Human Resources has been the topic of many discussions lately. Many are asking questions like:
• Is the need for HR still as important as it was in the past?
• Will the way HR Professionals are viewed both by employees and employers ever be the same after the current recession and will they regain that seat at the table they so desperately seem to need to feel needed?
I will be blogging about these and other HR related issues in upcoming posts.
One thing is for sure, if you have the following tendencies you will just cringe at every post:
• A believer that everything is rosy and wonderful in the industry.
• You subscribe to the idea that HR Professionals are the only people talking about HR being dead and that if you stop talking about the problems they will go away.
• You are someone who feels putting a positive spin on everything is helping people (think again people can see right through the façade).
• You are a Self Proclaimed HR Guru who has been out of the industry since Bill Clinton was President.
• You use other people’s ideas to get yourself noticed.
So, if you fall into any of the above categories you can start cursing me out now because eventually a blog will be written that describes you.
But, you know what? I DON’T CARE. I believe the industry can be a vital part of every organization, but in order for it to thrive it needs to bring in new blood, new ideas and people who listen when others have an idea or comment. It needs to embrace people with differing opinions. If some of these things don’t start happening in HR it will be heading the way of the dinosaur.
Many will look at this blog post and say it is demeaning, putting HR in a bad light, not good for the industry, but I disagree. It is a wake-up call. People are not speaking nicely about the industry, they are questioning its necessity, it isn’t just HR professionals, it is employees, managers and upper management in companies asking. What is your purpose and why do I need you?
So stay tuned, the fun is about to start for those who know the industry is in need of a change. For those of you who think everything should remain status quo…WATCH OUT!
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Posts
Congratulations Paul for starting a space to discuss a sensitive yet timely topic, no holds barred.
ReplyDeleteKarla, thanks for the comment. We will see if we don't get barred:)
ReplyDeleteJulie, thanks for the comment. All too often people forget what it may have been like when the reverse was true and they were the jobseeker.
ReplyDeleteit sure is easy to say HR needs a makeover - so far 100% of your poll respondents have said so (I'm "undecided"). I think Makeover may be too much. The last thing our industry/profession needs is an over-haul, or a re-engineering. In my mind, we keep trying to fix the wrong problems. We think we understand the value you bring to the table, and we think we have to do "big things" in order for that value to stick. I think this is where we're dead wrong. What matters to our people is that they are treated fairly and with respect; that they get a reasonable wage for a reasonable day's work; that they don't have to worry about things like their benefit premiums being paid and their dependents being covered, and their paychecks being right because someone else (i.e. HR) thinks about it for them; they want to have fun from time to time; and they want to continue to learn and grow. This is all simple stuff - we don't need big programs and fancy systems to make this work. We need good people who are attentive to the basic needs of human beings. Hope your blog gets traction - looks like you'll generate some buzz. Thanks!
ReplyDelete