How Can We Productively Utilize Spare Time in Our HR Department? Seeking Ideas!

Current Role and Responsibilities

I am currently working in the Personnel Department of the Works Area of my PSU company. The Personnel Department in my company has other sections overseeing the Non-Works Area, such as Township, Hospital, Contract Cell, OD, Training, etc. My section handles all issues related to the production area.

Besides the routine day-to-day activities involving Industrial Relations (IR) and grievance settlement (pay-related, attendance, etc.), the section also deals with the HR Information System, issues related to disciplinary actions, and assistance with various issues related to PF, gratuity, and different forms like NOC for Passport, etc. The principal activity of our section is maintaining a peaceful IR environment within the works area.

However, things are different now, and the number of IR issues is very few. The number of other issues that my department handles is also very few. As a result, the department executives have a lot of spare time which remains unutilized.

Seeking Suggestions for Additional Activities

I would like help from the senior members of the forum to suggest possible other work to engage them (meaning my section) in something worthwhile for the company. I have already initiated a bimonthly newsletter. Kindly suggest more activities that I could involve the executives in. Your help will be most appreciated.

Regards.

Not sure how the title became "Engaging People - Disciplinary Action" since I had typed only "Engaging People." Admin, kindly look into the issue, please.

How to Engage HR People

Any insight on the subject "How to Engage HR people" will be most helpful.

Thanks & Regards

You are in an enviable position where the workload is less as there are no IR issues. Many will be willing to swap places with you. There are many things to do in your free schedule.

Review Past Activities

First, check out all previous records for any activity that was dropped due to a lack of time or where justice was not served. Take up such activities.

Enhance Safety and Training

Second, safety rules and procedures, especially in the colony, training of personnel both in the factory and the colony in safety and safe practices, emergency response, etc., are generally ignored. In some cases, health and hygiene reviews provide scope for further work.

CSR Projects

Third, if you have a CSR work budget, you can take up projects. Many of them suffer as there is no one to supervise the execution.

Engage in Committees and Forums

Fourth, take more active participation in the safety committee, quality circles, and various workman engagement forums to be aware of problems that may arise. Regular floor visits should be made to get a feel of the pulse of the workforce (if not already being done). Furthermore, such regular floor visits should check safety violations and report them to the safety officer for action.

Scrutinize Contractor Compliances

Fifth, if you have spare time, start detailed and continuous scrutiny of contractor compliances. That is an area highly neglected by all.

Hope I have added some ideas. I am sure others on this forum will put in their thoughts.

Regards

Thank you, Sir, for your suggestions. I really value them.

Well, it isn't that there are no IR problems. Small issues keep cropping up now and then, and then a big issue once in a while. We have a separate Safety department, so I would like to involve my team there, even though we are just observers in the Departmental Safety Meetings. Health and Hygiene are also part of the Safety/Production Department. Regular floor visits are an important part of our daily work schedule.

Similarly, CSR is handled by a separate department. Yes, the issue of Contract labor is an area where I personally feel much more can be done. The Contract Labor Cell is part of a different section of the Personnel department. There are areas where improvements are needed, such as building a stronger Contract Labor base and ensuring their registration. Perhaps more activities could be introduced to integrate them better as part of the alternate workforce. However, the challenge is that it falls under a different section.

Is it possible to allocate some soft jobs to be done in-house?

I share what I heard from an IR expert ages back. "If you want to solve the IR issue, take care of their child's education. Subsidize up to two kids, offering them assistance up to higher education." Wonder how true this holds in the present condition? Looking forward to hearing from our experts.

Already, Mr. Saswata Banerjee and Ms. (Cite Contribution) have given you good advice to keep your department executives active. You can organize CSR programs on a regular basis.

Organize a Blood Donation Camp

1. Organize a Blood Donation Camp quarterly - No financial implication.

Educational Initiatives

2. Send some of your executives (perhaps weekly once or twice for 1 or 2 hours per week) to the nearest government school to teach Spoken English/Computer education to the students. (Involves only some man-hours with no financial implication)

Medical and Health Activities

3. Approach the nearest Medical College and request them to organize their CSR activity in your locality. In doing so, you will gain recognition in your neighboring areas. The beneficiaries may include nearby locals and their families. You can also encourage your workers and their families to actively participate in the medical checkup/health camp. (This will have minimal financial implications)

Environmental Initiatives

4. Obtain saplings and organize a shramdan activity with the workers to plant trees in the factory/work premises.

As mentioned by Mr. Saswata Banerjee, please send them to audit all statutory compliance on a monthly basis. The observations from the audit can be rectified with the help of your team instead of directing the statutory compliance team to make corrections. This supportive approach will yield a positive response. Additionally, the labor accommodation area can be maintained with the assistance of workers under the supervision of your executives. A clean and orderly environment will boost the morale of the workers and their families.

Educational Support for Workers' Children

If your financial status permits, as suggested by Ms. (Cite Contribution), consider covering the education expenses of all workers' children (limited to 2 children for the benefit of the nation). If financially viable, implement a policy where children scoring above a certain percentage will have their tuition fees reimbursed, and the company can sponsor their higher education in their chosen field.

Contractor Documentation and Compliance

Assign your executives to thoroughly inspect the contractors and their documentation for accuracy. If necessary, guide the contractors in maintaining proper documentation to ensure compliance with statutory requirements.

Your work should complement other departments rather than compete with them. By doing so, you can avoid any issues with involvement in their tasks.