Bridging Policy and People for a Better work place

 


                      





HR policies and employee relation means

HR policies are formal rules and regulations for employees and managers adhere to their work in specific organization. This is the fundamental basic of any organization to run their business. These policies cover a wide range of areas, including workplace behavior, employee rights and disciplinary actions. They ensure employees are aware of what is required of them and how they should behave in the workplace. Employee relations are about people’s experience, emotions and beliefs. When HR policies provide module for employee work, employee relations fill the module with genuine connection. (Indeed, Editorial Team, n.d.)
 

Why human centered employee relation is important:

  • Trust and Loyalty

When employees feel that they valued as people instead of workers, employees build trust and loyalty on the organization reduce turnover.

  • Improve productivity

When employees feel respected automatically their productivity go up.HR identity as a worth employee in the organization will directly impact on their productivity and commitment.

  • Active listening

When human centric concern it will encourage open honest communication.
Making easy problem solving by active listening and sharing thoughts.

  • Improve mental and physical health

Identifying employees’ individual needs and help them on issues will lead to improve physical and mental health and also to reduce stress on work and on personal issues.

Why HR policies hold less power than employees' relations?

Even though both concepts critical in an organization, each offers for distinct purposes depending on different situations. So, some key points for importance of each concept can be identified as follows. 

Normally HR policies are formal, written rules to govern employees and any offence HR will take actions against employees. In employee relations may negotiate in disputes, real time situations and actions will vary on the cases. So, HR policies are inflexible, and employee relations are flexible. Policies are always providing structure like punish or disciplinary actions in any staff matters but ER deal with employee emotions, human factors. That's mean ER always depend on the situations in cases lie harassments, investigations or any employee issues. (Diard, 2025)

 

 


Source - George Business Review "The nature of employee relations"



 Source - People Managing People “41 Key HR Policies & Best Practices (With Examples).”


 How Sri Lankan airlines bridges HR policies and Employee Relations


According to Sri Lankan airlines corporate news, Sri Lankan airlines adopt balanced approach to bridge HR policies and strong employee relationship. Based on Aviation rules and regulations HR policies are well structured and communicated to employees in every stages. Airline launched Employee Assistance Centre (EAC) support employees to improve their knowledge about HR policies and solve issues when adopting HR policies. Not only that demonstrate them how work-life balance, stress control & other matters which relevant to employees. Conducting training programmes to understand HR policies and empowering management to deal with any HR policies related issues. These methods will help to bridge HR structured policies with employee centered initiatives in Sri Lankan Airlines. 


Conclusion

Even though the HR policies are well structured, it should ensure that these policies are matches with employee relations. If the organization's policies are employee centered policies, it will encourage both employee wellbeing and organization success. As a summary HR policies are not only manage people but fairly engage with employees to work toward for organization Batterman. As my opinion when these two concepts aligned that's mean HR promotes not only employee satisfaction but also sustainable business success.




Resources

Indeed, Editorial Team. (n.d.). HR policies: how they can influence employee attitude and performance. Available at - https://uk.indeed.com/hire/c/info/hr-policies-employee-attitude-performance. 

Diard, A. (2025, May 16). Understanding employee relations: importance and role. People Spheres. Available at - https://peoplespheres.com/understanding-employee-relations-importance-and-role  

SriLankan Airlines launches Employee Assistance Centre to provide guidance for staff | Daily FT. (n.d.). Avalable at -https://www.ft.lk/management/SriLankan-Airlines-launches-Employee-Assistance-Centre-to-provide-guidance-for-staff  

 

 

Comments

  1. I fully agree with the concept of “Bridging Policy and People for a Better Workplace.” Similar to SriLankan Airlines, at Ceylon Petroleum Storage Terminals Limited (CPSTL) this balance is crucial to uphold compliance while nurturing human connection within a safety-critical environment. Well-designed HR policies establish clarity, consistency, and fairness, whereas strong employee relations foster empathy, trust, and collaboration. When these two dimensions are effectively integrated, organizations can build a supportive, disciplined, and high-performing culture that promotes both employee well-being and sustainable organizational excellence.

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  2. You’ve explained the link between HR policies and employee relations in a clear and practical way, and the Sri Lankan Airlines example makes the ideas easy to understand. One small area to improve is the flow in the middle, as a few points feel slightly out of order. Adding a small transition before the airline section would help the structure. Overall, it’s a strong and thoughtful post.

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  3. Bridging policy and people is crucial for creating a workplace that balances organizational objectives with employee needs. Well-designed policies provide structure, consistency, and fairness, while considering employee perspectives ensures they are practical, relevant, and supportive. When HR aligns policies with the real experiences and expectations of employees, it fosters trust, engagement, and a positive culture. This approach encourages open communication, collaboration, and accountability, allowing employees to feel valued and empowered. Organizations that successfully connect policy frameworks with people-centric practices can enhance productivity, reduce conflicts, and promote overall well-being. Ultimately, integrating policy and people creates a more inclusive, efficient, and sustainable workplace where both the organization and employees can thrive.

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