I have read a few articles in the last few weeks accusing HR professionals of losing their human touch.
Whilst that really makes me wince, I can see why this might happen.
In our quest for ensuring a business is protected, any HR expert worth their salt would recommend setting up robust policies and procedures. And quite right too – these remain essential in ensuring employees are dealt with fairly and appropriately.
However, how you interpret the policies and work with individuals is the crux. Clearly everybody is different, and as a business owner you will want to judge each case on its own merit.
When we talk to clients about problems they are experiencing with an individual it nearly always boils down to communication. We know that if we can encourage people to sit down together and talk through an issue it can very often be resolved.
In essence, we are talking about being human. Not getting so caught up in what a piece of paper says that you forget to interact with people. Not taking into consideration other factors. Not being robotic in following procedures and systems without looking up.
So whilst I am not suggesting you should throw out the policies, I do want you to remember to embrace being human…