Hello Leo steavart HR Generalist this side,
I have been facing many issues from the management and employees side.
Previously management has given freedom to the employees even though there is no development in the productivity. So me as a HR and the management had a discussion regarding this and decided to implement new rules and policies.
1. Dress code policy: We drafted a mail requesting all the employees to come in formal attire. All the employees refused to follow that even after having a discussion and convincing them.
2. Working Hours: Management decided to make the employees to work for all the 6 days of a week which includes 54 hours per week including breaks. Where all the saturdays there will be no working its all about employee development activities, organization development activities and training sessions.
3. Employees are talking to me in a way that firstly credit our salaries on time and then start implementing new policies. One of the employee came to me and said that if you want me to follow the dress code policy it cant happen its better to look for another employee.
4. Associate product manager stated a point to the management that he is not okay to accept me as a HR in the organisation.
5. And the management is taking the decisions for implementing new things which are followed by Accenture.
These are the major things which i am facing for now. So as i am having very low experience in this designation kindly help me how to solve all these problems and what are the actions need to be taken by me as an HR for these following things.
Regards
Leo Steavart
HR Generalist
From India, Bengaluru
I have been facing many issues from the management and employees side.
Previously management has given freedom to the employees even though there is no development in the productivity. So me as a HR and the management had a discussion regarding this and decided to implement new rules and policies.
1. Dress code policy: We drafted a mail requesting all the employees to come in formal attire. All the employees refused to follow that even after having a discussion and convincing them.
2. Working Hours: Management decided to make the employees to work for all the 6 days of a week which includes 54 hours per week including breaks. Where all the saturdays there will be no working its all about employee development activities, organization development activities and training sessions.
3. Employees are talking to me in a way that firstly credit our salaries on time and then start implementing new policies. One of the employee came to me and said that if you want me to follow the dress code policy it cant happen its better to look for another employee.
4. Associate product manager stated a point to the management that he is not okay to accept me as a HR in the organisation.
5. And the management is taking the decisions for implementing new things which are followed by Accenture.
These are the major things which i am facing for now. So as i am having very low experience in this designation kindly help me how to solve all these problems and what are the actions need to be taken by me as an HR for these following things.
Regards
Leo Steavart
HR Generalist
From India, Bengaluru
It is good to implement new policies but only after taking the employees in to confidence. Changes should never be to follow another company in the same industry, and you should never imitate what other company is doing. You can win the confidence only if you have raised to the expectations of the employees. otherwise, the comments like "pay salary in time rather than implementing new policies" will certainly come. You know that you should pay salary in a cycle of 30/ 31 days. Then why don't you pay salary on 30th day/31st day or at least 1st day of the succeeding month? Giving salary on 1st day of every month is the best medicine for every HR related illness, I understand. Therefore, I would support the employee who rightly said, first pay salary in time and then implement new things.
Now extending the working time to 54 hours including 6 hours lunch time should be taken very carefully, because the employees who have joined you on the presumption that Saturday would be off day would ceratinly try to leave you as there are alternative opportunities available to them. It is true that employees need employment. But at the same time, it is equally important that the employer also needs the employees, and it is not that the employer can run an establishment without employees. It is also incorrect that an employer is just offering employment but he is also a recipient of revenue. If the employees are recognised, they will be ready to accept any changes that you offer. Therefore, first change the mindset of the management.
From India, Kannur
4248Now extending the working time to 54 hours including 6 hours lunch time should be taken very carefully, because the employees who have joined you on the presumption that Saturday would be off day would ceratinly try to leave you as there are alternative opportunities available to them. It is true that employees need employment. But at the same time, it is equally important that the employer also needs the employees, and it is not that the employer can run an establishment without employees. It is also incorrect that an employer is just offering employment but he is also a recipient of revenue. If the employees are recognised, they will be ready to accept any changes that you offer. Therefore, first change the mindset of the management.
