Polly Jeanneret’s HR agony aunt: A year in HR
This article was also featured as a HR agony aunt in the December 2016 issue of LPM. To read the issue in full, download LPM.
Q
What was the most shocking event in HR to happen this year?
A
I can’t believe you’ve asked this: Trump’s election victory, no question. You may wonder what Trump has got to do with HR but he has everything to do with it. It’s what Trump the businessman represents in business – the top-down leader and the autocratic style. He’s about self-confidence and being extrovert and ‘salesy’. Expect this Trumpstyle to come back into fashion. Remember all those rather overbearing partners who found the notion of a performance review rather too touchy-feely? Yes, they are back in the driving seat. There will be a renaissance in the ‘tough guy’ assertive approach. One of Trump’s calling cards is: “When somebody challenges you, fight back.” Naked ambition will once again be glorified. Trump likes to say things like: “As long as you are going to be thinking anyway, think big.” This is leadership that doesn’t really do humility or listening (if you followed any of the campaign coverage, Trump has a habit of interrupting and talking over people). This is leadership which does not really do collaboration, where you are grateful for the contribution of others (for example, women). This is can-do leadership, not let’s-wait-and-see leadership. But that is exactly what I am going to do – wait and see.
Q
What was the most predictable HR event to happen this year?
A
Late last month, the Daily Mail ran a story about a hapless NHS employee who, most unfortunately and regrettably, sent a ‘test’ email to see if the system was working properly. The only problem is she sent it to 1.2 million NHS employees. That was most definitely not going to help the system work properly. But to make matters worse, at least 150 of the recipients subsequently hit ‘reply all’ in response to the mass email. Ouch! The newspaper did the calculations: 186 million emails were sent across the NHS within a few hours. The system crashed, causing untold havoc in hospitals and surgeries across the country. This story was predictable not because the NHS looked as if it was in meltdown (again) but because it proves (again) that email is very, very annoying and potentially rather dangerous. This news item is the perfect excuse to gather your staff together for a group lecture on the problems with email – it is too quick and easy. If there is one Christmas present you need to deliver to all employees this year it is your firm’s email policy. You have one, right? No? Well, you have the yuletide holidays to draft one up. Merry Christmas and happy new year!
