In any organization, the Human resource Management (HRM) function is one of the most important. Small or large, every organization has to take good care of its most important assets – people, and this is the most important responsibility of the HRM function.
While HRM practices to a large extent are implemented keeping in mind the well-being of the employees, unwittingly or otherwise, some inconsistencies do occur and some mistakes are eventually made. In this post, I’d like to talk about some of those.
Too much engagement:
While employee engagement is a very important responsibility, some organizations tend to overdo it, making the employees breathless. Too many SKIP level meetings, too many reviews, too many counseling sessions – all these keep the employees from doing what they are supposed to be doing – their job.
A quote by the great American poet and naturalist Henry David Thoreau, “that government is best which governs least,” seems apt here. The job of the HRM function is to ensure that employees perform to their best; not interrupting them and keeping them from their responsibilities.
Not listening to employees:
This is another common mistake. Most organizations communicate with their employees; that is not in doubt. However, for the most part, this so-called communication only entails talking to them.
Remember, communication cuts both ways; listening to employees is as much a part of communication as telling them something is. Organizations should give their employees avenues and channels to communicate with the management if they need anything.
Hiring out of turn:
This is something yours truly has been a victim of. Sometimes, the HR recruits someone who is not required. Maybe they got a requisition from some functional manager for a role that was not required later.
Maybe they delayed recruitment by which time the position became obsolete. Whatever the reason, the HR sometimes hires someone who doesn’t have a place in the organization only to later apologize and let the person go.
We’ll see more mistakes in the next part. Till then, make sure you don’t commit any of these yourself.
