When did human resource management (HR) shift from managing people to managing the organization? Aren’t CEO, VP’s, Directors and Managers supposed to do that? What is going on in the workplace today that executives seem to have relinquished organizational authority to the human resource department? Years ago, I recall when HR followed the authority and command of corporate leaders. It seems that has changed, and we have materialized at a place where HR is not only commanding management decisions but supervising what takes place in the organization. An illustration of this is where a department director feels he or she need to hire an extra employee and sends the job request to HR and HR declines the requisition adducing that another worker is not necessary because someone else in the department can, instead, fill the director's needs.
Another example, furthermore, is when management conceives one person would be a good match for a particular position and HR opposes and reciprocates by hiring someone of their choosing. Leadership tug-a-wars of this nature, between HR and directors about whether a department requires another employee, who the finest team member is for a particular role, and who should ultimately make hiring decisions, have from time to time culminated in organizational contention.Although some have alleged that the role of HR has transferred from administrative responsibilities to one that acknowledges the significance of aptitude technique and skills within the organizational paradigm, most employees this day still perceive HR as nothing more than hiring and firing agents. This impression is troubling given that one of the predominant roles of human-resource management is employee relations while the principal function of management is to increase market share.
Since HR is concerned with people and management is concerned with expanding shareholder’s profit, some infer that HR should leave the management of resources (finance, materials, supplies, supplies, resource, and holdings) to the executives. According to an ex-HR executive turn consultant Garold Markle, “HR doesn’t tend to hire a lot of independent thinkers or people…”
Since HR is concerned with people and management is concerned with expanding shareholder’s profit, some infer that HR should leave the management of resources (finance, materials, supplies, supplies, resource, and holdings) to the executives. According to an ex-HR executive turn consultant Garold Markle, “HR doesn’t tend to hire a lot of independent thinkers or people…”
The HR conceptualization applies to how individuals are managed by organizations and not whether or not executives should have to butt heads with the Human Resource Department. As previously touched on, the department should be about human performance and not organizational operations. As HR specialist Arnold Kanarick postulates, “HR …is about how you get the best and brightest people to raise the value of the firm.”
Hence, executives should not have to duel with HR and employees needn't be frightened of HR. Anthony Rucci, executive vice-president at Cardinal Health, Inc. says that, “business acumen is the single biggest factor that HR professionals in the U.S. lack today.” The separation amidst these roles couldn’t be any wider and shame on organizations that permit the role of HR to clash with the job function and seniority of management. According to Keith Hammonds, author of Why We Hate HR, “The truth is…most human-resources managers aren't particularly interested in, or equipped for, doing business. And in a business, that's sort of a problem.”
So then it would appear that the right approach for improving successful organizations is for HR to do its job, which is “…finding, nurturing, and developing talent,” and delivering value “…to employees and…managers.” Management need never cross roles with HR and Presidents, CEO’s and other organizational echelons need to guarantee that this never happen.
19 comments:
This post is very well written. I think many people feel the way you discussed but they do not dare say anything. We conducted a poll a few months ago about the effectiveness or ineffectiveness of HR and the result was astounding. I've worked in HR for about 5 years now and most of the employees who come into our office are reserved when making complaints or coming to discuss other issues. Glad you wrote about this topic. Its about time someone say it like it is.
The only reason I would expect HR to be involved with organizational management is when a decision has to be made where matters of employment law may apply. Even then I expect HR to act merely in a consulting role. I think it's strange that some organizations have let their HR departments amass so much power.
I agree with Foerster, but sad to say, that I've come from one of those organizations that has allowed "their HR departments to amass so much power." As a manager, I often can't get a word in edgewise. HR makes all the decision. I often feel like what I say never matters. If I make a suggestion and HR shoots it down, that's usually the end of it. At my organization, HR is God.
This article hits the nail on the head. Its about time someone says it like it really is. HR has too much power these days. No joke! I am even more fearful of HR than I am of the managers I work for. Its almost like driving down the street and seeing a cop's car and knowing you're not speeding but slowing down anyway. Organization needs to address this subject in greater detail. I'm in Ohio, will your seminar be in my area?
Yeah, I agree as well. At my organization, managers often allow HR to make the final decision. I've been in meetings where there is sometimes an argument between the HR manager and a director. I like the example you used. They are real life examples because it happens where I work. The sad thing is that no body gets ahead when situations like this rears its ugly head.
The fault is management. Companies need to have at the cusp of its culture one where the Human Resource Department work alongside management and not against it. I work at a government defense contractor and this typically happens there. We'd need to hire someone to oversee a project and management would give us the go ahead. But once the req gets to HR, most times we have to fight tooth and nail to get HR to send it out. We'll go back to corporate and once again express the need to hire someone and again, its not corporate that we have to convince, its usually HR. Something is wrong with this. Management and HR should not have to be at odds. As the poster says, the job functions are not the same.
A well put together article. Will be watching for more.
This article is being circulated at work and for good reason. Are you sure you're not talking about my workplace? Sure seems like it.
Talk about the godlike complex. Stutting around and making managers themselves afraid. When senior managers take the side of HR everytime what do you expect middle managers like myself to do? What is your suggestion to this? I would like to know.
Right On! It is senior management that perpetuates this problem. Its us middle managers that suffer. Everyone at my company seem to fear HR, including senior managers themselves. Glad to get this out there.
While I would agree that this is a problem faced by some organizations, I won't go so far as to say that senior management is the cause. I just think that for the longest time human resources has been seen as running corporations that it has followed us through. The general consensus does seem to regard human resources as all powerful and although senior management might not come out and stand against this, I do not think that they are the reason why human resources feel they run the show.
Anita, if its not the senior managers who only care about making money, who is it then? Senior managers make HR powerful. I see this happening every day. I am a supervisor and when I know I have to discuss issues with HR I can't sleep the night before. I literally get nighmares over this same problem. Its a good thing that we are brave enough to talk about this here without fear of retaliation. I couldn't bring this up at work. I'll be fired on the spot.
The human resource manager where I work brags about the 'power' he has. The smut.
This article is the 1st article I have read that has broached the subject of the changes that have occured in HR. I can remember back in the 1980's and early 1990's HR really assisted management and was an advocate for employees. They would help employees with benefits issues and provide advice and counciling. They would provide training on issues such as ethics and diversity in a freindly and supportive fashion. Then a shift seemed to occur as benefits became centralized and administered on-line, employee training also became web based and many larger companies even centralized recruiting. The role of HR then changed to adapt to much of the traditional HR function being outsourced and replaced with technology. HR became the enforcers, performing investigations, setting rules and as time went on managers and employees have become fearful and non-trusting of HR managers. I liked the old days better. Great article!
I agree totally with everything the poster just before my post has said. I remember those days, myself. I remember when HR was called personnel and at that time, that was the 'real' HR. Sad to say, those days are gone, never to return again.
And I also agree that this is the first time I've read any articles or post that even came close to addressing this topic. The author has done an excellent job with getting a clear message across. Do you have a book on this or any other 'blunt' topics?
HR has changed. They don't care that people are afraid of them.
This report touched a raw nerve in me. I've been encountering this problem so long that I've become almost immune to it.
HR are just an extension of the corporate watchdog whores masquerading as customer service people. This article speaks the truth.
Please consider writing the foreword to my book Removing the Human out of Human Resource Management. I've sent a personal email and my contact information to your personal email address. You are one of the few who feel this subject to be important enough to discuss it at length. I thank you for that.
First time I ever read an article that discussed this topic. Good job.
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