what are the drawbacks of human resource plans?

Answer 1

Typically HR have no idea what the staff actually want or value so they make plans based on assumptions.

Also, they never bother to run a 'pilot' or ask for 'user input' before trying to roll it out (after all, 'HR always know best' :-) )

As a result, they totally underestimate the time needed for implementation and the degree of resistance from staff whose jobs they make a nightmare. They then panic and try to 'fix it' (usually by making the situation worse).

EXAMPLE
We had a meeting room booking system based on 'You phone the Front Desk, explain why & and ask for a room'. Who-ever was on duty would check the (paper) book and find a room - if rooms were 'fully booked' they would phone around those who had booked the rooom and ask them if they would change time/finish early etc. If a Senior Manager needed a room and none were available, they would 'cancel' some-one else.


To save money HR decided to 'outsource' building security including Front Desk. Unfortunately they forgot about meeting room booking - and the Contract Company dug their heels in ... so time for the 'panic fix' ... implement booking via MS Exchange !

All 'old' bookings and regular bookings were immediately 'lost' (including the monthly Board Meeting).

In the chaos that followed, junior staff eventually booked out every available room for the rest of the year ('just in case') - and the computer was too dumb to realise that no-one could be in two rooms at the same time...