The way most Human Resources departments work just isn’t working for employees. Our latest study of 993 employees reveals that when they have concerns — whether it’s how they’re being treated by their manager or uncivil behavior from a peer — they would rather reach out to most anyone before turning to someone in HR. First, they turn to their manager; then they go to a trusted colleague. If either of those lifelines fail, they attempt to handle the issue themselves. In fact, employees would even go to another leader in their organization or do nothing at all before turning to HR!
How HR Lost Employees’ Trust — and How to Get It Back
New research reveals that people see HR as a last resort when they have a problem.
October 19, 2022
Summary.
When employees have concerns, whether it’s an issue with a toxic manager or uncivil behavior from someone else on their team, they aren’t turning to HR, according to a new study. While this probably isn’t surprising to many, this finding points to an ongoing issue for HR. Most employees see HR as advocates for the company who are focused on compliance rather than as advocates for employees and their needs. The authors lay out three ways that HR managers can support people — as coaches, mentors, and mediators — and restore employee trust.