Register now or log in to join your professional community.
In the UK where I live and have worked for many years within the HR field, the employment relationship is governed by employment legislations and should be adhered to by everyone, including managers. It is their responsibility to ensure they do not bring the reputation of the organisation into disrupt by their wrong decision or failure to be seen not to follow the policies and guideline as laid down by law. Employees or members of the public who feel they have been treated unlawfully can bring a claim of discrimination against an organisation whether they are employees or not, therefore managers have a responsibility to ensure that their behaviour and attitude does not come across as been discriminatory.
Managers as leaders have to also follow the laws as lay down by legislations, company policies and good practice and must be seen to act in a way that shows they are leading by example. However the fact that there are laws does not stop some managers from trying to make wrong decisions that are based merely on their personal opinion or feelings. If I am aware that my manager or any manager within my organisation is going to make a wrong decision that is based on their personal feeling or against the law, it will be my responsibility as the HR professional to inform them why it should not be done. I will point them to the policy that says there is another way of managing the situation, including the outcome and implication of what will happen if their decision is carried out. In HR we try to work to ensure best practice as stipulated within the CIPD Code of Professional Conduct and it is our duty to ensure managers do the same as this will be a consideration when a case goes to an employment tribunal.