Hi all, I work as an HR Manager for a travel company. Our employees proposed alternate Saturdays off. Hence, I wrote an email to everyone, stating that we should prove ourselves by honoring the office policy pertaining to attendance and so on. In the P.S., I mentioned the Team Leader of a team, hoping everything was clear. It was done with the intention of clarifying the matter and not directed towards her.
She felt offended, and I have clarified the situation in writing to her, explaining that it was not intended that way (as she tends to question all my emails). This situation makes me feel incompetent in conveying the right message. However, in a fit of anger, she escalated the issue to the GM and demanded a written apology. She has now also approached the MD. This is very disturbing as I had tried to resolve the matter.
At times, I feel like quitting, but that would make me appear as a loser, and the company would require HR support during the busy season. I do not want to abandon my responsibilities.
I don't mind speaking to her; I have tried, but now she is displaying an attitude. Even I have an ego.
Please help me figure out how to resolve this. This is the first time I have been involved in such an issue. Otherwise, my employees and employer are very satisfied with my work.
Please respond as soon as possible.
From India, Mumbai
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82She felt offended, and I have clarified the situation in writing to her, explaining that it was not intended that way (as she tends to question all my emails). This situation makes me feel incompetent in conveying the right message. However, in a fit of anger, she escalated the issue to the GM and demanded a written apology. She has now also approached the MD. This is very disturbing as I had tried to resolve the matter.
At times, I feel like quitting, but that would make me appear as a loser, and the company would require HR support during the busy season. I do not want to abandon my responsibilities.
I don't mind speaking to her; I have tried, but now she is displaying an attitude. Even I have an ego.
Please help me figure out how to resolve this. This is the first time I have been involved in such an issue. Otherwise, my employees and employer are very satisfied with my work.
Please respond as soon as possible.
From India, Mumbai
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hi Jhuma, ignore her/him. there are fault finders always. just talk to your boss and highlight the issue. don’t apologise. running away from issues is not the solution to any problem.
From India, Madras
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From India, Madras
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Dear Jhuma Tiwade,
I have read your post. Every HR professional faces problems of this kind. That is why HR is a thankless job. You have done your job. However, now you should also approach the GM and MD to clear any misgivings from your side. By the way, when you sent the email to all, did you consult the GM or MD? The change of working hours is a decision that is taken at the highest level. Lastly, have you set goals for every employee? Is their work measured on KRAs? If their work is measured on KRAs, then the working hours become irrelevant. Employees start putting in extra working hours on their own.
Ok...
Regards,
Dinesh V Divekar
Management & Behavioral Training Consultant
"Limit of your words is the limit of your world"
From India, Bangalore
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I have read your post. Every HR professional faces problems of this kind. That is why HR is a thankless job. You have done your job. However, now you should also approach the GM and MD to clear any misgivings from your side. By the way, when you sent the email to all, did you consult the GM or MD? The change of working hours is a decision that is taken at the highest level. Lastly, have you set goals for every employee? Is their work measured on KRAs? If their work is measured on KRAs, then the working hours become irrelevant. Employees start putting in extra working hours on their own.
Ok...
Regards,
Dinesh V Divekar
Management & Behavioral Training Consultant
"Limit of your words is the limit of your world"
From India, Bangalore
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Thank you all.
@ Dinesh - It had nothing to do with the time change. It was basically a request that employees were pushing, and this lady got herself involved.
@ Anupam - I was a bit disturbed, but with the HR team on my side, I am feeling confident.
From India, Mumbai
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@ Dinesh - It had nothing to do with the time change. It was basically a request that employees were pushing, and this lady got herself involved.
@ Anupam - I was a bit disturbed, but with the HR team on my side, I am feeling confident.
