HR managers should be among the first to step in when there’s a “bully” in the office threatening the company culture. That’s what columnist Lynne Curry says in a piece for the Alaska Dispatch News, in response to a letter from a person struggling with a hostile workplace.
Although the person requesting advice from Curry reported the bad behavior of a comptroller at their job to an HR director, they the writer adds that their director failed to take action, even when presented with recorded evidence of the problem.
In response, Curry says that it is absolutely the role of HR to help curb office bullying and that HR managers have different tools at their disposal to do so. In some cases, it is especially important for HR to take a stand because there may not be an official company or state policy for handling these urgent situations.
“HR managers can conduct 360-degree reviews to provide those interacting with bullying managers the opportunity to provide confidential feedback concerning problem behavior,” Curry says. “When provided credible evidence, HR managers can investigate allegations and recommend discipline, improvement-oriented coaching or termination for bullies.”
Bullying can easily go unreported as workers that outwardly demonstrate strong behavior are also detrimental to the overall attitude of the office. If the HR department takes the initiative to address problematic behavior and help police these bad employees, the company could benefit on the whole from early action.
With HR software solutions, managing the different procedures necessary to keep company culture thriving will be an easier task. Having the proper tools at hand plays a big part in determining what the HR employees at your company can do and how effective they are at recording progress.