HR UPDATE
Why is it important to have those difficult conversations with staff?
Communication is a fundamental element of any good working relationship. However, even for those of us that find communication easy, there are undoubtedly topics that we are reluctant or apprehensive about raising. There are the usual ones like poor performance, a disciplinary allegation or a potential redundancy situation. However, there are also the more unusual, like complaints about attitude, clothing and even personal hygiene. How do you even start to tell ‘Mike’ in accounts that a colleague has said they don’t want to sit next to him because he has bad breath? This is the challenge we tacked in our latest HR Bitesize webinar for the Cambridgeshire Chambers of Commerce. Thankfully, no matter how difficult the topic, a similar approach can give anyone the tools to feel empowered and confident to tackle whatever is thrown at them. We broke the session down into the key elements of WHY it’s important to have these conversations, no matter how hard you initially find them and the HOW to actually have them. Rebecca Ryan rebecca.ryan@leedsday.co.uk 01480 442040 14 connected
It’s human nature to be averse to conflict and, where possible, avoid it. However, burying your head in the sand and ignoring the issue rarely works in the businesses favour. Any issues not dealt with tend to get worse, often fracturing working relationships and reducing both staff morale and productivity. Increased absenteeism and staff turnover may follow, which in turn negatively impacts the business in terms of additional, and potentially unnecessary, time and cost. Stress levels may also rise, which could manifest in a disability under the Equality Act 2010. This, and the failure to deal with these issues, could potentially result in claims against the business. Dealing with the issues immediately from the outset offers an opportunity to resolve workplace conflicts quickly. This helps improve working relationships, increase staff morale and productivity, retention of staff and, importantly, set a tone for the business in terms of its values and expectations. In the current climate, where recruitment is proving challenging for many organisations, this is vital. Nicola Cockerill nicola.cockerill@buckles-solicitors.co.uk 01733 888925
