RESPONSIBILITIES OF HR COMMUNITY
Hi everybody,
What is happening? Another BPO Staffer murdered at Bangalore! Being HR professionals, do we have any responsibility to avoid these types of occurrences? Do you think it is a million-dollar question!?
Before going to the current case, I would like to share my views as an HR person. Nowadays, a lot of BPOs are coming up in major metros. Who are all working there? Fresh graduates, those who have not got the jobs of their choice, etc. Then, what is the culture? A vehicle is coming to pick up! So, great! The female who dresses and behaves...less said the better. I have seen with my own eyes, the BPO staff girl happily smoking and chatting with her fellow male staffers in... language! Straight from college, no maturity of mind. Good salary to enjoy life! Get into some affair with some male, because at odd hours they travel together with males. At some weak moment something happens! That's it! What next?
As HR professionals, can we do something? Can we do some sort of counseling after the recruitment and before putting them on the job? At the same time making very clear about their behavior with female colleagues. Some of you may feel that this happens outside the workplace and after office hours. How are we bothered? Right? I feel we are wrong if we think like this. The work atmosphere gets polluted, the Organization gets a bad name. Is it not? Correct me if I am wrong.
This type of situation may arise at any workplace/Organization/factory. But it is easier at a BPO.
May I request you all to have a healthy discussion on this subject?
-Srinaren
From India, Bangalore
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16Hi everybody,
What is happening? Another BPO Staffer murdered at Bangalore! Being HR professionals, do we have any responsibility to avoid these types of occurrences? Do you think it is a million-dollar question!?
Before going to the current case, I would like to share my views as an HR person. Nowadays, a lot of BPOs are coming up in major metros. Who are all working there? Fresh graduates, those who have not got the jobs of their choice, etc. Then, what is the culture? A vehicle is coming to pick up! So, great! The female who dresses and behaves...less said the better. I have seen with my own eyes, the BPO staff girl happily smoking and chatting with her fellow male staffers in... language! Straight from college, no maturity of mind. Good salary to enjoy life! Get into some affair with some male, because at odd hours they travel together with males. At some weak moment something happens! That's it! What next?
As HR professionals, can we do something? Can we do some sort of counseling after the recruitment and before putting them on the job? At the same time making very clear about their behavior with female colleagues. Some of you may feel that this happens outside the workplace and after office hours. How are we bothered? Right? I feel we are wrong if we think like this. The work atmosphere gets polluted, the Organization gets a bad name. Is it not? Correct me if I am wrong.
This type of situation may arise at any workplace/Organization/factory. But it is easier at a BPO.
May I request you all to have a healthy discussion on this subject?
-Srinaren
From India, Bangalore
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Hi Srinaren,
There are no liabilities of HR people on occurrences such as the one that happened recently. Any crime or misbehavior associating one's company is an HR person's responsibility, viz, the murder by the cab driver that happened last year.
The incident that happened with Tanya is regrettable but not a responsibility of the management or the HR in any way. Counseling for fresh recruits could be induced in the induction program, and there could be counseling for distressed employees as well.
You are correct when you say that many would think that outside office affairs are none of our business. I am one of those who think that way. This is because legally there is no constraint over any employee on what they do and what they do not, other than during working hours in the office premises. It is expected of employees to adhere to moral codes of conduct which may or may not be stated in employment clauses.
Moreover, it would not be right on our part, as HR people, to get into others' personal matters. If a lady (or a gent) uses explicit/profane language, we do reserve the authority to take action (up to termination of employment), or just let it go with a warning.
The best solution to the issue under discussion is to make the profiling part in recruitment stronger, to check the emotional maturity of prospective hires.
I hope all my remarks do not offend anyone, and if they do, it was totally unintentional.
PL&E
vnd
From United States, San Diego
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There are no liabilities of HR people on occurrences such as the one that happened recently. Any crime or misbehavior associating one's company is an HR person's responsibility, viz, the murder by the cab driver that happened last year.
The incident that happened with Tanya is regrettable but not a responsibility of the management or the HR in any way. Counseling for fresh recruits could be induced in the induction program, and there could be counseling for distressed employees as well.
You are correct when you say that many would think that outside office affairs are none of our business. I am one of those who think that way. This is because legally there is no constraint over any employee on what they do and what they do not, other than during working hours in the office premises. It is expected of employees to adhere to moral codes of conduct which may or may not be stated in employment clauses.
