Feeling Isolated as the Sole HR in a Company: Is It Inevitable or Can It Change?

Respected Seniors and my dear fellow members,

I am relatively new to the world of Human Resource Management compared to the other members of the community. I work for a medium-sized IT company. I am the only HR here, and I spend at least 10 hours a day at the office handling the various HR functions for two of our branch offices. At times, I feel that an HR person cannot easily mingle with the employees and needs to maintain a certain amount of distance from them to enforce discipline within the organization, or in other words, as per the instructions from the higher management. On the other hand, he/she cannot be on the same level as the owners of the company. At the end of the day, it's like spending 10 hours in the office as "one mysterious person" about whom nobody knows a word.

I would like to pose this question to my seniors and fellow members: Is this situation inevitable, and if not, what can be a way out?

Thanks and Regards,

Indrani Chakraborty

Hello,

The predicament is REAL, undoubtedly!

HR is an employee like any other employee. Each employee in each function has a role assigned by the organization to play. When such a role conflicts with any other role, we witness "classical conflicts" of management.

HR vs. S/W people (in your case) or HR vs. Operations in any other company, Manufacturing vs. Marketing, Marketing vs. Finance, and so on. This is a reality that is not going to change.

The organizational culture must reflect the fact that whatever problems in each interest group, ultimately, each is working for the organization. If all are working for the organization, all must demonstrate this understanding. One may not like what HR is doing, but it must be understood and accepted that there is (and should be) nothing personal in its actions for or against other functions.

Yes, misunderstandings will be inevitable, and as and when they occur, the concerned functions must get together and clear the air between them. The organization, therefore, has to inculcate and sanctify Communication, Professionalism, and the commitment of holding the organizational interests above all. All "differences and disputes" must be resolved as far as possible in a direct dialogue between the disputants, and third-party interventions, though available, need not have to be resorted to. This requires a high level of maturity on the part of the members of the organization and it can be achieved over a period of time through Sensitivity Training, Process Labs, Cross-functional Teams, etc.

You have started a good topic. I hope others also contribute. I have provided elementary starter points only.

Regards,

Samvedan

September 15, 2007

Respected Senior,

Your views are definitely refreshing and open up more avenues for discussion. I would like to point out that in small or medium-sized companies like ours, there is only 1 person in the HR department. Therefore, the differences in opinion or work processes are not between departments anymore; it becomes individualistic as there is only 1 person who represents the entire department. For example, in the case of a difference of opinion between marketing and operations, we can term it as "differences between departments" because there are a team of people who represent a department.

Nevertheless, I guess we all would agree that an HR professional is the bridge between the management and the employees, and hence they have to be in a "hanging position" always. This is the situation where the competence of an HR professional is tested to its optimum, in terms of how he/she creates a balance between the relationship he/she shares with the employer as well as the employees.

Dear Ankur,

Hi! Few years back, I faced the same problem. As the lone HR person, at the end of the day, similar questions engulfed me, and the instructions from management made me rethink all the good HR practices that I learned during my MBA!

There are a few HR areas that you could easily share with people in other departments. In my case, there was good apprehension in the initial stages, but later on, people were very happy about how things turned out.

Definitely, you can never share your activities of legal and statutory compliance or those related to personnel policies, but a few areas like training, recruitment, and even performance assessments are where you can get them involved.

You can develop a training cell with members from all departments, ask them to design their own modules, integrate different procedures for training, and let them own their processes. However, you will have to guide them throughout. Involve them in the recruitment procedures and appraisal procedures similarly.

Organize monthly HR meetings where there can be small presentations on HR topics. While taking these initiatives, if you face problems from management, handle them politely but firmly. I am certain you will gain many friends over time. 😊

It's only that other employees do not exactly know the role of HR, except that we cut salaries, mark leaves, and implement disciplinary actions. But once you start implementing a few positive actions, you will gain a lot of confidence, which will, in fact, help you do your other tasks better! HR needs to be creative; it's changing day by day. Think about new ideas and visit citehr for more.

Make the whole organization your department—HR is for people, and we cannot be successful without them, right?

Regards,

Pubali

Hello Indu!!

Very interesting topic you have started on this forum.

Samvedan ji has provided a great deal of information with facts.

I would like to share my views as well. I don't consider any HR professional as a lonely soul for sure, even though one has to establish discipline in the organization. My belief is that any HR professional has to be very disciplined themselves to instill that kind of culture, whether you are a single person representing a function or a team of people from a department.

Yes, a mid-sized organization may have just one person in the HR department, but it is a department in itself regardless of being a solo contributor. You still have the responsibility to fulfill certain tasks that others may not have. I hope you agree.

There are many instances where HR needs to be strict in some cases, regardless of how friendly the HR person is with colleagues.

The challenges you are facing are commonly experienced by many newcomers in the HR profession, especially if the company has only recently established the HR function. However, look beyond the present and envision your role not only as a mediator between senior management and employees but also as someone who contributes to fostering a new culture, developing people, systematizing the entire organization, and generating interest in people through transparent and open communication.

Looking forward to more responses to engage in learning discussions with HR intellectuals.

Best Regards,

Archna

Respected Senior,

Thank you for your suggestions. Your empathy shows that you have also been through this. I am actually trying to implement a few positive things at the workplace like holidays on alternative Saturdays, casual leaves to be carried forward (earlier it used to lapse at the end of the month), etc. But the point is all these policies or amendments need to be discussed with the management at length. Whenever employees find me discussing an issue behind closed doors, they feel that I am surely talking about the project deadlines or reviewing their performance. So, until some positive actions taken by the management are implemented or at least disclosed to the employees, my acceptance to the employees remains on the shelf.

