Hello Vineet,
The fact remains that when there is no vigil, people tend to break the rules. I am in a similar industry, so I can totally understand your state.
Here is what we have done in our company:
1) We have regular skip meetings with all the employees (in batches). The agenda includes giving the employees updates on what is happening in the company, briefing on a few policies and programs employees can take advantage of, and the last 10 - 15 minutes are open for query solving and grievances.
I take back that feedback to my team and the respective stakeholders (for whom the grievance was registered) and sort the issues out.
2) We have everything aligned to HR permissions. Any employee who resigns has to meet with HR. We get to know the real reason and also make a retention pitch. If there is anything we need to sort out with the manager, we do so as well. Any termination that the manager initiates needs to be supported by documents justifying the separation. We again meet the employee to check if the claims were right or not.
3) It is very important to have policies in place that will govern the conduct of the employees (at all levels), and any violation thereof will be met with disciplinary action.
4) You will need to get down to details and dirty your hands a little bit. How many managers are there? How many people report under each of them? How often are people moved from one manager to another? Why do such movements take place? What is the performance record of these managers and their employees? How do they take care of their employees' welfare? How are employees being exploited? Are the budgets allocated for employee engagements being used rightly, or are managers consuming them?
Things go a lot deeper. You will certainly have to spend some time yourself sorting out and studying the actual matter. This looks like a lot more mess than what you are mentioning, and the sooner you start cleaning, the better.
Appointing a new person under you may not really help as he/she would be new to the company and people and can be easily bullied or influenced. So you will have to get down to ground zero yourself. What I suggest is nevertheless to appoint someone and ask him/her to shadow you and learn from observation, but your presence is important until such time that things start looking manageable.
I would like to discuss in detail about all the employee welfare and management tools and processes we have in place. I am sure it will be of great use to you in such times.
You can contact me at amrita.solanki@gmail.com.
Good luck, and I am sure you will handle it well. And I just hope your spouse understands and supports you. :)
Amrita
From China
The fact remains that when there is no vigil, people tend to break the rules. I am in a similar industry, so I can totally understand your state.
Here is what we have done in our company:
1) We have regular skip meetings with all the employees (in batches). The agenda includes giving the employees updates on what is happening in the company, briefing on a few policies and programs employees can take advantage of, and the last 10 - 15 minutes are open for query solving and grievances.
I take back that feedback to my team and the respective stakeholders (for whom the grievance was registered) and sort the issues out.
2) We have everything aligned to HR permissions. Any employee who resigns has to meet with HR. We get to know the real reason and also make a retention pitch. If there is anything we need to sort out with the manager, we do so as well. Any termination that the manager initiates needs to be supported by documents justifying the separation. We again meet the employee to check if the claims were right or not.
3) It is very important to have policies in place that will govern the conduct of the employees (at all levels), and any violation thereof will be met with disciplinary action.
4) You will need to get down to details and dirty your hands a little bit. How many managers are there? How many people report under each of them? How often are people moved from one manager to another? Why do such movements take place? What is the performance record of these managers and their employees? How do they take care of their employees' welfare? How are employees being exploited? Are the budgets allocated for employee engagements being used rightly, or are managers consuming them?
Things go a lot deeper. You will certainly have to spend some time yourself sorting out and studying the actual matter. This looks like a lot more mess than what you are mentioning, and the sooner you start cleaning, the better.
Appointing a new person under you may not really help as he/she would be new to the company and people and can be easily bullied or influenced. So you will have to get down to ground zero yourself. What I suggest is nevertheless to appoint someone and ask him/her to shadow you and learn from observation, but your presence is important until such time that things start looking manageable.
I would like to discuss in detail about all the employee welfare and management tools and processes we have in place. I am sure it will be of great use to you in such times.
You can contact me at amrita.solanki@gmail.com.
Good luck, and I am sure you will handle it well. And I just hope your spouse understands and supports you. :)
Amrita
From China
Dear Amrita,
Thank you for your wonderful suggestion. I am surely going to do the same. I also had the same thought that putting a new HR executive on the night shift won't help at all, as many had suggested.
Thanks a ton,
Vineet
From India, Chandigarh
Thank you for your wonderful suggestion. I am surely going to do the same. I also had the same thought that putting a new HR executive on the night shift won't help at all, as many had suggested.
Thanks a ton,
Vineet
From India, Chandigarh
I think you should first sort out your priorities for your personal life. Don't overburden and deteriorate your health by working day and night. Then, discuss the issue with authorities who can affect and make changes in the organizational structure, command, and control. Overburdening is not the solution.
From Pakistan, Karachi
From Pakistan, Karachi
Hi Vineeth,
I have to say you are in a fix.
Let’s see. The two people who have made good suggestions are Ash and Kavitha.
Can you work two shifts? If not all the days, then a couple of days in a week, at least. In that way you become a visible HR. If this has been going on for a while now, chances are the trust of employees in the HR department is slowly reducing. By seeing you around might be the first change the employees need to see. There might not be a lot in your hands immediately but you have to gain ground slowly.
