Hey Abhishek,
Now this comment of yours -- I think that man was frustrated by his wife 😁😁 -- gets me thinking... I only hope and wish it wasn't the other way around with respect to Priyanka and Preeti???
Just joking Priyanka/Preeti... cool down.
Regards,
TS
From India, Hyderabad
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1650Now this comment of yours -- I think that man was frustrated by his wife 😁😁 -- gets me thinking... I only hope and wish it wasn't the other way around with respect to Priyanka and Preeti???
Just joking Priyanka/Preeti... cool down.
Regards,
TS
From India, Hyderabad
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Dear Priyanka,
This can happen to anybody, even if you were not in HR. We shouldn't think that we are in HR, so employees should treat us differently. Maybe the person who spoke to you rudely, this is the way he speaks to everybody. Otherwise, only because of space problem nobody will tell HR that you are playing politics. This is very funny. You should laugh at such people. Cool your head, ignore, and concentrate on your work.
Dear Seniors,
I would like to bring this case to all of you to kindly suggest relevant solutions. I work as an HR Executive in an IT company with a strength of 55 people in India and around 45 people in the US. I am the only HR person working in this company handling all the HR functions. One day, an employee requests me through an email that he wants to change his desk as the place where he is sitting currently causes a lot of disturbance to him and he can't concentrate because people have discussions near his desk.
I checked with my system admin guy if the desk can be allocated to him, but that desk was already allocated to a new joiner, and the same status was conveyed to the current employee working in the organization. The next day, the employee calls me to the conference hall as he wanted to discuss his desk allocation with me. When I went inside the conference hall, the employee started misbehaving and spoke to me in a loud pitch, questioning "who is the system admin guy to tell me no" and "can't the new joiner sit somewhere else." His pitch was so loud that all the other employees were peeping in to see what was happening inside the conference room. I requested the employee to behave and discuss the issue politely, but he lost his temper and started shouting at me, accusing me of playing politics and not giving him the desk, despite my repeated requests to lower his voice.
At the end of the 10-minute discussion, I told him that I'll try to help him out and do something about his desk. I felt hurt that an employee spoke to an HR like that and misbehaved with me as a female employee. When I approached the company's director, he took the matter lightly and advised me to forget the incident and handle it calmly because I am in HR and need to maintain a cool temperament. He mentioned that employees usually talk like this, but I should not react.
I am very hurt and disappointed at the end of the incident, feeling that my self-respect has been challenged. I want to know what options are available to me now. Do I have the right to issue him a warning letter? Or should I follow the director's advice and bury this topic and forget about it? What kind of letter can be issued to him for this behavior? I am concerned because this could happen to any employee, and if I don't take action today, it may happen to another employee in the future. Your suggestions/comments are welcome ASAP.
From India, Pune
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This can happen to anybody, even if you were not in HR. We shouldn't think that we are in HR, so employees should treat us differently. Maybe the person who spoke to you rudely, this is the way he speaks to everybody. Otherwise, only because of space problem nobody will tell HR that you are playing politics. This is very funny. You should laugh at such people. Cool your head, ignore, and concentrate on your work.
Dear Seniors,
I would like to bring this case to all of you to kindly suggest relevant solutions. I work as an HR Executive in an IT company with a strength of 55 people in India and around 45 people in the US. I am the only HR person working in this company handling all the HR functions. One day, an employee requests me through an email that he wants to change his desk as the place where he is sitting currently causes a lot of disturbance to him and he can't concentrate because people have discussions near his desk.
I checked with my system admin guy if the desk can be allocated to him, but that desk was already allocated to a new joiner, and the same status was conveyed to the current employee working in the organization. The next day, the employee calls me to the conference hall as he wanted to discuss his desk allocation with me. When I went inside the conference hall, the employee started misbehaving and spoke to me in a loud pitch, questioning "who is the system admin guy to tell me no" and "can't the new joiner sit somewhere else." His pitch was so loud that all the other employees were peeping in to see what was happening inside the conference room. I requested the employee to behave and discuss the issue politely, but he lost his temper and started shouting at me, accusing me of playing politics and not giving him the desk, despite my repeated requests to lower his voice.
At the end of the 10-minute discussion, I told him that I'll try to help him out and do something about his desk. I felt hurt that an employee spoke to an HR like that and misbehaved with me as a female employee. When I approached the company's director, he took the matter lightly and advised me to forget the incident and handle it calmly because I am in HR and need to maintain a cool temperament. He mentioned that employees usually talk like this, but I should not react.
