Dear Members,
I work for a SME in hyderabad. We have recently introduced the policy of collecting the original education certificates (for strategic reasons) of new joinees and keeping them with us for aa period of 1.5 yrs from date of join. We also give them a stamped paper with proof of that the certificates are in our custody.
This paticular case is of an employee who was selected from campus last year (when the policy was not in effect) but now since we have the policy we need to collect the certificates. The employee is refusing to submit the documents saying that it was not informed to him. We have not been able to decide on the case and the employee is on rolls working and earning salary. It's been 2 months now and we want to take a decision before confirmation.
Please help as to the required action in this case.
From India
I work for a SME in hyderabad. We have recently introduced the policy of collecting the original education certificates (for strategic reasons) of new joinees and keeping them with us for aa period of 1.5 yrs from date of join. We also give them a stamped paper with proof of that the certificates are in our custody.
This paticular case is of an employee who was selected from campus last year (when the policy was not in effect) but now since we have the policy we need to collect the certificates. The employee is refusing to submit the documents saying that it was not informed to him. We have not been able to decide on the case and the employee is on rolls working and earning salary. It's been 2 months now and we want to take a decision before confirmation.
Please help as to the required action in this case.
From India
Hello srp_c,
Don't you have any clause in the Appointment Letter that the company policies may change from time-to-time & will have to be followed--though the wordings could vary, I hope you get the gist of what I mentioned? You can use that clause in this situation.
Coming to the stand of the employee, actually he does have a point--he might have left other offers @ the campus for your company. If it's only this person, then maybe you could take a 'one-time' decision to exempt him--subject to some other mutually agreeable means to handle the main reason for holding certificates.
Also, purely from the HR perspective, you SHOULD HAVE factored this situation [of those who were given the Offers but haven't yet joined when you changed the Policy] while devising your policy framework--especially since this is quite an important factor for anyone.
Rgds,
TS
From India, Hyderabad
1637Don't you have any clause in the Appointment Letter that the company policies may change from time-to-time & will have to be followed--though the wordings could vary, I hope you get the gist of what I mentioned? You can use that clause in this situation.
Coming to the stand of the employee, actually he does have a point--he might have left other offers @ the campus for your company. If it's only this person, then maybe you could take a 'one-time' decision to exempt him--subject to some other mutually agreeable means to handle the main reason for holding certificates.
Also, purely from the HR perspective, you SHOULD HAVE factored this situation [of those who were given the Offers but haven't yet joined when you changed the Policy] while devising your policy framework--especially since this is quite an important factor for anyone.
Rgds,
TS
From India, Hyderabad
It is sad when reputed companies do not honor a deal made with employees. If the employee knew about this during his interview, he might have looked for other job options. The fact that he didn't join any other company for a year is a small yet significant proof of trust on his part.
I think you should respect him for it and if the collection of certificates was not a part of the agreement with that employee, you shouldn't impose on him.
If you still go ahead with this policy, you have to answer one question "How will this policy help in building employee loyalty and trust?" To me, this is the dog training strategy : it is like tying a leash to a new dog so they don't run away. The day you leave the leash 2 things happen, if the dog dislikes the treatment, it will run away. If the dog doesn't run away, it will mess up your house and just sit around, doing nothing.
I don't know what "strategic reason" this policy is based but i do know one thing that applies to human beings in any situation ie career, relationships, etc that is human beings need to have certain sense of control in order to perform well. They need to know the exit, just incase... they probably won't ever use it. Ever heard the expression "i feel suffocated working here" It means they need to have the sense that there is an open window.
Such a policy only deals with the symptoms (assuming it is the fact that employees don't work for long and leave) of the disease "(perception of ) poor work environment" and your firm needs to work on your brand image so that potential employees want to join there and current employees want to remain there for long.
I hope you can come with better strategies of keeping your employees. Brand your firm so it becomes a dream company for college students and employees are working there not because they have to... it because they want to.
Avinash Tavares
Trainer & Life Coach
YouthEmpowermentSolutions(dot)org
From India, Pune
I think you should respect him for it and if the collection of certificates was not a part of the agreement with that employee, you shouldn't impose on him.
If you still go ahead with this policy, you have to answer one question "How will this policy help in building employee loyalty and trust?" To me, this is the dog training strategy : it is like tying a leash to a new dog so they don't run away. The day you leave the leash 2 things happen, if the dog dislikes the treatment, it will run away. If the dog doesn't run away, it will mess up your house and just sit around, doing nothing.
I don't know what "strategic reason" this policy is based but i do know one thing that applies to human beings in any situation ie career, relationships, etc that is human beings need to have certain sense of control in order to perform well. They need to know the exit, just incase... they probably won't ever use it. Ever heard the expression "i feel suffocated working here" It means they need to have the sense that there is an open window.
Such a policy only deals with the symptoms (assuming it is the fact that employees don't work for long and leave) of the disease "(perception of ) poor work environment" and your firm needs to work on your brand image so that potential employees want to join there and current employees want to remain there for long.
I hope you can come with better strategies of keeping your employees. Brand your firm so it becomes a dream company for college students and employees are working there not because they have to... it because they want to.
Avinash Tavares
Trainer & Life Coach
YouthEmpowermentSolutions(dot)org
From India, Pune
Good Answer Avinash. Employer shoudnt treat the employee as a bonded labor, inspite he have to improve the working conditions betterly
From India, Hyderabad
From India, Hyderabad
Dear Sir,
I would add something to Avinash's reply,
Do you feel holding the Degrees of your employee will solve your purpose. It is an example of bad HR Practice. I bet it will increase your attrition and dissatisfaction. HR policies must be built on the basis of trust and respect. But, here the policy excludes both.
Pygmalion effect of Livingston states that "employee come up to what is expected of them." Here if we expect them to leave they will leave. Instead, Do a Org analysis and find out the root cause of attrition.
Rgds
Saurabh
From India, Delhi
I would add something to Avinash's reply,
Do you feel holding the Degrees of your employee will solve your purpose. It is an example of bad HR Practice. I bet it will increase your attrition and dissatisfaction. HR policies must be built on the basis of trust and respect. But, here the policy excludes both.
Pygmalion effect of Livingston states that "employee come up to what is expected of them." Here if we expect them to leave they will leave. Instead, Do a Org analysis and find out the root cause of attrition.
Rgds
Saurabh
From India, Delhi
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