HR as Workplace Peacekeepers

At this time of national crisis, Workforce interviewed clerics throughout thecountry about what they would say or do if they were a director of human resources.

The Rev. Pamela Harvey is a minister at the Riverside Church, aninterdenominational, interracial and international congregation in Manhattan.

 

“We’ve got to find ways in corporations to be helpful to people andto learn from this. Employers need to be aware that times will get worse beforethey get better. There probably will be more incidences of bad behavior atwork, and we have to be prepared to deal with it. We have to be attentiveto people’s pain.

 

“New York is a war zone. As the Novocain wears off, the tooth reallystarts to hurt. Then there is more fear and rage. The fragile people are fallingapart. The caregivers are more stressed.

 

“Also, everyone is downsizing. If I were director of human resources,I’d encourage people to go to their mosque, their church, or their synagogue.I would give them time off. I would invite people in to talk about interfaithand interracial issues.

 

“If there are a lot of different faiths in the workplace, talking isimperative. You can’t separate people from their faith places. Those placesoffer people both big strengths and deep biases.”

Muzammil Siddiqi is one of the religious leaders who spoke at thepresidential ceremony at the National Cathedral three days after the terroristattacks. He is a past president of the Islamic Society of North America, andserves as director of the Islamic Society of Orange County in Garden Grove,California.

 

“I would emphasize how to be good to each other in the workplace — how toshow more courtesy and kindness to people who don’t look like you or havethe same faith.

 

“We are living in a more dangerous world now. There is a lot of mistrust.We need to remove the fear. We must emphasize good, trustworthy relationshipsin the workplace. We should encourage people to discuss different opinions.And we must do more than say prejudice will not be tolerated. We have to doall we can to actually build relationships.”

Acharya (master) Judith Simmer-Brown is a professor and chairmanof religious studies at Naropa University, a liberal arts college with a Buddhistheritage in Boulder, Colorado.

 

“Since Sept. 11, I think we’ve all seen an incredible growth in kindnessand gentleness. A key in Buddhism is to work with one’s own anger and aggression.A single act of peace has to start with ourselves. We have to begin to seeourselves as a member of a large international family.

 

“You don’t have to enforce kindness in the workplace — merely encourageit. Workshops about dealing with conflict in a non-adversarial way, and mediation,are tremendously positive approaches in the workplace.

 

“We work on seeing the anger and initiating compassion rather than just reacting.I would take this time as an opportunity to appreciate the preciousness oflife. If you see people who are upset or angry and stressed, try to receivethem with as much kindness as possible.

 

“It’s good to reflect on one’s own experience about what has happened, andto work on not being reactive, as in, “This is my agenda, my projectis the most important.”

Rabbi Peter Rubinstein is the senior rabbi at Central Synagogue,largest reform congregation in New York City.

 

“If I were director of HR, I would bring the whole staff together. One, fora time of memorial — even if you don’t know anyone who was killed. It wouldbe conducted in a ritual voice, not necessarily a religious voice. Two, Iwould acknowledge the spectrum of emotions we are all going through — thesadness, the short temperedness, the anxiety — the very real impact it hashad on us.

 

“I would be proactive. I’d say to the employees, “We understand we areall creatures of emotions, and this may impact our feelings with our co-workers.If you are the object of someone’s anxiety, it may not be personal.”Anxiety is clearly there. Now we have mail and security issues. People areafraid, and they are vulnerable. They wonder, “Is my job going to last?”One anxiety triggers another.

 

“These are extraordinary times.”