the management that sometimes there is an issue, especially when you know it is raining heavily wherein trains can be affected and you can verify this online via google or online news sites, so I don't think it can be misused as an excuse.
To those who said rules are not to be broken etc - I would like to ask you a question, what is the relationship between the company and the employee, if it is of a service provider (employee providing service to company) then yes what you say makes sense, there will be a Service Level Agreement (KRAs and KPIs) and they should stick to it, which would mean that the company cannot expect the employee to stay longer than 8.5 hours regardless of whether you pay OT or not, because its not in the employees SLA, will that go down well with you. There are two sides to a coin, please see the other point of view too.
To those who made it a HR vs Employees debate - Yogita just asked a question to solve her dilemma, she was here asking for advice and she had not made a decision, we can provide her with alternatives but then it is upto her to take the decision she feels is right for her organization, so I would request you guys to help her out by giving suggestions and not by attacking her/HR managers as a whole.
From India, Mumbai
I sense that this thread has been turned into an HR vs Employee debate, which in my humble opinion is wrong.
Coming back to your question, I want to know, as to why is attendance such a major concern for you (there are other more important issues like retention, talent management, etc). Is it because there have been issues of indiscipline like late coming always or what else? If that is the case, I think it makes better sense to talk to your employees about the concern of them being late always.
Or is it your senior management feels strongly about discipline and believe that attendance is the most prominent way to show you mean business? You had mentioned about Godrej, let me point to you that, Godrej has a flexitime policy i.e. you can come to office anytime between 7am to 10.30 am and then work for 8.5 hours from the time you came in. Do you also such flexitimes? Please note that for the labour in factories it is based on shift timings and hence they have to be on time. But, Godrej provides accomodation to its employees which is very near to the compound. Does your company provide that? Or does your company arrange for transportation of employees?
There were a few posts which I believe were extremely stupid, wherein someone said that with better planning you can arrive on time, what if the local trains break down due to water seepage onto tracks (very common occurrence, any Mumbaikar would tell you that) and trains stop, how do you expect the person to come?
I will quote the example of HCL, which has recently been voted as the Best Company to Work For, in there they allow people to work from home if such a thing happens, I know their nature of business maybe different from yours and hence that may not be a viable solution.
HR is Human Relations, and not just implementation of policies, I think HCL is a wonderful example because of their policy of 'Employee First'. Remember, it is your employee who generates revenues for you and makes it possible for the organization to thrive. An organization which helps its employees in difficult times will see the employee go extra lengths when the organization needs their help.
I think you need to impress upon the management that sometimes there is an issue, especially when you know it is raining heavily wherein trains can be affected and you can verify this online via google or online news sites, so I don't think it can be misused as an excuse.
To those who said rules are not to be broken etc - I would like to ask you a question, what is the relationship between the company and the employee, if it is of a service provider (employee providing service to company) then yes what you say makes sense, there will be a Service Level Agreement (KRAs and KPIs) and they should stick to it, which would mean that the company cannot expect the employee to stay longer than 8.5 hours regardless of whether you pay OT or not, because its not in the employees SLA, will that go down well with you. There are two sides to a coin, please see the other point of view too.
To those who made it a HR vs Employees debate - Yogita just asked a question to solve her dilemma, she was here asking for advice and she had not made a decision, we can provide her with alternatives but then it is upto her to take the decision she feels is right for her organization, so I would request you guys to help her out by giving suggestions and not by attacking her/HR managers as a whole.
From India, Mumbai
Hi,
We have in our company the same issue wherein office timings is 9:30 am to 6:30 pm & saturday & sunday is an holiday.
But employees especially technical team will drop in @ 10.30am or 11.00am & wind up by 7.00pm or 7.30/8.00pm they work on saturdays & few sundays based on the project completion dates.
The issue of late coming to office was addressed with regular mails to employees informing them to come on time to work. however this issue has been partially addressed still a few of them drop in at the above mentioned timings & wind up late.
From India, Bangalore
We have in our company the same issue wherein office timings is 9:30 am to 6:30 pm & saturday & sunday is an holiday.
But employees especially technical team will drop in @ 10.30am or 11.00am & wind up by 7.00pm or 7.30/8.00pm they work on saturdays & few sundays based on the project completion dates.
The issue of late coming to office was addressed with regular mails to employees informing them to come on time to work. however this issue has been partially addressed still a few of them drop in at the above mentioned timings & wind up late.
From India, Bangalore
I do not agree to unjust terms of employment forcing someone is like barbaric attitude. When you are handling HR dept it huma related dept. human is not to be considered as steel as i believe. Those old days of Mr. Rangarajan has gone live with full democracy but with responsibility too.
From India, Anand
From India, Anand
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