Dear Friends, I want your valuable inputs to understand how to handle an impossible HR Head. I have been working in this organization (a 13+ year-old organization with 10K+ employees) for more than 5 years. The company has had its best and worst times ever, and we have finally come out stable. However, one thing has been very consistent: the HR Head's impossible policies.
The HR department operates on its own time, as if they are in a different universe from ours.
1. Office on Saturdays: The HR Head insists that there is a serious norm in the labor laws of India that mandates office hours on Saturdays. We are forced to work 4 hours on Saturdays, even though most of our work at the Head Office is related to senior management, who are not present on Saturdays. After a prolonged struggle with HR, we managed to secure 2 non-working Saturdays (2nd & 4th), but we still must work on the remaining 2/3 Saturdays, which is completely absurd. Additionally, he speaks as if everyone in India works on Saturdays.
2. Biometric Attendance/Overtime: While the initiative to implement biometric attendance is commendable, the policy is flawed. Many departments work late nights/early mornings without receiving any overtime compensation. Moreover, they are penalized for being even a minute late the next day.
3. Delayed Appraisals: Appraisals are conducted every 6 months, but the results are not visible until 6-9 months later. Despite HR emphasizing the importance of policies and processes for fair company functionality, they do not adhere to these standards themselves, taking their own sweet time for appraisals.
4. Bias Towards Departments: HR shows clear bias towards certain departments, categorizing them as a "support function" and treating their employees as second or third grade.
5. Bell Curve Normalization: Employees' performance ratings are adjusted based on a bell curve, irrespective of their actual performance. This normalization process favors certain departments, while others are not subjected to such treatment.
6. Salary Disparity: The company has significant salary disparities, with freshers often earning more than experienced employees in the same role. The company had to increase the salaries of at least 6000 employees when the Labor department announced minimum wage for the state. Many long-serving employees with higher titles earn less than their subordinates.
Despite numerous complaints to HR, they remain unresponsive. The HR grievance hotline receives calls, but no action is taken, as grievances are not escalated to the HR Head.
Many employees, including myself, have confronted the HR Head, only to be met with evasive responses. He shifts blame to other departments, management, or even suggests resigning if employees are dissatisfied. Some have resigned due to HR's tactics, despite their managers' efforts to retain them.
I understand the dilemma of leaving a company where one has made significant contributions and enjoys a good working relationship with their manager. However, growth in terms of salary and designation is hindered by the HR Head.
I seek your advice, friends. What steps should I take? Should I file a complaint with the Labor Department or consider involving the media? I am at a loss.
Thank you.
From India, Delhi
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The HR department operates on its own time, as if they are in a different universe from ours.
1. Office on Saturdays: The HR Head insists that there is a serious norm in the labor laws of India that mandates office hours on Saturdays. We are forced to work 4 hours on Saturdays, even though most of our work at the Head Office is related to senior management, who are not present on Saturdays. After a prolonged struggle with HR, we managed to secure 2 non-working Saturdays (2nd & 4th), but we still must work on the remaining 2/3 Saturdays, which is completely absurd. Additionally, he speaks as if everyone in India works on Saturdays.
2. Biometric Attendance/Overtime: While the initiative to implement biometric attendance is commendable, the policy is flawed. Many departments work late nights/early mornings without receiving any overtime compensation. Moreover, they are penalized for being even a minute late the next day.
3. Delayed Appraisals: Appraisals are conducted every 6 months, but the results are not visible until 6-9 months later. Despite HR emphasizing the importance of policies and processes for fair company functionality, they do not adhere to these standards themselves, taking their own sweet time for appraisals.
4. Bias Towards Departments: HR shows clear bias towards certain departments, categorizing them as a "support function" and treating their employees as second or third grade.
5. Bell Curve Normalization: Employees' performance ratings are adjusted based on a bell curve, irrespective of their actual performance. This normalization process favors certain departments, while others are not subjected to such treatment.
6. Salary Disparity: The company has significant salary disparities, with freshers often earning more than experienced employees in the same role. The company had to increase the salaries of at least 6000 employees when the Labor department announced minimum wage for the state. Many long-serving employees with higher titles earn less than their subordinates.
Despite numerous complaints to HR, they remain unresponsive. The HR grievance hotline receives calls, but no action is taken, as grievances are not escalated to the HR Head.
Many employees, including myself, have confronted the HR Head, only to be met with evasive responses. He shifts blame to other departments, management, or even suggests resigning if employees are dissatisfied. Some have resigned due to HR's tactics, despite their managers' efforts to retain them.
I understand the dilemma of leaving a company where one has made significant contributions and enjoys a good working relationship with their manager. However, growth in terms of salary and designation is hindered by the HR Head.
I seek your advice, friends. What steps should I take? Should I file a complaint with the Labor Department or consider involving the media? I am at a loss.
Thank you.
From India, Delhi
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On one side, there is a long list of complaints against the HR Head. Yet, on the other hand, you have continued in this company for more than five years and have performed very well. Now, whether to continue or discontinue in this company is your call.
In your list, there are a few labor-related issues and a few HR issues. You may make a complaint to the Labor Officer for labor issues. However, for this, you will have to disclose your name, and the complaint will not be against the HR Head as such but against the company itself. Therefore, your complaint may rub top officials of your company the wrong way. Are you prepared for that?
As a middle ground, you may send a letter to the MD and other Directors of your company. This letter can be anonymous. Furthermore, covertly try to record the voice of the HR when he speaks in a group. Send the audio file along with this letter. Wait for some time to check whether any changes happen.
