Dear All,
I urgently need your suggestions. I work in the BPO sector. The day before yesterday, we terminated two employees as they had a serious altercation in the office. Now, I have learned that they may take action against the HR department, especially since one of the employees has a questionable background. As a female employee, I now feel unsafe.
Thank you for your attention to this matter.
From India, Bengaluru
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2I urgently need your suggestions. I work in the BPO sector. The day before yesterday, we terminated two employees as they had a serious altercation in the office. Now, I have learned that they may take action against the HR department, especially since one of the employees has a questionable background. As a female employee, I now feel unsafe.
Thank you for your attention to this matter.
From India, Bengaluru
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Dear Sanjana,
You cannot initiate any legal action against such threats based on suspicion alone. Apart from your knowledge about one of the dismissed employees' criminal background, the information you received should be substantially true, and the source must be reliable. Anyways, if you are scared, it is better to bring it to the notice of the top management in writing.
From India, Salem
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You cannot initiate any legal action against such threats based on suspicion alone. Apart from your knowledge about one of the dismissed employees' criminal background, the information you received should be substantially true, and the source must be reliable. Anyways, if you are scared, it is better to bring it to the notice of the top management in writing.
From India, Salem
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Dear Sanjana,
Though you have raised a question about your safety, let me first offer a different perspective.
The day before yesterday, two employees had a fight at the workplace. Today, they have been terminated from their positions. Why such hasty terminations? Workplace conflicts or even physical altercations occur occasionally. Does this mean that your organization should have disregarded the due process of the law?
Your company could have chosen to suspend these two employees and initiate a domestic inquiry. An Enquiry Officer (EO) could have been appointed to investigate the incident and determine the cause of the altercation. Domestic inquiries often span several days, shifting the focus from HR to the EO. In many cases, an external EO is hired to ensure impartiality in the investigation process. The abrupt terminations might have led the employees to believe that HR was solely responsible. While their perceptions could be inaccurate, the frontline often bears the repercussions.
Conducting an inquiry would have helped in identifying any systemic flaws rather than solely penalizing the individuals involved. Where was the Manager when the fight broke out? Why did they not intervene to prevent the altercation?
If one of the employees displayed behavior bordering on criminality, why was he allowed to continue working? Perhaps, he could have been let go using a subtle approach. Interpret "sweet poison" figuratively, not literally. The incident might have stemmed from a lack of foresight in this regard.
In terms of a solution, as Mr. Umakanthan M suggested, the hostility you fear from the terminated employee could be purely speculative. While terminated employees may harbor ill feelings towards HR, the likelihood of physical harm is minimal. If seeking retribution, it would likely be directed towards the other party involved in the altercation. Therefore, you need not "tilt at windmills."
Exercise caution in the following weeks. Remain alert during your commute, carry a pepper spray for self-defense, and adhere to safety guidelines.
Thank you,
Dinesh Divekar
From India, Bangalore
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Though you have raised a question about your safety, let me first offer a different perspective.
The day before yesterday, two employees had a fight at the workplace. Today, they have been terminated from their positions. Why such hasty terminations? Workplace conflicts or even physical altercations occur occasionally. Does this mean that your organization should have disregarded the due process of the law?
Your company could have chosen to suspend these two employees and initiate a domestic inquiry. An Enquiry Officer (EO) could have been appointed to investigate the incident and determine the cause of the altercation. Domestic inquiries often span several days, shifting the focus from HR to the EO. In many cases, an external EO is hired to ensure impartiality in the investigation process. The abrupt terminations might have led the employees to believe that HR was solely responsible. While their perceptions could be inaccurate, the frontline often bears the repercussions.
Conducting an inquiry would have helped in identifying any systemic flaws rather than solely penalizing the individuals involved. Where was the Manager when the fight broke out? Why did they not intervene to prevent the altercation?
If one of the employees displayed behavior bordering on criminality, why was he allowed to continue working? Perhaps, he could have been let go using a subtle approach. Interpret "sweet poison" figuratively, not literally. The incident might have stemmed from a lack of foresight in this regard.
