News Stories: Ethics and HR, A Total Makeover

-
News stories drew our attention more closely to the question of ethics, lately. In Science, there was the story of "building babies", coming true . Although it is not quite a new issue - the UK had introduced a law on the subject  a year ago, according to BBC - , its' coming to realization drew a renewed wave of huge uproar and controversies. The other story is the one of Wells Fargo allegedly allowing or enabling the creation of unauthorized accounts. Again, huge reactions.  Two different worlds, yet a similar issue: Ethics. In the case of Wells Fargo, a question was raised among the HR community: "Where was HR"?     


©Al_HRComatrix_HREthics
Wells Fargo happens to be one case. It draws quite a bit of attention for the moment. But, let's be realistic: it is just one case among many others, big and small. Pushing for performance, sanctioning results can sometimes be a recipe for disaster. Of course every company wants to encourage strong, positive results. The issue is not in the positive sanctioning. It is rather behind the whole sanctioning - positive or insidiously negative - system. In fact, it is in the culture surrounding goal reaching. Furthermore, it stems from policies and practices and transcends corporate culture. There is really no panacea...but ethics. HR plays a part in remedies. But of utmost importance is self-examination so that HR can act as and be a true business partner.  Linked:HR group has been having an enriching discussion on the subject.

Ethics? Proceed with Caution!


My post is therefore just a quick, short pause for all HR and those who partner with HR. Caution: HR has a Code of Ethics.

  • HR professionals are bound to their Code of Ethics: we are partnering with other professionals in the organization to make things easier for everyone. Does it mean we share responsibilities? You bet!  You - we - own it!
  • HR is evidently a gate keeper: "let not the people go astray" is the guideline...
  • HR implies People: Should HR keep in touch? Of course, yes!
  • HR is a business partner: Is there a need for consistent balancing of reaching business goals and following HR guidelines? Tight rope...
  • HR is about proactivity. Does HR have to put out fire on a consistent basis? Think again.
That is the new face of HR today. In sum, HR is undergoing a total makeover. Caution advised.
Any thoughts?


En Synthèse

 Mot d'ordre: Attention! Les RH, ce n'est ni la police ni l'avocat après les faits accomplis. Ce n'est pas l'avocat du diable non plus, pour ainsi dire. Le cas de  Wells Fargo n'est rien qu'un cas parmi tant d'autres, ignorés. Je dois avouer que cela se rencontre davantage dans un pays comme les Etats-Unis ou l'on pousse les résultats au maximum. Coûte que coûte?  Les RH, c'est une profession avec un Code d’éthique et de Déontologie. Alors, temps pour tous de s'y faire. Avis complémentaires ou opposés?




Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

COMMUNICATION, SAFETY & WORKPLACE: "Je suis Charlie"

-
Image
©AR_HRComatrix_SCharlie C ommunication is powerful, today more than ever, with social media . Frontiers are erased . Time elapses. Things and situations take a different dimension. Everything is "here and now ". This week, " Je suis Charlie " has been the most recent and poignant picture of the power of communication. All started and ended in the workplace . Chilling for HR and Safety people. P eople all the over the world spend most of their time at work . The typical workday is about six to eight hours in the the US with the new approach to the notion of full time job . In France it is typically eight hours, with often some flexibility, and despite the official 35 hours a week. . How can we protect workers against unexpected violence since they spend most of their time at work? H R is not about damage control ; it is about proactivity . Disturbingly enough, only 31% of workplaces in the US seem to be proactive in emergency preparedness, acco
Read more

CATCHING FIRE: WORDS of WISDOM ABOUT and FROM MILLENNIALS- LESSONS FROM MILLENNIALS Part II -

-
Image
A lot has been said about Millennials. There are you tube videos , articles , blogs , research and polls... Most of them trying to help us understand this new generation. They appear as aggressive, daring, intimidating,  careless, smart, fast, clueless, in sum "different," regardless on who sees them. They certainly have many faces. Turning a New Leaf With Millennials © 2013 AR_HRCom-Millennials Those of us who have been working side by side with them have most likely experienced mixed feelings. It is basically turning a new leaf. Let's move toward greener fields! These young  partners can be exuberant and very lively and their concerns about professional or personal life can feel overwhelming. Often times you get what you see and hear. Does it make your assessment easier? I doubt. To me the challenge in assessment comes from the necessity to distance oneself from the individual. The ability to intellectualize things in this matter is a real gift. I can dea
Read more

