HR problems highlighted at hospitals

Problems with the HR systems at a number of hospitals across Ireland have been highlighted, with staff reported to have been caused serious emotional and financial distress.

The issues at three Children’s Health Ireland hospitals in Dublin were brought to light by the Irish Times. Among the issues that were raised were pay delays of as much as three months for new doctors, employees being put on the wrong pay scale and employment contract delays. Doctors who spoke to the Medical Council said that HR failed to reply to queries and that they had been forced to devote working time to resolving the issues. They pointed out that this increased the risk for patients.

As a result of the story going public, a discussion has begun about how organisations can avoid similar problems in the future. Chris Garner of the Avensure consultancy said that making sure HR have sufficient resources is crucial, particularly in high-stress industries.

That can be tricky for companies with limited budgets or high overheads though. One option is to look at outsourced HR services in Buckinghamshire. These can provide cutting-edge software for administrating payroll and contracts at a fraction of the cost.

Speaking to HR Magazine, Rob Baker from Tailored Thinking said:

“HR must be a trusted, visible and dependable function, not just a back-office operation. Trust in HR isn’t just about policies on paper; it’s about people feeling listened to and supported.”

He went on to add that when contracts and pay are not administered on time, employees get the message that they are not considered to be important.