How To Get Rid Of HR Departments
I had a dream that I worked for a company that got rid of it’s Human Resources Department. There were no more HR manuals or HR classes.
This was not a result of ineffective HR professionals. They just weren’t needed in that company. Was this heaven?
No. It was a dream. But, after rereading John Maxwell’s book, There Is No Such Thing As “Business” Ethics, I believe there is one Standard Operating Procedure that could make the dream a reality. The Golden Rule.
The Golden Rule
Here is a description of what that Standard Operating Procedure might look like:
The Golden Rule
“How would I like to be treated in this situation?”
At Acme Inc. it is our duty to ask, “Is what we are doing right?” Further, “Is what we are doing right for our customers, our teammates, our families and our company?” While some individuals or organizations base ethical decisions on what is legal or what circumstances they face, Acme Inc. has a sense of peace that comes from following a moral compass that points the same way no matter the situation, the current fashion, or the latest trend.
Acme Inc. believes that we must:
- Operate by a defined standard.
- Willfully maintain that standard.
- Act courageously on our beliefs.
Acme Inc.’s Standard Operating Procedure is The Golden Rule.
“How would I like to be treated in this situation?”
The Golden Rule is fundamentally a Christian value: “So whatever you wish that others would do to you do also to them.” However, similar values and philosophies are found in other cultures and religions worldwide.
“How would I like to be treated in this situation?” is an integrity guideline for any situation.
It is the framework for every strong relationship and any lasting business.
The Golden Rule guides Acme Inc. in five distinct ways:
- We will treat a person better than they treat us.
- We will trust a person until they prove untrustworthy.
- We will value a person because all of us were created by God to have value.
- We will do the right thing no matter the personal cost.
- We will keep our promises to our customers and to each other.
At Acme Inc. we will always strive to do the right thing by following The Golden Rule. It is a standard that we will build our culture upon. It is a standard we are proud to adhere to. It is a standard that needs courage to follow.
As C. S. Lewis accurately stated:
“Courage is not simply one of the virtues, but the form of every virtue at its testing point.”
The Bottom Line:
Imagine working for a company that operated like this! Imagine what it would be like to go to work there each day! Imagine how much more productive businesses could be if the HR departments were not needed!
Do you need a vivid imagination to get to this point? Probably. But, if we all took the Golden Rule to work with us, how much better would the culture at work be?
Question:
How can you step out and apply The Golden Rule at work this week?
My company does espouse The Golden Rule as the basis for conducting business daily. However, with all the regulations our HR is not going away. I must admit that our corporate culture is very positive and that is why I have been with PCA for over 21 years.
That is truly the point of the blog. What would it be like to work in such an environment. Sounds like you are living it.