HR Grapevine: - 7 things HR don't like to reveal

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7 things HR don't like to reveal

HR departments are required to follow government rules, including laws around equality in the workplace, minimum wage and gender discrimination.

However, there are some details that HR may be inclined to hide from their staff. Factors such as the selection process, hiring rules and social media practices are often kept a secret from employees as this is likely to help avoid any conflict of interests within the workplace.

As such, HR Grapevine has rounded up a list of seven secrets that HR are most likely to keep hidden:

Being underpaid in your role

When starting a new role and negotiating a salary with HR, it is unlikely you will ever be told what other people are earning in similar positions to you, making it difficult to gauge whether you are being underpaid or not. If you feel you are not being paid enough in comparison to other colleagues, try searching your role online to compare salaries – Glassdoor is a particularly good site to use to compare your wage.

Dress to impress

According to CareerAddict, HR make a conclusion about each person they meet within the first 90 seconds, therefore it is imperative you make an effort when you meet a hiring manager. It’s unlikely HR will pre-warn a candidate to dress smartly for a job interview, as they want to find someone who is well prepared from the get-go. So, ensure that you go above and beyond when you are meeting with HR.

Avoid office romances

Despite many people finding their future spouse at work, office romances are generally is something that HR tend to not spell out to workers. According to Reader’s Digest, Kris Dunn, Chief Human Resources Officer at Atlanta-based Kinetix, an office romance ‘can and will be held against you’.

Social media searches

Quite often, HR will continue screening candidates beyond the interview and references they receive. This is where social media comes in. HR managers will not inform potential employees that they will be scouring their social media pages, as they wouldn’t want them to delete any potentially offensive images or posts. This way they will gain a true picture of the candidate they may hire.

Remember to be vocal

Not everyone wants to boast and shout about their contributions, however, HR managers want to see that their staff are making a difference to the business and actively contributing. Ensure your line manager is aware of all that you do and don’t be afraid to toot your own horn.

Don’t mention your family

Indeed, it is illegal for a hiring manager to discriminate against individuals who are looking to settle down and start a family soon, however, that doesn’t mean that they won’t try and find out this information during the interview stage with some probing questions. If they find out you are about to have a child in the next few months, avoid all talk on the subject, as they will likely refuse you the role.

90-day hire rule

When a new starter joins the company, it can take some time before HR can notice their productivity dropping or issues with their workload. As such, HR has now launched a trial period called the 90-day hire rule, Wisestep explained. During this time managers will be able to find out who an employee really is and whether they will be a true fit with the company.