Balancing ‘HR Diligence’ and ‘Business priorities’

This is another tightrope for HR. Without due care, HR can get a reputation for being dogmatic and unhelpful when they stick to the rules too closely and don’t respect the needs of the business or individual stakeholder. However, there are some areas that HR govern that are non-negotiable and absolutely must uphold, e.g. D&I or harassment. On occasions, the ability to give constructive feedback is what wins the day, as the recipient will accept responsibility, e.g. for their behaviour. Another example is a performance issue that has gone too far, and the HR professional has to find a way forward that supports the stakeholder and mitigates risk. Whatever happens, the stakeholder needs to feel that the HR person is fair and supportive. Read more about giving feedback.