Ethics And HR-2

The two previous DesiPundit posts on the ethics of hiring have sparked off a very interesting and healthy debate.

Creating barriers to exit is a downright stupid thing to do, and employees are nothing less than your customers. You have to make it easy for people to leave, and perhaps even help them when they resign; it’s not extremely difficult. Discuss it openly at company meetings: If anyone is looking for a job, let them talk about it. Organise farewell parties in the office for all those that decide to leave; not on the last day, but just after they resign.

Tropical manager thinks that the HR should make it easier for employees to leave and not create unnecessary bad blood.

There was a time employers & employees had a long-term relationship. There used to be a social contract. Work wasn’t just a place you went to earn your bread. It was a also a place you met friends, developed your interests. Your employer took care of you, and promised to do it typically for the rest of your life. The employee in return committed to giving his all, for the rest of his life. When companies chose to forgo this path (late 80’s in USA; mid-90’s in India), they did not foresee their actions coming back to haunt them. They did not think the balance of power would shift to the employees. Well, guess what! It did. Life is not a one-way street. What you give comes back!

Just mohit points out that the employees are just doing what the employers did to them in the last two decades. The balance of power has shifted.

Even the greediest HR manager is amenable to negotiation on when you can join (and when you can leave) – and beware of the one who insists that you have to chuck your earlier job and join rightaway. Most times, his company is not going to be a great place to work for. He KNOWS that when you walk out, you cannot go back to that company for a reference letter tomorrow. So he is knowingly screwing you. Don’t give in.

Lionbridge warns the employees to be wary of those who expect them to join today. They might just be burning your bridges with your previous employers.