Companies now sensitising managers on how to treat junior colleagues

A video recently went viral where a prominent bank's senior VP was seen scolding his junior colleagues for not meeting their monthly targets. Keeping that in mind, several companies from varied sectors are now sensitising those in managerial roles about respectful ways to deal with such situations and communicate disappointment in better ways in case people don't meet targets.

According to Urvi Aradhya - CHRO, K. Raheja Corp - imparting effective communication skills to managers, particularly when conveying dissatisfaction, holds undeniable significance in nurturing a positive workplace atmosphere and fostering productive collaborations within the business. 

"Our highly interactive HR department maintains daily engagement with our workforce. We have formulated internal guidelines that serve as a bulwark against any form of misconduct. Our company upholds progressive practices, including fostering an adaptable work environment and implementing staunch measures to prevent workplace harassment," Aradhya said. 

Divya Jain, Head HR, Avalon Consulting, also said that employees in managerial roles are continuously trained in cultivating a professional presence, effective communication, managing diverse teams under pressure, cross-cultural sensitivity, conflict resolution and leading by example. 

Sundeep Shenava - Assistant Vice President, Human Resources, Royal Orchid &Regenta Hotels - the number of such incidents has been alarming. According to Shenava, they follow a very strict rule of treating each employee with utmost respect and fairness across all profiles. 

"As part of our Fair treatment assurance policy, we follow a 3-step Grievance Redressal. This includes communicating the matter to the first authority unit. If the issue is not resolved at the first authority unit, the Corporate HR team can be approached for a reasonable solution and therefore can be taken directly with the COO of the company for further discussion and decision-making on the matter. We also encourage an open door policy that allows the employees to be in touch with leadership to get their grievances addressed," Sundeep Shenava said.

Rakesh Kolepaka, Head -HR at ProConnect Supply Chain Solutions Pvt. Ltd, said that his company has taken proactive steps to sensitise those in managerial roles. 

"We conduct mandatory training sessions for all managers, focusing on effective communication, conflict resolution, and promoting a positive work culture. These sessions emphasize the importance of respectful interactions and provide tools for managing difficult conversations constructively," Kolepaka said.