Requesting a Table for One

Far too many HR Professionals, unfortunately, tend to create new policies, procedures or rules based on the actions – or misactions – of ONE employee.

“Heather wore ripped jeans to the office!!  We need to revise the dress code policy and make sure it states that ripped jeans are forbidden!”

“Karl is wasting too much time sending memes and jokes in the Slack channel!  We need to institute a one-meme per day policy!”

“Glenn parked in the row reserved for 20+ year employees; we need to revise the policy and redesign the parking permit hang tags so Security can hand out tickets when employees park in the wrong section of the lot!”

Rather than having a one-on-one chat with Heather or Karl or Glenn to eliminate the behavior, Sally in HR wields her power and writes a policy. She sends an email to department heads instructing them to hold meetings and share the new edict with their staff. Policy acknowledgement forms (electronic or, in some workplaces, paper) requiring employee signatures are distributed and returned to HR for retention. 

ONE action by ONE employee leads to an overreaction by HR.  This has been happening, or so it seems, since time began.

Yet…

… there are times, when it really matters, that HR ignores the actions, behaviors, or voice of ONE employee. 

The same HR professional who was so quick to send a company-wide email banning flip flops after Janet in Purchasing wore a pair to work, disregards Janet’s complaint about a manager who belittles staff at every turn.

“That Janet is just dissatisfied with everything; plus remember when she wore flip flops to the office?”

The benefits manager, with her head-down laser-like focus on compliance and audits and Summary Plan Descriptions, ignores a request from an employee for a conversation about available benefit options for potential “if this then that” scenarios.

“If I listened to each individual employee about ‘possible’ personal changes I would get nothing done.  I can’t provide that service to all so I can’t do it just for one.”

The busy-busy-busy HR Business partner, letting her calendar rather than HR-sense rule her day, schedules a meeting (‘next week’) with the employee who has reached out with a concern about a co-worker making remarks that cause discomfort.

“Why did she file a complaint with our 1-800 Ethics and Compliance Hotline?  She failed to report Joe’s alleged conduct in accordance with our harassment policy even though we provide for several lines of reporting?”

One school of thought, quite frankly a relic of days-gone-past, assigns a stigma to solo dining in a restaurant – assuming those on their own in the public space of a restaurant are hermits en route to Pariahville. But requesting a Table for One doesn’t equate with loneliness, nor does it signify that one is socially awkward and/or friend-less. Dining alone can be calm and relaxing or, especially if one sits at the bar. (Which I, for one, quite enjoy).

Granted, a Table for One isn’t for everyone … nor is it for every situation.

Sometimes the table must be expanded.