From India, Kannur
Dear Leo Steavart,
From your post, the following points emerge:
a) Before initiating the change, I wish you had read the theory of change management. You did not anticipate the backlash or the "resistance to change".
b) Just because people resist change does not mean that we should not initiate change. However, I wish wherever possible, you could have used the participative or democratic management style. As the learned member Mr Madhu TK has said, it is important to take the employees into confidence. This did not happen.
c) From the employees' point of view, the news policies are thrust on their heads or in other words, they feel that the management has used a coercive leadership style.
d) If the employees are complaining about salaries not getting on time, then the complaint is valid. I wish you and your management would have fixed these fundamental issues. A regular income helps them manage their monthly budget. If the salaries are credited at irregular intervals, then they will be forced to keep extra liquid funds in their bank accounts. Which employee will accept it?
e) The changeover from the 5-day week to the 6-day week is always problematic. The people get too accustomed to the 5-day work. If few employees join the company because of the 5-day workweek. If it were to be the 6-day workweek, they simply would have refused to join your company. Now suddenly by increasing one more day, the employees are being let down.
f) Why did the Associate Product Manager question your continuation as an HR Manager? While executing the change, were unjustly domineering?
g) Lastly, you have written "The management is taking the decisions for implementing new things which are followed by Accenture". Merely copying the policies of the MNCs or other big companies does not make any company big. The companies grow provided they create a supportive culture. Yes, you may benchmark the industry leaders but please note the difference between "benchmarking" and "copying".
The Next Step: - So what is the next step? The first step is to start crediting the salaries on time. This is sine qua non and there cannot be a compromise on it.
The next step is to identify which decision will improve the organisation's productivity. Call the employees and ask for their suggestions. Implement the suggestions which have a wider consensus.
A few policies may have to be rolled back. Let the management not take this as their defeat but sometimes in life, we have to take a 'U' turn.
Lastly, while initiating, let your management do this step by step. The people should get accustomed to the change. They should be given time to adjust to a new working style. A sweeping change is always not desirable.
Suggestion to you as an HR: - Occasionally, the HR professionals have to face the ire of the employees. But then it is a part and parcel of their job. The fate of HR is that the employees consider him/her as a representative of the management. On the contrary, the management thinks that he/she is one among the employees but they are never shy from using the shoulder of HR to keep their gun and shoot! Many HR professionals wade through this duality.
Thanks,
Dinesh Divekar
From India, Bangalore
From your post, the following points emerge:
a) Before initiating the change, I wish you had read the theory of change management. You did not anticipate the backlash or the "resistance to change".
b) Just because people resist change does not mean that we should not initiate change. However, I wish wherever possible, you could have used the participative or democratic management style. As the learned member Mr Madhu TK has said, it is important to take the employees into confidence. This did not happen.
c) From the employees' point of view, the news policies are thrust on their heads or in other words, they feel that the management has used a coercive leadership style.
d) If the employees are complaining about salaries not getting on time, then the complaint is valid. I wish you and your management would have fixed these fundamental issues. A regular income helps them manage their monthly budget. If the salaries are credited at irregular intervals, then they will be forced to keep extra liquid funds in their bank accounts. Which employee will accept it?
e) The changeover from the 5-day week to the 6-day week is always problematic. The people get too accustomed to the 5-day work. If few employees join the company because of the 5-day workweek. If it were to be the 6-day workweek, they simply would have refused to join your company. Now suddenly by increasing one more day, the employees are being let down.
f) Why did the Associate Product Manager question your continuation as an HR Manager? While executing the change, were unjustly domineering?
g) Lastly, you have written "The management is taking the decisions for implementing new things which are followed by Accenture". Merely copying the policies of the MNCs or other big companies does not make any company big. The companies grow provided they create a supportive culture. Yes, you may benchmark the industry leaders but please note the difference between "benchmarking" and "copying".
The Next Step: - So what is the next step? The first step is to start crediting the salaries on time. This is sine qua non and there cannot be a compromise on it.
The next step is to identify which decision will improve the organisation's productivity. Call the employees and ask for their suggestions. Implement the suggestions which have a wider consensus.
A few policies may have to be rolled back. Let the management not take this as their defeat but sometimes in life, we have to take a 'U' turn.
Lastly, while initiating, let your management do this step by step. The people should get accustomed to the change. They should be given time to adjust to a new working style. A sweeping change is always not desirable.
Suggestion to you as an HR: - Occasionally, the HR professionals have to face the ire of the employees. But then it is a part and parcel of their job. The fate of HR is that the employees consider him/her as a representative of the management. On the contrary, the management thinks that he/she is one among the employees but they are never shy from using the shoulder of HR to keep their gun and shoot! Many HR professionals wade through this duality.
Thanks,
Dinesh Divekar
From India, Bangalore
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