From India, Mumbai
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hai dear all if my junior staff got salary increment not consider for me and we are doing same work and his performance is not better than me what i have to do in this situation regards ktmkutty
From United Arab Emirates, Abu Dhabi
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From United Arab Emirates, Abu Dhabi
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There is no need to get upset. Explain to your higher-ups the actual meaning of the words. It is their support that will dilute the objections raised by one of the employees. HR brings sanity among all and provides guidance for the smooth functioning of any company. This should be well understood by everyone.
Regards,
Prithvi Pal
From India, Mumbai
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Regards,
Prithvi Pal
From India, Mumbai
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Hi Jhuma,
Your colleague is surely a very insecure person, and you should just take it easy and ignore her. If your bosses ask you for an explanation, then only narrate the incident, but don't criticize your colleague. All the best.
Subodh D
Mumbai
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Your colleague is surely a very insecure person, and you should just take it easy and ignore her. If your bosses ask you for an explanation, then only narrate the incident, but don't criticize your colleague. All the best.
Subodh D
Mumbai
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I think you have just done your job. If your colleague is this sensitive, then avoid any direct references in the future. I had a similar colleague, and she would always resort to 'nautanki' to gain sympathy or support. This was a tactic to divert focus so that her shortcomings went unnoticed. While one of the bosses saw through her, the other was swept off his feet. Nothing new for us. So, realize the psyche of your colleagues before any kind of communication. Even when you are right, they may not think so.
Don't worry, this is a small issue. Your bosses know your working style, so rest assured everything will be fine.
From India, Visakhapatnam
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Don't worry, this is a small issue. Your bosses know your working style, so rest assured everything will be fine.
From India, Visakhapatnam
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You are confusing and contradicting. You have mentioned that employees were requesting alternate Saturdays off. This clearly means a change in the present weekly off schedule. Obviously, if this request is to be considered, it needs to go to your higher-ups. In case you felt like not taking it up to your higher-ups, then you should have informed the employees in plain and simple words that, "Considering the very nature of our business and our stress on quality customer service, we cannot keep our office closed on Saturdays; hence your request for offs on Saturdays cannot be considered."
Whereas your email suggested that employees are not honoring company policies. Moreover, by specifically writing a postscript to the Team Leader, you seem to have suggested that she and employees in her team, in particular, are not honoring company policies. Your intentions may be different, but your communication seems to be conveying something else.
Please always remember any communication going to employees from the HR Department should be to the point and precise and should never show any bias to anybody. Always draft, refine, and refine again and again, and then only click on 'send'.
Anyways, you can also approach the GM and MD to put your side before them. These kinds of things do happen in a group environment, and you should learn something from each such incident.
Thanks & Regards
From India, Pune
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Whereas your email suggested that employees are not honoring company policies. Moreover, by specifically writing a postscript to the Team Leader, you seem to have suggested that she and employees in her team, in particular, are not honoring company policies. Your intentions may be different, but your communication seems to be conveying something else.
Please always remember any communication going to employees from the HR Department should be to the point and precise and should never show any bias to anybody. Always draft, refine, and refine again and again, and then only click on 'send'.
Anyways, you can also approach the GM and MD to put your side before them. These kinds of things do happen in a group environment, and you should learn something from each such incident.
Thanks & Regards
From India, Pune
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Understanding Organizational Dynamics
I think you are getting oversensitive about this issue. There should not be a feeling of competition between you and the employee. You have to act in a mature fashion. If you feel the way you have expressed, you have given a winning edge to the employee.
There are dynamics in the organization that have to be understood, and the success of an HR person lies in not getting into any controversy. At the end of the day, certain decisions are taken by the top management. At times, employees are abusive due to frustration, and one has to wait for them to calm down. The behavior of an HR person has to be proactive and not reactive.
From India, Mumbai
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I think you are getting oversensitive about this issue. There should not be a feeling of competition between you and the employee. You have to act in a mature fashion. If you feel the way you have expressed, you have given a winning edge to the employee.
There are dynamics in the organization that have to be understood, and the success of an HR person lies in not getting into any controversy. At the end of the day, certain decisions are taken by the top management. At times, employees are abusive due to frustration, and one has to wait for them to calm down. The behavior of an HR person has to be proactive and not reactive.
