HR for HR?

Cinderella

I've searched the archives but have come up empty handed on this one. I have had "unofficial" complaints from probably 5 or 6 people over the course of a year about the HR Manager. They say she's cold, moody, unfriendly and unapproachable. They (yes, all) complain that they do not trust her enough to go to her with workplace concerns/problems and one has even complained of the HR Manager telling their manager that he did something that he did not (instead of going to him first to see if her "suspicions" were correct--they weren't). Even though I feel I have an okay working relationship with my HR Manager, I do not feel comfortable telling her that people have complained about her. I have suggested to the "complainers" that they talk with her but they all refuse. While I can definetely see what they are saying (she is, infact, very cold, moody, unfriendly and unapproachable--unless you get to know her really well and stay on her good side) there is no way that I could possibly bring this to her attention without being extremely uncomfortable. Any thoughts? Where's the HR for HR?!

Margaret Morford

Do not talk to your boss about her behavior. It's a CLE! (Career Limiting Event)

Who does the HR Manger report to? Suggest the complainers go to that person to talk about the HR Manager's behavior. That person would be the one to deal with the HR Manager's behavior.

Margaret Morford
theHRedge
615-371-8200
[email]mmorford@mleesmith.com[/email]
[url]http://www.thehredge.net[/url]

moneyman

We have a similar situation where most employees do not trust the HR Manager. She has been known to pass on items "in confidence" and no one wants to seek advice. Also, she has been known to pass on wholly incorrect information so that people do not even have confidence in her abilities. Supervisors have mentioned these incidents to her direct supervisor, the CEO, however those "complaints" have fallen on deaf ears. We just seem to be living with it for now and are waiting for HR to hang herself with her actions.

njjel

I have one for you all.....Who do you report similar conduct to when it's a management team member and their boss is your boss also?

Gillian

Every field has people who are good, bad and indifferent, however, given the necessity of HR to work in the area of communication/relationships/problem solving etc., having someone who is not effective doesn't do anyone any good. Eventually, these individuals move on or are moved on.

Cinderella

Thanks for the thoughts everyone. The HR Manager reports to the CEO so...I don't know about you guys but around here the CEO doesn't "want to hear it" if you know what I mean. So who knows at this point. But I do feel better about my decision NOT to talk to her about it.
Cinderella

Crout

Tell everyone who asks that she's the greatest person you've ever known, that you can't understand why anyone in their right mind would have any problem whatsoever with her, BUT that if lightning DID strike, and someone did detect a slight flaw in her personality they should take it up with her directly, or her supervisor. You want to stay out of that loop as much as you can.

Pork

Cinderella, Are you a peer; how is it that you are on this net and not the HR Manager or the boss of the HR Manager; does she also participate in this forum or have access to this forum within your network? This might just be the right place to drop the information! If I were you I would get miles away from this person sitting in an HR Manager position. In order to be effective as an HR one must be just the opposite of the characteristics you identified. Must be the CEO's personal "hatchetman/person", I have been there and seen your situation; I was taken in by the "hatchman" and 182 days later after a promotion to a higher position my position was waxed and I faced the UNemployed line one more time. They (hatchet man as HRs) are dangerous people and should be eliminated in more ways than one. The CEO was made to wax the "hatchetman" only after the board of Dirctors had heard and seen enough. I did not seek legal remedy only because the CEO was my personal friend of high school and college days. He listened, when I left but he did not change his decision to keep the hatchman instead of me. Needless to write my so called "friend" is and was not who I thought he was. Good luck, Pork

Cinderella

Pork,
I access this website from my home, my manager has nothing to do with it. You don't have to pay to post....

Paul in Cannon Beach

Heres a suggestion. Ask this HR manager if she would be willing to LEAD a seminar on interpersonal relationships and communication skills. Tell her that all employees would be really interested in that and would greatly benefit from a seminar like that. Make her feel like a real expert on the subject.

The time she will have to take researching the subject and putting together the workshop might cause her to change her own behavior.

Human beings have this strange compulsion to be consistent. Once she has given this seminar, it might make it very uncomfortable for her not to practice what she has preached.

[email]paulknoch@hotmail.com[/email]

Cinderella

That's a GOOD one Paul!
Cinderella

dhnyct

Preparing to lead a seminar on interpersonal skills SHOULD be beneficial, except when the proposed leader is blind to personal faults. I've seen people present a program on "open communication" and continue their own "closed door" practices.

Paul in Cannon Beach

True... There is probably no perfect or fool-proof solution for this particular dilemma.

My suggestion was based partly on my understanding of human behavior and my own personal experience. Whenever I have taught a workshop on a particular subject, I feel like it has greatly increased my own awareness and sensitivity to the subject matter.

[email]paulknoch@hotmail.com[/email]