How Can I Connect with Rigid Employees While Establishing HR Policies?

Hi All, I have just joined a manufacturing company one month ago, where I need to establish the HR policies and procedures as there was no HR department earlier. My concern is that employees here are very rigid; they do not like to respond to me and do not even speak to me. I am unable to understand if they do not like the HR department or if there is another problem. Please let me know how to resolve this issue as it is becoming difficult to proceed. Hope to receive a reply on this.

Dear Sampada,

Greetings!

I would like to start my communication with a simple line: "It is human psychology that we don't like changes." Earlier, there was no HR department, no monitoring, etc., and employees were like free birds. When they got to know about the introduction of you and your department, they must be in a dilemma about how it will impact them, either positively or negatively.

I request you to please try to win their trust and assure them that it's for their benefit; then, for sure, they will start respecting you and your department.

Regards

Dear Sampada, this appears to be a problem of attitude from your side. You need to establish "HR Policies and Procedures"—your people will read as "Rules and Regulations"—which means controls—nobody likes to be controlled. You say "employees are here so rigid, they do not like to respond to me." Do not ask—do not tell—just get interested in your employees—then see the magic.

Some employees in the company where I worked were arrogant and very rigid on certain issues. They wouldn't cooperate with me on the changes that I needed to implement for betterment. Once, one of these employees had some sickness and was in very bad shape. While I was having lunch, I was approached by his colleagues to allow him to go home. I told them to wait for 5 minutes, finished my lunch, and came to see this employee. Seeing his condition, I asked my maintenance manager to take him to the hospital, get him examined, and leave him only if he is fit to go home—else drop him at home.

Within a couple of days, this young man was back in the office—after this, he and his other five friends were changed persons. This is just one of the cases I am explaining.

Get Interested in People

If you get interested in people, they will be yours. Treat them as human beings, not as employees or machines, and see the difference. Experiment and do give feedback. I will try to post some PPTs in the time to come.

Regards,
A.T. Paryani

Hi all, thanks for the reply. However, I have not done anything wrong. The policies and procedures are still in process, and I have not even started anything. Yet, they have started behaving as if I am their enemy. There is a group of employees who have been here for a long time, and they are the ones creating problems. I understand and agree that they are not machines; they are human beings, and genuine problems can occur with them.

Regards.

Nice to know that you are concerned. You are a GOOD HR. Stick to it; results will come. Look for opportunities to give a POSITIVE STROKE.

Here is one more way to get around. At times, people have to work longer hours; no doubt they get paid OT for that. Sometimes during such occasions, call for some snacks and a cup of tea for them (if such arrangements do not exist at the moment). Do something out of the way—and enter into a talk with them NOT RELATED TO WORK. Give a positive stroke to employees whenever you get an opportunity.

If you post your email ID, I will write to you about an example given to us by Dr. N.H. Athreya in one of the training sessions—this one many of us used at the office as well as in our personal life, and it yielded wonderful results. I am sure you will get opportunities to appreciate some of them.

Regards,
A.T. Paryani