Thanks and Regards,
Indrani Chakraborty

At times, I feel that an HR person cannot mingle with the employees and needs to maintain a certain amount of distance from them so that he/she can enforce discipline within the organization, or in other words, he/she has to do this as per the instructions from the higher management. On the other hand, he/she can't be on the same level as the owners of the company. At the end of the day, it is like he/she is spending 10 hours in the office as "one mysterious person" about whom nobody knows a word.

This happened to me as well when I was working as an HR trainee in an MNC manufacturing company. The total staff was 200, and there were only two of us in the HR department, the personnel manager, and myself. Since the PM was a senior person, no one dared to tell me anything, but they used to inform me of all the flaws and things that needed attention. When I brought this to the notice of the PM, he said they do this only and didn't care, so I was sandwiched between the staff and the PM. In the canteen, while having food with my colleagues from other departments, being the lone HR exec/trainee, they used to tell me/taunt about the food not being clean, asking why I, in HR, wasn't taking care of it, etc. Since I was alone in the HR department, it was sometimes hard to handle these complaints. I thought if there were 2-3 people in HR, then we could have our own gang. Being the only HR person became a point of criticism. Since the PM was very strong, the employees really feared to complain against anything to him. Sometimes, it was handled lightly, but sometimes it really hurt as no one dared to tell anything to the PM. They feared the PM very much, and the PM did not listen to me. The truth was that HR was totally dead in that company. I'm happy I left it. :P

Dear Indu,

Before trying to implement any of the above, take approval or advice from top management. I also tried to change some policies, but they were not approved by the PM. After some 6-7 months, I gained so much knowledge about work that even without consulting the PM, I made changes to some policies.

We had a format for workers to fill in their attendance on a sheet in case they forgot to punch their cards. Some workers lost their punch cards and were filling out the sheet for every day, even though it was meant for recording attendance for just one day. I created a new sheet allowing them to fill in the attendance for the whole month, which was to be given only to those workers who had lost their punch cards. When I approached my PM, he mentioned that he had suggested some formats for implementation that were rejected by the head office.

Later on, when a few more workers lost their punch cards and started filling out daily sheets, resulting in excessive paperwork, I discussed a solution with a 12th-grade pass boy who managed the time office on the shop floor. He agreed that instead of using 26 sheets, they could summarize the information on one sheet. This simple solution, which even the PM had not thought of, was implemented without consulting him. We instructed the workers to use our new format, and I am unsure if the PM was aware of this change, as he did not mention anything to me.

It appears as though you have personalized the situation to a point where it is emotionally hurting you. Here are some thoughts that come to mind, but I am not sure if they make sense to you.

First, I believe that the benefits of HR interventions that you are passionately implementing will manifest in a few years. Persistence in belief will eventually lead to truth becoming a reality.

Secondly, if you perceive yourself as distinctly different from others in your organization, you can bring unique value. If you believed you were just like everyone else, you would have already lost.

Finally, I generally view things from two perspectives - if the policy dictates, I adhere to it. It is well-known that I am a proponent of policy and strategy. However, when a personal touch of friendship or camaraderie is needed, I step away from policy and am simply myself. I am dedicated to assisting everyone who crosses my path in any way I can, except when policy dictates, and then I am solely a follower of policy.

I empathize with you. Reflecting on the past, I sense a greater loneliness now leading my organization than during my time in HR. To succeed, one must be like a crocodile - soft on the belly to understand what is happening around you, yet tough on the back to endure all challenges and persist for centuries.

Respected Seniors,

I am very happy to see that the purpose of my putting this post on this community of esteemed HR professionals has been served. Now I am feeling much better when I see all my senior HR professionals have been through the similar kind of phase at the beginning of their careers. I must say that in our organization, the HR department is still in its formation stage, and the higher management has given me the authority to implement new ideas, new ways to streamline processes, to design HR manual, etc. Even they expect me to keep track of the project deadlines, me being a non-technical person still can't make head and tail out of it.

I still would like to invite suggestions from all of you on how to be a "people's HR" and also the "management's HR"?

Hello,

Glad to see you are fairly relieved.

Being "a management HR" or being "a people's HR" is to surrender to a "partisan role" which, personally or professionally, I will NOT play!

As HR professionals, our loyalty hierarchy should be:

1) The Profession

2) The Organization

3) The Boss/es

Another thing, HR, I strongly believe, is a value-based function. It is the function of the conscience-keepers of the organization. HR is committed to serve and uphold the organization's interests.

I am aware that it is the management that "employs" me as HR, decides my "pay & perks," and offers me "enrichment and growth" opportunities by providing me the platform to manifest my skills to help both realize their respective aspirations.

Therefore, if an organization employs me as HR and expects me to fulfill its partisan interests (if necessary at the cost of the people) beyond a point that my morality decides, it may be time for me to QUIT!!!

So, when I join an organization as HR, after my initial assessment, if I realize that I have to "educate and enlighten" the management in being respectful and magnanimous of people's aspirations, I evolve an appropriate plan of action and start to work. Likewise, in respect of the people that the organization employs.

I know that I will NOT succeed every time, and I will certainly be able to upgrade the sensitivities and sensibilities of both parties so as to learn to live with disagreements and to proactively look for "win-win" solutions without adversely affecting the organizational goals!

