An Appalling Introduction to the Newly Hired
In theory, employee relations are the essence of HR functions. They have transformed into a science that encompasses multiple academic terms, dealing with the basic functions or services that the HR department provides to the company’s employees. Employee relations combine both implementing the country’s laws and following the notion of hospitality and goodwill in order to enhance the overall morale of the employees, and help their professional outcomes increase.
As with all functions that deal with human values, there will always be some inconsistencies between the theory and the result, which depends on the professional quality of the HR employee, their respect of human values, notion to fully fight – with a passion – for the rights of their employees, and constantly step up in order to ensure that the right atmosphere is available for the organizations’ employees.
Organizations in the Middle East claim to follow the partnership employee relations approach, which involves the employees in drawing up and executing the company’s goals and strategy, but retains the right to manage to the organization. However, in actual application and based on multiple testimonials, organizations implement the adversarial employee relations approach, by acting as a dictator who sets a strategy and follows a plan, expecting the employees to fit in this major scheme. This approach only gives employees the right to express their opinion by merely refusing to perform the given task, and as a consequence the organization responds with imposing disciplinary actions.
Every employee will start by telling you that the image that he had created for the HR employee started highly positive, from the courteous call that the employee received to assure their knowledge of the organization’s address, to the friendly orientation that was conducted in order to familiarize them with the place, ending with the heavenly smile that escorted them to their office or workspace. The employee’s initial positive impression is soon dampened by the large manual they receive from the HR department that fully explains all the laws, regulations and policies. It involves what is expected from the employee, the dress code, disciplinary actions and the company’s expectations and targets. Regardless of the fact that the manual deals more with their duties than the employees’ rights, the notion that the HR is not putting in the effort or time to explain in summary all of this information in person, which also helps in developing rapport, can come as a disappointment. Despite this, the employee has no idea that more is yet to come.
The initial feelings of motivation and positivity are soon changed to irritation and distress. The employee deals with colleagues that refuse to offer any assistance to the newly hired, despite the clear instructions of the HR department that are never monitored, to the total refusal of dealing with the employee in a humanly manner when it comes to answering his initial inquiries. The HR can go further by expressing impatience if the employee persists or prolongs beyond the five-minute mark that the HR coordinator had chivalrously given them.
In conclusion, the realization of the true nature of the organization’s HR department can come rather swiftly. The employee will deal with it by simply becoming accustomed to the environment’s bad conditions, with reactions ranging from pure mockery among employees in their inner circles to showing a rather aggressive attitude when dealing with the HR department. This can extend to their feelings for the organization itself, thus the overall working input can decrease, and their attitude towards the industry itself can also be traumatized. It can be argued, though, that the atmosphere that the HR had expressed is parallel to the overall atmosphere of the citizens of these countries and how their government institutes deal with them. Consequently, they can be naturally habituated to bad treatments. It is therefore important to mention that the value of the HR function itself should ascend beyond any cultural, governmental or even social norms.
Nadim Mina
Photography: Mahmoud Mansi
EDITORS: Mennat-Allah Yasser Zohny & Nada Adel Sobhi