By Stephen D. Bruce, PHR
Editor, HR Daily Advisor
Just My E-pinion
Many CEOs like to answer employee’s e-mail personally, but there are dangers for HR, warns HR Hero’s Technology for HR guidebook. Combine far-flung workforces and mobile computing technology, and the CEO can be literally responding to emails 24/7.
There are advantages, of course, to maintaining a close connection to employees. CEOs can credit being alerted to an important problem, or receiving a valuable contribution from one of these e-mails. However, problems can arise when employees have a direct line to the CEO’s inbox.
“Mommy may I” syndrome. Kids ask one parent, and if they don’t like the answer, they ask the other parent. When employees do the same thing with the CEO’s mailbox, it puts the HR manager in an awkward position of defending the company’s policies to the CEO. This can even occur when the HR department has already extensively dealt with a situation.
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Unique relationship. Other problems may develop in which certain employees feel uniquely empowered through their “special relationship” with the CEO. That can make it difficult to manage these employees, and coworkers may feel the employee is getting special benefits.
Allegations of misconduct. If the CEO is made aware of certain prohibited conduct (i.e. sexual harassment allegations), he or she may not know the appropriate response. (Probably you want to train him or her to contact HR immediately, and not promise confidentiality.).
Snap responses. The CEO may want to deal with problems “decisively” which may result in a quick response that doesn’t take into account the history and context of the situation or doesn’t correspond with regulatory or policy requirements.
If you and your CEO understand those possibilities and he or she still wants the e-mail inbox to act like an open door, consider the following guidelines:
- E-mails shouldn’t promote or solicit purchases from an independent business venture, charity, or other external activity of the employee.
- E-mails shouldn’t ask for special consideration of a request affecting an employee’s salary, work assignment, benefits, bonus, expense reimbursement, or other financial matter relating to employment. Employees can comment or even complain about those matters generally.
- E-mails should be well written and appropriate from professional communication. They should be brief and, unless critical to the message, shouldn’t include attachments.
- Employees aren’t guaranteed confidentiality in the e-mail communications.
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- The CEO may forward, after reviewing, the employee’s information or request to the appropriate company professional for a detailed response.
- It’s prohibited to post, distribute, or otherwise broadcast either an employee’s e-mail to the CEO or her response in any fashion without prior approval. That includes internal company sites, personal blogs or sites, or distributions to outside entities, especially the media.
- The CEO’s box isn’t designed for a dialogue with the CEO on a subject. Employees should limit themselves to one comment, concern, or question, and they should anticipate a single response. If an employee needs clarification or has follow-up questions, he should contact a supervisor.
How about your CEO? Any great ideas from e-mails to the CEO? Hassles or horror stories? Hit “Share your comments” below to let us know.
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