2 ms·

Do you know why small startups/companies don't have an HR person right off the bat? It is because the damn concept is demeaning at the very least. Who wants to

by jtchang 15y ago

Do you know why small startups/companies don't have an HR person right off the bat? It is because the damn concept is demeaning at the very least. Who wants to be thought of as a "resource"? Above all else I feel like culture fit is the #1 priority in hiring someone. And if a company's culture encourages peeking into peoples' private lives that is disgraceful. The modern corporation is a vestige of the 1900s where factory workers all had to show up to a central location and toil for hours on end. Is it possible to create a future where a "company" has thousands of employees but still retain all the benefits of a small group? Already we see it happening. Perhaps the 21st century will bring about this dynamic shift.

skybrian 15y ago
The reason you'd want an HR person would be to keep the company from accidentally doing illegal stuff like what happens in this story. Startups can get away with it because they're small with few assets and their legal risks around hiring are smallish compared to their many other risks. As companies get larger, statistically rare events become more likely and at the same time they have more to lose. So I'd say no, it's not possible in a large company to get by without HR, but there's still a lot of ways to improve the process.
- potatolicious 15y ago
  I don't expect to ever be rid of HR, but can we as an industry at least collectively stop pretending that HR is on the side of the employees? This is a pervasive, explicit lie that's told by HR departments everywhere. Sometimes I wonder how HR personnel sleep at night.
  - toyg 15y ago
    Oh, they sleep quite well: it's nice work, if you can get it. The workload is incredibly low, and the hardest task is to find something new to do this year at the Christmas party. Because of huge legal responsibilities nobody will actually pay attention to, the salary is fairly good as well. Since the policies you enact are all drawn in accordance with (and full knowledge by) upper management, you can't be held personally accountable of anything anyway, so when/if shit hits the fan, the company will cover you with all the power of their legal team. The rest is all corporate doublespeak, not unlike what you'll experience in any other managerial job. I bet you met at least one direct superior, in your life, who told you he was on your side vs the company/upper management; chances are that he was being as honest as any HR personnel will ever be.
  - tptacek 15y ago
    In many companies, pretty much the entire job description of HR is "find new ways to screw employees out of health care dollars".

by jtchang 15y ago

skybrian 15y ago

The reason you'd want an HR person would be to keep the company from accidentally doing illegal stuff like what happens in this story. Startups can get away with it because they're small with few assets and their legal risks around hiring are smallish compared to their many other risks. As companies get larger, statistically rare events become more likely and at the same time they have more to lose. So I'd say no, it's not possible in a large company to get by without HR, but there's still a lot of ways to improve the process.

potatolicious 15y ago
I don't expect to ever be rid of HR, but can we as an industry at least collectively stop pretending that HR is on the side of the employees? This is a pervasive, explicit lie that's told by HR departments everywhere. Sometimes I wonder how HR personnel sleep at night.
- toyg 15y ago
  Oh, they sleep quite well: it's nice work, if you can get it. The workload is incredibly low, and the hardest task is to find something new to do this year at the Christmas party. Because of huge legal responsibilities nobody will actually pay attention to, the salary is fairly good as well. Since the policies you enact are all drawn in accordance with (and full knowledge by) upper management, you can't be held personally accountable of anything anyway, so when/if shit hits the fan, the company will cover you with all the power of their legal team. The rest is all corporate doublespeak, not unlike what you'll experience in any other managerial job. I bet you met at least one direct superior, in your life, who told you he was on your side vs the company/upper management; chances are that he was being as honest as any HR personnel will ever be.
- tptacek 15y ago
  In many companies, pretty much the entire job description of HR is "find new ways to screw employees out of health care dollars".