Moreover, it would not be right on our part, as HR people, to get into others' personal matters. If a lady (or a gent) uses explicit/profane language, we do reserve the authority to take action (up to termination of employment), or just let it go with a warning.
The best solution to the issue under discussion is to make the profiling part in recruitment stronger, to check the emotional maturity of prospective hires.
I hope all my remarks do not offend anyone, and if they do, it was totally unintentional.
PL&E
vnd
From United States, San Diego
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Hi VN Dixit,
Thanks for your early response. You are right in saying that it is none of our business to get into one's personal/private lives outside office hours. Legally, HR personnel cannot take any action regarding activities outside of office hours. However, don't you think it is our social and moral responsibility as Human Resources managers to educate, counsel, and guide new recruits who have just graduated from college with many misconceptions?
Anyway, thank you for your opinion. I have introduced this current topic for discussion within the HR community and am eager to see the responses from others.
Srinaren
From India, Bangalore
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Thanks for your early response. You are right in saying that it is none of our business to get into one's personal/private lives outside office hours. Legally, HR personnel cannot take any action regarding activities outside of office hours. However, don't you think it is our social and moral responsibility as Human Resources managers to educate, counsel, and guide new recruits who have just graduated from college with many misconceptions?
Anyway, thank you for your opinion. I have introduced this current topic for discussion within the HR community and am eager to see the responses from others.
Srinaren
From India, Bangalore
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Hi Srinaren!
I do agree with Mr. Dixit. No matter how much we would like to, no one would appreciate if you meddled in personal matters. Two people might meet in the office and may have an affair, and after some time, get married too. We cannot be a moral guide for grown-ups (even though you may suspect their mental maturity).
What you think is acceptable to you may not be acceptable to some others. It is a matter of perception. As an HR professional, one must focus on larger issues. By that, I don't mean that you should ignore the minor issues (or for that matter that I am terming the entire incident as trivial). I would not respond to such a situation if it did not disturb the office decorum or is called for by one of the employees.
I am looking forward to your response.
Regards,
Shyamali
From India, Nasik
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I do agree with Mr. Dixit. No matter how much we would like to, no one would appreciate if you meddled in personal matters. Two people might meet in the office and may have an affair, and after some time, get married too. We cannot be a moral guide for grown-ups (even though you may suspect their mental maturity).
What you think is acceptable to you may not be acceptable to some others. It is a matter of perception. As an HR professional, one must focus on larger issues. By that, I don't mean that you should ignore the minor issues (or for that matter that I am terming the entire incident as trivial). I would not respond to such a situation if it did not disturb the office decorum or is called for by one of the employees.
I am looking forward to your response.
Regards,
Shyamali
From India, Nasik
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Hi Shyamali,
Thanks for your response. Nobody, including you and me, will accept or tolerate somebody's interference in our private life! You are right! But what I am trying to put across through these columns is, as HR professionals, can we include some counseling during their orientation program? You may argue that they are not kids and their elders might have already been telling them about moral values, etc. But if this counseling is done at the time of orientation, I personally feel that it may help to some extent.
I have an overall industrial experience of about 30 years. For the first time in my career, I have taken up this HR responsibility wholly because all these days HR was part of my job. I have worked in Production, Planning, etc., and HR was part of my job. Being a top management person, many times I have counseled people about things like this, and you will be surprised that I have a success rate of 99%.
In any case, I appreciate your response and am looking forward to the views of my other HR community.
Thanks
-Srinaren
From India, Bangalore
Acknowledge(0)Amend(0)
Thanks for your response. Nobody, including you and me, will accept or tolerate somebody's interference in our private life! You are right! But what I am trying to put across through these columns is, as HR professionals, can we include some counseling during their orientation program? You may argue that they are not kids and their elders might have already been telling them about moral values, etc. But if this counseling is done at the time of orientation, I personally feel that it may help to some extent.
I have an overall industrial experience of about 30 years. For the first time in my career, I have taken up this HR responsibility wholly because all these days HR was part of my job. I have worked in Production, Planning, etc., and HR was part of my job. Being a top management person, many times I have counseled people about things like this, and you will be surprised that I have a success rate of 99%.
In any case, I appreciate your response and am looking forward to the views of my other HR community.
Thanks
-Srinaren
From India, Bangalore
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