HR Trigger Words: Things You Should Never Tell HR

Almost every workplace has a Human Resource department, commonly known as the HR. This department serves 5 main functions: compensation and employee benefits, talent management, compliance, training and development and workplace safety.

In short, human resource is the cog and the wheel that keeps things moving, the bridge between the employer and the employees.

They handle things that would otherwise interfere with the day-to-day running of the workplace and this is vital because the boss may not always have the time to address everything.

However, the HR is still human and like everyone else, undergoes the same work pressures. So there are things you can’t just unload on them and expect work to continue running smoothly.

In this article, we will explore some trigger words that you should never say to the HR. If you’re an employee looking to foster good relationships with everyone you work with, then this is a must read.

HR Trigger Words

1. Offensive Language

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Offensive language will always cause discord between you and the HR and could even cost you your job if you keep the behavior up. Using respectful language with HR should come naturally and there are valid reasons for this.

First, it fosters a positive working relationship. Establishing a positive working connection with HR can be essential for dealing with problems, negotiating your own benefits, and asking for help.

Respectful language also boosts your professional image in the eyes of your HR, colleagues and your boss. You stand out as a considerate and cooperative team member and that not only boosts your chances of promotion, but makes you easy to work with.

Another reason why you should always be respectful with your HR is to avoid legal consequences. Offensive language can cross the line in the heat of the moment and once it turns into harassment and discrimination, you could find yourself facing the law.

But most importantly, a cordial relationship with your HR is the best way to protect your job. HR personnel play a huge role in hiring, promotions and firing. So the last person you want to be enemies with is your HR.

Examples of offensive language and behaviors that you should avoid include the following.

• Condescending or sarcastic remarks that belittles the HR’s expertise and efforts.
• Using racial, gender, or religious slurs towards the HR.
• Personal attacks, whether verbal or written, towards the HR.
• Dismissive language that trivializes the HR’s suggestions and role at the workplace.

2. Confidential Information

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Privacy is a big deal the world over and disclosing sensitive information to the HR about another employee without their consent is something you should never do. This also includes information about yourself that the HR doesn’t need to know. For example, your sex life.

So why is this important?

You risk losing your credibility with the HR and the rest of your working colleagues. You may come off as unprofessional and lose confidence within the company if you share unsolicited, and irrelevant confidential information.

The HR may get distracted when you dump sensitive information that they didn’t ask for and this can affect their productivity. The role of the HR is extensive and they need to be at their best at all times. So ambushing them with wild info may divert that attention from more pressing matters, thus harming their efficiency.

There are also serious privacy concerns especially when you divulge information that’s too personal. Like I said earlier, HR people are human too so they don’t need to know everything.

Some examples of confidential information you should keep to yourself include the following.

• The specifics of your health issues. The HR can facilitate accommodation for your medical conditions, but they don’t need to know the inner details. For example, telling HR about how you got an STD may be too much.
• Your financial struggles and family matters are also your personal business. The HR can’t do anything beyond the stipulated monthly remunerations and they can’t settle your family disputes.
• Political talk is another type of information that you should keep to yourself.

3. Gossip and Rumors

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Nothing good ever comes out of gossip and rumors at the workplace and the HR is the last person you want to pull into this. This is the fastest way to lose a job.

Gossip and rumors can have a negative impact at the workplace for all the people involved. They erode trust among colleagues and create paranoia and mistrust between the employees and the HR. This is a recipe for disaster because productivity will be severely affected by this.

Spreading of false information can also damage the reputation of the targeted individuals. When you involve the HR and they end up acting on unverified rumors and gossiping about it, the affected person may have their image and reputation permanently tarnished.

Gossiping also increases stress and anxiety at the workplace and the last thing anyone wants is to have the overall well-being of a work colleague negatively impacted due to unfounded claims and falsehoods.

Another danger of spreading malicious rumors is divisiveness at the workplace. People are likely to form opposing factions based on rumors and once this happens, you can kiss cooperation goodbye because nothing works when employees turn against each other.

You also risk legal consequences because spreading false rumors amounts to defamation and that can expose the company to serious lawsuits.

Examples of gossip and rumors that should never reach the HR’s desk include the following.

• Your colleagues’ personal relationships, who they’re dating, their marital problems and anything that isn’t related to their roles at work.
• Talking about other people’s health issues when the targeted worker has not voluntarily disclosed that information.
• Speculating about potential layoffs, transfers or demotions as this can cause panic and instability.
• Talking about other people’s financial situations.

4. Personal Issues Unrelated to Work

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Finding a work-life balance is very hard for most people and most times, each side leaks into the other with devastating results. You should never load personal issues that are unrelated to your work onto the HR because that impacts productivity on so many levels.

Maintaining professional boundaries with your HR and the rest of your colleagues is very important for a number of reasons.

First, there are confidentiality concerns anytime you entrust the HR with sensitive information that’s unrelated to work. This can blur the lines of confidentiality and end up compromising trust and that’s not good for anyone.

Secondly, it undermines the HR’s impartiality when it comes to executing their roles. For instance, sharing sad personal issues may sway the HR’s opinion, forcing them to play favoritism and show bias.

