Feeling Stuck as a New HR Professional: Should I Address Resistance or Stay Quiet?

15 days have passed since I joined this organization. No one has advised me on what to do. However, I am still trying to make things happen, but the people here are not allowing me to do so. I have prepared all the necessary letter formats, offer letters, and manuals to the best of my knowledge, but these individuals are trying to hinder my progress. I need help to overcome this situation. As an HR professional, I cannot engage in conflicts with employees. I understand that they may not want to be supervised by a newcomer. Should I ignore their resistance or should I try to listen to their concerns? Please advise me on how I should handle this challenging situation.

Seeking Guidance from Senior Colleagues

Identify someone senior in your department, if there is anybody available. When he or she is free, sit with him/her and ask, "What is your role and what were the responsibilities identified when you were hired?" Seek his or her help. Convey to them that you are keen on making a career for yourself with their guidance. Be soft and kind. Do not make any decisions without the senior's guidance. Initial skepticism will always be there. Don't lose heart. It happens to many youngsters who want to prove their skills and knowledge from day one. You may be over-enthusiastic, but others may not be. Go slow and steady. Just start with your routine jobs. When an opportunity arises, ask for guidance and clarity.

Appeal for Clear Communication

Please let me take this opportunity to appeal to members to post clear messages, giving complete details about the questioner's background and the scenario in question. Otherwise, as Saswata Banerjee says, we may not get the complete picture and give suggestions based on our perceptions.

Questions to Consider

Let me raise a few questions that arose in my mind when reading the post by Abhashetty. Is the questioner a man or woman? Is he or she a graduate or postgraduate with a background in HR? Did he or she join the firm straight after qualifying, or has he or she worked before? What is the size of the organization, and what is its structure? What's meant by "I have done all the letter formats offer letters manual as my knowledge"? Who are "these people" trying to stop him/her? Should an HR person even think of "controlling" people who work in other functional areas?

Can you provide more details as the other members have suggested? Actionable suggestions can be given ONLY after you provide the FULL details of the situation, NOT just what others are doing to you. Apparently and unknowingly, you seem to have created an impression that you are 'trying to control others'. So, you also have a bit of an 'against-the-tide' situation. I suggest going point-by-point on what Nathrao, Sundaram, and Simhan mentioned and respond; then everyone will have the facts right and clear to make suggestions.

All the Best.

Regards,
TS

Understanding Your Role and Company Size

What were you actually appointed to do? And how large is your company?

Fifteen days is hardly adequate to achieve significant changes unless the company is falling to pieces around you. So, not having done anything critical is not a threatening situation.

Seeking Advice and HR Team Dynamics

No one advises me. Okay, so is there an HR team? (I don't think so, else you would not need to make the changes). If HR is not there, and you are appointed as HR, what advice do you expect? From whom? If they knew what to do, they would probably not need you.

Actions Taken and Challenges Faced

You have made formats of letters and manuals. What exactly did you try to do after that? Who stopped you from issuing the offer letter to new employees (or did you try to issue it to existing employees)?

Qualifications and Approval Process

I do not think a fresher is qualified to make an HR handbook. Who approved the same? Did you have approval from your management/owner? Have the policies and terms in the manual been approved by them?

Understanding Company Needs

The last point I have (assuming Mr. Nathrao has correctly understood the post) - why are you trying to implement changes that are hardly consequential to the company? Have you even tried yet to understand what problems the company and the employees are facing? What do they expect you to do? What really needs to be streamlined?

Congratulations on Your New Role

I am happy to note that you got an opportunity to serve as an HR professional in a manufacturing company. Manufacturing companies offer ample scope for HR professionals to learn and grow, right from recruitment to separation. You can involve yourself in every HR activity and win the confidence of employees, your superiors, top management, government officials/inspectors, and the public at large.

As you have just joined, please study each aspect of the HR role in the company. Discuss with seniors not only in your department but also in other departments because they know the situation better than newcomers could perceive. List out the service rules and regulations, policies, whether standing orders apply, leave rules to be made, various procedures to be made, HR systems, and formats to be created, etc. You have to win their confidence to survive. "Slow and steady wins the race."

