Professional Documents
Culture Documents
2. Make your role known. Oftentimes, employees misunderstand how HR operates. They believe that
HR information is "confidential." They believe that HR should be "on their side." Then, when they don’t
get what they expect, they come to mistrust the entire HR function. How do we combat this
phenomenon? Advertise your job, including your mission, your role, and your services. Make it known
how you handle "confidential" information. Don’t be afraid to do a little education about the HR world.
The more they know, the more they trust and respect you.
3. Get your ducks in a row. The quickest way to lose credibility with a workforce is to make mistakes.
Not meeting deadlines, making "minor" errors, and not following through on promises will come back
to haunt you every time. HR is watched by many eyes. We cannot afford to be sloppy or incomplete.
4. Constantly ask for feedback. I’m amazed at how many HR departments have no idea (or no
interest) in how they are perceived by their customers. Conduct annual surveys and customer focus
groups to find out what your employee customers think. Pursue continuous improvement as a result of
the feedback. Those who are always getting better are always more respected.
5. Know your stuff. In this complex, litigious world, we cannot afford to be out of the loop. Respected
professionals continuously learn and stay up on the trends and issues of their industry. If you can’t
attend regular HR-related conferences, at least read the journals. HR Magazine and Workforce are
great sources that will keep you up-to-date on what’s happening in our world. If you aren’t up to date,
why would employees want to come to you for answers?
HR departments will continue fighting for credibility and respect if they don’t address these simple
things. All the analysis and documentation in the world can’t change the fact that it’s the little things
that will get you!