From India, Mumbai
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I appreciate the advice given by Dinesh and Subodh. when ever we do anything ( take a decision) it should be justified or rather we should be able to justify the act. all the best. reena
From India, Bangalore
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From India, Bangalore
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I completely agree with what Radha Ramanathan has suggested. Instead of feeling guilt, keep your concentration on your work with confidence and full zeal. She seems to be mentally disturbed, carrying her unwanted attitude in the workplace.
Let me tell you, there's a difference between ego and self-respect. One should keep his or her ego in control but not compromise on self-esteem. I hope you understand what I mean. Plus, if your top vertical is mature enough (they are supposed to be), they would assess the situation with their perspective without giving ear to her venom. A true boss is the person who knows, sitting in his or her seat, what the farthest employee is doing.
Regards,
J.S. Nadar
Asst. Manager HR
Nuberg Engg. Ltd.
[Phone Number Removed For Privacy Reasons]
From India, Delhi
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Let me tell you, there's a difference between ego and self-respect. One should keep his or her ego in control but not compromise on self-esteem. I hope you understand what I mean. Plus, if your top vertical is mature enough (they are supposed to be), they would assess the situation with their perspective without giving ear to her venom. A true boss is the person who knows, sitting in his or her seat, what the farthest employee is doing.
Regards,
J.S. Nadar
Asst. Manager HR
Nuberg Engg. Ltd.
[Phone Number Removed For Privacy Reasons]
From India, Delhi
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Interesting Topic
It is not a new thing for any office or industry. But the point is, it seems not as simple as defined. As Jhuma said, the lady went up to the GM and MD and is also asking for written apologies. If Jhuma had simply not accepted their staff's request for a Saturday off, nobody would have had the chance to express anger or engage in "nautanki" (drama). That is not convincing to me. Because, you know, to engage in such a high level of "nautanki" or ego drama, you must have a strong point against somebody. So Jhuma, please think about the major point that has disturbed her ego and made her take a stand against you.
After evaluating the situation, you have the resistance fact that such types of decisions are not governed by only the HR person. So don't worry about your decision. What you can do best is make a forwarding information note that such a proposal came from the staff. Please write in the note only about the suggestion or demand, not about the ongoing conflict.
When presenting the note or letter to the GM and MDs, you can politely discuss the lady and her attitude. A polite reaction and humble personality definitely win against any angry personality or "nautanki."
All the best.
Regards
From India, Kota
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It is not a new thing for any office or industry. But the point is, it seems not as simple as defined. As Jhuma said, the lady went up to the GM and MD and is also asking for written apologies. If Jhuma had simply not accepted their staff's request for a Saturday off, nobody would have had the chance to express anger or engage in "nautanki" (drama). That is not convincing to me. Because, you know, to engage in such a high level of "nautanki" or ego drama, you must have a strong point against somebody. So Jhuma, please think about the major point that has disturbed her ego and made her take a stand against you.
After evaluating the situation, you have the resistance fact that such types of decisions are not governed by only the HR person. So don't worry about your decision. What you can do best is make a forwarding information note that such a proposal came from the staff. Please write in the note only about the suggestion or demand, not about the ongoing conflict.
When presenting the note or letter to the GM and MDs, you can politely discuss the lady and her attitude. A polite reaction and humble personality definitely win against any angry personality or "nautanki."
All the best.
Regards
From India, Kota
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Dear friend,
I do agree with all the fellow members. Just ignore her and continue your work. You are not accountable to her, and if management seeks an explanation, provide them with one. Don't worry, continue doing the good work.
Regards, Chander Mohan Mohla
From India, Delhi
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I do agree with all the fellow members. Just ignore her and continue your work. You are not accountable to her, and if management seeks an explanation, provide them with one. Don't worry, continue doing the good work.
Regards, Chander Mohan Mohla
From India, Delhi
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