HR people must lead by walking around

There are many people management strategies available in textbooks and online resources. If there’s only one thing that human resource (HR) professionals must do to excel in their jobs, then what is it? — White Lady.

The basic rule is that management must promote and maintain proactive two-way communication system with the workers. My top priorities include the annual morale and satisfaction survey, team problem-solving using a quality circle approach, and the casual, individual engagement dialogue between the boss and their direct reports.

They must be done simultaneously using a corporate-wide approach, organized and led by the HR department. On one hand, individual HR professionals must walk around inside the workplace so they can be seen and be approached by the workers for specific concerns, including things that they can’t share with their bosses.

It’s called MBWA or Management by Walking Around. It is a leadership style that requires all managers to informally walk through the workplace, engaging with employees, and observing operations firsthand.

For HR department heads and their deputies, MBWA can be especially valuable, so they would know all the issues and nitty-gritty before they ripen into serious trouble, like brewing conflict between team leaders, line supervisors, and managers with their direct reports.

One informal channel for the MBWA is the grapevine. Such an approach may be used to support other communication programs.

APPROACHES
Generally, HR people are often seen as being distant from the workers. That’s not all, they are perceived as robots doing only purely administrative work, which leads workers to prefer “going upstairs” or consulting their union officers. That’s one of the reasons why it has become difficult for HR to effectively gather employee feedback, which leads to misalignment between actual needs and company policies.

To avert that situation, all professionals, regardless of rank and length of experience in the field, may do MBWA using the following approaches:

One, building and nurturing trust. This can be done by being visible to the workers. Humanize the workplace by walking the hallway, the cafeteria, and other common areas. Casually talk to them without asking for specific concerns. In due time, or as soon as they develop confidence in you, they will voluntarily open up.

You’d be surprised at the number of issues you’ll discover. They could include signs of a brewing conflict, low morale, slowdowns, burnout, or misinterpreted policy.

Two, promoting a positive work culture. Physical presence leads workers to feel that HR is sincere in helping them. When HR is visible, supportive, and genuinely interested in employees’ day-to-day experiences, it reinforces a culture of inclusion, transparency, and respect. Workers will feel that HR has a deep concern for them, which could lead to higher engagement and retention.

Three, improving the feedback cycle. Rather than wait for ideas to come in through the suggestion box, formal performance reviews, or annual morale surveys, it’s always better to have a proactive discussion as issues become apparent. This makes for more agile insights into what’s working and what’s not with management and workers.

Four, reinforcing HR’s role as an employee champion. HR is not necessarily a mouthpiece for management. By being physically present at all times, in all sorts of scenarios, HR can help realign strategy with business goals. Rather than taking a reactive stance, HR must be proactively shaping win-win success between labor and management.

Five, becoming models for other managers. When HR leads by example, it sets a precedent for employee leaders and their managers to be more visible, approachable, and engaged. With HR taking the lead, it normalizes a people-first management style that must be duplicated by all managers in all cases.

VISIBLE HR
In an age of digital transformation, evolving employee expectations, and hybrid work models, the HR function must go beyond being seen online. Instead, HR must be physically visible in both formal and informal corporate activities to perpetuate itself as a strategic enabler of organizational culture.

There’s no other option but to do it with MBWA. By walking the halls, chatting in break rooms, or informally connecting in common areas, HR can create simple opportunities for conversation regardless of the workers’ tasks and pay grade. Trust is not built through circulars and bulletin board memos. It’s earned through consistency, presence, and empathy.

A visible HR signals accessibility. When employees see HR leaders genuinely interested in their day-to-day experiences, it reinforces a culture of transparency and inclusion. This visibility can bridge the gap between policy and people, fostering alignment and boosting morale.

There’s no other way.

Bring Rey Elbo’s popular leadership program, Superior Subordinate Supervision, to your organization. For details, DM him on Facebook, LinkedIn, X, or e-mail elbonomics@gmail.com or via reyelbo.com.