Feeling Stuck in a Toxic Workplace: Should I Stay or Move On for Better Opportunities?

Dear HR Mates,

Need your suggestion and guidance. After 1 year of experience in recruitment, I joined an organization a month back, in October. Now, there are a lot of problems that have started occurring since I joined.

Initial Challenges in the New Role

In the beginning, I wasn't sure of what responsibilities I was supposed to start with, although they hired me as an HR Coordinator. Now, the problems that I could see were, firstly, the organization is in the early phase of transition. They have some old employees, and their attitude is very rude.

Since the time I have joined, I have noticed them creating a difference between the old and new people. They make fun of the new employees and also bully them for no reason.

Attempt to Address Issues

A few days back, I thought it would be clear if I went to the MD and discussed these things and also about the job responsibilities that weren't clear to me. Making an effort, I thought there has to be a major role of OD here. So, I thought I would conduct a session where we all could introduce ourselves and also do certain things through which I could understand their perception.

I was so ready to take up the big challenge until they made me feel so annoyed and horrible. Before I could take up such a session, I saw the HR herself going and talking to an employee making fun of me, and when I directly pointed it out, she started yelling at me. Then, we had a discussion involving a few other old employees who made me feel worse.

Observations and Concerns

- The HR is not the right person herself.
- There isn't any leadership taken for anything.
- People here are such hypocrites.

I am disappointed by their behavior, and my motive for taking up the challenge has sunk down.

Career Dilemma

Should I change the organization because I really want to learn and also take part in different assignments of OD and Training (generalist profile moreover)? Where do I get a chance, and what do I do?

Should I stay here at least for 6 months so that my career graph doesn't hamper?

Please, friends and seniors, I need your suggestions and advice. Urgent!!!

Firstly, my interest is in training and also OD.

Dear Preeti, Before I suggest something, I would like to know about the MD or management. Are you getting any positive response from their side?

Dear Dhanu, The MD was happy to know that I am taking an initiative to bring in change, and thus he asked me to discuss the different things I want to do with the HR and plan it accordingly. However, the HR herself is not doing justice to her position. She is more focused on handling the administrative part rather than HR responsibilities. She is not helpful, and the MD is dependent and not actively involved. There is no active involvement from the management as the MD and his father are part of it. Waiting for your suggestions.

Well, what else do you need then if the MD is responding well? I would suggest taking it as a challenge. There are lots of opportunities for your personal growth and skills development in your current organization. You should at least spend 6 months there.

If you really want to learn and grow as an HR professional, then firstly figure out what the MD wants from the employees and the company. If you have any plan of action for the same, directly discuss it with the MD (if your HR manager is not responding), get approval, and implement it.

Always remember, never directly engage in arguments or respond to employees' actions towards you. The same can be controlled through procedures and rules. You should not be concerned about employees if the management is with you. It's the responsibility of HR to make the work culture more productive, which is also a big challenge.

All the best!

Thank you, Dhanu, for your suggestions. Hopefully, I will be able to survive in this new organization. Let's see what happens in the next 6 months. Could you also please mention a few methods and ways that could help me initiate the change process?

I was in the same situation two years ago. After completing my MBA and gaining one year of experience, I joined an organization as a Generalist HR. Being an adult, I strictly adhered to the organization's policies. However, all the senior employees opposed whatever I did and always put me in a difficult position. At first, I lost confidence, but later I realized that problems will always come to those who solve them. I started gaining confidence from every challenge and eventually changed their views. All of them cooperated and became very friendly.

The Role of HR in Overcoming Challenges

Thinking of quitting the organization is not a good sign for an HR professional. We are here to manage people effectively. We, as HR, are the ones who can influence others and bring about changes in the culture or climate of the organization. If you consider quitting, it may indicate that you are not suitable for the HR role. As HR professionals, we should tackle problems as they always have solutions. So, look for your solution.

