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The vast majority of employers that I
talk to say they have great employee relations. The good news is that most
of them are right. The scary news is that some of them are in denial or
oblivious to major problems. Good human resource (HR) departments and
managers with a true open-door program should have their fingers on the
pulse on the well being of the corporate community. They should be able to
detect early warning signs and take corrective action quickly.
This
doesn't always happen. Managers can get caught up in meeting their goals and
forget that they are relying on real human beings who just work for a living
not for their lives. They can overload them without even realizing it.
That's where alert and accessible HR and management can play a vital role.
This is challenging for small to mid-sized companies. I've seen more than
one organization where someone who has grown into the job fills the HR
function. This can be great when that person is given the appropriate
training or it may be a disaster when they are not trained. One organization
I know of grew from several people to hundreds over a period of years with
the same HR person. This was great for continuity but not for employee
relations when that HR director focused only on complying with the laws of
the land and didn't really care about the individual people for whom he was
responsible. Morale suffered severely until a change was made.
An open door policy is a
powerful safety valve for problems. You will know if the policy is working
if anyone can safely and comfortably walk into a top executive's office and
talk about an issue that might otherwise jeopardize their job. Prevention is
the better part of good employee relations. Policies provide a framework,
training and culture are vital elements, and exemplary leadership by all of
management is the ultimate key. Hire the best people you can and train them
well. Make sure that everyone knows that your people are the most important
resource that you have.
Remember that employees are
people not machines. They have:
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Ambitions that can be
stirred.
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Pride that can be hurt.
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Nerves that can be
shattered.
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Hopes that can be
realized.
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