In a large oil and gas exploration and drilling company, a new department director is hired from another industry and appointed over one of the largest departments in the company. The department director quickly takes a strong interest in altering many of the HR practices in the department. One of the first things the new department director does is insist that all managers in the department be formally dressed each day, with those not adhering to the dress code being put on formal probation. Many of the managers in the department spend much of their day outdoors and the HR manager overseeing HR in the department thinks requiring them to dress formally each day is not practical. The HR manager, who reports to the HR VP, must work with the department director to implement and, as needed, adjust the
department director's plans.
The department director meets with the HR manager and makes suggestions for the HR strategic plan based on the department director's previous company. The department director insists that the suggestions be implemented. The HR manager knows the ideas will not work at this company.
What should the HR manager do?