Most importantly, unnecessary personal issues may overload the HR with too much information and that can impact their overall productivity. And if you’re in doubt, here are some examples of personal issues you should keep out of the HR’s ear.

• Your relationship woes are your business. Your HR doesn’t need to know anything about how your Tinder date refused to show up.
• Mental health issues should also be taken to the right person and that shouldn’t be the HR. Most workplaces have structures set up with a different counseling department. Your first contact shouldn’t be the HR.
• Your personal legal issues cannot be addressed by the HR. Things like your divorce proceedings or your inability to pay child support should be left at home.
• Financial issues like bankruptcy or gambling problems are also beyond the purview of the HR. Deal with your own demons.

5. Criticizing Colleagues or Management

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There’s a difference between constructive and destructive and most times, the tone of delivery matters very much.

If you’re in the habit of criticizing your colleagues or the management at the workplace, you risk putting the HR into the crosshairs of the different factions involved and that’s not a good thing.

There are multiple negative implications of always going after your colleagues and management to the HR.

First, it strains working relationships with the people around you. Relationships within your team may suffer if you bring your complaints about a coworker or manager directly to HR. Your coworkers might feel betrayed or upset, which would make the office less supportive and less effective.

Secondly, this behavior can damage your long-standing reputation and can even affect your future job prospects.

Openly criticizing management or your coworkers in front of HR could harm your professional reputation. At work, people frequently respect caution and professionalism. Your reputation within the company may suffer if your coworkers think you don’t manage issues discreetly.

There’s also the high risk of retaliation from the people you keep criticizing and that can escalate the smallest issues into a full blown war. The managers or coworkers you criticize may retain grudges and gang against you in the office. You could be excluded and ostracized from group activities.

Some of the criticisms you should avoid hurling at others through HR includes the following.

• Unsubstantiated claims and accusations that don’t have concrete evidence should be avoided. You should never raise an issue without sufficient proof.
• Throwing a tantrum over another colleague’s performance when it doesn’t impact your work. That’s not your responsibility as there are frameworks in place to deal with that.
• Reporting minor disagreements to the HR and making them sound like a big deal is also another type of criticism that can destabilize the workplace.

6. Making Threats or Ultimatums

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Your job and reputation are not the only things that will be at stake when you make threats and unreasonable ultimatums to the HR or anyone at the workplace. You could be prosecuted for threatening to harm someone else and that’s the last thing anyone would want on their resume.

So what are some of the negative impacts of issuing threats and ultimatums to the HR and other working companions?

You could face severe legal consequences depending on the nature of the threats you make. Some threats may constitute harassment, creating a hostile workplace, or even amount to a breach of an employee’s employment contract.

This may lead to legal action, which might have major repercussions for both the company and the person making the threats.

The person issuing the threats and ultimatums could risk being isolated by others and this kind of divisiveness can impact productivity. No one would want to associate with people who keep making threats because most people are peaceful in nature and they abhor unnecessary confrontations.

7. Exaggerating or Lying

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Overly exaggerating and lying to the HR about yourself, issues and other people is another bad behavior that you should never do at the workplace or in any other settings.

When it comes to dealing with HR and your colleagues, it’s important that you maintain honesty and transparency at all times.

Transparency makes open communication much easier at the workplace. Confusion and rumors are reduced when decision-makers are open about their thinking and the decisions they have made.

Teams can also coordinate their efforts better when the working environment has a strong stance against exaggerating and lying.

Being honest with the HR fosters accountability and this makes it easy for performances to be assessed. This is how workers get rewarded based on merit instead of rumors and unfounded claims.

Another advantage of being truthful at all times is that it boosts morale and engagement because everyone feels like their voices are sufficiently heard when they raise an issue. This fosters a sense of ownership and pride and that’s good for the organization.

Finally, being truthful with the HR enhances decision-making as they’re able to execute their duties knowing that they’re working with reliable information from honest and transparent employees.

So what are some of the things you should never lie to the HR about? They include the following.

• Hiding your past criminal history. While it’s understandable for someone to hide their criminal past and convictions, concealing this or the nature of the offense could cost the company.
• Exaggerating your achievements and awards is risky because, eventually, your lies will catch up with you and that will come at the expense of other people.
• Fabricating your salary history and benefits so as to negotiate a higher offer is another lie you need to avoid. Once management figures out that your skills are not up to par, it could lead to legal consequences.
• Lying about your educational background is another dangerous lie that should never be told to the HR. For instance, inflating your GPA scores is actually against the law.
• You should also never lie about the reasons for leaving your previous jobs. HR departments usually communicate and exchange information with each other. You will be caught eventually.

Wrapping Up

These are the 7 HR trigger words that should never leave your lips at any work setting because the consequences aren’t just limited to you alone.

But I cannot stress how important maintaining a professional relationship with HR is. It creates a conducive working environment that makes work easier for both you and the HR. You earn their respect by offering yours too.

So always be mindful of your language when dealing with the HR so you can avoid the undesired consequences that could negatively impact your job.