I am very hurt and disappointed at the end of the incident, feeling that my self-respect has been challenged. I want to know what options are available to me now. Do I have the right to issue him a warning letter? Or should I follow the director's advice and bury this topic and forget about it? What kind of letter can be issued to him for this behavior? I am concerned because this could happen to any employee, and if I don't take action today, it may happen to another employee in the future. Your suggestions/comments are welcome ASAP.
From India, Pune
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Hello Preeti and Priyanka,
HR is always a focal point for comments in every organization. If an employee has a problem regarding misconduct, HR is expected to resolve it first. However, if an HR person themselves is facing an issue, there may not be anyone available to resolve it. In such a scenario, it is important to inform your boss. That's it.
We need to keep a cool head and approach our work thoughtfully. It is always better to analyze the situation, think, and make decisions accordingly.
From India, Mumbai
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HR is always a focal point for comments in every organization. If an employee has a problem regarding misconduct, HR is expected to resolve it first. However, if an HR person themselves is facing an issue, there may not be anyone available to resolve it. In such a scenario, it is important to inform your boss. That's it.
We need to keep a cool head and approach our work thoughtfully. It is always better to analyze the situation, think, and make decisions accordingly.
From India, Mumbai
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Hello Priyanka & Preeti,
As we are HR professionals, never mind the frustration of employees because we are the doctors practicing HR to handle and motivate employees towards the organization's goals. My question is, why does this problem arise? If you know the problem, what steps have you taken to solve it?
With Regards,
S. Mohd. Shuaib
From India, Mumbai
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As we are HR professionals, never mind the frustration of employees because we are the doctors practicing HR to handle and motivate employees towards the organization's goals. My question is, why does this problem arise? If you know the problem, what steps have you taken to solve it?
With Regards,
S. Mohd. Shuaib
From India, Mumbai
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Hi Priyanka,
I appreciate the views posted so far by the respected members, except for the last sentence of Asha ("usually men come with such silly issues"). This will definitely help you to tackle such situations. HR people have to be polite as well as tough in actions. They should have the character to face the worst conditions with a well-balanced combination of politeness and aggression, which is very difficult for women to possess. Of course, exceptions are always there. You are to play a role of mediator between employees and management.
As far as your case is concerned, you should have taken the employee into confidence. You should have experienced the conditions in which the employee is working by going to his place of work (which can be difficult for women). Proper assessment was to be made in the presence of that complaining employee. You should have assured him to look for a better solution and then consulted with your admin department before giving an appropriate reply in consultation with your boss, director, or senior authority. You have to be neutral and open-minded while addressing employee grievances.
Please remove the misconception that men usually come with such silly situations. The world is the same for you as it is for them. Only patience is required.
Have Happy Thoughts.
From India, Pune
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I appreciate the views posted so far by the respected members, except for the last sentence of Asha ("usually men come with such silly issues"). This will definitely help you to tackle such situations. HR people have to be polite as well as tough in actions. They should have the character to face the worst conditions with a well-balanced combination of politeness and aggression, which is very difficult for women to possess. Of course, exceptions are always there. You are to play a role of mediator between employees and management.
As far as your case is concerned, you should have taken the employee into confidence. You should have experienced the conditions in which the employee is working by going to his place of work (which can be difficult for women). Proper assessment was to be made in the presence of that complaining employee. You should have assured him to look for a better solution and then consulted with your admin department before giving an appropriate reply in consultation with your boss, director, or senior authority. You have to be neutral and open-minded while addressing employee grievances.
Please remove the misconception that men usually come with such silly situations. The world is the same for you as it is for them. Only patience is required.
Have Happy Thoughts.
From India, Pune
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No one is having a misconception abt Men :) Trust me. :-D My response to Raghav has cleared it tho...
From India, Madras
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From India, Madras
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HI, Jus cool down and dont be so emotional. Being an HR we need to come across different kinds of people with dfferent behavioural aspects . so be coooool
From India, Madras
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From India, Madras
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Dear All,
We always find some people difficult to handle. In effect, there are no difficult people. The problem is we have to learn to deal with difficult situations. From what has been stated, I gather that handling the problem left much to be desired. You, as an HR person, are to take responsibility and ensure that the staff has a comfortable environment to function. Some employees may demand more than their share - so what is to be done? It is important that we not only take all possible measures within the constraints of the organization but also explain the rationale behind the decisions/solutions arrived at by you. None of these steps were taken, leading to frustration, anger, and outbursts. I recommend that without losing any more time, you organize training on the subjects of (a) Interpersonal Relations, (b) Handling Difficult People, and (c) Business Etiquette. Please do not take it personally. You wanted seniors to advise - in my view, you need to act now rather than getting caught up in a web of confrontation by noting down what each of the employees said to you.
