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I always thought that HR was the most important department. Since humans are the most important resource, then the department that makes sure those resources

I always thought that HR was the most important department. Since humans are the most important resource, then the department that makes sure those resources are safe, secure, not abused, properly vetted, happy, etc., would be the most important. I imagine if I was ever the CEO of a big company that I would be working very closely with HR to make surr we hiring the right people, not abusing them (mostly through bad managers or policies), paying them well, good benefits, and the right incentives. Maybe HR is an underutilized or badly utilized department in certain places. I dont know. Just thoughts I been having about HR. EDIT: I'm not saying that companies are using HR successfully. I am saying that this is my view at how HR can be (and should be) used successfully. It all stems from the realization that humans are a company's most important resource. Accepting that conjecture, having good HR (how ever way you define that) is extremely important.

goatinaboat 6y ago
the department that makes sure those resources are safe, secure, not abused, properly vetted, happy You have a very strange idea of what a HR department does. Its job is to protect management from workers, and that's it. "HR is not your friend" is a common saying for a reason.
ThePadawan 6y ago
I have never been involved in a hiring process (going either way) where the HR department had any interest in hiring the right people. They're literally paper pushers to make sure contracts are drafted correctly, salary payments arrive etc..
deleted 6y ago
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the_duke 6y ago
May I inquire if you have ever worked for a larger company? You are describing a union. HR exists to serve the companies interests, not the employees. As the name implies, the purpose is to manage, and maximize the efficient utilization of, the resource "human being". This can mean preventing abuse because it's a legal issue or because it's bad for productivity and team morale. But it just as often means shuffling people around and making sure affected employees keep quiet, don't cause a stir or actually sue. This is not black or white, of course, there are companies and HR departments that value employees and try protect them, but there will always be a conflict of interest because the primary goal is to help the company.
cbozeman 6y ago
This is such a laughably naïve view of HR that I can only assume you've never worked for a large corporation (Hell, possibly any corporation). Human Resources exists to limit liability of, and reduce the associated costs caused by, the humans at your company. I have a close friend who used to be the Vice President of Human Resources at one of the largest companies on the planet. I have known this person since I was 7. Working in HR changed him, and definitely not for the better. He told me about how early in his career, he had to a fire a man who had worked at <Enormous Defense Contractor> for 28 years. Who, according to their records, had only ever taken 3 sick days. He didn't fire him because of poor performance. He didn't fire him because of a sexual harassment scandal. He fired him because the Director of HR told him to fire him, because he was one of the last employees brought in under a 30 year retirement scheme, and he was going to eligible for a 50% pension in 14 months. He created a predictive analytic model that could identify when someone was considering leaving their job within a 3-6 month period, with 94% accuracy. He has told me about conversation after conversation where an employee came to him for a raise but instead he convinced them that they didn't want more money, they wanted more recognition and responsibility, so he created new job titles for them a laughably increased salaries that didn't even keep place with inflation. He recently tendered his resignation and has since gone to work for a private firm, where he no longer has to be a, quite frankly, ruthless piece of shit. He's a far better person for it. His drinking has considerably diminished, and his outlook on humanity is far less dark. HR is where decent people become twisted into cynical shitbags and where evil mother fuckers become downright sinister. In 25 years, I've only ever known one decent HR person. Just one.

goatinaboat 6y ago

the department that makes sure those resources are safe, secure, not abused, properly vetted, happy You have a very strange idea of what a HR department does. Its job is to protect management from workers, and that's it. "HR is not your friend" is a common saying for a reason.

ThePadawan 6y ago

I have never been involved in a hiring process (going either way) where the HR department had any interest in hiring the right people. They're literally paper pushers to make sure contracts are drafted correctly, salary payments arrive etc..

deleted 6y ago

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the_duke 6y ago

May I inquire if you have ever worked for a larger company? You are describing a union. HR exists to serve the companies interests, not the employees. As the name implies, the purpose is to manage, and maximize the efficient utilization of, the resource "human being". This can mean preventing abuse because it's a legal issue or because it's bad for productivity and team morale. But it just as often means shuffling people around and making sure affected employees keep quiet, don't cause a stir or actually sue. This is not black or white, of course, there are companies and HR departments that value employees and try protect them, but there will always be a conflict of interest because the primary goal is to help the company.

cbozeman 6y ago

This is such a laughably naïve view of HR that I can only assume you've never worked for a large corporation (Hell, possibly any corporation). Human Resources exists to limit liability of, and reduce the associated costs caused by, the humans at your company. I have a close friend who used to be the Vice President of Human Resources at one of the largest companies on the planet. I have known this person since I was 7. Working in HR changed him, and definitely not for the better. He told me about how early in his career, he had to a fire a man who had worked at <Enormous Defense Contractor> for 28 years. Who, according to their records, had only ever taken 3 sick days. He didn't fire him because of poor performance. He didn't fire him because of a sexual harassment scandal. He fired him because the Director of HR told him to fire him, because he was one of the last employees brought in under a 30 year retirement scheme, and he was going to eligible for a 50% pension in 14 months. He created a predictive analytic model that could identify when someone was considering leaving their job within a 3-6 month period, with 94% accuracy. He has told me about conversation after conversation where an employee came to him for a raise but instead he convinced them that they didn't want more money, they wanted more recognition and responsibility, so he created new job titles for them a laughably increased salaries that didn't even keep place with inflation. He recently tendered his resignation and has since gone to work for a private firm, where he no longer has to be a, quite frankly, ruthless piece of shit. He's a far better person for it. His drinking has considerably diminished, and his outlook on humanity is far less dark. HR is where decent people become twisted into cynical shitbags and where evil mother fuckers become downright sinister. In 25 years, I've only ever known one decent HR person. Just one.