Re-Examining "Why We Hate HR"

By Peter Galuszka | October 30, 2008

100 Comments

The Corner Office

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When it comes to a critique of human resources departments, the best article I have ever read on the matter remains Fast Company’s 2005 piece “Why We Hate HR.”

Keith H. Hammonds (a former colleague of mine) outlines in telling and hilarious fashion why HR folk are often ineffective, prevent talented employees from progressing and become slaves to form and legal box-checking.

HR people see themselves as protectors of management from lawsuits and embarrassment rather than nurturers of up-and-coming employees and champions of their companies.

Here’s one example. HR relies on the special and often insidious processes to prevent lawsuits and gather dirt on workers. I was a manager at a company where if a problem employee came up, the “PIP” (performance improvement program) kicked in. But PIP was truly Orwellian since it meant anything but improving the employee. Once in PIP, the worker was as good as fired. PIP was designed to gather incriminating information about the employee to be used to intimidate that person when they were dismissed so they wouldn’t file a lawsuit.

Keith comes up with a number of perceptive reasons why HR departments end up doing these things. Here’s a brief list:

HR people are often the dregs of the corporate world. Not the “sharpest tacks in the box,” HR bureaucrats get to those positions because they often can’t handle jobs requiring more talent or imagination.
HR pursues efficiency in lieu of value. Efficiency is a lot easier to justify numerically and doesn’t require a true understanding of what a corporation does.
HR tries to get executives sucked into their system. These include pro forma, annual personnel appraisals. Raises and advancement depend upon them, but who’s to say that annual is the right time frame or you even need them?
The corner office doesn’t get HR. There’s often little communication between the C-Suite and HR, but given the state of many HR departments, maybe that’s just as well.

To be sure, there are some firms that do HR well, such as Cardinal Health, Yahoo, Procter & Gamble and General Electric. But Keith’s scathing magazine piece still rings true three years later.

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RE: Why We STILL Hate Human Resources Departments

I am an HR Manager, and I feel that HR can be too bureaucratic! The last company I worked with was Orwellian, as you say, to a "T". Sometimes I was embarrassed to introduce corporate's latest HR program (I was the HR Manager at a plant). They were a waste of time. I figured most of their programs were "protect my job" programs at corporate headquarters, so they would introduce cr*p to prove their value there. I was miserable. The current company I work with is much more easy going. Yes, I need to try to protect the company from lawsuits, but I am also a huge advocate for the employees and employee involvement, a big culture change here. I actually had someone tell me here that I was the first HR Manager he had worked with that "didn't have a stick up their butt." It was one of the best compliments I ever received!

roxannegc

10/30/2008 03:38 PM

RE: Why We STILL Hate Human Resources Departments

HR departments are not independent oversight committees that can operate under their own guidance. They are given their marching orders by executive management and, if nothing else, HR is capable of following orders. If HR is told to keep their noses out of employee relationships then they will keep them out.

A lot of people in management continue to adopt the view of that first popular corporate management book "Up The Organization", which opened its chapter on HR Departments with the statement "Fire the HR Department". And if it can't be fired, then it can be ignored.

HR has no clout except in areas affecting legalities. But the management-prerogative areas like employee relations, performance reviews, dispute resolution and the like are ALL driven by executive management.

It may therefore be the case that when a company's HR department is ineffective in the areas of employee relations, employee development & the like, then you are witness to a company whose executives & managers may ride roughshod over employees and like it that way.

tramky

10/30/2008 03:46 PM

RE: Why We STILL Hate Human Resources Departments

That's the problem with generalities - they usually stereotype based on worst experiences. It's actually condecension like the "not the sharpest tacks in the box" comment that disengages people from working with even the best HR functions.

