Just as employees need to take criticism constructively, management needs to do the same. When used constructively, criticism is the strongest building block of improvement.
This brings up another important part of keeping employees happy, which is making sure that they feel secure. Employees need to know that they can come to management with a complaint, or even to blow the whistle on another employee's misconduct, without fear of being fired or punished in some other way. According to Wiscomble (2002) some of the most successful companies in the world, including Fed Ex and TWA have these types of "open door policies" which allow employees to speak with any manager in the company about problems they may be experiencing, instead of just being limited to interactions with their immediate supervisor. This is particularly important when the immediate supervisor is the one that the employee needs to complain about or blow the whistle on. Also important is the opportunity for anonymity. As Wiscomble (2002) explains, "For HR, setting up channels and other mechanisms that not only allow but also promote healthy, open communication can involve sorting through a great deal of information. It can mean training managers throughout the organization to fully understand and encourage candid employee comments. And it can entail implementing more effective solutions for receiving feedback such as conducting anonymous employee surveys and setting up confidential help lines" (pp. 29-30).
Whistle blowing has become a front burner topic in recent years, primarily because of the ethical issues involved. Those who want to report the misdeeds of an individual or of their company in general are faced with some very difficult ethical decisions regarding loyalty to the company and loyalty to themselves and others. According to Wiscomble (2002) ethical training programs for HR managers can be a valuable undertaking in helping to encourage open communication.
Employees also need to feel that they are free to consider unionization without...
Threatening to fire employees who are considering unionization is a major no-no because it violates all sorts of civil rights such as the right to free speech and the freedom to organize. At the same time, if the employers are against unionization they need to work even harder to ensure that their employees are happy because generally when unionization is sought, it is due to employee needs not being met.
For those organizations that are already unionized, HR managers need to become adept at negotiating, which could also require additional training. Dealing with unions is a very complex and challenging task and no one should go into a union negotiation 'flying blind.' HR managers also may need to alter their view of conflict as a destructive force. According to Goering (1997), in union negotiations, it is important that "conflict is seen not as something destructive within organizations that must be resolved but rather as a necessary communicative process within organizations that, like any other communicative process, must be managed effectively" (p. 383).
In the end, creating a symbiotic relationship between employees and HR managers requires a commitment on both parts to fulfilling the missions of the organization. This can best be achieved when employees are motivated to succeed, feel free to communicate openly, and know that they are valued as unique individuals.
References
Burke, R.J. & Cooper, C.L. (2005) Reinventing human resources management: Challenges and new directions. London: Routledge.
Cottringer, W. & Kirby, J. (2005) Light their fires: find out how to improve employee motivation and increase overall company production. Security Management. 49(6). 90-95.
Goering, E. (1997, October 1) Integration vs. distribution in contract negotiations: An interaction analysis of strategy use. Journal of Business Communication, 34(4), 383-400.
Wiscomble, J. (2002, July) Don't fear whistle-blowers.…
