Why aren’t HR departments trusted?

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By Macro Analyst Desk

We have all seen it or at least heard of it: the disconnect between HR departments and the employees they are supposed to protect. But why is there such a love-hate relationship throughout the office space? Many employees feel as if HR managers do not keep their best interest at heart, instead working to please the top dogs of the corporation. This sentiment makes the human resources department the target for hate and distrust, because employees feel wronged and like they are disposable. 

It does not matter which side you choose to take, there is a way to bridge these gaps and make the office space more cohesive. HR departments need to rebrand themselves and practice communication and collaboration throughout all departments of a company in order for trust to build back up. Outdated HR practices are standing in the way of unity, and many times these practices are set up by organization leaders. How can employees feel valued, when there are systems set up in place to work against them? The answer is they can’t.

“The HR profession is having an identity crisis. On the one hand, the human resource department has traditionally been responsible for ensuring the organization was protected and compliant with all employee related policies. In recent years, there has been a growing segment of the HR profession seeking to rebrand the HR department as the “People” department and center their work less around compliance and more on supporting employees and culture,” says CEO of DoorSpace Sarah M. Worthy.

Rebranding in this way not only fosters trust between all employees, but creates trust with the company itself. Many people feel like HR departments are dishonest and too-policy driven when working through issues, instead of focusing on the people behind the workplace problems. HR departments do represent the business, so when HR employees are not meeting people with care and compassion that becomes the whole sentiment of the company. How can a business be successful if even its own employees do not have trust in it? 

Communication and collaboration is the key to meshing people together and bringing about a positive workplace sentiment. HR employees need to rework their policies that benefit both the employees and the company. Perhaps talking to the employees and really diving into what is missing from an HR perspective is a great way to start. Fixing problems begins at the root, and what better way to understand the issues than talking to the people who are at the heart of them? Employees need to be greeted with care, and HR departments should try their hardest to meet that goal. Trust will build over time, but it has to start with communication across all boards. 

HR departments should also put themselves in the employees shoes. If you were an employee outside of HR how would you want to be treated? Putting yourself in this mindset can help bring people to the same level, and foster understanding on a wider scale. That’s when solutions can be made. 

“The first step HR executives need to take to solve this identity crisis is to re-imagine their own workflows and strategies to center around the employee experience instead of a list of compliance check boxes. This will require an investment in new technologies and training for HR leaders who have been slow to let go of outdated HR practices,” Worthy says. 

The whole reason there is such a disconnect is because the HR department is one-sided. There needs to be no sides. HR can work for both the company and its employees, but work has to be put in to establish healthier practices that foster open communication. Trust will not just be built blindly, but showing employees that they are heard is the first step. HR is necessary in many different ways, but it doesn’t have to be a “bad-word” within the workplace. It can be a safe space for everyone involved. What are some ways you can rework your HR department? 

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