Editorial

Citation

Bajer, J. (2015), "Editorial", Strategic HR Review, Vol. 14 No. 6. https://doi.org/10.1108/SHR-09-2015-0080

Editorial

Article Type: Editorial From: Strategic HR Review, Volume 14, Issue 6

Javier Bajer

Welcome to a new issue of Strategic HR Review!

This time we look at an aspect of today’s workplaces that is creating significant challenges for many organisations. In a world of increased compliance, will we end up negatively affecting employee engagement, collaboration and innovation? Wouldn’t we be erasing with one hand what we have been trying to write with the other?

During the next few years we will see increased control on how work is done in our organisations, driven by the need to minimise all potential risks. At the same time, we will also see an increased push towards profitability, sustainability and engagement of current and newer generations. How are these opposing forces going to play out in reality? Will creativity and innovation survive as environments become more tightly controlled? How will organisational agility be possible inside overly-regulated processes?

In this issue, great authors share their perspectives on how their organisations are dealing with this challenge:

In “Wearable Surveillance: A Step Too Far?” Mike Weston explores the legal and ethical issues surrounding new technological devices that enable employers to monitor their workers while on the job – including the impact this has on worker productivity and morale.

In “Action on ‘Legal Highs’ Must Form Part of Drive for Drug-Free Workplace,” Phillip Kindred looks at policies for addressing an emerging class of unregulated synthetic drugs in the workplace.

In “Undercover Employer: Is It Ever OK to Put Your Staff Under Covert Surveillance?” Jonathan Whittaker also looks at employee surveillance – this time, when workers are off the clock.

In “Changing Behaviors at Scale,” David Swanson discusses his company’s use of design thinking to drive long-term, sustainable changes in employee behaviors throughout the company.

And in “Tax Avoidance: The 21st Century Employment Conundrum,” Barry Mosely explores the compliance ramifications of the use (and misuse) of self-employed contractor status for nontraditional employees.

I believe that adding more control will not change human behaviours for the better. This is already the case of the Financial Services sector, where an increase in the regulation has only awakened further “innovative” ways for playing the system, where groups of people managed to take shortcuts making personal benefits come first.

To avoid this paradox, we’ll need to develop HR Strategies where our employees are encouraged and inspired to do the right things, not because we are watching them, but because we have helped them care for their footprint in the world.

Let’s continue this conversation via Twitter using #SHReview.

Warm regards,

Dr Javier Bajer

Editor-in-Chief