Last but not least, why not create a fictitious account on social forums like these and divulge the name of the company? Social media is a double-edged sword. The benefit of being in the 21st century is social media. It has given a voice to every single individual. Unless people are made aware, how will these issues improve? Social media is not just a platform to expose the wrongdoing of politicians but also for corporates. Utilize the benefits.
Thanks,
Dinesh Divekar
From India, Bangalore
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8072In your list, there are a few labor-related issues and a few HR issues. You may make a complaint to the Labor Officer for labor issues. However, for this, you will have to disclose your name, and the complaint will not be against the HR Head as such but against the company itself. Therefore, your complaint may rub top officials of your company the wrong way. Are you prepared for that?
As a middle ground, you may send a letter to the MD and other Directors of your company. This letter can be anonymous. Furthermore, covertly try to record the voice of the HR when he speaks in a group. Send the audio file along with this letter. Wait for some time to check whether any changes happen.
Last but not least, why not create a fictitious account on social forums like these and divulge the name of the company? Social media is a double-edged sword. The benefit of being in the 21st century is social media. It has given a voice to every single individual. Unless people are made aware, how will these issues improve? Social media is not just a platform to expose the wrongdoing of politicians but also for corporates. Utilize the benefits.
Thanks,
Dinesh Divekar
From India, Bangalore
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Addressing Grievances Against the HR Head
If you are not the only complainant and there are many others having similar complaints against the Head of HR, who stops you from meeting your CEO individually (through your Department Head) or even collectively? At least you can initiate an email to your CEO listing out your genuine grievances. You don't have to be anonymous if you can support your grievances with proof. Please note that proposing a solution for each grievance will make your CEO more receptive. And if your complaint is signed by many employees across the departments, it may surely carry more weight.
Approach with Intelligence and Meaning
How intelligently and meaningfully you approach the problem shall be governed by your style, but your intent should be to improve the work culture in your company, which, probably, is subjective and based on the whims and fancies of your Head of HR. You may give suggestions that introduce transparency and efficiency in the deployment of HR processes. For example, if HR is managed online and the CEO has a dashboard that gives live status of all key processes (such as tracking progress on the completion of appraisals or time-bound management by HR of employees' complaints and grievances), this may be counted as a positive suggestion. Remember, any complaint worded in the form of workable suggestions creates a positive impact and is listened to by the management as progressive input.
Dinesh, as an expert, has already given you some valuable suggestions, and I tend to agree with him.
From India, Delhi
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If you are not the only complainant and there are many others having similar complaints against the Head of HR, who stops you from meeting your CEO individually (through your Department Head) or even collectively? At least you can initiate an email to your CEO listing out your genuine grievances. You don't have to be anonymous if you can support your grievances with proof. Please note that proposing a solution for each grievance will make your CEO more receptive. And if your complaint is signed by many employees across the departments, it may surely carry more weight.
Approach with Intelligence and Meaning
How intelligently and meaningfully you approach the problem shall be governed by your style, but your intent should be to improve the work culture in your company, which, probably, is subjective and based on the whims and fancies of your Head of HR. You may give suggestions that introduce transparency and efficiency in the deployment of HR processes. For example, if HR is managed online and the CEO has a dashboard that gives live status of all key processes (such as tracking progress on the completion of appraisals or time-bound management by HR of employees' complaints and grievances), this may be counted as a positive suggestion. Remember, any complaint worded in the form of workable suggestions creates a positive impact and is listened to by the management as progressive input.
Dinesh, as an expert, has already given you some valuable suggestions, and I tend to agree with him.
From India, Delhi
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Actually, your input here in this forum should have been read by the CEO/MD and other Directors of the Organization. If what you have mentioned is correct, and many other employees also share the same view, then it is a very serious issue. If the top management is not aware of it, then it is better to find another organization to work with.
From India, Delhi
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From India, Delhi
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Thank you, Divekar, Bhatia & Agrawal, for your replies. I agree that if I/we reach out to the labor department, there will be some ripples in many aspects. I will surely look into filing a complaint, but not before communicating with our Management. An anonymous letter is a good idea; I will draft one soon to the management. A very good point regarding social media as a double-edged sword, but right now, it is not a good move for the company as it is about to bag a very prestigious project, and going public will hurt the company badly.
I/we stood with the company in its worst times, survived the storm, and also performed very well. The company is now coming back into form with a new level of elevation in our sector. At this point, when my and my fellow colleagues' hard work is paying off in bringing the company from the dead, why should I/we leave the company? Even if I/we want to leave the company, we will take what we worked hard for.
Our HR Head is closely wrapped with the CEO. I guess he feeds his brain with stories regarding us and how we are overjoyed at our lack of raise/appraisals. And that's how he/the HR department gets his/their appraisals. I have to be very strategic in conveying the message to our CEO or maybe think about connecting with our Board members.
I am still not clear on my strategy forward.
From India, Delhi
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I/we stood with the company in its worst times, survived the storm, and also performed very well. The company is now coming back into form with a new level of elevation in our sector. At this point, when my and my fellow colleagues' hard work is paying off in bringing the company from the dead, why should I/we leave the company? Even if I/we want to leave the company, we will take what we worked hard for.
Our HR Head is closely wrapped with the CEO. I guess he feeds his brain with stories regarding us and how we are overjoyed at our lack of raise/appraisals. And that's how he/the HR department gets his/their appraisals. I have to be very strategic in conveying the message to our CEO or maybe think about connecting with our Board members.
I am still not clear on my strategy forward.
From India, Delhi
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