Are HR Professionals Expected to Be Personal Managers? Seeking Insights on Role Boundaries

Dear Folks,

Two years ago, when I was working for a manufacturing company in the HR department, I met a line manager and asked him whether he needed internet banking or not. Then he and other line managers shouted at me, saying that as part of the HR department, we should have checked whether they already had internet banking (we were in the process of providing additional benefits) and that they were also running out of cheque books without informing us in advance. They used these reasons to yell at me - is that fair?

They claimed that the Personnel department should be referred to as the "PERSONAL DEPT." Are we truly their personal managers? Can someone shed some light on this?

JAI

Dear Shankar,

I am also working in a manufacturing concern, and I know that doing HR in Manufacturing industries is a little tough as compared to other industries.

I understand your problem as I have experienced such situations so many times because line managers' working conditions are always tough when they are supposed to meet production targets.

Please note down a few tips which I learned from my experience:

1. You need to be extra polite while dealing with production line managers but at the same time be firm as well.

2. Try to have more interactions with your employees to win their trust.

3. In such industries, most of the time HR can be seen dealing with employee grievances, disciplinary actions, etc.

The point I want to focus on is employee trust and interest in HR. This is the thing you need to develop within your employees. You are a personnel manager, not their personal, but you need to resolve their issues by taking a personal interest. This is the only way to make them understand that you feel and understand their problems.

Shahid Munir

Dear Shankar,

I am also working in a manufacturing concern, and i know that doing HR in Manufacturing industries is little tough as compare to other industries.

I understand your problem as i have experience such situation so many time, because line manger's working conditions are always tough when they are supposed to get production as per assign targets.

Please note down few tips which i learnt from my experience.

1. You need to be extra polite while dealing with production line managers but at the same time be affirmed also.

2. Try to get more interactions with your employees to win their trust.

3. In such industries most of the time HR can bee seen to deal with employee greivances, disciplinary actions, etc.



The point which i want to focus is employee trust and interest in HR, this is the thing you need to develop within your employees.

Your are personnel manager, not their personal but you need to resolve their issues by putting personal interest, this is the only way to put the things in their mind that you feel and uderstand their problems.

Shahid Munir