Feeling Isolated as HR: How Can I Rebuild Trust and Address Employee Concerns?

I'm working in an IT company as a Solo HR for the past three years. Everything was working fine, but recently, employees have become very dissatisfied with the company policies. I made some changes to the leave policy and introduced a marriage gift policy where we give cash as a gift. However, one employee suggested that the company should offer 20-30 days of paid leave for marriage, which I believe is not feasible. No company can provide 20-30 days of paid leave for marriage.

A few days ago, my boss (the owner of the company) and I decided to arrange a workshop, requiring everyone's presence. I announced that if anyone wanted to take leave on that day, they should let us know. One employee said he needed leave and would confirm later. The next day, I asked him if he required leave, and he said no, but added that he might take it on an urgent basis. I asked him not to take leave on that day. He then commented on the numerous rules and regulations being imposed on them.

Nowadays, whatever I say, they think HR is imposing rules and regulations. They believe I'm doing this to irritate and bind them, showing my power as HR. Everyone is against me. One person, in particular, continuously says I'm imposing rules. He is an experienced and valuable resource for our company and strongly opposes the leave policy, marriage gift policy, and workshop activity. I used to have a good relationship with him.

Everyone is against me, and I need a solution for how to cope with this situation. I've talked to them and tried to explain, but it's of no use. Please suggest some ways to find a solution to this problem.

Regards,

Nisha Sharma

[Email Removed For Privacy Reasons]

This is a common problem that all HR professionals face in their respective domains, so don't worry. Could you please provide information on:

- Your company's employee count?
- The industry in which your company operates?

Thanks and Regards,
Prakash Perumal

I felt a little sad to hear about your case. I can only imagine that it must be very difficult to go through such a situation. However, you need to stay positive and do something about it. Here are a few options I could think of:

a) Talk to your senior and ask him to arrange a meeting with the employees and discuss the issues they are facing.

b) Conduct an employee survey and see what issues are faced by the employees. Pick up the top 3 issues and discuss them with your boss.

c) Make an employee welfare committee with 5-7 employees and let the employees nominate the representatives. Discuss all the points with the committee and see if you can come up with some changes in the present policies and rules.

d) Discuss the issues with an external consultant and see what low-cost employee engagement activities could be done.

Remember that these issues are common for most HR people, and you don’t have to take them personally. People have expectations or grudges against you because of your role and not because of you. So leave the job worries at work and don’t carry them to your home. I am sure in some time things would be better.

All of us at citeHR support your efforts and appreciate your hard work and sentiments! All the best!

Thank you for your suggestions!

Employee's Count: 15-20 employees
Industry: IT Industry

The team is relatively small, which is why I am feeling quite tense. All employees have direct access to the owner. Initially, my boss (the owner) always supported me in their presence, and employees acknowledged that only in front of him. However, now they seem to be against me, but they are not expressing this to my boss. I prefer to handle this situation independently and do not wish to involve my boss.

@Atul Sharma, you are correct in pointing out that they hold grudges against my role, not against me personally. However, spending the entire day with colleagues holding grudges is challenging. Despite numerous attempts to address the issues in my capacity as HR, they remain unresponsive. They have made several mistakes in their work, resulting in my boss reprimanding them. Consequently, they perceive me as the one constantly complaining about them.

It is worth mentioning that there is one junior employee who has been with the organization for only 1.5 years. She does not communicate with me at all – no interactions, greetings, or acknowledgments. Should I consider taking any professional action against her? This situation impacts my reputation and position. If employees do not comply or show respect, I fear losing my standing in the office, jeopardizing my position with the boss.

Regards,
Nisha Sharma

[Email Removed For Privacy Reasons]

It is a little sad to hear this. I hope you have a good rapport with your boss. If yes, just discuss with your boss about the employee's behavior in a gentle manner and try to make him understand that it is not healthy for you and your organization too. If your boss feels it is not good for your company, then he can take action to resolve the employee's behavioral issues. But one thing is very important, Nisha, don't show the loss of your dignity due to the employee's behavior in front of your boss. Because you are an HR professional who can never lose their dignity. Just establish some good systems that will help the employees understand more about you. For instance:

Weekly Rapport Meeting

Daily Initiative Employee Program

These systems will help resolve your problems. And finally, do not lose your confidence; just try to influence the upcoming employee generation to follow your systems. Don't worry about the existing generation; then automatically your boss will identify the employees who do not respect you and your system.

So, all the best for a healthy work environment!

