Why Do People Fear HR, and Is It Bad That My Colleagues Don't? Let's Discuss!

So... I have heard many times that in other organizations when HR calls you, people get scared, but that is not the case with my organization. They are not really afraid. So, is it a good thing or a bad one... Also, why are people afraid of HR?

Employees are not afraid of HR; they are afraid of themselves. The reason being, an employee may think, "Have I done anything wrong that is unethical to the company? Did any opposite-gender colleagues raise complaints about me? Have I been involved in any sensitive or confidential issues? Or is my job under threat?" These factors can scare employees when they are called to meet HR until the real reason is known.

HR Policies and Employee Concerns

Furthermore, there are HR policies for organizational values and culture that must be followed, and even a warning from HR could have a negative impact on a career unless the issue is identified and resolved. Therefore, typically, employees are scared of HR policies being enforced against them for misconduct or other reasons, where sometimes employees act without fully understanding the consequences.

Role of HR Manuals and Engagement

HR manuals with a list of policies, procedures, dos and don'ts, along with continuous engagement with employees, will help alleviate these fears among employees. This way, they will understand that HR is there to support them.

Regards,
Thiyagu

In the good old days of Personnel Management, this department had acquired notoriety for being the "charge-sheet department." A call from this department meant something was amiss or related to discipline. Notwithstanding the evolution of personnel management to HR management, the legacy of a negative image continued. In many companies, employees interact with HR personnel at the time of selection and thereafter at the time of separation. In between, during the tenure, there is a complete void or alienation.

Even now, personnel from HR departments in big IT companies are ingratiated because they control the issue of visas. It is important to remain in the good books of HR, lest they may thwart foreign visits! Partially, the problem lies with management too. Many times, management shoots but keeps the gun on the shoulder of HR. Though HR is just a messenger, they are at the front and acquire ill fame.

Apart from controlling visas, in many IT companies, when mass termination of employees takes place, HR has to execute the role of a butcher! Just like a butcher cannot show mercy on the lamb or goat or the animal that comes in front of it, HRs in such cases have to terminate the employees within the defined time limit. Sometimes, a few HRs score brownie points from the management because they handle separations smoothly. What happened in Tech Mahindra during the termination of a techie was an exception. The woman who handled the termination blew up the whole thing, revealing what goes on inside the big IT companies!

As far as the fear of HR is concerned, things are not that bad. Not all HRs evoke fear. It depends on the type of company. You are blessed to have a good HR department wherein personnel from that department diffuse friendliness. Good to be in such a company!

Thanks,

Dinesh Divekar

The Role of HR in Employee Growth and Development

When HR adopts the motto of employee growth and development, there will be no fear of HR. HR should not maintain an exclusive distance or resemble a strict headmaster. The attitude should be friendly, professional, and unbiased. HR is a partner in employee empowerment, growth, and welfare.

If HR notices employees wanting to avoid them, then it's time to analyze and shift towards an open approach. Don't let HR gain the stigma of being a chargesheet department. Visiting HR for any reason should not feel like visiting a police station. HR needs to introspect.

The Perception of HR: Fear or Respect?

What you heard is right; people often get scared when HR makes a call. From the beginning to the present, whether it was the personnel department or the current HR, there has been an impression of the "Axe." You don't need to go far to realize this; it can be well visualized by regularly visiting our Cite HR site. Mr. Divekar has provided a critical analysis of HR and the reasons for its tarnished image. HR has been portrayed as "Yam Raj," which is understandably frightening.

There is nothing to worry about whether people fear or love HR because the very nature of the department is like this. This is a place where a person is born, nourished, punished, and metaphorically dies. It is similar to our celebrations when someone is born and our mourning when someone dies.

Why Do Some Fear HR?

Only those who have done wrong fear the HR department because they know the possible reasons for the call, even if it's just to share a pack of sweets. If you follow your duties with honesty, you need not worry about what others think. Transparency in dealings will make things better.

Reflections on HR: Past and Present

I am a retired HR professional with experience working in the good old days when it was known as the Personnel Department and in the better new days of HR as we know it now. My experience in both situations has been mixed.

