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HR MANAGEMENT AND CULTURAL HINDRANCES

 I once worked a factory where over 90% of the employees were from a particular ethnic group and from my Cognitive Anthropological studies, their culture allow the following traits. They are:-

- Covenant breaking.

- Refusing to own-up to their responsibilities.

- Buck passing.

- Only them can speak the truth.

- Refusing to give others the benefit of the doubts.

- Against others they can do no wrong.

- Refusing to take advice and correction from non-members of their ethnic group.

All the above are at the core of their total way of life - CULTURE.

In the above terrible state of affairs, one man stood out. That was the Chairman of the Branch Union who was a firm believer of the dictum that Leadership is by example and not precepts.

A few of these cultural traits in action will suffice:-

Firstly, Fathers and mothers in this culture do not die. If they even die, they come back to life and die many times over, to the extent that an employee will apply for compassionate leave for the death of his/her father or mother for as many as six times.

Secondly, Where there is an infraction when questioned, the answer usually was, "it is not my fault". For example, if an employee report late for duty, when questioned, the usual answer you got was "it is not my fault"

Thirdly, Give an assignment and if it is not properly executed even when no other employee was involved, someone else, was usually named to be accountable.

Fourthly, Outside the age of Absolutism, when we attained the Age of Enlightenment, truth is arrived at by the examination of facts, but with these people, only a member of their ethnic group speaks the truth, others tell lies.

Fifthly, While in the real world, where two people have a misunderstanding, the third person becomes an arbiter, but with them, where the second person is not one of them, he is never given the benefit of the doubt by hearing him/her out but he/she is guilty as charged.

Sixthly, The rumour mill is very powerful to the extent that an HR Professional standing for the truth, thereby saving the employment of one of their own would be interpreted as fighting to save someone from another ethnic group, which one of them wants to terminate his/her employment.

Furthermore, Nepotism was very high to the extent that  there were intra- ethnic group discriminations.

In this environment implementing HR Policies and Procedures got you tagged not only WICKED but RIGID.

Next week, we start sharing a new content serries entitled "WICKED MANAGEMENTS AND CALLOUS UNIONS.


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