Human Resources Destroying Department

Authority without responsibility always leads to dictatorship.


A survey of the most detested departments in any organisation will normally reveal four villains.  Human Resources, Administration, Accounts and Security, are indirect departments invested with huge discretionary power and authority, which is significantly disproportionate  to their accountability for overall organisational performance.

Runaway HR departments at many organisations are severely harming their own organisations and employees. Here is an example.




Rao was a sincere, competent, loyal, punctual and hardworking employee. He frequently worked extra hours without any monetary reward, to attend to urgent needs of both customers & colleagues. Rao always felt as if it was his own company and that he belonged there, respected and needed.

One day due to some unavoidable circumstances, Rao arrived for work about 30 minutes late, probably the first such lapse in 7 years. The Human Resources department promptly issued Rao a warning letter and a notice of deduction of half a day salary.






An upset and angry Rao went to meet the new hotshot 'professional' HR manager, who unnecessarily kept Rao waiting for more than an hour just to cool him off. This enraged Rao further, it was not about the money but about justice and respect. If there were deductions for a late coming, then should there also not be extra payment for long extra hours worked? Without understanding or appreciating the difficulty or exceptional circumstances faced by a sincere and committed employee.

Rao keeping his temper in check politely explained the situation to the HR manager but to no avail. The HR manager simply shrugged his shoulders and said he was merely doing his job. Rao exploded and told the HR manager, what he could do with his stupid rules, and then stormed out of the HR manager's cabin. 

This behaviour hurt the HR manager's ego. Rao had to be made an example of and Rao promptly received a show cause notice for indiscipline and speaking rudely. 

Rao's boss was sympathetic but expressed an unwillingness to take on the powerful HR manager.

A dejected and defeated Rao apologised to the HR manager. The HR manager started hounding Rao on some pretext or the other.

Rao grew listless, cared little about the urgent requirements of colleagues and customers and worked strictly by the clock, delivering the minimum acceptable output acceptable and low quality of work. 


Six months later after working in the company for nearly 10 years, he joined a competitor firm, carrying in his head a great wealth of information and relationships with customers.

In the end, Rao had to rebuild his career several rungs lower in another company.  The company lost a good and dedicated employee and quite a bit of business and goodwill. The discontent in Employee ranks swelled further and trust between them and their management nosedived.


The HR manager of course got promoted for his tough approach.



To achieve results, orthodox managers primarily use behavioural controls to impose discipline. 

Discipline can be achieved by imposing fear. However fear is a poor management tool, it needs to be administered continuously and with ever increasing dosage.


It is easier to dominate and drive than to engage and support. Intimidation requires little intelligence, is quick and results are immediately visible.  Unfortunately using fear generates hostility, and gains achieved are almost always reversible.

An enlightened manager uses motivation and focus on outputs to achieve results and discipline. Engaging with employees in a positive manner almost always delivers superior results in a non threatening way. 


Positive motivation generate good feelings of self worth and achievement and gains achieved are very difficult to reverse. 

Intimidated  or hostile employees rarely have their organisation's interest at heart. Demotivated and harassed employees remain unconcerned about costs, rarely deliver quality work and deliver minimum possible output. The resulting poor overall performance forces management to become even more aggressive and control oriented and performance continue to spiral downwards. 

There are both good and bad managements as there are also good and bad HR managers. 

**What then should enlightened managements do?** 

Here are some suggestions;

1. Prepare HR manuals and systems which assist employees to deliver their best not their bare minimum, which also enhances the individual's sense of worth and gives them responsibilities. An organisation can only grow sustainably when its employees also grow.
2. Select HR staff who possess empathy and generally have a caring (not timid) nature and are not patronizing.
3. Use a more effective appraisal system for indirect departments in which, a  significant percentage say about 40% of the appraisal score is attributed to overall performance of the organisation. A system in which no more than 10% of of the appraisal score is attributed to ensuring compliance to policy, processes and guidelines.
4. Get indirect departments to focus more on providing service and advice. 
5. Ensure that there is a good and effective redressal system, in which employees have confidence in, of receiving justice. 

What should good HR managers do?

1. They should only work with managements that value their employees. That genuinely believe in respect for people.
2. Be courageous yet tactful to guide managements on best practices that will work in the interest of the organisation. Not be a yes woman/man. 
3. Be wise (not knowledgable) and always conscious about the power they wield to do good or cause damage. 
4. Be accessible to employees and counsel them
5. Assist employees in their individual and professional growth to increase their market value by providing them opportunities to grow.

As more and more work is knowledge based this approach is not an option but becomes a compulsion.

Authority is like money, the less you use, the more you have.