Feeling Overlooked in HR: Should I Stay or Seek a Company That Values My Efforts?

Respected Senior,

I am an HR Professional with around 5 years of experience, working for a company recognized as an international entity with its corporate office in London, UK, and other offices in the USA, China, Singapore, Indonesia, etc. I joined this company with the responsibility of setting up the HR department.

HR Responsibilities and Achievements

I have undertaken several tasks in HR, starting from the basics of maintaining personnel files and completing documentation for all employees. I have managed the staff master database and centralized all pre-recruitment and post-recruitment activities across India. My responsibilities also include establishing an approval matrix and exploring maximum free recruitment sources like social networking websites, free job portals, free consultants, and employee referrals. I ensure timely and correct issuance of letters to employees, such as offer letters, and conduct effective salary negotiations. Additionally, I prepare appointment letters, confirmation letters, and design and implement policies related to attendance, leave, mobile phones, etc.

Compliance and Employee Engagement

Under compliance, I have registered the company under PF and ESI compliances, calculated necessary deductions, revised salary structures, processed payroll, and prepared identity cards for all staff. I have implemented a biometric electronic attendance system, designed job descriptions for all profiles, and created performance appraisal forms. Furthermore, I have organized trips for staff members and various employee engagement activities like fashion shows and potluck parties.

Challenges with Management Recognition

However, the top management is not recognizing me with any appreciation or salary increment. My appraisal is coming up in July 2013, and they are pressurizing me, often pointing out my mistakes and delays, stating that certain responsibilities should have been completed by HR. I am really disheartened and demotivated by their behavior. I have no hope for a deserving salary increment in July 2013. I am looking for advice on what I should do, as they are also not ready to offer any help. Should I leave this company and search for a more sensible organization where my hard work can be appropriately rewarded?

Please advise.

Before giving an opinion, I looked up your public profile on this site. You say that you are an HR associate. Does this mean that there are others within the HR department? If so, are you sure that your achievements were recognized and due credit given at the time?

I also had a quick look at your posts and further noted that in November 2012, you stated that you had recently joined a market research company. Can I assume that this is your current position as well? If so, can I then also assume that your forthcoming appraisal in July will be your first in this company? If so, then you have some time to put together a strategy.

Strategy for Upcoming Appraisal

First and foremost, DO NOT panic and DO NOT be disheartened. You have been in HR for over five years, and in that time, you have solved many HR issues for others. Now it is time to solve your own!

I suggest you ask for a pre-appraisal meeting with your line manager to discuss how and why you feel as you do. Your line manager will be on your side, as any negative views by management are also a reflection on the manager.

Preparation for the Meeting

- Gather all the evidence of your achievements.
- Discuss the hurdles and problems you encountered and how you solved them.
- Give credit and acknowledgments to those who helped you along the way (including your manager); this will prove integrity.
- Use this opportunity to discuss any new implementations, ideas, and changes that you would like (including time frames); this proves forethought.

I could go on, but you get the idea of the framework.

Do not be confrontational or emotional; the meeting is to air your fears and discuss the way forward.

I have said it before, and I say it again... Sometimes you have to educate the boss.

Hope the above helps.

Regards,
Harsh

Please request a meeting with your reporting boss, as Harsh mentioned. Many times, reporting to the top people in the company works to your advantage, as long as you are well-prepared both in terms of what you have done and what you are likely to be asked in such a meeting.

The brighter side of your present job seems to be that you have had a very good opportunity to learn here. Not many get such a chance to establish a full-fledged HR department from scratch at your level. So, even in the worst-case scenario, your experience here will always stand you in good stead for the future.

Once you go through such a meeting, you will have a better 'feel' of the 'intent' of the company. If you can share the developments later, the members would be able to suggest a more focused Plan of Action.

However, please also bear in mind that things do not always go as per one's expectations. That's life, as you would very well know, given your 5 years of experience. I suggest focusing on the body language in your meeting; that gives you a better indication of the intent, irrespective of what's being said by the top people.

All the best.

Regards,
TS

Dear Ms. Ghr,

Your achievements, after having gone through the list, are indeed exemplary. Yet, what you are feeling is not unique to you; in fact, the majority (or rather almost all, at some point or another) of HR professionals feel the same way—whether or not their achievements are recognized or rewarded. You must have learned a lot and enjoyed the experience, which definitely has enriched you. This is the true reward of hard work and dedication. Do not let external factors (or the lack of them) affect your motivation and personal happiness.

I would suggest that you face your appraisal with firm determination and confidence. If you find the outcomes are not what you reasonably deserve, it is better to look for better opportunities or create them for yourself rather than waiting endlessly for higher management to take note of it.

Warm regards.

No Demotivation in Case of an HR Manager!

Having gone through the comments above and with your 5 years of experience, you should be happy that your bosses have reposed immense confidence in you. You have been given a chance to develop an empire from scratch. In other words, they have given you an opportunity to become an expert in HR within their company. Nowadays, retaining an HR manager for more than 2-3 years in any company is a significant achievement for any individual. Stay positive and continue learning as HR policies and industrial sentiments are changing rapidly.