Ms. Paul Preeti, please remember the quote, "A problem is a chance for you to do your best." - Duke Ellington

"The man who has no problems is out of the game." - Elbert Hubbard

So, you are in the game. Play your game well and stay safe.

All the best.

Before you set any plan for changes, try to analyze the current situation. Figure out the old employees' behavioral traits and the reasons behind them. Reasons could vary, such as dissatisfaction with salary, excess work responsibility, low motivation, lack of appreciation, etc. Once you know the root cause, you can formulate an action plan and policies that would be beneficial to both old and new employees.

Dear Madam, I have read your communication above, but what if employees are dissatisfied with their salary and work responsibilities (besides their designated work, they are doing multifunctional work which is not a part of their job description), and this fact is well known by a management person or senior? What should be done in this scenario?

Additionally, they attempt to convince the employee that performing multitasking roles would be more beneficial for them in the present and future. Is this true?

In many cases, I have observed companies hiring individuals for a specific role (e.g., HR) and later expecting them to fulfill responsibilities for both positions (HR/Admin). However, as per their appointment letter and job description, this is not correct. Moreover, the aforementioned situations occur with the employee. In such a specific situation, what would be the right course of action? (Is leaving the organization the correct action?)

These types of companies are assigning the workload of two individuals to one employee and labeling it as cost-cutting. Is this practice justifiable?

Kindly request all members to provide guidance and suggestions.

Regards, Dhruvin

Thank you so much, Mr. Vignesh and Mr. Dhanu, for your suggestions. However, I don't think the management or anyone else would really support investing, so I guess it's only me left. I asked HR about it, but I don't think they really want it.

Understanding Employee Mental Status

What are different ways through which I can understand their mental status? They would be frank enough with me, and I, being the new person, they wouldn't open up in front of me because they think so highly of themselves.

Effective Training Programs

What kind of training programs would be efficient for them? Anticipating your reply!

Regards,

Dear Ms. Paul Preeti,

Please answer the following questions:

Employee Demographics

- What is the employees' age group?
- What is your age?

Workplace Issues

- What kind of issues are you facing, in what situations, and when?
- Are all of them against you, or do you have some friendly colleagues?

Communication Skills

- Do you communicate effectively with everyone?
- Do you greet everyone (Good Morning, evening, etc.) when they pass you or when you see them?

Task Management

- Will you complete all employees' requests within the deadline?
- Do you possess good speaking and negotiating skills?

Thank you.

Mr. Vignesh, thanks for your concern, but there are a few things I want to clarify. My name is Preeti, not Preethi. I prefer my name to be spelled correctly.

Clarifying Responsibilities

The responsibilities given to me are not very clear. I am currently in the process of discussing and clarifying what tasks I can undertake. Following a discussion with the Managing Director and after clearing up the confusion, I have outlined what I aim to do. This involves aspects of recruitment, training modules, and, primarily, focusing on Organizational Development due to its significant importance.

About Our Organization

Our organization operates within the chemical construction industry. We have approximately 100 employees, with the majority being salespeople who are frequently out of the office. The core team that is consistently present consists of around 10-12 individuals, typically in their mid-30s. These individuals may not be well-versed in the dynamics of the corporate world, especially considering the transitional phase our organization is currently undergoing.

Personal Introduction

I am 23 years old, friendly with everyone, and I hold respect for all colleagues while maintaining good manners and etiquette. My communication and negotiation skills are strong, and I am confident in my abilities.

Although it may seem amusing to describe oneself, I believe this overview provides a clearer picture of where I stand. Thank you for your attention.

Best regards,
Preeti

Thank you for correcting me on the mistake. Have you heard about Transactional Analysis? If not, please look into the topic and update your knowledge because it will help you in this situation. If they don't like you, how will they listen to you during the training session? They will surely resist the training. So, first, they must like and believe in you; only then can you train them. Otherwise, the training will not bring about any change.