Regards,

Samvedan

September 16, 2007

Hi Indu,

You have touched on a very important topic that all HR professionals feel and face throughout their entire careers in HR.

Authority comes with many responsibilities. The role of an HR person is highly responsible, especially in the context of industrial relations. What a production guy or a finance guy says does not carry as much weight as it would if an HR person had said it. We are the link between management and employees at all levels. As company spokespersons, every word we say is crucial as it conveys messages to employees. Our behavior is continuously scrutinized by employees. It is expected that the HR team will set an example of the best organizational behavior. Many times, we feel suffocated because we are not free to express ourselves. Sometimes, we also want to say or do many things, but our role prevents us from doing so. We always find ourselves alert and focused solely on our role.

We are human beings; we are also employees like other employees. However, the term "HR" sets our role apart significantly from others. While fulfilling our role, this isolation naturally occurs because authority comes with many responsibilities.

A mistake made by a production guy or an accounts guy can be corrected, but a mistake made by HR will impact human beings, human relations, or the entire organizational culture. Therefore, we are cautious and very vigilant at all times, and our role becomes exceptionally significant.

Bibhutosh Bhadauria

Hi Indrani,

It seems on first read that your company is trying to squeeze the most work out of you. And possibly it’s because of the workload that you can’t really mingle.

However, HR, I must add, unfortunately doesn’t enjoy a lot of respect in most organisations. It’s probably the way things have been handled in the past. Situations are changing, although at a slow pace, and the scope of the HR function is widening and it’s importance is being realised.

Employee well-being is important and if you want to change your work hours, have a discussion with your manager, tell him/her you need to leave at a particular time and would work your hardest during the work day and deliver all that you are meant to on that day. May be you should try to ask you management to get in an extra pair of hands.

If you feel like you need friends at work, then may be you should take the initiative and approach some others at your work place, and initiate the chat. At the same time, you need to remember that while interaction with your colleagues and ability to empathise is important, you are there to work and excel at what you’re doing and not to make friends.

Hi,

I find this topic quite amusing and strange. We feel the loneliness as an HR because we focus our work and learning only on the HR process. Since we do recruitment as well, it's better we know about processes in other departments of the organization.

This is where we have to mingle with the other employees on info about their process. When you talk with them on these matters, which employee doesn't like to boast about his work? At the same time, you also learn something and appear more people-friendly.

I am an HR in an ad company. I do the same, and the info helps me in designing competency mapping, KRAs, employee satisfaction survey processes, etc. Working this way, you won't feel lonely as long as you make it clear to the employees that there are certain things you can't reveal as a professional.

Dear All,

While the topic and the replies have been really intriguing, I think one very important word is missing from this discussion which is "integrity". The people in your organization will have confidence to discuss or mingle with you only when they know that you are an honest, decent, and friendly person. The popular image of an HR person is secretive, boring, a liar, and two-faced. We need to break this myth first through our behavior, and only then will we gain some friends.

Remember, some things are more important than being a successful professional, and keeping your head held high at the end of the day is one of them.

Dear all,

I have just completed my MBA and joined a medium-sized company as an HR Executive. I am facing the same problem. I am the only person in the HR department except for the HR Manager, who is the wife of my company's owner. Nobody dares to say anything to her because she's the owner, but I feel as though everybody dislikes me and my department. They don't interact with me except for complaints. They come to me with their problems, and when I convey the same to my HR manager, she says not to bother about it.

She has strictly ordered me to be strict with everyone, and I cannot be friendly to anyone. I really feel lonely here and badly want company. As I'm a fresher, it is proving to be very difficult for me to work alone the whole day without saying a word to anybody informally.

Respected Senior (Shalav),

Thank you very much for your advice. The simile of a crocodile that you have put forward, I believe is true for every HR professional. I will remember this throughout my life. Thanks once again.

Best regards,
Indrani Chakraborty

Respected Seniors,

I wish to discuss a situation that one of my co-workers is caught in. One of my HR team members is going around with an employee in our organization, and they are contemplating marriage quite soon. Can an HR person marry an employee from another department in the same organization? Does it have an impact on the image of the HR team? Should both of them continue working together in the same organization? Looking forward to suggestions.

Hi,

Probably you are new to the organization. Once you get settled with the organization and the employees, which usually takes 2 or 3 months, you will gain clarity on how to manage people and situations. Of course, it's challenging, but every profession has its challenges. All the best.

Suba

Hi All,

This topic of discussion is a really interesting and practical situation that we, as HR professionals, face. I have also experienced the same. There were times when we came to know that employees said that the HR department is an immature department and there are no initiatives being done, although HR had been highly efficient in processes.

What I did was make some extra efforts to reach out to employees, personally participate in their achievements, and initiate activities on employee engagement, popularizing them too. I perceive that this has created a better image of the HR department. I think since then, people have also been good to me.

Therefore, to sum up, it is all about building relationships with them. Yes, undoubtedly, it would take some extra effort on your end as people do not open up to HR easily. But I am sure you can certainly make friends, keeping in mind that you have to build your brand value yourself while also considering that HR has a special role to play, and you cannot share all information with your colleagues.

Regards,

Karuna Ahuja

Hi,

Being the only person gives you more avenues for demonstrating your capabilities and getting noticed. Identify opportunities where you could make a contribution as an HR professional and contribute your best. Keep learning a lot and analyze various options to fix up on your design of the system or process required.

