![]() “Always start out seeking ‘why,’ ” she says. When it’s time to have a difficult conversation, HR professionals should keep in mind that they might not know the whole story, says Sue Eaglebarger, SHRM-SCP, vice president of human resources at Lawson Products, a Chicago-based company that distributes supplies for maintenance and repairs. “In the new world, where many companies are virtual, the premise is the same,” she notes. If you’re meeting face to face, think about where and when you’ll hold the meeting, who will be in attendance, and how you’ll present what you want to say, says Lindsay Dagiantis, vice president of human resources at Envoy Global, an immigration services provider based in Chicago. “You never want to come off as scripted and robotic.” “You’re dealing with people at their most vulnerable.”īe prepared to practice what you intend to say in advance, but don’t rehearse every word, advises Moses Balian, a human resources consultant at Justworks, a software company based in New York City. If you get nervous when executing a difficult conversation and “blurt stuff out, you can really make people on the receiving end feel bad about themselves,” says Paul Falcone, chief human resources officer for the Motion Picture and Television Fund in Woodland Hills, Calif., and author of 101 Tough Conversations to Have with Employees (HarperCollins, 2019). “Difficult conversations require a lot of orchestration.” HR professionals should strive to make employees comfortable enough that they open up and begin to reveal what is at issue, he adds. Tilting your head to one side conveys that you’re receptive to and interested in what the other person has to say, he explains, while pinching the corner of your mouth indicates dislike and disdain. It’s also important to be mindful of your body language and what it implies. And when conveying your concerns to an employee, strive to sound neutral and not let your emotions creep into your voice. The reason most HR professionals dread having a difficult conversation is because “there’s some sort of emotion attached to it,” says Joe Navarro, a retired FBI agent who is also a body language expert and author of What Every Body Is Saying (William Morrow, 2008).īefore launching into a difficult conversation, he advises, conduct careful research of the facts and document the issues. ![]() With any difficult conversation, the key for the HR professional is to “always lead with empathy,” White says. But now organizations must factor in the pandemic’s effect on employees’ physical and mental health the ongoing economic uncertainty, which may lead to layoffs and the struggles many employees face working from home for an extended period, often surrounded by family members. That understanding is especially helpful when difficult conversations arise.Įven in the best of times, addressing topics such as poor performance, inappropriate comments and excessive absenteeism can be challenging for HR professionals. “I remind I understand the challenges they’re facing.” “I’ve got a zoo of people and animals,” White says with a laugh. She works from home with her husband and brother-in-law, who also work for APQC, along with her five kids, who range in age from 11 to 23, two dogs and two cats. White says she understands the challenges employees may face with the new remote-work environment. ‘Always start out seeking “why.” Don’t assume you know the root cause.’ “They have a place to work, resources, counseling and guidance. “People really can’t argue with something they signed up to do,” White says. A performance improvement plan was created and explained to both employees, with updated expectations written out, discussed and mutually agreed upon. ![]() The company revamped its office space to allow for social distancing, and the two employees who were struggling with working at home were asked to return to the office. The company’s 65 employees began working remotely, and their performance goals were reset to be “achievable and reasonable.” But “a couple of employees completely disengaged,” White says. “Then March hit, and everything went crazy,” says Ashely White, executive director of human resources at the Houston-based nonprofit, recalling the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. When 2020 began, APQC, a benchmarking and best-practices research firm, was poised to have its best year ever. ![]()
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