New HR Executive Seeking Advice on Addressing Employee Time Management Issues

Hello All, I have joined a new company today as an HR executive. I don't have prior work experience, so I need your help. I want to send an email to all the employees to convey the message regarding a few topics like:

1. Employees don't punch in or punch out on time regularly. Sometimes they do, and sometimes they don't.
2. There are slight flexibilities in timings (1-2 hours here and there), but employees come to the office whenever they want.
3. They need to complete 9 hours a day or a weekly average of 45 hours, but hardly a few of them follow this.
4. Weekly timesheets also have to be prepared by them, mentioning their project details, etc. Nobody completes them.

Kindly suggest a polite way for me to communicate these messages to them.

Thanks.

Dear Employees,

It has been observed that some employees do not consistently punch in or out on time. They exhibit flexibility in their timings (1-2 hours), arriving at the office whenever they please. The requirement is to complete 9 hours a day or an average of 45 hours weekly, but only a few adhere to this. Additionally, weekly timesheets, including project details, are not being prepared by them.

In light of the above, we kindly request everyone to adhere to company rules and regulations with prudence:

• Regularly punch your cards to mark attendance during check-in and check-out to avoid discrepancies in pay due to incorrect data.

• Respect the flexible rules in place for urgent situations; however, do not make it a routine. Punctuality is key to personal efficiency.

• Meet the minimum hour requirements to fulfill your work obligations and prevent any negative implications.

• Document your work to track performance and duty fulfillment, which also benefits your own records.

Your cooperation in following these guidelines will contribute to a positive, disciplined culture within the company.

Thank you,

P K Mishra

Dear Anushikha2000,

Welcome to CiteHR.com! You have stated, "I have joined a new company today as an HR executive. I don't have any prior work experience..."

It is commendable that you have observed certain aspects of employee behavior. However, besides these, what other things have you noticed? What else have you learned? Why have you not learned how to send an email in such a situation? Can you perceive what I am indicating?

Please refrain from commencing your career on a negative note. What is the rush in sending such an email to employees when you are not yet familiar with crafting a suitable email? Wouldn't it be more beneficial to focus on observing and understanding the system, procedures, rules, policies, and company culture rather than attempting to showcase newfound authority?

In this context, I recommend against taking matters into your own hands. If you have concerns, report your observations to your reporting officer or boss and act according to their guidance. Sending an email the very next day after joining may not only seem hasty (considering your observation is based on just one day) but could also lead to potential employee relations issues, which might be quite embarrassing for the management.

It is advisable to learn to walk before trying to run. I hope you will take my advice constructively, as a 'food for thought,' rather than as offensive feedback.

Warm regards.

I agree with Raj Kumar—in parts at least. By sending any such communication at this stage of your career—right on the second or third day of joining—you are inadvertently creating an undercurrent of anxiety or insecurity among the employees. Depending on how things go from then on—remember you don't have any control over what others think or do—it could gradually decay into a sort of antipathy towards you. Being an HR person, I think you don't need to be told that this isn't what an HR person should be working towards in their career.

Like Raj Kumar suggested, first discuss the issue with your boss—maybe this point was discussed earlier, and the mail which you want to send has already been tried out? Before acting to correct any situation, FIRST get to know the FULL info about the reasons why this situation came about and what was done in the past or in your absence to correct the situation. It's only then that you can surmise what CAN be done next. In a nutshell, take a well-informed decision—the focus being on 'well-informed'.

Also, even if sending the mail you mentioned is necessary AND you think it will be effective, it's better that such a mail is sent by your boss—until you establish yourself within the organization. Else there is every chance of you creating the responses I mentioned above—which doesn't augur well for any HR person career-wise.

In human relations—be it in an organization or personal—the focus and effect of any communication are invariably enhanced (or depressed) by the stature/status of the person who communicates. An example: you wouldn't give the same weightage to what I say compared to what, let's say, your father says—even if what I say is correct and what your father says may be wrong.

All the Best.

Regards, TS

What you said was 100% true. I belong to that category; when I drafted an email like that, it created an issue and a bad impression on others.

Dear Anushkha, please take your time to settle down a bit first and discuss your anxieties with your boss. Try to understand the reasons why these policies are not being adhered to. Mr. Raj Kumar has very appropriately advised going with the flow until you are comfortably settled in your position. Try to study the present scenario and keep making notes. Do not take on all the issues raised by you all at once. Start with the one that involves the least number of personnel (like the weekly reports). After the same has been put in order, take on the next one, and so on. This way, you will gain time and get to the bottom of the problem.

Always keep in mind the humanitarian aspect. You are not setting things in the right perspective to punish the employees but to set things in the right corporate order. The habits of the employees are hard to mend in a single stroke. It will take a while to set things as they should be. Give them time too to come to the new terms.

Regards