The victimisation of a traumatised train driver and how HR failed her
If the reaction to the last blog is anything to go by, I no doubt need to prepare for another onslaught after HR has read this latest blog. Interestingly, PR departments are far more relaxed about such things, a lot of them being former journalists– thus understanding the ‘game’ and not taking it personally. HR staff, on the other hand, tend to get very emotional about any perceived criticism.
I’ll not name the train operator or details of the driver, but a few days ago I was informed by front line staff of a shocking chain of events, resulting in HR and senior management ganging up on a woman driver, who last year experienced a most traumatic life event (off the railway) and, after a period of light duties, was well on the way to returning to the footplate. What she has gone through is enough to turn the stomach of any front line rail worker. She has been subject to the most petty and jumped up charges – the type of thing that anyone else would not have been subject to – reduced to tears by management and HR bullying and been spied on (despite management promising staff years ago that it would never do it) using station CCTV as a way of gathering evidence to support HR’s case. ASLEF is fighting her corner and, all being well will deliver a TKO to HR and managers who should be ashamed of themselves. If she is sacked, expect an appeal and a shed load of bad PR for the TOC. As the saying goes ‘Sow the wind, reap the whirlwind’ .
HR departments were unheard of until 1958 – it was known as personnel management prior to that. It’s now morphed into a schoolmarmish, risk averse industry where a win-win, conflict avoidance (even if only superficial) is valued far higher than a ‘real’ solution that a union – and its staff – desire. At the most basic level, unions and management are at conflict, that doesn’t mean they want to kick seven types of proverbial out of each other, but the two sides invariably have different objectives. HR on the other hand often wants everyone to hold hands and will push for peace at any cost – conflict avoidance being their watch word regardless of whether it’s the best solution – it rarely is, as both sides are left feeling unsatisfied and it’s just kicking the can down the road.
HR will always side with the employer – it is their paymaster after all – and, as one MD said to me “If anyone in HR tells me that they took the job to help people, I tell them to go and train as a social worker.”
The book about the realities of rail staff (horrifying and humorous in equal measure) that HR would love to ban. No doubt a mass book burning is planned in the future! https://www.chimewhistle.co.uk/shop/p/a-funny-thing-happened-on-the-train-to-london