It's a commonly held belief that HR exists to protect the company, not to help employees. As an employee, especially one young in their career, that can be difficult to digest, and will often disincentivize people from reaching out to HR when they need it most.
Reading through a plethora of HR articles, you will see a repeated sentiment: companies exist to make money. Alright, fair. I think it's hard to disagree with that. However, companies' philosophies on how they meet that end goal vary widely: whether your company culture is more individualistic or collaborative; whether turnover is high due to rigorous benchmarks or employee longevity is more of a focus; whether there is a flat vs top-down company structure, and so forth. It's difficult to put one method versus another on a pedestal, as different things work for different people, different industries, different ethoses. However, a few things may be generally agreed upon:
Employee turnover is expensive, so keeping your successful employees for as long as possible helps the bottom line
Happy employees perform better and are more loyal than unhappy employees
We work best when we are empowered and supported by our bosses
Keeping this in mind, here is one young worker's thoughts on how human resources can play an integral part in helping the company thrive, the profitability soar, while still championing their employees and creating a safe and inclusive environment for all to be heard.
Be as impartial as possible
Opt for hiring an outside HR consultancy such as Culture Scapes instead of delegating the job to someone not well versed in HR, or someone too close to the core business. For example, maybe the CEO's significant other or the CEO themselves isn't the best person to plop in the HR seat, as it will be harder for them to take a step back and look at situations with a degree of impartiality. While protecting the company is critical, knowing your employees feel protected by you creates an environment where employees are more likely to do right by you. If an employee has an issue with upper management, odds are they aren't going to feel safe to voice that to someone in upper management themselves without fear of retaliation (and remember: that's illegal!). So save yourself a lawsuit and an extra headache or two - hire someone a few degrees removed.
Happy employees = happy company
Happy Companies published an article by Ph.D. Psychologist Dr. Cassidy Jenkins, detailing how happy employees fuel productivity and profit. It's not rocket science, but it may as well be for how few companies truly embrace this mentality. Think back through your own work experience - what kind of job have you had where you begrudgingly wake up every day to drag yourself through another day of doing something you hate, around people you don't like. Did you perform as your best self then? Did you envision a future at said company? Compare that to a job you've felt energized to go to, one where you can make a tangible impact, one where you like your coworkers and maybe even make some lasting friendships. The correlation between good work and cared-for employees is clear, but this quote from Happy CEO, James Lawrence, speaks to it pretty perfectly: "Happy employees are the engine of innovation and customer satisfaction. Their happiness translates directly into competitive advantage."
Take your selection for HR leadership as seriously as your operations leadership. Your investment in someone who has the EQ to build trust and confidence among employees is just as crucial as a person who has the tactical skills to execute an HR strategy. Prioritize having a person who will represent the ‘voice of the people’ at the leadership table. Invest in their tools to ensure their representation aligns with the true (read:current) thoughts and feelings of your populations. You’ll find this investment pays dividends.
Contact Culture Scapes for all of your HR needs. Reach out to hello@culturescapeshr.com for a free consultation.
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