Holistic HR - Part II: Socially Distant and Staying Relevant

-
Image
Ted_HRComtx_HolisticHR © Carving a Path for 2021 I t is said that silence is death, and that no news is good news. I have to say that I have been like many of us: affected in one way of another by Covid, being socially distant within relevancy. New resolutions? At least, carving a new path... in this icy cold world full of hot topics. It is not easy: it takes daring and willingness.   T he new year - already not feeling so new by now - has to be better in many ways, because it is practically a call to duty. What the pandemic has brought to us is not isolation but the exposure to a global environment that could reveal itself to be highly toxic , as well as the possibility of exacerbation of some situations of at-risk people . As we advance into 2021 we see the emergence of Wellbeing vs. Wellness verbiage because if anything last year has brought to light, it is the awareness of the importance of mental health .  This is more than ever a reason to understand and embrace that the whol
Read more

Holistic HR - Part I: Is Mental Wellness Relevant?

-
Image
Ad_HRComtx_1_620 © A s we are navigating the new ways of work, one aftermath of the pandemic for many of us is the unpleasant discovery of unvisited or neglected matters: our mental wellness. More than ever HR has to embrace its evolving approach to its core responsibility: HR is about "the whole person". T he pandemic has brought to the surface so many elements that neither HR nor the people had thought about, although always existing. To me, the two major concerns about mental wellness are depression and domestic violence. I have to admit that I never seriously thought about it until I lost sleep myself and couldn't understand why I was so inexplicably restless and unfocused. Quite a few people I talked to shared similar occurrences. This can only be exacerbated by the sense of isolation from familiar working environment as we work from home or are still transitioning to go back to work. If any of this happened to you, you are quite normal in highly abnormal ti
Read more

WORK LIFE / BALANCE DEBATE - Part I: A BUSINESS, A HR, OR PERSONAL CHOICE?

-
Image
W ork/Life balance exists and is possible for privileged functions. It is undeniably  accessible at both ends of the spectrum: high- and low-end positions, and globally, to a certain extent. The difference is in income stability and real choices . Is work/life balance just empty words or an intellectual speech for some of us? In a SHRM article, it is defined as a myth . So true, it is a matter of priorities. ACC Report- 2014 (on In-House Counsels) TOUCH: THREE ASPECTS OF WORK/LIFE BALANCE   Until you know first hand through one way or another about a specific subject, it is just talk, intellectualized talk. If you have ever been in a French environment, you would know about dwelling into that intellectual talk . Somehow inexplicably satisfying.  So, flexibility, let's talk about it, really: you have to touch and feel it. Then you would be able to say that you know it, from an individual standpoint. There are three major faces of Work/Life Balance. 1- Work/Life Balan
Read more

HEALTHCARE BENEFITS & ACA REQUIREMENTS SNAPSHOT

-
Image
© 2014 AR_HRCom-Ad_Healthcare Here we are stepping into January 2014, and the healthcare subject is of a major concern to employees and employers alike. Until now, decisions on eligibility for voluntary benefits has been the employer's prerogative. Health benefits were by essence not a mandated benefit. The landscape of healthcare regulations has dramatically changed with the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Nothing seems to be really firmly set yet. One thing appears to be certain: the cost is skyrocketing at all levels . By now, large employers have already rolled out their programs and made necessary addition to their benefits staff. Individuals who wanted coverage to start with the new year have already filed their applications. It is somewhat different for smaller employers since their mandate on Healthcare coverage requirements is being delayed. In any event, here are a few key points as a reminder or a reference for those of us who still need it. QUICK RE
Read more