Last week we looked at the extent of workplace stress in Hong Kong and its causes and implications. In the final part of the series, we examine some possible solutions.
The new mantra for successful personnel management, especially in Hong Kong's stressful work environment, is 'fix it before it's broken', according to a senior human resources executive.
Milly Liew, regional human resources director (Asia-Pacific) at G4S Security Services, believes prevention is the best policy. While grievance and disciplinary policies are important, they are not effective human resources (HR) tools for handling staff complaints, which often concern pay and benefits, she says.
'Most employees don't like to lodge formal complaints with the company, especially when the grievances concern their line managers. Apart from reprisals that will be damaging to their careers, they are afraid of running the risk of being branded troublemakers,' she says.
But Liew stresses that proper grievance procedures are essential for handling serious situations such as those involving corruption and malpractice.
She says successful HR policies should be service-oriented to put staff first. 'If you put some care and thought into it, even small things can achieve big results. For example, just a simple recreation room with a television, a few computers and a coffee machine could go a long way in boosting staff morale and productivity because it makes work more enjoyable.'