I typically like your articles, but this one lowers the standard.

billcashman

10/30/2008 03:48 PM

RE: Why We STILL Hate Human Resources Departments

HR is irrelevant. In most organizations, they don't have any proximity to actual recruitment. Their job gets invoked for paperwork, not for the decision. For all the lip service paid to "people are our most important asset", very few organizations have really cracked up people management.

cyberpundit

10/30/2008 03:49 PM

RE: Why We STILL Hate Human Resources Departments

This could not be more true. My former 25 year old boss did this to me and my colleague(both sales managers in a wireless company)--she was not doing her job so she turned the fire up on both of us putting us on the dreaded PIP(which are highly subjective anyway--she managed to find me lacking in enough categories to put me into the challenged zone even though I was responsible for the store receiving an exceeds excellence in 3 out of 4 quarters) and she was supposed to "coach and develop" us--all she did was say there was no improvement and canned us both! 6-8 months later she was fired because she was the problem. I hate the performance evaluation process which has become the cornerstone of modern corporate reality. It is just more of the touchy-feely gobbledygook that has infiltrated the business world keeping people who are mindless, speechless robotic types who never speak out propelled higher into management positions.

lbs1978

10/30/2008 03:49 PM

RE: Why We STILL Hate Human Resources Departments

The fact is that HR are employees, too. Many have a general background of what an employer wants.

Unfortunately, I do not blame HR for their difficult roles in candidate selection. Oftentimes, the employer requirements are either too specific or too generalize. I can't say how manay times, a resume has been overlooked because one or two of the listed qualifiers are not met; regardless, of how exceptiuonal the candidate might be.

Therefore, I blame management. Thier profiling needs or their lack of better defining their needs makes HR selection near impossible. I feel that a tolerance level must be set, for example, if 7 out of 10 of the qualifications are meant, then see me.

Tony_Marq

10/30/2008 03:52 PM

RE: Why We STILL Hate Human Resources Departments

Hmmmmm....maybe you're just not working in top-
notch companies...I've been in HR most of my life (GE
and an international chemical company) and have
always been non-bureaucratic in my administration,
promotion of talented individuals and development of
policies. Stop with the broad generalizations that HR
attracts the "dregs of the company." I have always had
a seat at the table and the operational and business
team leaders sought out my advice and counsel. This
is not a fluke. My colleagues in other mid-size
companies also model these behaviors.

Nelliebear

10/30/2008 03:55 PM

RE: Why We STILL Hate Human Resources Departments

I am an HR manager and while I agree that there are many HR departments and HR managers who conduct HR in this manner, I think that many HR folks want to add value - they just are not provided the chance. I had to prove myself in HR and that I am "different" and can add value and not just be the "protect the company from lawsuits" dept. It is still difficult to convince certain Executives about why the company should invest $$ into HR programs, etc, but all I can do is explain how it adds value, makes things more productive, effective, etc. The article above references performance appraisals, as if they don't have value...it isn't necessarily about the document (although that confirms that the conversation took place) but it is more about providing meaningful feedback to the employee about their performance and objectives. Are they great or do they suck? They will not really know unless their manager sits down with them and communicates with them. It is more about training the managers to understand why communicating with their staff, in the form of regular one-on-one interaction, is important...it isn't just about getting the appraisal form turned in. If HR focuses on the appraisal form itself but not on why the feedback, coaching and appraisal processes are important then it is not being an effective HR dept. Many managers are afraid of confrontation, or do not know how to give constructive critizism or plain don't know how to effectively communicate to motivate people. HR can provide tools and assistance to get managers there...HR just needs to be motivated to do this and needs to want to add value...not just be the "police" all the time.

HR Babe

10/30/2008 04:01 PM

RE: Why We STILL Hate Human Resources Departments

Wow, once again HR is typecast. As a senior HR leader with over 25 years of background from fortune 500 to tech start up I will say one thing with complete certainty. HR is a reflection of the CEO. If he/she doesn't believe that people are assets and should be respected as unique and contributing parts of the business, no matter how good your HR team is they will look like corporate pollyannas since people remember what an organization DOES not SAYS. I have had the opportunity to work for and with some of the most enlightened CEOs and others who viewed the function as a necessary evil. We can "add value" and "sit at the table" but our ability to really contribute is based on the relationship with the CEO and our ability to shape their thinking or help them manage behaviors in ways that foster organizational growth.

delmardi

10/30/2008 04:04 PM

RE: Why We STILL Hate Human Resources Departments

HR departments vary greatly from company to company so its not wise to generalise, as this negative article does.