As others mentioned, please do not overreact. Provide more details about yourself, your company, and the problems so that members can offer good suggestions for your guidance.

You may contact me for any help. Please provide your email ID to send all details of policies as I have 30+ years of experience in HR, IR, Legal, and Administration Departments of manufacturing companies like Steel, Power, Chemical, Electronic, and Mines.

All the best.

Regards,
C. Neyim Khan, HR Consultant & Advocate, Ex-AGM (HR&A)

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Dear Abha Shetty, Mr. Nathrao could perhaps read your mind and has given you very appropriate advice. Mr. Neyim Khan has added to it. But I don't know how he inferred that you are in a manufacturing company. The question that comes to my mind is, what exactly did you want to do that your seniors opposed? Also, are 'these people' from HR or other departments? Remember, if you want the best advice, you have to give full details in unambiguous terms. It is like going to a doctor. Do not hide anything, even the faintest symptoms, to get the best remedy.

Thank you for your valuable suggestions. A few things I forgot to mention in the first email are that our organization's strength is 20 employees. When I came here, there was no leave policy, and all were getting 12 PL per year. I have one admin who used to take care of all HR activities, but when management appointed me for this job, he is not communicating with me much. If I ask for any help, he rudely replies, saying that I should focus on employee benefits, not the company. I am really confused. I don't know what wrong I have done. I even increased the PL from 12 to 21 and added SL and CL as well. Trust me; I have no complaints about my behavior. I am friendly with everyone, but this situation is disappointing as I don't even think about controlling anyone. I believe in friendship and goodness. They all seem to have misunderstood me. I think my colleagues believe that if an HR professional comes in, all their freedom will be lost. How can I make them trust that HR is not here to ruin their happiness or freedom? Please help me out. How can I mingle with them? I have tried a lot, but I have failed. I want to win their hearts in a good way. How can I achieve this?

Thank you.

I mean controlling in a bad way. I don't believe in this. I don't like fights and all. As I said, our company is small, and all the necessary freedom is given by management, maybe more than that. I feel like some people are misusing this. Even management thought about this and told me to make a policy. Help me, how will I handle this situation? I am losing my hope.

Understanding the Dynamics of Your New Role

First, you must realize that you have taken over the job of the admin person. He used to have all the power in the company, being in charge of HR and therefore deciding leave approvals, late records, etc. Naturally, he does not like you and never will.

Secondly, he is wrong. Your job and responsibility are towards the company and its benefits. He is not paying your salary; the company is. You will always think of the company's benefit, not the employees'. All benefits given to employees are also only for the benefit of the employer, in keeping employees satisfied and efficient. So, follow the law. If it requires 21 days leave, by all means, allow it. Don't go beyond that unless it's industry standards and therefore required to retain employees.

You are not there to win a popularity contest. You are going to be required to implement rules and policy. You can't do that while being very friendly. If you do, you will be constantly under pressure to compromise. Instead, it may be better to maintain a distance (by all means, be polite and rational).

Those who think HR is there to control are the ones who have misused the privileges and lack of control in the past. If the changes you made haven't given them the clues, then they won't get it anyway. Forget it, don't try to be friendly, just do your work.

And in case of rude behavior, you need to decide at what point you need to go and discuss this with your boss (I assume he is the owner).

Regards.

When I worked in the Productivity Services, a service function like HR, advice given during training was to be friendly but not familiar with the staff. I am sure that holds true for HR professionals as well.

Overcoming Initial Frustrations in a New Organization

Everyone feels the same frustration in the initial days at their organization. The bitter truth is they won't allow you to implement your ideas. The reason is they fear change. They are too rigid to come out of their comfort zones. You mentioned the word "fighting," but that leads to mistrust and negative competition.

The only way to win them over is to mingle with them, study their behavior, and be a good colleague. Earn their trust by helping at all levels. They will start listening to you. Then you may have the proper stage to showcase your ideas. It takes at least one year. Don't be hasty. Good luck.