All my HR manager wants this Christmas is...

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Published on December 17, 2007
BusinessWorld Wealth Manager Section

While chatting with the human resource manager (HR) of Watson Wyatt, I threw her a question that totally caught her by surprise: “By the way, how are you?”

As she sat speechless, it occurred to me that most HR practitioners are so focused on the welfare of company employees that they hardly think about themselves. So let’s take a break from facts and figures, research, market trends and, for a change, turn the tables on the HR officer by focusing the spotlight on him or her. To give you a better insight into the mind of the HR practitioner, let’s try to figure out what he or she is thinking this holiday season.

Thought balloon 1: “I hope I don’t have problems with SSS and Pag-ibig remittances this month.” Those remittances represent the most rigorous tasks your HR department has to tackle. For both employees and HR heads alike, those remittances are a flashpoint. Some companies have automated this function but because HR employees come and go, there is always room for error. So for the sake of the HR staff, may all employees postpone complaining about any miscalculations until the new year.

TB 2: “I wish the Company’s attrition rate would improve. The attrition rate is the percentage of employees that leave as against the average number of employees for the year. This figure is usually used to rate the performance of the HR department. Considering that finding talent nowadays is highly challenging, management keeps a close watch on the attrition rate. And truly, nothing is more disheartening to the HR officer than getting resignation letters just after the 13th month pay/Christmas/Performance bonus has been released.

TB 3: I hope I hire the best applicants on my list. When you give a person a job you know he needs, you feel good. This is especially true if you give the right job to the right person – a situation that makes everyone happy.

TB 4: I hope that company employees won’t overdo anything over the holidays: A colleague of mine who is a HR line manager related that he spends a significant portion of the holiday season coordinating with healthcare representatives, thanks to employees who have eaten or drank too much or were careless with the fireworks. Just like everybody, HR managers deserve breaks over the holidays.

TB 5: I hope everything goes well during the Christmas Party. In the scheme of things, the Christmas party does not qualify to be in the “very urgent” and “very important” category. Nevertheless, it is a big thing during this time of the year. Planning for the Christmas shindig starts way before December and a lot of things can go logistically wrong especially when the party has a cast of hundreds. Remember, the HR people are usually working while everybody else is enjoying.

I read somewhere that a Company’s character is manifested in the way they celebrate. The Christmas party may seem to be just another company event, but it is purposeful in its objective to refresh, energize the employees and celebrate the company’s blessings for the year. So may all Christmas parties be successful so that everyone can begin the new year with a clear mind and a renewed heart.

TB 6: This is a ‘thankless’ job but it would be nice to sometimes hear people say thank you. When HR practitioners get things right, they don’t hear a word. However, people always seem to know when they do something wrong. Here are some remarks guaranteed to turn your HR officer speechless: “Thank You. That last salary increase was really great!” “You guys worked so hard on the bonuses. We appreciate your efforts.” “You found just the right person for the vacancy in our department.”

Do let us know if you have other remarks that will stun your HR officers. Drop us a line at eduardo.miguel.juliano@watsonwyatt.com.

Miggy Juliano is an associate consultant for Watson Wyatt in the Philippines. Watson Wyatt is the trusted business partner to the world's leading organizations on people and financial issues Miggy has conducted surveys covering the banking, consumer goods, manufacturing, telecommunications, information technology and semiconductor industries, as well as consulting work for several major companies in the area of compensation and benefits. Miggy can be reached through (632) 841-5109.