In the beginning of my career, I worked under some of the best Personnel Managers in the good old days and learned a lot from them. Those were the days of strong trade unionism and industrial relations. In those good old days, the Personnel Department, although adhering to company rules and policies, took care of the people and went the extra mile for employees. The trend was not 'Save your Soul' (for SOS, I am not using the word commonly used now as it is unparliamentary but fitting), but it was protecting the company's interests for the benefit of all employees.

As times changed, new terminology emerged, and "Human Resources" replaced personnel, viewing employees as a resource. This transition brought many positive changes and also shifted the attitude of company management, consequently affecting HR behavior.

In the good old days, the management's attitude and philosophy influenced the behavior of personnel department employees. Initially, it was about control, which then transformed into empowerment, and industrial relations evolved into employee relations.

While in the good old days, the Personnel Department was not considered a cost center, globalization introduced a new management philosophy where HR became a cost center. This shift in alignment to business also altered HR's behavior towards employees, resembling old wine in a new bottle.

The HR department can be both good and bad, depending on the support and guidance received from leadership, as well as the mindset of HR professionals. The impression HR creates on employees significantly impacts its effectiveness.

This forum highlights issues raised by employees from various companies regarding negative HR behaviors. Additionally, I receive private messages about problems individuals face with HR in their companies.

The Tech Mahindra incident is not an isolated case; it reflects the current HR sensitivity towards employees as resources. The term "resource" is used as "human" seems to have been omitted.

While some companies have excellent HR practices, focusing on people's well-being and maintaining human dignity, others may fall short. In the good old days, Personnel Departments in many companies were authoritative and controlling, but entities like Tatas, Birlas, Escorts stood out as examples of excellence. There are more such companies, known for their positive HR practices both in the past and present, with the promise of more to come in the future.

Responding to raised concerns, individuals should not fear HR if they have not committed misconduct. Like employees, HR professionals face challenges, some of which others may not be aware of. Bullying behavior from HR should not be tolerated.

In conclusion, I have shared my personal experiences without bias towards any individual or company. While some may agree or disagree, all viewpoints are welcome.

With Warm Regards,

Bharat Gera

HR Consultant

[Phone Number Removed For Privacy-Reasons]

Dear HR professional colleague,

The evolution of people management

The journey of the people management function over the past 4-5 decades has seen many changes. Answering the question of whether employees are scared of HR and whether it is good or bad seems very black and white to me. There are many shades of grey in between because of the impact of insights gained in behavioral sciences and the use of technology in HR functions.

From labor management to human capital management

The olden days' Labour/Personnel Management and today's Human Capital Management (HCM) embrace what can be called 'Womb to tomb' functions—right from recruitment to retirement/termination—a life cycle of an employee. This relates to people from diverse kaleidoscopic backgrounds divided by multi-generations, skill sets, gender, and high-end cross-functional specialists with professional and technology qualifications—knowledge workers.

The role of HR in a diverse workforce

To interact with such a diverse set of people, HR has to be a person who brings the latest behavioral insights and techniques, legal bearing, and high-level conceptual thinking in devising HR policies. These policies enable organizations to knit together and stay together for the long haul to achieve their objectives in a fiercely competitive environment.

Transformation of HR roles

In the early stages of the people function, the job was heavily skewed towards discipline, disciplinary actions, individual, or mass terminations as keepers of rules and regulations. This is why truant employees were scared of HR. However, those are bygone days, and in today's professional environment, HR has greatly transformed into a people-friendly function with human behavior insights and the application and use of technology.

Disciplinary actions and terminations continue to be an organic part of HR even today. However, a humane approach and ethical considerations are seen to weigh in people decisions. In my view, a certain amount of awe (not fear) should be felt for an HR person, but to a large extent, they have come a long way to become a people's person, catalyst, and an effective link between higher management and employees at large, adding value to both.

Regards,
Vinayak Nagarkar
HR Consultant

As my learned professional friends mentioned above, if you are law-abiding, honest, and sincere in your work, why is there a need to be afraid? Management devises various policies such as safety, customer service, marketing, etc. If the policies are followed, why is there a need to be afraid? Policies are guidelines for employees to follow. If you have committed a crime, you need to be afraid of the police... as simple as that!

I had over 25 years of experience in HR, heading the function. Nobody was ever afraid of me; all were my friends. Much depends on how you project yourself in front of the rest of the employees!

Best wishes