When people think of what they love about their job, HR rarely comes up. In fact, it’s more likely that employees despise the very term HR and all that it entails, regarding it with passive suspicion or active distrust.
Yet HR exists to ensure the well-being of employees and keep the delicate cogs of a business running smoothly. It fosters the vital relationship between leadership and employees, and like any relationship, that takes effort to maintain. Being a month of rather large importance when it comes to relationships, this February we have three tips for how to avoid common pitfalls and, instead, fall in love with HR.
Show Your Employees You Care!
A big step to maintaining any relationship is showing that you care. When a situation arises, employees often expect leadership to put the company first and disregard their own welfare, which can lead to a lack of trust.
Here’s what you do to overcome that impression:
- Pay attention when employees express concerns.
- Acknowledge and address their individual interests.
- Prove them wrong! Look for solutions that benefit both the company and employees.
Be Accessible and Communicate
The key to a healthy relationship is clear, consistent communication, and that holds true for the relationship between leadership and employees. Try to keep these two Cs in mind:
- Consistency
Absence doesn’t always make the heart grow fonder. Remember to keep up regularly with employees. - Clarity
Think of the instinctive fear the words “we need to talk” can have on someone. A little extra clarity can save employees needless stress and worry.
See the Human, Not the Resource
Employees might be a company’s most valuable resource, but that doesn’t mean they want to be seen as nothing more than a means to complete a job. Common practices of cutting costs by cutting employees loose only serve to establish the perception that employees are as easily used and discarded as any other resource. Understandably, this view can fracture a relationship.
- Focus on demonstrating to employees that their humanity is recognized and appreciated.
- Listen to them and recognize where they are coming from.
- Whether someone is asking for time off or bringing a significant issue to light, keeping in mind that they are another person with their own needs and concerns can make a world of difference.
Puzzle understands that navigating relationships can be tricky, and we’re here to help.
You’ve got the humans, and we’ve got the resources for them to fall in love with HR.
For further insight on an HR your employees will love, reach out to your PuzzleHR specialist today.
References:
https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbescommunicationscouncil/2019/11/12/leaders-stop-holding-your-hr-team-down/?sh=4ebe072c22eb
https://www.forbes.com/sites/lizryan/2016/07/27/ten-reasons-everybody-hates-hr/?sh=200dfd095af4
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/15-reasons-everybody-hates-hr-rajiv-r/