This article only aims to create an awareness of a right so easily overlooked by both HR and Top Management.
Did you know that we have human rights because of the Second World War? At least something good came out of so many lives lost. Although there were always various rights and traditions in many cultures, it was fairly recent that it became a global conscience. According to Google, this Universal Declaration of Human Rights was adopted by the UN General Assembly on 10 December 1948.
There will always be a governing body like government, that has power over individuals. The Human Rights Declaration limits that power. Now all states have to look after the basic needs of the people and protect some of their freedoms.
When we look at business and how human rights should be managed there, we notice a common right overlooked made by some HR Managers or training departments in the workforce which is the right to receive education and training, especially at top level management. Some HR Manager mainly focus on the ground level employees but forget that although top management has a lot of experiences and hard skills, they too need to refresh and update their soft skills in leadership, team management, stress and time management, problem-solving skills and change and diversity management etc.
Even top management themselves think this and deny them this right. If you think you are too old or too experienced to learn new skills, you are wrong. With today’s’ consumer and markets changing at rapid speed, it is more important than ever to stay at the top of your game.
Pearson did a study noticing “the higher up the ladder a position is, the more essential critical thinking becomes.” Another study conducted at the University of Georgia found that employees and management who practice good management techniques, find that they are more productive, are energized and feel less stressed. Therefore strong soft skills mean better customer service, improved communications and team interactions, stronger relationships, and increased efficiency.