It seems there’s no shortage of HR bashing or critical comments about the value of HR lately. I really enjoy the articles from the academic community who have never worked in an HR capacity at any level.
The article that fired me up was Company Says You Should Thank Us, Employees Barf. The gist of the article was that benefit statements were mailed to employees’ homes. One of the points raised was that employees felt their intelligence was insulted because they can figure out this information for themselves, thank you very much. In addition, because the final number of the “hidden salary“ was displayed in the document in bold and a larger font than the rest of the document, employees felt there was an underlying “you should be thankful you work here” message. The exact word describing this document was “propaganda.” Since HR generated and mailed the document, then it would be suitable to kill the messenger. The thought that’s left with the reader is that by sending the benefits statements to employees, HR was attempting a global schmooze before revealing their sinister plan of… well, something bad. Because these employees were just too smart, HR’s schmooze attempt had failed.
Recruiters complain about HR — there are webinars and blog posts for job seekers on how to get the attention of a hiring manager and avoid HR. Although I agree with networking processes for jobseekers to communicate directly with hiring managers, using words, like “avoid” just pushes HR deeper into a negative stereotype.
Take this example: A young professional is introduced to HR during their onboarding and become acclimated with relevant issues related to their employment as well as the goals and mission of the organization. Outside of meetings and hallway greetings, the next time this person encounters HR is when a new group health plan is being introduced to the organization and, by the way, the rates have gone up and the benefits have been decreased. In addition, if this person is part of a downsizing or disciplinary investigation, or even knows someone who has been, they know that HR is involved. It doesn’t matter how well HR carries out these actions — they can be life altering and destructive to a human being. Our young professional’s only memorable reflections about HR are negative actions and events.
If you’re an HR hater, open your mind and understand there are parts of the role you’ll never know about that often require timely reactionary measures – I like to call it the “clean-up” crew and it usually involves managers who shirk their own leadership responsibilities to their employees. Although it’s best to be proactive, working with humans does not always permit that luxury so there’s a lot of listening coupled with empathy and objectivity. In the end, it can be a very gratifying experience to improve the communication between employees and managers so that everyone plays nice in the sandbox.
The final thought is that HR does not sit around making unilateral, company-wide decisions on ways to demean or placate employees with things like benefit statements. Most company-wide initiatives are made in collaboration with the CEO. The CEO then delegates the execution of the initiative to HR – that’s called Management 101. It may not always be the most rewarding part of the job, but it’s part of the job.
Feel free to share your thoughts.
Kim – Excellent article. HR frequently is caught in the middle, especially if the head of HR is not part of the executive management team. If the CEO./CFO/CIO (et al) do not see the value of HR – then the HR department employees (and the company employees as well) will feel disenfranchised from the company and, most likely, both turnover and low corporate morale will be the norm.
Hey Kim a couple of thoughts. I often wonder if
some of the anger, frustration, and even “hate” aimed at HR is really displaced…the employee is really frustrated with their manager, the process, the company…HR is the visible symbol and the easiest most readily available target.
I also wonder if HR doesn’t own some of their negative press. I too have received beautiful total compensation benefit statements in the mail and have wondered at the wisdom of sending this statement especially when the company is laying off employees, cutting benefit contributions, etc. For me, it felt like “overkill”…beautiful, glossy, expensive statement (6 pages)…and it pretty much told me what I already know. I would have preferred that the dollars spent on the brochure and mailing be funneled to tuition reimbursement, onsite training (which continues to be cut), or maybe a one-time 401k contribution…but because the benefits statement comes from Employee Benefits and tuition reimbursement, training, etc. are part of different HR groups there is little likelihood that would happen.
I have been part of HR for 20 years and I am very proud of the some of the work I have led and have been part of and I cringe at the memory of other HR efforts. Part of our challenge is we forget that employees don’t differentiate between OD, Learning & Development, Benefits, Compensation, Payroll, Line HR, etc….it is all HR. A solution is to begin to operate in “lock-in-step” concert with each other around a strategic effort that drives talent engagement (yes compensation is responsible for talent engagement!). Until that happens, HR will continue to be the subject of “Why I Hate HR”.
Corporate america is a sand box and will continue to be. Employees will “always” look at upper management as the ones with the silver spoon and themselves as the ones with the short end of the stick. HR is nothing more the referee between the two. Lack of understanding the need for HR in corporate america will only lead to failure within the company. As we continue to cut corners, let’s not forget the importance of the HR department. If we do – well let the sand fly!
Great response to this ongoing conversation. The thing I find challenging is walking the line between what management wants and what may be in the best interest of the employees (including management, but rarely does that occur to anyone until its too late)
There are many times when we are placed in no-win situations, and the best thing that can be done is to take the lumps and make it happen.
Its a wonder we are in the field at all, isn’t it? I guess the redeeming value is the part that disgruntled employees never see, because its done confidentially and behind closed doors.
I confess, yes, am guilty, have been an HR Basher; Though wouldn’t go so far to say HR hater.. there have been numerous times that as a recruiter HR has caused my curly hair to go curlier.
Kimberly, your article, and the comments that follow does allow me to feel a bit more empathy. Okay, so you are Not ALL jerks.. and Yeah some of you Actually will step up to the plate and speak up!
Thanks for the personal insight.
Karen