Privacy Matters: An HR Refresher for Business in Crisis

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© Al_HRComatrix_ Privacy
True, I have been silent for awhile, but here am I, reminding myself that from inadvertent chit chat to note trail, and let alone cyber security concerns, we need to remind ourselves that privacy is no matter of laugh or joke. It does matter, more than ever in HR, in these times where many businesses are struggling to find a balance between the need for HR presence and assumed better efficiency via automation. 

A few recent observations reminded me of how privacy is a constant work in progress, and that HR should stay heavily involved in the process, in training, information, communication, and enforcement. Ethics is no matter of joke or negligence: a timeless reference here. In flattened organizations however, the challenge is becoming a problem as all ends are loose in absence of HR. The strategic decision of eliminating HR is increasing HR_related risks. The situations can be simplistic but the risks are not that simple as it appears.

Scenario 1 - The Bubbly Employee: A client asked an employee about a worker who has been absent for a while; The answer is as detailed as can be, exposing the co-worker's personal life. Regardless of the fact that the co-worker had shared the information to another party, there should be no justification for "spilling the beans." In this case, there is an existing company policy that clearly specifies that information on employees should never be shared to external partners, as (good practice) should be. It is not being respected by any means. Has it even been communicated to employees? The situation will be addressed, only on an ad-hoc basis: that is no HR management.

Scenario 2 - The Over Chit-Chating Manager: It starts out as a work-related information and extends to what Merriam-Webster defines as  "gossiping" or "report of an intimate nature" about a worker. While the answer was generated by a question, not all questions need to be answered candidly. Why Manager A can respect the "secrecy" of some business matters not yet to be discussed with the staff  while matters related to an employee private matters seem to be considered "fair game"? HR matters need to be understood by managers, when the people function is delegated to them. Are managers ready for that role?

 Scenario 3 - The Dismissive Employee on Privacy Concerns: A worker leaves written notes on a client in plain view and pokes fun at a co-worker who puts it in a secure place; A co-worker uses such notes for personal use; An employee forgets to log out of client's files, leaving them open to vulnerabilities. Respect for procedures is neglected whether because of lack of knowledge or by pure willful dismissal. There is a selective notion of respect of procedures, ethics, and privacy in many organizations. There are many versions of Wells Fargo out there. You might witness it and yet, be unaware of it. Can HR still be a gatekeeper? In absence of HR, and in any circumstance, what's the manager to do?

Scenario 4 - The (hurtful) Business- or Result-Driven Behavior: Take this employee's statement: "Why should I be part of what is wrong? I need my job and I will continue to do it, but I am having a hard time reconciling known unethical behaviors. How can I let it go when I get a complaint from a client, and obviously my manager let it be?" Does it sum it all? All too evidently, results matter and all roads lead to Rome. This is no isolated incident: companies are in crisis. We witness a "fluid" compartmentalization of what we consider acceptable and not. On a larger scale, we have the latest scandal in data sharing via Facebook interface.

And there are numberless of cases, you name them.

Chilly old news for HR that seem to be frozen in inertia or apparent one. There are two opposite causes  - too much happening, as overwhelming changes - or too little, such as business as usual, routine, such are presumably occurring in some #metoo cases - that can cause the same or similar effects: inertia and/or feeling of defeat, and it appears that it describes HR at some point of time. We are off for a chilling Spring run.

En Synthèse....
©Ted_HRComatrix_Privacy


Trop se passe en ce moment dans le monde RH: de la disparition du département RH à certains niveaux parce que les organisations ne savent plus où donner de la tête dû à l'e-commerce et au développement de la technologie, aux cas de cyber éthique qui ne peuvent pas laisser les RH indifférents, en passant par les #PasMoi - une autre révolution pour les Pays non Anglo-Saxons -

Le fait est que, des cas habituels de manque d'éthique et du non-respect de ce qui est "personnel" se trouvent chez l’employé(e) qui parle sans cesse et au tout venant, chez le manager qui ne semble faire aucune distinction entre meetings et papotages, chez l’employé(e) qui fait des gaffes et négligences et laisse les info personnels de tiers à toute vue...parfois pour des raisons autres qu'inconscience

 Des cas et des cas, vous en voyez tous les jours...  OK, si les RH sont présentes , cela doit être prévenu par des règlements et politiques internes.  Si la fonction RH est reléguée au manager, qui est alors responsable de la sauvegarde des données personnels, de la protection de la vie privée? La situation est probablement moins pointue dans des cultures où l'on a un sens plus absolu du "privé" de nature. Dans d'autres sociétés où parler de cuisine interne en public est commun, et comme de plus en plus l'on ne lave plus le linge sale en famille, la situation est moins évidente...

 Alors, les RH font face à un cinglant début de Printemps....

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