With an objective of making HR a recognized sector as well as learning among professionals, Real Solutions has initiated HR Kurakani since last few years. On November 24, 2010, HR professionals as named below from diverse organizations joined together to give their personal and professional reactions on the topic.
Mr. Shailendra Raj Giri, Managing Director of Real Solutions Pvt. Ltd. started the session with the welcome note and presented a brief summary of HR Kurakani held on previous months. The major highlights of the program are as follows:
HR Activities
HR activities can be viewed from various angles such as recruitment, selection, salary, performance appraisal and more to analyze and discuss on the topic. Further, understanding the sensitivity of information is required to determine the way of disseminating information to various groups.
Three Factors
The participant discussed that HR as open and closed door affairs depend on three factors: out of organization, within the organization and the management or the board. Managing the information is one of the challenges HR personnel have been facing in the organization. The major point that everyone agreed on is the transparency of policies, process, HR decisions, documents etc while considering HR as a close or open door affairs.
For instance, transparency in recruitment and selection process meeting the criteria would create trust among people towards the company. Similarly, openness in this activity would help to attract perfect people for the organization. Further, it supports employer branding simultaneously. It is seen that many organizations prefer recruitment and selection without disclosing their name. The case is same with performance appraisal scores and other activities. In these cases, HR is a closed door. The participants further emphasized that in some way HR is better to remain either closed door or open door depending on the circumstances. HR being informative would help to tackle and justify all situations.
HR Personnel Role
HR personnel should listen to the people in the organization. HR being closed door wouldn't get core information that is required for improving HR activity in the organization. Until and unless HR personnel would get information (complains, success stories, etc) from the member of organization, HR wouldn't be able to think for their improvement and development. Further, openness in HR activities with clear vision and process such as employer branding, recruitment and selection process etc would bring confidence to insiders and outsiders as well as self satisfaction to HR personnel as well. Hence, it is concluded that the more transparent HR is, more success HR would gain.
HR role is utmost in making HR affairs effective and efficient. HR personnel must gain confidence and trust among organizational member by maintaining confidentiality of matters. If he/she doesn't maintain it, they themselves close the door. When HR policy or strategy is developed it has been a closed door policy whereas when it comes to the functional level, it has been always an open door policy.
The participants agreed that the information HR person disseminates on various process and activities as well as the way he/she flows the information actually present HR affairs as both a closed door and open door among the member within the organization, outside the organization and the management. Here, trustworthiness of HR is the key aspect.
HR people should be very sensible in dealing with people and issues. The way HR personnel handles the situation plays an important role in the organization.
Line Managers Role
The level of openness in HR affairs also depends on the line managers. The communication process of HR activities and policies becomes easier and effective when line managers are well aware of HR policies and process. Openness in information with the team members and the way of dealing with them would help to enhance the performance of the department and vice versa. HR could facilitate through orientation, coordination, meeting, trainings etc to line manager.
Employer's Attitude
Even though HR personnel make every effort either closed or open, it will not succeed until and unless it matches with employer’s attitude. If HR cannot control or give proper reaction to the issue then employee would not confide on HR personnel. HR personnel have to be aware of not raising expectations by the employees. Further, the habit of asking comments should be eliminated rather asking for recommendations on options sound better.
The participants agreed that HR should be closed door ffairs in the information regarding future plan of the organization, employee’s information and other sensitive information. The response to the outsiders in recruitment policy should always be an open door affair.
In conclusion, HR being informative and their attitude, behavior as well as how HR orient to management and employee are major factors to determine HR as a closed or open door affairs. HR activities can either be a closed door or an open door affair but it is good if HR could be an open door affair so that all the activities would be transparent.