There is a Theory called “circle of concern - circle of influence” proposed by Stephen Covey.
See, all the advice you are getting from seniors, is subject to how much is in your hands. So first look at what is in your hands. Put all the sensible suggestions you have received in an order of what is in your influence to do. Do that first. You will see that once you have done, you will find that it makes way for others to be possible. Then, work on slowly increasing what you can change.
I have been through a similar situation and I know it will be a slow and tedious process of change; as change always is. All the more so; because the senior operations team, has become used to the flexibility.
It will take a good six months to put things in place. Make sure you don’t loose confidence and heart and get discouraged.
Regards,
Kavitha
From India, Bangalore
I have to say you are in a fix.
Let’s see. The two people who have made good suggestions are Ash and Kavitha.
Can you work two shifts? If not all the days, then a couple of days in a week, at least. In that way you become a visible HR. If this has been going on for a while now, chances are the trust of employees in the HR department is slowly reducing. By seeing you around might be the first change the employees need to see. There might not be a lot in your hands immediately but you have to gain ground slowly.
There is a Theory called “circle of concern - circle of influence” proposed by Stephen Covey.
See, all the advice you are getting from seniors, is subject to how much is in your hands. So first look at what is in your hands. Put all the sensible suggestions you have received in an order of what is in your influence to do. Do that first. You will see that once you have done, you will find that it makes way for others to be possible. Then, work on slowly increasing what you can change.
I have been through a similar situation and I know it will be a slow and tedious process of change; as change always is. All the more so; because the senior operations team, has become used to the flexibility.
It will take a good six months to put things in place. Make sure you don’t loose confidence and heart and get discouraged.
Regards,
Kavitha
From India, Bangalore
Hi Vineeth,
I have to say you are in a fix.
Let’s see. The two people who have made good suggestions are Ash and Kavitha.
Can you work two shifts? If not all the days, then a couple of days in a week, at least. In that way you become a visible HR. If this has been going on for a while now, chances are the trust of employees in the HR department is slowly reducing. By seeing you around might be the first change the employees need to see. There might not be a lot in your hands immediately but you have to gain ground slowly.
There is a Theory called “circle of concern - circle of influence” proposed by Stephen Covey.
See, all the advice you are getting from seniors, is subject to how much is in your hands. So first look at what is in your hands. Put all the sensible suggestions you have received in an order of what is in your influence to do. Do that first. You will see that once you have done, you will find that it makes way for others to be possible. Then, work on slowly increasing what you can change.
I have been through a similar situation and I know it will be a slow and tedious process of change; as change always is. All the more so; because the senior operations team, has become used to the flexibility.
It will take a good six months to put things in place. Make sure you don’t loose confidence and heart and get discouraged.
Regards,
Kavitha
From India, Bangalore
I have to say you are in a fix.
Let’s see. The two people who have made good suggestions are Ash and Kavitha.
Can you work two shifts? If not all the days, then a couple of days in a week, at least. In that way you become a visible HR. If this has been going on for a while now, chances are the trust of employees in the HR department is slowly reducing. By seeing you around might be the first change the employees need to see. There might not be a lot in your hands immediately but you have to gain ground slowly.
There is a Theory called “circle of concern - circle of influence” proposed by Stephen Covey.
See, all the advice you are getting from seniors, is subject to how much is in your hands. So first look at what is in your hands. Put all the sensible suggestions you have received in an order of what is in your influence to do. Do that first. You will see that once you have done, you will find that it makes way for others to be possible. Then, work on slowly increasing what you can change.
I have been through a similar situation and I know it will be a slow and tedious process of change; as change always is. All the more so; because the senior operations team, has become used to the flexibility.
It will take a good six months to put things in place. Make sure you don’t loose confidence and heart and get discouraged.
Regards,
Kavitha
From India, Bangalore
Hello,
The best way to tackle the problem is in 2 steps:
1. You need to make an agenda and call for a meeting with the respective team manager to iron out any discrepancies with them regarding following the proper laid-down procedures and policies. Here, you need to be a little dynamic as well as pragmatic. By doing this, you can win them over, and half of your troubles will be gone.
2. I suggest you follow a flexible timing schedule as Asha madam recommended. Work in the UK time zone, coming in at 1400 hrs and working until 2100 hrs. This way, you can cover both shifts.
Cheers,
Sanjay
From India, Madras
The best way to tackle the problem is in 2 steps:
1. You need to make an agenda and call for a meeting with the respective team manager to iron out any discrepancies with them regarding following the proper laid-down procedures and policies. Here, you need to be a little dynamic as well as pragmatic. By doing this, you can win them over, and half of your troubles will be gone.
2. I suggest you follow a flexible timing schedule as Asha madam recommended. Work in the UK time zone, coming in at 1400 hrs and working until 2100 hrs. This way, you can cover both shifts.
Cheers,
Sanjay
From India, Madras
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