Navigating Office Politics in HR: How Can I Address Blame Games and Improve Communication?

Dear Seniors,

I am an HR professional at an IT company, responsible for end-to-end recruitments up to managerial tasks. However, lately, I have been facing some challenges and would greatly appreciate your valuable suggestions:

1) I excel in recruitment, but the technical panel takes too long to conduct interviews. Moreover, when candidates decline offers, they tend to play the blame game, citing reasons like lack of performance or failure to provide daily reminders.

2) To keep a record, I have started sending emails to them, aiming to provide top management with a clearer picture of my efforts and areas needing improvement. Recently, a member of the technical panel referred to me as his younger sister and made negative remarks about my performance and job opportunities in the market.

Seniors, I am seeking precise advice on how to address these issues. With only 2.3 years of experience in HR, including ongoing work at an IT firm and previous roles in recruitment consultancy, I am eager to learn and grow in this field.

Are office politics inevitable in every company, and do they contribute to organizational growth?

I am looking forward to your valuable suggestions.

Regards,
Preeti

Do you have formal HR qualifications? If yes, then why are you sticking to one agenda of recruitment? This is one HR function, and you cannot take this as a full-time job. It's a waste of your qualifications. If not, then consider your management advice seriously because they may have recruited you as underqualified, which could be shaking your confidence in dealing with day-to-day issues. If you are experienced or qualified, you should know the process time and play accordingly. Except for sympathy, you deserve no advice. Now, some may start abusing me for my candid advice. - Badlu

Hi Badlu, I like your comments.

Preeti, It happens with everyone as there are different kinds of people. So, dear, learn to tackle them tactfully; this is what HR's job is. I know you might be thinking it's easy to say, but dear, you have ample experience; have faith in yourself. Don't be emotional; be tough to endure the pressure.

All the best, Riya :-P

"In times of difficulty, never say, 'Oh God, I have a big problem,' instead say, 'Hey problem, I have a big GOD.'"

Thank you, Badlu, Riya, and K. Ravi.

Riya: Thanks for your advice; I'll try my level best to handle and manage those kinds of situations and people.

Badlu: First of all, thank you so much for your valuable advice. I am holding a degree, but it's a start-up company where I have to manage all HR tasks (from recruitment to appraisal, salary calculation, training, and more), with the main focus on recruitments. Well, it's not a problem. I don't deserve sympathy because sympathy may not work and make me a loser, and I don't want to be a loser. However, the way you counsel is good. I learned somewhere that "If you stand for nothing, you'll fall for everything."

Once again, thanks to all. Keep in touch.

Regards,
Preeti

Preeti,

Wherever there is more than one human involved in any activity, there will be politics. You have two choices: ignore the game and become a victim or learn the game and change the rules.

Regards,
Simerjeet

Hey Preet,

Politics exists in every field. How much and how far can you run from it? You change the job, you will face a different kind of politics. It's better to learn the trick of surviving this. They say if you can't beat them, then you join them. It's always survival of the fittest.

Thank you, Ravi, for your compliments. I have noticed that most respondents place too much importance on emotional values. However, the issue lies in asking the wrong questions and expecting the right answers to those wrong questions.

Regards,
Badlu

Hi,

You can find politics everywhere, so learn to play it for the benefit of the company and your career. Best of luck!