Thanks and Regards,

Prakash Perumal

Thank you, Prakash Perumal, for your advice. It seems I have to discuss it with my boss. The reason for not discussing this with him is that he is already very busy with projects and tense due to all the mistakes made by the team. Now that the team is performing well, I have a doubt. If I discuss this with him, he may think I always complain about them and that I'm not able to handle a few people in the organization.

Thank you once again for boosting my morale.

Regards,
Nisha Sharma

It's just that some people take time to accept someone as a senior, especially the older ones and those influenced by them. It's a common occurrence in most companies, and I guess it happens with all people who enter a company in a good position. If someone doesn't greet you, it's their attitude problem. At your position, this should not bother you. Rather, you should ignore them completely. All employees are supposed to interact with or seek help from HR, no matter what position they hold. So keep up your smile and do whatever is good for your company. Just remember, your boss should not find anything negative or immature in your behavior. All the best.

Regards,
Preety Jindal
SS HRM
Manpower Recruitment and Outsourcing
Gurgaon

Thank you, Preety, for commenting on this. Yes, it is very true that my boss should not find anything negative or immature in my behavior, and I'm following it to the very extent because my company is in a reformation stage. Everything has changed now. That's why so many problems arise. One thing my boss made very clear is that in the company, only those who work hard will stay.

Regards,
Nisha Sharma

Role of HR as a Bridge

As we all know, HR plays the role of a bridge between management and employees. Many times, HR is assumed to be on the management side as it's the only means of issuing rules, regulations, and framing policies.

Looking over the present situation and appreciating your effort to solve the issue on your own seems like a nice gesture. I would like to say that HR has to work very strategically in every aspect and always look for a win-win situation to maintain their position smartly or else face criticism from either side.

Forming an Internal Committee

I appreciate the idea of a few members who have decided to form an internal committee, including employees, before passing any rules or at least allowing them to have a say in any rules to be formed or discussed briefly. This will help prevent opposition afterward. To avoid such situations in the future, it is better to include impactful or senior members. Involving impactful members in your decisions will ensure your voice is heard in the future as well.

Discussing Benefits with Employees

In the current situation, it is essential to discuss the pros and cons of the benefits you are providing in a way that resonates with them and shows that you have done your best. One of the most frustrating positions is when HR is perceived to engage in backbiting by saying something in front and implementing harsh rules in the background, which can make HR seem like the enemy. To avoid this, have discussions or provide better benefits to show you are not against them but are working for their benefit.

Addressing Non-Responsive Members

Regarding the new member who is not responding well, it is important to understand the reasons behind their behavior. Forcing someone will not earn their respect. Try to address their concerns, have a conversation with them, and try to understand their perspective.

Your Role as a Respected HR Professional

In the past years, you have been a great HR professional, and it is evident that they like you as a member. However, recent changes and some unnoticed issues may have caused their behavior.

My best wishes to you. Your team is waiting for you to alleviate their concerns, both emotional and professional, as you have done in the past. You can resolve this issue by winning the hearts of your employees. Implement some strategies that may be missing currently but were effective before. Be empathetic, take time to understand those who are most affected, ask for their input on solutions, and try to make necessary changes without compromising policies. Once you feel they are ready, conduct a feedback survey to address their issues and ensure everyone is on the same page.

Have a nice day.

The problem you are facing is quite challenging, but please understand that trying to solve each employee's problem individually may not necessarily help you. The policies and procedures you are implementing should have prior approval from your boss, especially since it is a small company. Once you have your boss's approval, display all notices in front of the employees. I am advising this because those who oppose your rules will likely disapprove of the policies. Your main action should be to take their disapproval signature on the same notice paper that you circulated with options for YES or NO. If they genuinely want to work with the company, they may hesitate to sign as they know you will show this notice letter to the boss.

In any organization, these kinds of situations can arise, but usually, there are only one or two serious opponents, while the rest are more likely to take advantage of the situation.

Regards,
Sonali

The problem you are facing is quite challenging, but please understand that if you try to solve every employee's problem individually, it will not be beneficial. The policies and procedures you are implementing should have prior approval from your boss, especially in a small company. Once you have your boss's approval, make sure to display all notices in front of the employees. I am advising you to do this because those who oppose your rules are likely to disapprove of the policy. Your main action should be to gather disapproval signatures from them on the same notice paper that you circulated, with options for YES or NO. If they truly wish to continue working for the company, they may hesitate to sign as they know you will show this notice letter to the boss.

In any organization, such situations may arise, but usually, there are only 1 or 2 serious opposers, while the rest are just "situation advantage takers".

Regards,
Sonali