Regards,
Suba

Hi,

Professionals from every domain have their own image. I don't think we have to bother much about an HR person getting along with anyone. Whoever it might be in an organization, it's nothing to bother much about until they deliver what they are expected to and until they are disciplined.

Respected Senior (Samvedan),

To be very honest, after reading your posts, I sometimes feel I am not mature enough as an HR professional to post replies to you. Still, I would just like to add that I am facing situations where I feel, as an HR, that some changes should be made regarding the salary date and work schedule, but the management refuses to budge on these issues. If I follow your ethics, then I can say it's time for me to look for a change. However, I will not do that. I will try to "enlighten management" on these issues and strive to bring about changes. Moreover, I am just at the beginning of my career, so I can't give in so easily.

I strongly believe HR is a profession of "values," but then again, it requires "time" to create values. It also takes time to get "accepted" by the employees. I am putting in my best efforts in both. I just hope valuable suggestions from seniors like you keep pouring in.

Best Regards,
Indrani Chakraborty

Respected Senior (Suba),

I agree every profession has an image of its own. But I beg to differ with you when you say that we shouldn't bother about our image. I guess as one of our fellow members during this debate has rightly pointed out that an HR's image in the organization is very closely observed by the employees, and they also try to imitate the same. As the HR is the person who designs the policies with regard to telephone and Internet usage, time-keeping, etc., so if an HR professional himself/herself is not disciplined on those parameters, then it will be difficult to enforce the same on the employees. At the end of the day, one needs to "practice what he preaches."

Best Regards,

Indrani Chakraborty

Dear Indu,

I was going through the viewpoints being shared by many of our senior HR professionals. I am also a novice in this domain and currently working with a mid-size IT firm. Initially, I felt the same way, but as the days pass, I believe I am improving each day.

I understand that being in the HR team is not easy, but it is challenging. We should be proud that we are acting as a conduit between the management and staff. When it comes to mingling with the staff, it is up to us to adjust our attitude to make the best of slightly tense situations. This skill develops gradually with experience.

I am eager to hear feedback from all those who have participated.

Shipra

Respected Senior (Bibhutosh),

I agree with you totally. In my past experiences, I have learned that mistakes made by HR can actually put a lot of things at stake. I would like to narrate an incident in this regard. I used to work for a bank as an HR trainee, and by mistake, I misplaced a CV. As luck would have it, the CV was referred by the VP of the company. The music I faced for that mistake I will remember throughout my life. This incident actually taught me how important record-keeping and filing are for the HR department. Even if both of these activities sound very mundane and boring, they are the core of HR.

I also agree that "with authority comes responsibility." HR takes care of every employee's problem and has to absorb it like a sponge and react to it whenever necessary. But he/she is also a human being and might have problems too, so who looks after an HR's problems? I guess HR himself :)

Best regards, [Your Name]

Hi Fellow member (Gagandeep),

I guess we are on the same boat! I believe the posts made by our seniors on this topic might help you organize your role at the workplace.

All the best,
Indrani Chakraborty

Respected Senior (Karena),

I agree with you that I have lots of work to do and too little time for that. I had to start the HR activities from scratch, and for the first 10 days, I was continuously on "cite HR" to get the necessary information as this site has information about A-Z of HR. Now, things are relatively streamlined. I would love to have "another pair of hands" helping me out, but I guess at this point, I would prefer working alone as I am enjoying designing and drafting policies and creating a new department altogether.

Thanks for your suggestion; I will put forward the same in front of the management once I have proved my worth to them :)

Respected Senior (Archana),

Thank you very much for your suggestions. I absolutely agree with you that I have the power to do a lot of things which can't, and that makes me feel special. It also makes me realize that my role is different and unique, and maybe that is why I am lonely. But then again, I guess one has to remember that "there is only space for 1 person to stand at the peak of the mountain."

Thanks and Regards,
Indrani Chakraborty

Respected Senior (Shipra),

I know that as days pass by, it will be easier for me to adjust to the situation. These are perhaps the teething troubles, but then again, as I have said earlier, after going through so many posts on this topic, I feel I am not lonely anymore. I am a part (even if very small) of a big HR community where every member has gone through this phase of life at the beginning of their careers.

Thanks and Regards,
Indrani Chakraborty

Hi,

This is a brilliant discussion.

Item 10 of the Gallup Q12 asks if you have a best friend at work.

From my personal experience, I believe that this is one of the key criteria for retention. And it is applicable to HR folks too. Without a friend at work, the office becomes lonely. It is really necessary to share with someone who can understand to some extent what you are going through.

As someone said, you go to the office to work, not to make friends. It is half correct, and it would be most difficult to work efficiently in today's age where networking is a must, without making friends. Yes, it would be great if everyone just did their jobs as they are told to, but the reality is that something or the other gets in the way – from a policy to a relationship. Often, morality, etc., gets involved, and then we are busy justifying, rather than doing our jobs. Given the nature of HR activities, most of them make us pretty lonely people.

At the end of the day, I personally don't take too much pain to ensure that people like me - but I will take the trouble to ensure that they respect me and the job that I do. HR is not really a popularity contest, but doing your job on time, every time, accurately (conditions apply here 😉). And if you can make good friends while doing your job, then doing your job becomes that much easier. You will look forward to going to the office the next day.

