'The HR head often feels pressure to stay late or bring work home, which is unacceptable and untenable,' says the HR head. / © iStock
Saying that dealing with endless complaints about the stressful working environment and having to deal with an ever-growing number of disputes is not good for one's wellbeing, the head of a human resources department has announced that she is going to prioritise work-life balance for the HR head.
"Because of the general feeling of dissatisfaction in the company, multiple professional and personal conflicts, and the belief that human resources should do something about it, the HR head often feels pressure to stay late or bring work home," said human resources director Catherine Wolf. "This is unacceptable and untenable."
"Effective immediately, I am going to prioritise work-life balance for the HR head," she added.
Wolf, 43, says that under the new policy, the HR head will stop responding to emails at 5pm, and she will no longer bring her company laptop and phone home during evenings, weekends, and holidays. Furthermore, the HR head will ensure that her hour-long lunch break, as specified in her contract, is taken.
"An HR head needs time during the day to decompress and nourish her body, mind, and soul," she said. "She can't always be responding to requests for training, looking over CVs for vital positions that have remained unfilled since last year, and putting together a plan to get a certain manager to stop harassing his team at home."
"She probably has two young children who deserve her attention and have sadly come to believe that she's glued to a screen," said Wolf, who became director of human resources three years ago after the previous one resigned after suffering from chronic burnout. "Moreover, the HR head's spouse wants to sign them up for swing dancing lessons. These start at 6pm three days a week."
Wolf says that as HR head, she knows it is her job to take steps to foster a new departmental ethos and company culture in which the HR head can still enjoy family time and her private life – and have ample time for leisure, sport, and relaxation.
Wolf said: "It is up to me to make these changes."
