How often should HR touch base in general with employees?

[Puddingwombles]

I’m curious to know what your thoughts are? Especially if you work somewhere where morale is known to be low.

Worked in my current job 13 years and never had a single dealing with HR.

Looks like our HR is going to push out a young person (23) in their first job..

I'm not a manager here, but have been.

Such a shame.

Absolutely never in 18 years of working there!

Never unless
a. We were being made redundant
b. There was a serious performance issue

there will be other reasons but if we get a call from HR we generally panic ☹️

I’m a people manager so speak to HR a fair bit - about HR issues. It’s my job to deal with staff’s other issues, and senior management’s to deal with whatever issues are causing low morale.

What do you mean by "concerns"?

Have you raised a formal grievance? If so, I would expect HR to advise the Director (or nominee) who is hearing the grievance but I wouldn't necessarily expect them to have any direct contact with the employee. They might attend investigation meetings or grievance hearings as note takers etc.

If it is just an informal concern that has been raised, then it's really up to the Director as to whether they want to get advice from HR or just deal with it as they see fit.

You generally don't want to hear from HR!

In my last organisation we had a monthly staff and volunteers e-newsletter to share news about what was happening in the charity and we also had an HR section where the team shared updates about training opportunities, staff surveys, mental health support, some interviews of new starters and so on.

I would not expect HR to randomly check in with me but these monthly updates were useful.

Never on an individual level unless directly to do with sickness/ performance/ change in contract or working hours or pattern etc.

Regular check ins are what managers are for.

Never unless there is a policy or procedural change (public sector, local government)

Unless there is a specific issue, like asking for clarification on what is in your contract, all the HR I've known work 'top down' so they'll be advising your line management about any issues rather than stepping in instead of them. If HR are directly involved in issues, normally either you or management have done something wrong AND messed up dealing with the issue 😂

Our HR have a newsletter type email update on a regular basis and do state they are there if people need them for all sorts of things. There is also a separate wellbeing team of staff. The update often reminds staff of their existence and where the wellbeing room is. Some teams have very approachable leaders/bosses others not. Personally, I'm lucky that both my line manager and our departmental head are supportive and approachable.

One thing HR do help with is compassionate leave. I met with them when I needed a slightly different set up because my bro had terminal cancer. They were really good and offered flexibility with the usual regs that enabled me to help my SIL out for a bit before she got Marie Curie nurses.

HR or internal communications?

It very likely wont be HR. It'll be a feeble manager blaming HR for decisions they are actually making. HR will just be ensuring the process is correct/lawful.

Basically never.

That's their job

Yeah, no-one ever thinks it's wrong for IT, finance etc to work in the best interests of the company even if that sometimes isn't what an individual employee wants them to do. I can't help wondering what the moaners imagine HR's role is?

Never

i think you have no idea what HR’s role is

Our director of HR seems to spend a lot of time putting out emails about joining up to things like bake sales and sporting challenges..he also walks around the HQ office ALOT....I have never seen him do anything that looks like work.

I’ve only ever dealt with HR routinely as a manger, on specific issues. Not just mat leave, retirement, recruitment, death in service etc… sometimes strategies for managing upcoming change projects etc.

Withiut direct reports, and with no specific issues, I never hear from, or of, HR.

This is the role of Unions

Why would they?