I'm an HR Assistant at the moment (as well as marketing and personal assistant) for a company who really does rally for the employee - yes, I'm aware that we exist most often to protect the company's bum - and to take on the paperwork etc when it comes to HR roles... but there is a need for an HR department as a place where private information about employees can be kept under lock and key, where bullies and poor performance can be looked at and dealt with in a way that is helpful for both employee and employer - this important function is overlooked... and tact and sensitivity is required.

We have a 'strengths-based' philosophy, which is embraced by the whole firm and is a huge factor in what keeps our employees happy and at work everyday. This makes us pretty unique in our approach, and keeps us 'human'.

I thought this article was pretty negative and demeaning - perhaps the writer doesn't really understand the role of HR and that we too are employee's hired to work for the same bosses, to keep to budgets and to be the ones to have break the bad news on behalf of executives!

Mauryse

10/30/2008 04:05 PM

RE: Why We STILL Hate Human Resources Departments

HR is a problem, but even so, HR only generally executes on the tone and intent of the top of the organization. If the executives want mindless drones who toe the corporate line, then, that's what they'll get. If the executives truly want candor and directness, then, they can get that too, but, they have to walk the talk, hear things they don't want to hear, etc. to do so.

Most companies just want boxed filled in their employee selection process. Most companies talk about leadership, but want nothing like true leadership.

Make no mistake, there are serious problems in corporate America. HR has something to do with it, but they're co-conspirators at best.

CNJ Jack

10/30/2008 04:08 PM

RE: Why We STILL Hate Human Resources Departments

I too feel this article truly lowers the standard of previous articles. Nice to have a scape goat when other things haven't gone well I guess. I work as an HR advisor for a large rural accountancy practice with my focus being HR assistance for all external clients, I do everything from the recruitment to appraisals and yes mediations and restructures. The companies and business owners I work with all want good workers who are enjoying their jobs as that is part of the key to a successful company. I've helped workers go from being unhappy and feeling unregonised and unchallenged in a company to positive, motivated and enjoying their promotions. I find that very quickly I can get staff engaged in what is going on and create an environment where they do see value for themselves as well as the boss and I know I'm not the only HR consultant operating like this - dregs of the corporate world, that's a pretty sad and poorly thought out comment, one usually made by people who like easy scape goats rather than look at the deeper issues they may have in their company, the mirror is often a good place to start!

Telamar

10/30/2008 04:13 PM

RE: Why We STILL Hate Human Resources Departments

It amazes me how often these sort of articles move the problem of managing employees from the manager to HR. HR's role is to help managers manage their employees not to do it for them. Employees don't leave an organisation because of HR, their main reason for leaving is because their manager is a plonker. It's about time managers stepped up and did their job.

Kurt Elder

10/30/2008 04:19 PM

RE: Why We STILL Hate Human Resources Departments

The article talks about the old HR known as Personnel... real and true modern HR drive programs in such a way that earnings per share are impacted.

lalasrj

10/30/2008 05:07 PM

RE: Why We STILL Hate Human Resources Departments

It takes years for talents to become an effective leader in a company, through exposure, experience and education. HR tries to nurish people, but it takes time. No one will thank HR anyway afterwards, as it "should be the leaders' own qualities".

Yet, it just takes ONE single incident, legal one, to drag the whole company's reputation to the bottom of the ocean.

Take a look at the recall of products incidents of major Fortune MNC, and imagine if your own company is on newspaper 1 day, front page, with the title "Hiring illegal immigrants for work!".

Just once, see what happen.