In terms of a solution, as Mr. Umakanthan M suggested, the hostility you fear from the terminated employee could be purely speculative. While terminated employees may harbor ill feelings towards HR, the likelihood of physical harm is minimal. If seeking retribution, it would likely be directed towards the other party involved in the altercation. Therefore, you need not "tilt at windmills."
Exercise caution in the following weeks. Remain alert during your commute, carry a pepper spray for self-defense, and adhere to safety guidelines.
Thank you,
Dinesh Divekar
From India, Bangalore
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Dear madam,
What the right thing you should have done to two employees who fought at the workplace is not the question here. You have fired the bullet already by your action of terminating them. It is not stated whether you followed due process of disciplinary action - chargesheeting, holding of a domestic inquiry, assessing the gravity of the misconduct, past record, etc. If you have not, then your action of termination stands legal exposure. Its legality and justifiability could be challenged.
As an aftermath of this, being a lady HR, you apprehend some threatening posture from the terminated employees. As a proactive action, suggest you file an NOC in the nearest police station regarding a likely threat to your safety with the concurrence of the top bosses and keep them in the communication loop regarding developments in this regard. You should be alert while commuting and carry chili powder in the purse for self-protection. But maintain cool as perhaps nothing untoward may happen.
Regards, Vinayak Nagarkar HR and Employee Relations Consultant
From India, Mumbai
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What the right thing you should have done to two employees who fought at the workplace is not the question here. You have fired the bullet already by your action of terminating them. It is not stated whether you followed due process of disciplinary action - chargesheeting, holding of a domestic inquiry, assessing the gravity of the misconduct, past record, etc. If you have not, then your action of termination stands legal exposure. Its legality and justifiability could be challenged.
As an aftermath of this, being a lady HR, you apprehend some threatening posture from the terminated employees. As a proactive action, suggest you file an NOC in the nearest police station regarding a likely threat to your safety with the concurrence of the top bosses and keep them in the communication loop regarding developments in this regard. You should be alert while commuting and carry chili powder in the purse for self-protection. But maintain cool as perhaps nothing untoward may happen.
Regards, Vinayak Nagarkar HR and Employee Relations Consultant
From India, Mumbai
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Keep your company in the loop about your fears of safety. Make your company write to the nearest PS with the gist of the issue and ask for necessary support and protection if threats are real. Threats do get thrown around in the heat of the dismissal, but after a few days, better sense prevails. Take precautions at the office and while commuting up and down. Keep people informed while leaving and after arriving, etc. Be bold and watchful. Such issues do crop up but, in many cases, just fizzle out. Review your actions as HR and see where you may have been wrong and if so take steps to correct your actions in the future.
From India, Pune
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From India, Pune
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Dear Sanjana,
The action of termination, though not your direct action, puts the person in HR in a position to face the repercussions due to the nature of their work. The termination in this particular case was rushed and did not follow the proper procedures. It is important to inform your top management about the potential threat posed by the terminated employees, as they may see you as a key individual. Your management needs to take this threat seriously and notify the police station in writing about the danger to the staff from these terminated employees. Please refrain from discussing this threat perception with other staff members, avoid traveling alone, and discourage any discussions on this topic if they arise. Review all the input provided by knowledgeable members; it may offer valuable insights for future actions.
Regards, Prabhat 8093097934
From India, Mumbai
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The action of termination, though not your direct action, puts the person in HR in a position to face the repercussions due to the nature of their work. The termination in this particular case was rushed and did not follow the proper procedures. It is important to inform your top management about the potential threat posed by the terminated employees, as they may see you as a key individual. Your management needs to take this threat seriously and notify the police station in writing about the danger to the staff from these terminated employees. Please refrain from discussing this threat perception with other staff members, avoid traveling alone, and discourage any discussions on this topic if they arise. Review all the input provided by knowledgeable members; it may offer valuable insights for future actions.
Regards, Prabhat 8093097934
From India, Mumbai
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