Dealing with distressed employees : A human resouce [sic] [ie resource] managers perspective

Human resource managers undertake a variety of tasks, including the provision of advice to employees. This can include advice about employment rights and responsibilities as well as on ‘soft’ issues, such as when an employee is upset or concerned about something. Currently HR managers are encouraged to focus on the contribution of an organisation’s human resources to the overall performanance of the organisation, which suggests that HR managers might now be less willing to deal with distressed employees and their soft issues. We find that Australian HR managers spend a significant amount of time dealing with distressed employees who are concerned about a very broad range of personal and work related issues. Contrary to expectations, we find that most HR managers suffer no ill effects as a consequence of their constant exposure to distressed employees.