Can You Trust HR in Tough Times?

It's the age old question - can you trust HR?  With anything?

Lisa Takeuchi Cullen thinks you probably shouldn't; check out this post at Work in Progress, her blog at Time.com:

"Over the past few years, my employer has imposed a few rounds of layoffs. During the run-up, we were encouraged to visit with our human resources department if we wanted to inquire about taking a package. We were assured absolute, air-tight, witness-protection-program secrecy if we chose to do so. Who needs our bosses knowing we're entertaining an exit?

Quite a few of my colleagues did visit with HR. Then a funny thing happened. A few of them found that some management types dropped by to nonchalantly express their appreciation of the staffer's work.

Now, you have to understand my workplace culture to truly comprehend how completely weird that is. Where I work, bosses do not randomly drop in to tell you you're fab. My colleagues suspected an HR leak to management. I don't think they were being paranoid.

In these times of trouble, is HR your friend? Or can you ever trust a department that, after all, reports to the same master?"

The perception is sad but real, and at times, accurate.   After all, HR people are just that - people.  We have strong ones, weak ones, political ones, etc.   I think whether you can trust HR in any circumstance depends on the track record of the HR Pro you are dealing with.  What have you witnessed from them to that point?  As behavioral interviewers, we'll tell you straight up that past behavior is the best predictor of future performance.  It applies here...

For what it's worth, here's my approach with confidential information.  An employee comes to me and wants to have a confidential discussion about anything - a prospective job, their manager, etc., I let them know I'm happy to do it, but my ability to keep the information purely confidential is dependent on the topic.  I then give them an idea of the topics I couldn't keep confidential (harassment, etc.)

If they're still in, we have the conversation.  I try and help out any way I can.  We'll talk and I'll try to give them options, and tell them how I can help with their approval.

Then I lock the info down post-conversation.  It's what you have to do if you want to have credibility with a workforce.

Can you trust HR in tough times?  It's an individual question based on your HR Pro.  Just remember, past behavior is the best predictor of future performance...

Comments

[Greg Davis]

Managers should know if an employee is considering a package. They work as a team with HR. If you can't trust management to not hold it against an employee for exploring options, you had better take a hard look at who you are allowing to manage your firm.

[Wally Bock]

I really like your approach, Kris. Telling someone in advance what kinds of secrets you can keep puts the decision on sharing, and perhaps on confidentiality, right where it ought to be, in their hands.

[Andres V Acosta, SPHR]

Spot-on post. HR can't keep everything secret, but we can be forthright and straight-up. I especially like the advice: "lock the info down post-conversation. It's what you have to do if you want to have credibility with a workforce."

[KD]

Greg -

Agree with your point, but I think the real issue is the expectations employees have of a HR pro, not whether it is appropriate to share or not.

If it's communicated (or implied) that employees can seek confidential counsel with HR, then it needs to be confidential. Or the HR pro can always describe their intent before the conversation gets cranked up....

Thanks - KD

[Greg Smith]

HR managers have an important job. The sad truth this article states, and my research proves, is most people just don't trust them. I work as a consultant with many organizations and I am hearing more and more complaints from the workforce. Here is one quote on a recent survey we conducted:

"Talking to HR is similar to talking to the police, . . . you'd feel better if you had an attorney present."

My company conducted a survey recently and asked 691 people "Do they trust their HR department?"

The results were surprising.

Though this was not a scientific survey, it shows a major difference of opinion exists between what HR thinks they are doing, and how the workforce perceives it. The most striking finding is only 48.9% of executives (Non-HR) trust their own HR department. This is echoed by managers (Non-HR) who reported only 48.6% trust their HR department.

The survey allowed each respondent the opportunity to provide one suggestion to their HR Department. Many of the suggestions and comments reveal the skepticism people have.

Survey is available at:
http://www.chartcourse.com/hrtrustsurvey.html

Greg Smith
President
Chart Your Course International