With best wishes, Brigadier Ashwani Kumar
From India, Delhi
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We always find some people difficult to handle. In effect, there are no difficult people. The problem is we have to learn to deal with difficult situations. From what has been stated, I gather that handling the problem left much to be desired. You, as an HR person, are to take responsibility and ensure that the staff has a comfortable environment to function. Some employees may demand more than their share - so what is to be done? It is important that we not only take all possible measures within the constraints of the organization but also explain the rationale behind the decisions/solutions arrived at by you. None of these steps were taken, leading to frustration, anger, and outbursts. I recommend that without losing any more time, you organize training on the subjects of (a) Interpersonal Relations, (b) Handling Difficult People, and (c) Business Etiquette. Please do not take it personally. You wanted seniors to advise - in my view, you need to act now rather than getting caught up in a web of confrontation by noting down what each of the employees said to you.
With best wishes, Brigadier Ashwani Kumar
From India, Delhi
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Dear Priyanka,
First of all, keep in mind that HR is not a personal assistant or secretary to anybody. If there's any problem, HR professionals are there to help with the settlement.
Secondly, it clearly indicates poor management, poor policy, and conduct. It would be beneficial to discuss this with management and develop a policy for behavior and conduct.
You cannot issue a warning letter without prior authorization from Management. Since your Director is not interested in taking any serious action, you are not in a position to react. If you do so, it will be seen as personal revenge and could negatively impact your professional reputation.
Undoubtedly, many problems and conflicts arise while practicing Human Resources, and a professional should handle all the issues. It is important to note that conflicts cannot be eliminated but can be minimized with good HR practices.
In your case specifically, it seems there is congestion in infrastructure. Typically, in production units, discussions that may affect someone's concentration are not allowed. Separate discussion rooms are designed for this purpose. Since IT heavily relies on employees' concentration, it would be advisable to discuss with management to maintain a conducive environment that enhances employees' proficiency.
Lastly, I urge you to understand the role of HR. A good HR professional possesses the qualities to design and implement policies and handle all issues before they escalate.
Best Regards,
SM Alam
Executive HR
From Oman, Muscat
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First of all, keep in mind that HR is not a personal assistant or secretary to anybody. If there's any problem, HR professionals are there to help with the settlement.
Secondly, it clearly indicates poor management, poor policy, and conduct. It would be beneficial to discuss this with management and develop a policy for behavior and conduct.
You cannot issue a warning letter without prior authorization from Management. Since your Director is not interested in taking any serious action, you are not in a position to react. If you do so, it will be seen as personal revenge and could negatively impact your professional reputation.
Undoubtedly, many problems and conflicts arise while practicing Human Resources, and a professional should handle all the issues. It is important to note that conflicts cannot be eliminated but can be minimized with good HR practices.
In your case specifically, it seems there is congestion in infrastructure. Typically, in production units, discussions that may affect someone's concentration are not allowed. Separate discussion rooms are designed for this purpose. Since IT heavily relies on employees' concentration, it would be advisable to discuss with management to maintain a conducive environment that enhances employees' proficiency.
Lastly, I urge you to understand the role of HR. A good HR professional possesses the qualities to design and implement policies and handle all issues before they escalate.
Best Regards,
SM Alam
Executive HR
From Oman, Muscat
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Dear Priyanka,
In our work life, we all pass through similar situations. Once in a while, there will be someone who will stand up and shout. But as professionals, we need to react with a cool mind and know where the real problem lies and find a solution to it. We are paid for that. Do you see an HR opportunity in this situation? If you do, then you already have a solution.
If I were you, I would go to the Director and tell him, "Sir, it is time we need to impart some behavioral skills to our technical people," and give him a plan for holding a workshop. This approach will not only help you to make the guilty realize his mistake but will also establish you as a real professional.
Best of luck!
Jatinder Vijh
From India, Chandigarh
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In our work life, we all pass through similar situations. Once in a while, there will be someone who will stand up and shout. But as professionals, we need to react with a cool mind and know where the real problem lies and find a solution to it. We are paid for that. Do you see an HR opportunity in this situation? If you do, then you already have a solution.
If I were you, I would go to the Director and tell him, "Sir, it is time we need to impart some behavioral skills to our technical people," and give him a plan for holding a workshop. This approach will not only help you to make the guilty realize his mistake but will also establish you as a real professional.
Best of luck!
Jatinder Vijh
From India, Chandigarh
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