Dear Preeti,

Identifying Training Needs

For any training program to be conducted, it's necessary to find out the training need. For that, you need to analyze current requirements and gaps. Now, regarding your question about investing, I believe it's not just about asking a few questions to some employees and getting answers. It's more about your personal observation, analysis, and studying what the important issues are, how employees react to them, and the way management takes action on the same, etc.

I have been going through this thread and watching its progress, though I do not think that it can reach its logical conclusion soon. The reason is your query, "What does one do when the employees are not cooperating?" is what HRM is all about—motivating the employees to perform at their best!

Looking into your specific case, I think there are a number of possible reasons. I shall keep raising questions, and when you try to answer and analyze them, I am certain you will come to know which direction to proceed.

Transactional Analysis and Introspection

One of the best pieces of advice given to you is to familiarize yourself with "Transactional Analysis" and do some serious introspection. For instance, are you aware of "crossed transactions"?

If someone who is trying to help you misspells your name, should your response just be restricted to correcting the error, "My name is Preeti and not Preethi," or should it also contain a reaction, "Sorry, but I don't like my name to be spelled differently" (the "sorry" here does nothing to undo the damage)? The second part sends a message of warning and threat—"I don't like..." is not just a statement of preference; it puts off people.

Are you aware of "I am OK, You are not OK"?

Understanding Employee Dynamics

What makes you think there is something wrong with the employees? When asked the following questions, you chose to answer just a few:

- What is the employees' age group?
- What is your age?
- What kind of issues are you getting, at what situation and when?
- Are all of them against you, or do you have some friendly colleagues?
- Do you speak well with everyone?
- Do you wish everyone (Good Morning, evening, etc.) when they pass you or when you see them?
- Will you complete all employees' requests within the deadline?
- Do you have good speaking and negotiating skills?

You did not answer the questions marked in red. Do you think a question like "Do you wish everyone (Good Morning, evening, etc.) when they pass you or when you see them?" is not important? In fact, it is the SINGLE MOST IMPORTANT question to determine whether other employees are inclined positively towards you or not.

Building Rapport with Employees

To be fair to you, you are young, inexperienced (it takes a lifetime to become a seasoned HR professional—just one year in recruitment earlier in another organization does not equip you to handle the situation mentioned by you), and you have lots of other limitations as well. You must understand that it's natural for all old employees to feel suspicious and threatened by the entry of a newcomer. Only time and your actions and behavior can bring about a change in their attitude.

I have a long list of questions, but then I have no idea how seriously and honestly you'll attempt to find answers. I have gone through your other posts to understand you better. In my opinion, since you have been appointed as an HR Coordinator, you should first try to make your own job description first and then try to deliver on all the KRAs.

Take a genuine interest in your 'human resources.' Apart from the fact that they are old and have been with the company for a long time, what else do you know about them:

- Do you know them individually by name?
- Do you know how long they have been with the company?

A good HR builds a personal rapport with employees; he knows his employees' personal and family details, such as how many children an employee has, where he stays, etc. The best HR in business even knows in which class the children are studying, how much money he spent last week on medicines for his wife.

Instead of finding fault with other employees, if you try to get genuinely interested in their work and life, you will soon endear yourself to them. An HR can be the most hated person in the organization and, on the other hand, can be the most loved person.

Feel free to revert in case you have any queries on this.

Regards,

Dear Mr. Rajkumar, Thank you so much for correcting me and following the entire discussion. I am overwhelmed with all your suggestions and corrections, which I could never figure out just by myself. Each and every question you raised has really made me think and re-analyze the situation from a totally new perspective. Starting from now, my task of studying and understanding "transactional analysis" and "crossed transactions" begins.

A few things mentioned have given me direction to start with, like the KRA's that you mentioned and also the ways through which I could build rapport with them. I am so very thankful to all the people here who have been following this thread and given me different suggestions and advice. I am blessed by all of your help and want to thank you once again for taking out time to help me. 

Regards,
Preeti