Regards,

Ryan

Hi Indu,

Surprisingly, your post looks so much like the one I was planning to post next week. I too have newly joined an organization where, worse than most companies, I am the only HR person handling all the branches in India since mine is a small-sized company. I too feel like an alien amidst all these happy workers working in teams, enjoying their work. Not that I don't enjoy mine, but at times, I feel the absence of people to consult for issues or even someone to talk to on a one-on-one level. I feel somehow everyone gets really conscious when talking to me. But of late, I've made it a point to spend some time in every department of the organization, interacting with employees, understanding their work. This not only is helping me become a people person but is also helping me make my recruitment more efficient. Although I am still in the process of looking for a helping hand in my department.

Hope my situation will make you feel better! 😛

Respected Senior (Ryan),

Thank you for your suggestions. I am not looking forward to becoming popular among the employees; all I would love is to have acceptance from their end. Without that, it's impossible for any HR to implement processes or policies, especially when it's the first time the employees encounter someone from HR.

As one of the fellow members of the community rightly pointed out, it's time for me to begin interacting with all the departments of the organization and start gathering information about the technical processes. This will definitely help me understand the employees and the work better, and I might even end up being accepted by the employees (high hopes... though) :)

Kind regards

Hi Prabhjyot,

Nice to know you are also having a similar kind of problem. You were going to post this topic next week; I posted it earlier, so I guess I saved some work for you 😉. Don't lose heart. If not inside the organization, we have so many friends and colleagues on this site, so keep posting.

Thanks and Regards,
Indrani Chakraborty

Dear All,

My situation is similar to that of Indrani as I am alone handling HR functions, and I even feel sometimes that no one will be there to motivate me. How can I overcome such situations?

Regards,
Amith R.

Hello,

Don't please get me wrong. I am not an "idealist" who would give up and give in on the cause. I was NOT giving any messages through my responses.

The time has NOT come for you to quit every time the Boss does not agree with you. The issue could be:

1) My homework may not be adequate.

2) Boss's knowledge & experience may be prompting him to take a stance that happens to be different.

3) There may be organizational problems that do not permit the change at this stage!

There could be many other reasons. The dialogue has proved rather weak, and I could not get the decision that I was hoping to get! Also, just as I can't always be right, being overruled is not a defeat at all. Hierarchy empowers the one at the top to decide and end all uncertainties. Unless I reach that position, I may have to live with things that I don't agree with.

If I am so sensitive (read edgy!) that I simply cannot tolerate disagreement or disapprovals, I will find it very difficult to work with people, and alternatively, the people may not be comfortable to work with me! Every day is an opportunity to renew oneself, to learn more, and to enhance further. If I wrongly judge the moment to quit, I will be hurting myself.

So the Mantra is, fight (within limits) for what you consider to be right, but be aware there can be other very valid viewpoints and be open and receptive to new ideas, information, and experiments. Every disapproval is NOT a defeat.

Have you read Dr. Covey's masterpiece, "Seven Habits of Highly Effective People"? You should not read it! You must "study" it and internalize the concepts to be able to manage your life more effectively. Just one of the concepts is also apt at this stage. Each one has a "circle of concern" and also a "circle of influence." The idea is to ensure that the circle of influence remains larger than the circle of concern to be able to find peace and harmony with your environment! It is NOT a one-time permanent achievement. The task is to "grow" each day, every possible way, and to keep pushing the circle of influence beyond the "circle of concern." It's a constant effort, and it can be done.

Think about it. Get hold of a copy of the book, if you are new to this, but if you already have the book, REVISIT the same with greater commitment, and you will find a lot of answers to your predicaments!

Good Luck on the new journey!

Regards,

Samvedan

September 17, 2007

Hi,

Frankly not sure what to write! People have spoken about culture / way of working/ inevitable differences etc. Some companies HR is looked at linking to Power (like Politics) and others they are looked at custodians of all the policies and process related to people. In college, its generally assumed that HR is a person who bride the gap between employees and employers….but when you come to work place, employees will look at you as if you are end in every thing and management will look at you as if HR is expected to deliver to drive business results…

I have faced all these things in the last 12 yrs in this field.

Let me practical about it. The latest articles on the Competencies of HR and their elements are given below. Judge for yourself, as an HR person how you can deliver these expectations:

The Competencies and Their Elements

The six competencies and the elements that make them up offer the outlines of what it takes to be successful. The Credible Activist is respected, admired, listened to and offers a point of view, takes a position and challenges assumptions by:

• Delivering results with integrity.

• Sharing information.

• Building relationships of trust.

• Doing HR with an attitude (taking appropriate risks, providing candid observations, influencing others).

The Cultural Steward recognizes, articulates and helps shape a company's culture by:

• Facilitating change.

• Crafting culture.

• Valuing culture.

• Personalizing culture (helping employees find meaning in their work, managing work/life balance, encouraging innovation).

T

he Talent Manager/Organizational Designer masters theory, research and practice in both talent management and organizational design by:

• Ensuring today's and tomorrow's talent.

• Developing talent.

• Shaping the organization.

• Fostering communication.

• Designing reward systems.

The Strategy Architect knows how to make the right change happen by:

• Sustaining strategic agility.

• Engaging customers.

The Business Ally contributes to the success of the business by:

• Serving the value chain.

• Interpreting social context.

• Articulating the value proposition.

• Leveraging business technology.

The Operational Executor administers the day-to-day work of managing people inside an organization by:

• Implementing workplace policies.

• Advancing HR technology.

Regards

Hello,

Your story reflects the challenges faced by new HR professionals. It is common to encounter similar issues, especially when a new HR department is established after the company has been operating for decades.

