Rising Insecurity in the Workplace – What HR Can Do
The environment in any workplace should be both positive and productive. Sad to say, but this isn’t always the way it is. There are several factors that affect the workplace environment. It’s up to the Human Resources department to ensure that all members of the workforce feel secure and protected while in the workplace. With office politics, cyber attacks, and other common situations, it can be difficult to keep things going smoothly. HR must be able to offer effective solutions to each of these problems so that the workplace is both productive and peaceful. Here are a few.
Risk of Data Breaches
Any workplace that runs on a data-driven platform is at risk of a data breach. It’s for this reason that your company should take the necessary steps to protect not only the company’s confidential information but that of its employees as well. Two-step authentication or the use of fingerprint technology can be effective in protecting this sensitive information and keep it from falling into the wrong hands.
Positive Work Environment
If HR is serious about eliminating insecurity in the workplace, then it is up to them to make every employee feel as secure and protected as possible. One way to do this is to create a positive work environment where each employee feels valued and respected. The workplace should be a neutral environment where politics and social agendas are checked at the door. It’s important that once the staff is assembled, they each feel as if they are part of the solution, no matter what question is being asked.
Open Door Policy
An open-door policy allows staff members to go to the HR department and discuss possible issues without fear that their job will be terminated or they will be in some kind of trouble. If management wants to know what is going on in the workplace, the only way to find out is to build a level of trust that allows employees to have enough faith in the company to report the issue. Once the issue is reported, it is up to the entire staff, management and associates alike to work together to resolve the problem.
Work as a Team
When your staff works together as a team, supporting one another’s ideas and encouraging each other to do better, the staff as a whole improves and the workplace environment is both cohesive and unified. Working as a team means that both successes and failures are shared equally – and that in order to move forward, every member of the team is needed. HR can further this concept by creating teams that work together and then share their thoughts and ideas with others. While each team works independently according to their department and skills, they also come together as a whole to put the entire project together.
An effective HR department will be able to identify areas that cause insecurity and work with staff members to find a solution that works. Bringing management members and associates together is the best way to work through each issue as it arises. Together, positive solutions can be found that benefit everyone who shares the workplace.
