The last few weeks in UK politics has been a whirlwind of events that not even the best Netflix or HBO screenwriters could muster up from their imagination. With the PM resigning, a whole host of hotshots and established Tory frontbenchers have thrown their name into the hat to be the next leader of the UK.
However, with such a huge swathe of resignation exits it would almost certainly cause any business or organisation to experience a mass disruption to logistics, operations, and hierarchy. In the merry-go-round of public parliamentary office, minsters are often swapping and changing roles, however in a standard business this amount of chaos is a sure-fire way how to not run a business.
We break down the lessons learnt from the government’s recent comical episode, how mass walk outs can be avoided considerably, and why HR standards establish that certain types of behaviour aren’t tolerated or healthy for the good of any business.
Not The Best Example To Follow
A staggering over 50 MPs resigned in a matter of days as the Boris debacle finally caved in and the PM’s resignation was inevitable. Whilst many believed this was certainly on the cards for some time, the manner in which Johnson’s demise came about didn’t exactly portray the Conservative government in the best of lights.
Plenty of political experts, and even the general public, are already arguing that the reason Boris was knocked off his post was due to the self-interests of other MPs not being met, particularly his closest cabinet ministers. This is evidenced by many of them already signalling their candidacy for the top job now on offer, including the ex-Chancellor Rishi Sunak.
Mr Sunak announced he was running for the upcoming Tory leadership in a rather staged video at the weekend. It then came to light that his leadership URL domain name ready4rishi had been acquired back in December 2021, signalling his plot more than 6 months ago to gun for the PM role.
Progression and career development are natural and essential in all industries, yet the actions of the government should not be seen as a prime example of how to get your way. Even before the ‘Great Resignation’ happened, there was plenty of other episodes of appalling behaviour by the government, from Partygate to the shocking allegations of covering up sexual misconduct.
Behaving this way in life, especially in the workplace, can set dire consequences for your business and your team, even more so if blissfully ignored and not dealt with appropriately.
Good Standards, Good Actions
The knock-on effects of multiple senior level, and often junior-level, walkouts can have catastrophic consequences for any business and employers should really do everything they can within reason to support people to stay.
This is where a solid and reliable HR department plays a leading role, offering the resources, help, and educational awareness to cater for people’s personal wellbeing and offer an outlet for any concerns employees are having both professionally and personally. Nordens HR Manager, Sharon Brooks, states, “HR Professionals provide a listening ear and work for the ‘good’ of people, not just because it is advantageous for an organisation, but as an outcome in itself. They are highly relevant and needed in this day and age as employee wellbeing is a main priority for employers”.
A HR department should be a bridge between employees and the employer, making sure there’s an unbiased body there to listen to the ideas and concerns of both parties, and then communicating them in the most effective way. A sense of compassion and understanding is required in every situation which requires HR’s attention, yet it’s also important to realise that when bad behaviour arises it needs to be dealt with accordingly and quickly.
Sharon goes on to say, “HR is in the perfect position to ensure that policies are regularly reviewed and advise companies on good practice. If bad behaviour occurs, acting ethically ensures that people are treated fairly and with respect, which contributes to an organisation’s success through building trusted relationships.”
We hope this has outlined to you the importance of HR practices in the workplace, and how not acting on problematic and wrongful behaviour can have huge consequences to your business. If you’d like to know any further information on our outsourced HR services, or anything accounting related for that matter, please do not hesitate to get in contact with us at Nordens, where one of our trusted advisors would be happy talking you through your query.