I would advise you to remain silent during times of conflict and focus on identifying the root cause. Building self-confidence is crucial in our profession, as it requires a great deal of patience. Do not lose heart; I myself have spent long hours at my job for a few months, and now things have changed for the better.

Consider organizing social functions such as quizzes or cricket matches between departments or branches. Understand the preferences and culture of your organization to integrate yourself effectively. Only then can you implement changes regarding discipline and culture. You will earn respect from your colleagues sooner than you think.

Respected Senior (Samvedan),

Thank you for your suggestions. I have not read the book you have mentioned but would surely get a copy of the same next time I visit a bookstore.

I got your message and what you wanted to say. I will definitely do my homework well before embarking upon the task to "enlighten management." As always, I will keep my mind open to new ideas, even if they are different from my ideas.

Some ideas again need time to be implemented. Like in our organization, it was a six-day week, and employees used to work till 8:30 every day. They wanted a holiday or at least a half day on Saturday. It appeared to be a genuine concern to me, and I had given a proposal to management for a holiday on alternate Saturdays. Initially, they refused to give in to the idea, saying that there are lots of projects which have failed to meet their deadlines so we can't possibly afford a Saturday holiday. After several rounds of discussions, they have finally agreed upon the 2nd Saturday as a holiday. I believe it's going to take time as well as cooperation from employees until we can have both Saturdays as holidays.

The problem that I faced during this discussion was "I am an employee too," so the management thought that I am discussing this for my own interests. It's a fact that I will benefit from this decision, but then again, it was also very necessary for the other employees too.

I know there cannot be any readymade answers to HR dilemmas, but still, can you suggest how I can convince management in such situations that it's actually for employee welfare and benefit that this change is required and not only because I want an extra holiday?

Thanks and Regards,

Indrani Chakraborty

Respected Senior (Ridz Bhatia),

Thank you so much for your suggestion. In our organization, most of the employees are outstation candidates, so they have very different cultural backgrounds. I still need time to get to know their tastes, but arranging some recreational activities once in a while is definitely a good idea.

Thanks and Regards,

Indrani Chakraborty

Hi,

It was nice to go through the views and suggestions of our members; it is so informative. Keep posting, guys.

According to me, an HR should be a person with a balanced mind and a lot of patience. It is good to be the guardian of rules and regulations/policies, but you should always remember that we are expected to handle people, and that should be done in a very delicate way. After all, we are handling the emotions of other people, so a wrong move might open up an array of negative feelings and lead to attrition. So, as far as possible, make the transition/implementation as smooth as possible so that the employees don't feel uncomfortable about the decision and would learn to trust you.

So, diplomacy is the name of the game.

Thanks,
Aneez

Hi,

Good to hear your dilemma regarding HR Vs. the Rest of the Organization.

Please understand HR represents employees on one hand and the Management on the other. Both sets of stakeholders would like to have attention from HR for their expectations. So, HR has to do a very fine balancing act in managing both these stakeholders.

On the face of it, both employees and Management seem to be pulling HR in two opposite directions, hence, this confusion that you are facing.

But if you delve a little deeper into these aspects, they are not on opposite sides. Both have their expectations which are different; HR has a role cut out to align these sets of expectations in a manner that both feel happy. That's what HR is all about.

Instead of keeping a distance from employees and feeling lonely, if you get close to them, you would be in a better position to understand their sentiments and at the same time would be in a position to explain to them what is expected of them. Why sometimes their expectations, which may seem quite okay from an individual perspective, may not be reasonable from an organizational perspective.

You also need to be close to Management so that you could understand them better and also explain the employee's point of view, problems, in a much better way to help employees redress their problems.

Therefore, the real challenge for an HR person is to get close to both stakeholders, understand them, mediate between them, and ensure that the Organization gains.

Please note that employees are part and parcel of any organization, so if an employee gains, the organization gains; if the organization gains, the employees gain. They are the two sides of the same coin. Hence, you need to manage this in totality, not in parts.

Hope I have not added to your confusion.

Regards,

Sateesh

Respected Senior,

Thank you for your suggestion. You have not added to my confusion :) . Every comment added to this post is making me aware of my responsibilities as an HR.

Dear Indu,

In the first place, sorry to have wrongly typed your name! Imagine a colorful painting that looks great on a wall, but if you do not frame it and bind it properly, then after a few years, the same painting fades, and the rims get torn and uneven.

HR is the frame of any organization. With its policies and rules, it gives the people/employees a framework to work, and at the same time, its responsibility is also to make the workplace better looking...right? Our work lies in balancing these two requirements, and with a professional attitude and time-tested experience, I am definite that you can do it in the future—no worries.

Whenever you get demotivated, just read lots and lots of books—it really helps because books clarify many doubts.

Regards, Pubali

Hi Indu,
I'm not from HR dept, however I can suggest you few things which you can try
1. Arrange & interact with people during Induction program
2. Try to convey a +ve message that HR dept is to help the employees & not to spy them :D
3. When interacting with managers/supervisors for conducting interviews… if possible try to communicate with other people also in the same dept
4. Try going for a lunch/tea break (But at the same time balance the things as HR have to maintain the rules & regulation also)
5. Send congratulation mails to the employees on completion of their probation period or on getting promoted etc
Hope these small things will be helpful to you… let me know your suggestions
Thanks
Sangeeta

Dear Ms. Indrani,

It's really a useful topic that helps to do the right job at the right time. It was a heartfelt desire of mine to discuss this topic. Yes! I was also feeling the same way you are feeling. I have joined a mid-sized company which is into gems and jewelry. This company is involved in manufacturing and retailing diamond-studded jewelries and is one of the top brands in the industry. The focus is on production, sales, and marketing, while HR was primarily handling recruitment, salary processing, and administration.

