How Should I Handle My HR Manager's Conflicting Orders and Favoritism?

Hello All Members,

Today, I want to share my problem and ask for your suggestions on what I should do. My HR manager always gives different suggestions and ultimately ends up giving orders that are completely different. Let me explain how.

There is a person in our company who works in another department, and both this person and my manager enjoy a good rapport. My manager always instructs me to ensure that every person submits their OD (Official Duty) and Gate pass if they are going outside during working hours. Every employee complies with this directive, except for one person who happens to be my manager's favorite. In front of my manager, this person behaves rudely because my manager supports him. Despite this, he still refuses to provide me with the necessary OD and Gate pass.

I have repeatedly checked with my manager if this person should follow the same rules as everyone else. My manager responded firmly, saying that I must insist on it from him; I cannot ignore it. Just four days ago, I provided a detailed report showing that this person had left the company premises 15 times without prior notice or filling out the required form. My manager ordered me to overlook it and mark his attendance as complete. I strongly objected to this decision. In response, my manager called me into his office and treated me poorly, saying that I don't get along well with others because I don't follow his orders to ignore certain things.

Please advise me on what I should do in this situation. My manager insists on having ODs and Gate passes from everyone but also instructs me to ignore the lack of compliance. I am finding it difficult to manage under these conflicting conditions.

Thank you.

It is human tendency to become partial to someone or a group of people for various reasons. However, it becomes challenging when we remain impartial, but our manager is not.

It is very obvious that if we approach him/her and clearly state that they are being partial, we would be in troubled waters. The issue needs to be tackled differently.

If you have any records of this, you can take them to the authority above you. However, please note that taking the concern to higher authorities could make your stay in the company difficult.

I do understand that partial practices are wrong and should be tackled, but before taking any step, you need to understand:

1. What would be your management's or higher authority's view on this?

2. Is the person in question doing any exceptional work for your company?
(E.g., We have a person who leisurely walks into the office at 10 or 10:15 am. People notice that. However, he is an exceptional case because he stays back to sell services in the US market and remains in the office late to cover the foreign market. He is an exceptional marketing person achieving the highest sales, so we cannot mark him late as he also stays back exceptionally late for 3-4 hours.)

3. Is there any particular reason your manager favors this person? Try to figure it out (e.g., his performance or his ability to provide inside information, etc.).

4. How would this person react if you complained?

5. Do you have any records to prove your point?

Lots of other factors would also go into this.

I have a different request for you. Instead of fighting against deviations, please consider focusing on survival skills. You need to be specific with data; in case of an audit, you should not be in the line of fire.

Here's my request to you: the role you are currently managing was previously handled by someone else before you joined. Try to gather as much information as possible on how that person performed and managed to survive.

The reporting manager will naturally expect you to comply. You have already noticed the discretion and the tendency to favor someone in particular.

For now, follow his instructions until you understand the audit process. You may not be able to document all of his changing directives. After each meeting, promptly send him an email detailing the completion of tasks or activities discussed. Explain that you want to create a list to ensure nothing is overlooked. Focus on documenting official tasks and avoid deviations. Maintain professionalism.

I realize I am essentially asking you to take responsibility, as I don't see anyone around you providing support. Keep a low profile until you establish a stronger position. Support your boss through positive communication and efficient delivery. Even if this doesn't immediately earn you his trust, it will help you gain better control over yourself.

Wishing you all the best!

Seeking Advice on Handling Managerial Conflicts

Today, I want to share my problem and seek your suggestions on what I should do. My HR manager always says something different, suggests something different, and ultimately gives a completely different order. Let me explain. There is a person in our company working in another department, and they both seem to have a good relationship. My manager always instructs me clearly to ensure that every person submits their OD (Official Duty) & Gate pass if they are going outside during working hours. Every employee follows this order except for one person, who happens to be my manager's favorite. In front of my manager, this person behaves inappropriately because my manager supports him. Despite this, he still does not provide me with the required OD and Gate pass. I have confirmed with my manager multiple times that this person should adhere to the same rules as others. He responded in a strict manner, stating that I must collect it from him and cannot avoid it. Four days ago, I presented a report showing that this person had left the company premises 15 times without informing or filling out the necessary forms. My manager ordered me to ignore it and mark him as present for those days. I strongly objected to this. My manager then took me into his office and treated me poorly. He said that I do not appreciate good behavior and if he gives me an order to ignore something, I should comply without question.

Please suggest what I should do. My manager wants OD and Gate pass from everyone but also instructs me to ignore the lack of compliance. I am unable to manage this situation.

I would definitely suggest going through this link to understand more: http://humanresources.about.com/od/b...a/bad_boss.htm

Thank you all and best of luck.

This is a good opportunity for you to learn how people behave in a particular fashion. Your keen observation (and learning from these experiences) will help you in the long term to handle your manager and "Person."

If you are really "clever," find out "why" your manager supports the "Person." Keep on sharing your experiences. Be patient.

Regards.

Thank you, Prashant, for consoling me. However, I have tried many times to understand the situation but have been unsuccessful. Even when my manager called me into his office, he only complained about my personal life and had no valid points regarding my official responsibilities to reprimand me. He solely blamed me for my personal issues. He never once mentioned that I had not completed my work on time, nor did he point out any specific errors I made or lack of HR knowledge. Instead, he stated that my performance was declining every day. How? I am unsure. He was not open to hearing my perspective. Prashant, do you believe that performance is determined by personal life rather than work?

Dealing with Favoritism in the Workplace

One often finds oneself stuck at such junctures where the boss is playing favorites with one of his reportees. More often, the response is that of 'learned helplessness'; otherwise, the result is obvious: either continued job discomfort or, as responded by a member, finding oneself at the other end of notice.

However, each case is different, and so are the remedies available. In this instance, the boss is obviously calling the shots from the shoulder of the aggrieved. The best solution, in my opinion, would be to involve the boss in his own act. Instead of taking verbal instructions on claiming full attendance, it would be prudent to ask him to condone or approve the matter while putting up the report.

One can claim that as the one who has prepared the report, one is not empowered to recommend or approve the shortfalls in the attendance. Let the boss approve it every month. After a length of time, this documentation can be useful to prove that his favoritism is at the cost of the company's interest. I am certain that Japanese companies are much more professional in dealing with such matters.

Warm regards.