I feel that by now the management is satisfied with your work and may only be hesitant to express it as they might fear you have high expectations. They also likely do not want to lose you since you have put in your best effort. Waiting for another one or two years may yield positive results.

If you wish to gauge the intent of your company, you could consider preparing a document outlining your achievements in the past 5 years, including some crucial case studies and outlining your future goals. This approach may communicate better than any other presentation and also prompt a discussion.

Regards,
Muthukrishnan

Dear Ms. Ghr,

All the suggestions given by the seniors sound very nice to the ears and convince us that everything will be fine. But let me tell you, I have faced the same thing: I started working as an HR & Admin officer in a construction company and began the department from scratch alone. Later, nothing worked—the reporting, boss/line managers; nobody listened. In my opinion, kindly leave the job and look for better opportunities rather than wasting your time there. Moreover, you have 5 years of experience, and remember, HR motivates people; there is no need to get demotivated.

Regards.

What I understood from your post is that you joined this company recently and have established the HR department from scratch. First of all, congratulations to you for such a wonderful opportunity. Now, in my understanding, HR is very vast and it cannot be established in 8-9 months. Don't expect appreciation, but keep doing a good job. Spend some time in the organization because changing jobs will not serve any purpose. Observe the following:

1. Determine if your performance is good only in your feelings or in reality, and put it on paper.

2. Assess if your top management is behaving the same way with all the other employees or only with you.

3. Evaluate if you are really meeting deadlines or delaying in reality.

4. If you are overloaded, then present your case with facts.

5. Check if your Key Result Areas (KRA) are defined or if everything is considered an HR job, as is common in many organizations. If not defined, then prepare your KRA first.

6. Analyze properly, keep patience, and focus on your work. That will bring happiness and growth in your life.

This kind of opportunity is rare in life when you learn all aspects of your profession by doing it yourself. Keep yourself motivated and stay positive.

Dear Ms. Ghr,

Putting forth my humble opinions:

Firstly, a true professional serves his or her profession mainly; whoever the bosses are, they are secondary. I admire how you have done great justice to yourself in that perspective.

Secondly, since our lifetime is limited, we might want to have better soil for better growth. I have perceived that non-recognition is a modern-day instrument for employee exploitation and escaping appraisal. So, if you find a better place with a better work culture where you can grow, move away for your own good. But do thorough research before making a move.

Best regards,
Subhabrata Seal.

In my company, 22 people have left in the past 3 months. This week, 12 employees left the company because of politics and the lack of respect from top management, especially the Director. My director treats everyone like a "Nokar" (servant) rather than an employee. Everyone is leaving, including sales staff, accounts managers, and the GM, just to preserve their self-respect. I am worried he may treat me the same way. I am still contemplating what I should do. He is unable to accept his mistakes. I am trying to manage this attrition. Please help me in this situation. There is a gap between management and staff. Also, he is not completing the final settlement of employees even after they have completed their notice period. Please assist me.

Thanks,
Pooja Sharma

I can fully understand your point of view. I would suggest you prepare a PowerPoint presentation regarding the before and after situation and the benefits the organization has gained from it.

To be frank and somewhat critical of the HR fraternity, including myself, compared to other functions like Marketing, Production, R&D, etc., we are lacking in documentation and presentation skills. Ultimately, data, facts, and figures cannot be denied. I believe it is essential to highlight the significant efforts invested in building up the HR function.

The HR team works diligently for every aspect, but our inability to effectively present ourselves often leads us to face criticism. It is challenging for a service function to take the lead.

Best of luck.

Regards,
Santosh Iyer

Respected Seniors,

I am an HR professional with around 5 years of experience, working for an international company with its corporate office in the UK, London, and other offices in the USA, China, Singapore, Indonesia, etc. I have been tasked with setting up the HR department, undertaking various HR activities, from basic personnel file maintenance to policy design and implementation, compliance work such as PF and ESI registration, and payroll processing.

Despite my efforts, the top management has not recognized me for my contributions or considered any salary increment. Instead, they are pressuring me, pointing out mistakes and delays. I feel demotivated and unappreciated. My appraisal is due in July 2013, but I am not hopeful of a deserving salary increment.

I seek your advice on whether I should leave this company and explore opportunities where my hard work is acknowledged and rewarded appropriately.

Please advise.

This world is full of jobs and job seekers, but not many job positions are filled with hard workers like you! So, stay motivated. If you have done what you have mentioned, then indeed, it's a victory.

Initiate a Pre-Appraisal Meeting

In my opinion, initiate a pre-appraisal meeting with the owners. Present all the facts in figures. If needed, prepare a Profit and Loss Statement, depicting profitable figures on the left side and your salary & other costs on the right side. Remember to show a profit! Even after this, if you don't end up getting what you aspire for, the HR world is waiting for workers like you.

Good luck!

I understand your predicament. Under the circumstances, the best option left before you is to start looking for other opportunities immediately.

Warm regards.