When I was hired, the company was not utilizing the potential of an HR professional. It was a completely isolated zone that was initiated, controlled, and maintained by me.

It is very true that seniors have provided insights on the right processes to bring about changes. It takes an honest, patient, courageous, and proactive person to lead the way in building relationships with all departments. This "friendship" between employees helps in sharing suggestions and ideas. HR's role is to serve people and provide them with job satisfaction. In my view, HR is responsible for executing policies that are beneficial to both employees and employers. While disciplinary measures are necessary against injustice, one should convince management to be friendly for a win-win situation because employee productivity and company productivity go hand in hand.

HR is the platform where we take responsibility to excel in values and growth in terms of knowledge, experience, and empowering the workforce.

Everything needs time to blossom into the right form, and it won't take long to reach that point. I disagree with those who leave organizations without trying to excel and understand the usefulness of HR. Concepts like competency enhancement, motivation, job satisfaction, retention, and corporate culture are essential for any company and must be presented and maintained effectively for decades.

Thanks and regards,

Ramila

Hi Ramila,

Nice to see your post. You have got the opportunity to work in an industry that is growing in leaps and bounds and will continue to do the same in the near future. I would love to know more about this industry and its functions but will save my curiosity for the future.

To tell you the truth, our company is a small one and doesn't have many departments. We only have programmers, designers, and a finance department. They all share a pretty harmonious relationship; only HR is perhaps the odd one out. Most employees here are either freshers from colleges or have 2-3 years of experience, so they really don't understand why they need HR. But things are rapidly changing here. As I have started implementing some positive organizational changes for them, they have started opening up too.

Thanks to this community and its members who have given me the right advice when I needed it the most.

Keep posting.

Thanks and Regards,
Indrani Chakraborty

Dear Indrani,

Organizations that have started with a motto to achieve monetary excellence only think of cost-cutting and more profit. If your company is a small one and the quality of people who are delivering what is expected from them is equivalent to the qualified ones. Of course, experience teaches more than books, but the combination of theory and practice is a source of excellence.

In my point of view, you need to categorize the type of employees and the level of motivational programs they need. It is advisable to conduct a campaign to collect their views regarding HR. This will be an opportunity to gather their views and ideas to excel in their professional lives (with job satisfaction, which is a combination of a good work profile and tangible benefits). Nevertheless, you could identify their expertise and their comfort zone to work in.

Never forget, every manpower needs a balance between personal and professional excellence.

Have courage and try to create a balance between your employees and the company objectives.

Thanks and regards,

Ramila

Hi,

I was going through the thread of posts on this discussion and would like to express that this is indeed very thought-provoking. However, there is one thing I'd like to say here - I believe that an HR person invariably becomes a "loner" in the office, but having said that, the problems he/she faces are quite unique. This is out of personal experience. I have been working with my company for the past 3 years and have developed a rapport with almost all the employees in my practice. Since all of them are client-facing, they are usually traveling or on client locations, which makes it very tough to bond with them physically present in the office for a very short duration. However, the best part about being in one company for a long time is that no matter how well you know the other person, everyone knows HR - some of them even share their grievances or apprehensions.

But my question here is that the minute they say, "we are sharing this because you are our friend and not as HR, so please don't escalate/communicate this to anyone," it makes me feel like a snitch if I do tell my senior, only with the intention of making things right for them and not for gossip. As an HR professional, I feel that I am responsible for reducing and gradually eradicating any issues among the employees. However, when the employees feel that they are confiding in me as an individual and not as HR, I feel quite torn between the two feelings.

Please address this issue.

Regards,

Medha

Hi,

I think your post is extremely useful since it provided a concrete solution to the issue. I will try to follow this approach only. I am sure it will yield positive results.

Thank you once again!

Cheers,
Medha

Hi Medha,

The pleasure is all mine, but I would like to invite other HR professionals to continue with this discussion as we would like to know their views on the same.

Thanks and Regards,
Indrani Chakraborty

Respected All,

1542 views and 54 replies (let's say 20 were mine), but still, I think it was an overwhelming response. Thank you so much for participating in this discussion. I just hope my future posts will also continue to receive valuable feedback from your end.

I would also like to add that this was my 2nd post on the community and it's featured in the Top 10 of the week (although I don't know how it is calculated). I am very happy 😄.

Thank you all for your support.

Indrani Chakraborty

Hi Indrani,

As per my understanding, you said you can't mingle with others to maintain distance. But if you mingle and practice what you preach, then not everybody, but at least many would see and follow you.

Regards,
Minakshi 8)

Hi,

Whatever policies are made, they are coming from the top management. For example, if there is someone whom the HR person does not like, they still cannot impose any restrictions on that person unless it is coming from the top or a universal policy. Similarly, the HR person cannot play favorites according to their whims and fancies. They are like a mother or a father who has to correct their children despite differences in opinion. The HR person might only receive recognition or true acceptance after the employee leaves the organization or when the HR person leaves the organization - that is, later acceptance and understanding.

Hi,

There is nothing wrong if such a marriage happens and the HR could help her husband understand the views of HR people. This understanding can then be spread from him to his other friends who are not in HR.

The induction process would be faster, more positive, and better.

Regards,
Miankshi

Hi Indrawn,

Actually, as I understood, you meant that should an HR from the company marry an employee from another department, that's why I replied with this answer.

Regards,
Minakshi

Hi Indu,

I believe that HR serves as a conduit between management and other employees. This function acts as a mouthpiece to both inform and implement HR-related decisions of management and to convey employee concerns to management. Therefore, maintaining distance from other employees is not necessary. If HR maintains distance, employees may not feel comfortable sharing their concerns.

When you need to implement challenging systems, ask yourself a simple question, "Why should this system be implemented?" Only proceed when you are convinced. Remember to explain the rationale for implementing decisions to employees. Also, ensure that some employees are involved in decision-making so they take ownership of the decisions.

This level of engagement can only be achieved by mingling with employees. Otherwise, employees may perceive you as an outsider forcing decisions upon them.

Keep in mind that only by advocating for your employees' concerns and providing effective solutions will they listen to you and take your words seriously.

Priya

Respected Senior (Priya),

Thank you so much for your comments. I totally agree with you as you have rightly pointed out that there should be a "reason behind" the implementation of every policy. I would love to mingle with the employees and listen to their concerns because I have been employed to take care of people, but the problem is whenever I try to do that, the employer comes and reminds me to keep distance from the employees. Maybe they feel insecure that now I will start taking the side of employees.

The difficulty is to maintain a balance between the same. But as per the advice given by our fellow members on this post, I have implemented some positive things at the workplace and gained some acceptance from the employees.

Keep Posting.

Thanks and Regards,
Indrani Chakraborty

Indu,

I think it takes time to settle down, and then it also depends on the individual's interpersonal skills. How the individual gels with the organization is crucial because if HR is "all about people" and as an HR professional, if we can't gel with them, I wonder who else would? It's a people's world over there! :))

Ensure there is a single line break between paragraphs.

Respected Senior (Raaj Bhatia),

Thank you for your comments. You have rightly pointed out that HR is there for people, and that is exactly the reason why I chose HR as a profession. However, whenever I try to mingle with the employees, the employer gets unhappy with that. They want me to keep distance from employees so that I can enforce discipline. But I absolutely agree with you that "it takes time to settle down," so I am just holding on to it.

Keep Posting.

Thanks and Regards,
Indrani Chakraborty

Feeling much more comfortable now after seeing all of your views. I am also working in a medium-sized IT company and facing the same problem nowadays. At first, I thought about resigning, but then decided to face it and then do whatever is necessary. I am feeling very relaxed now to see that almost everybody is in the same boat.

But friends, I need your suggestions. I am just adjusting myself to remain calm and patient in this difficult situation and have not complained or questioned anything to higher management. Do I need to do this now or after some time?

Please advise.

Thanks,
Anju

Hi HR Colleague,

I noticed one thing from your write-up that you are spending 10 hours in the office and must have at least a two-hour traveling time to reach the office. This is not a good practice, but I often find many Indians working more than 8 hours in the office, which is unwarranted. In Western countries, the Middle East, as well as in Africa, I experienced working hours strictly adhered to 8 working hours in practice. Except under extraordinary circumstances, no worker or employee is allowed to overstay in the office because it is not safe. Employees are not slaves to work beyond official working hours; they have privacy as well as a social life and cannot be deprived.

This is a heinous crime against humanity, and people are not being paid for this in many Indian companies. Even if employees ask for compensatory time off against extra time spent in the office, in many cases, they are deprived by their bosses advising them that their inefficiency is the basic cause of overstaying in the office. Employees are often adulated with faulty promises of being rewarded for their extra work, treated as hard work that will be appreciated, while increments are a pure deception to contrive exploitation of employees, nothing else.

This is not good practice at all and goes against all human rights. Even in many organizations in India, people work on their weekly off days just because it is presumed that they are overpaid, therefore, they must put in extra work. However, they are neither overpaid nor acknowledged for the extra services.

Unfortunately, there is no way out if you have to work in such organizations and continue to work. Employers often take it as your basic need for bare minimum sustenance, and until you find alternative employment in a better work culture organization, people continue. But this kind of extra working hours culture damages the employee's dignity as well as respect from the same employer for whom he works to show as hardworking.

I just highlighted this weakness of HR in Indian industries, which is very prevalent and is one of the HR challenges to improve at the global level practices and protect the employees from being exploited.

Regards,

Sawant

Hi Everybody,

I am new to the forum and have been working in HR for the past two years. I definitely feel like a lonely soul. Over the past couple of years, our HR department has decreased in size from 5 people to two. We've had a few layoffs, and now it's just me and my manager. We all used to hang out periodically for birthdays and other special events, but now that my manager is the head of my department, she tends to hang out with the rest of the support team. They go out for lunch together almost every day, as well as hang out after work a few times a week. She has even babysat on occasion for one of them. I understand her not wanting to socialize with me, but I feel kind of on my own. I feel like I'm my own department, and she's a part of the support team. These people didn't really socialize with her until she became in charge of the HR department. I'm happy that she's made friends, but I feel kind of left out. I'm not sure what to do. These people are all managers, and I'm an HR specialist, so I feel that they all have something in common. At the same time, people more on my level don't really want to socialize with me because they feel like they can't be themselves since I'm in HR, or at least that's the feeling I'm getting. How can I avoid feeling so alone? Also, since our size has decreased, my workload has increased, so there's not a lot of time to socialize. Does anybody have any ideas?