4 ms·

Do not trust HR or legal. Oh God yes. Everything they do, everything, is about protecting the company. They will lie to you, they will screw you over, and anyt

Do not trust HR or legal. Oh God yes. Everything they do, everything, is about protecting the company. They will lie to you, they will screw you over, and anything you say to them will be used against you in some way.

AH4oFVbPT4f8 12y ago
Just to make it clear, HR and legal work to protect THE COMPANY not you.
semi-extrinsic 12y ago
I'm a little surprised that everyone is saying "avoid HR" (I have no experience with being on the wrong side of management or HR, yet). Can anyone comment on whether this is US specific or if it applies equally in western Europe?
- vacri 12y ago
  I don't know about western Europe, but here in Australia, I've heard the story "I went to HR and things improved" exactly once. Usually it's a neutral 'we can't do anything' and sometimes it's makes things so much worse. I've heard far more success going outside HR channels - like say talking to a boss's boss or a boss's colleague.
- kelukelugames 12y ago
  Let's say you are a female employee and a college hire calls you a sexist term during a meeting. Then yes, by all means go to HR. However, if your manager did something inappropriate in private then whose side do you think HR will take?
  - EliRivers 12y ago
    Then yes, by all means go to HR. You will be labelled as a troublemaker. That college hire will be in trouble as well (not for what he did, but because he has made the company vulnerable to action), but your record will be marked (almost certainly not literally; they're not stupid enough to outright leave actionable evidence like that).
- michaelochurch 12y ago
  Corporations value consistency over correctness. Your manager is your manager because the company trusts him. Even if the evidence suggests strongly that your boss is in the wrong, the best you're likely to get is a pyrrhic victory: the boss goes down, but so do you. It takes a whole-team revolt to beat a bad boss through HR channels, and most people aren't willing to put their careers at risk. Not only that, but after you beat a bad boss, you're still viewed with suspicion by managers ("protect our own") and will have a hard time getting a transfer or promotion.
- jcadam 12y ago
  I tried taking a grievance to HR once. Once. Lesson learned (the hard way, as usual for me). Now I just look for a new job if my manager is a tool.
kmonsen 12y ago
They also know the laws and the politics of the company much better than you so you are playing on their turf.

AH4oFVbPT4f8 12y ago

Just to make it clear, HR and legal work to protect THE COMPANY not you.

semi-extrinsic 12y ago

I'm a little surprised that everyone is saying "avoid HR" (I have no experience with being on the wrong side of management or HR, yet). Can anyone comment on whether this is US specific or if it applies equally in western Europe?

vacri 12y ago
I don't know about western Europe, but here in Australia, I've heard the story "I went to HR and things improved" exactly once. Usually it's a neutral 'we can't do anything' and sometimes it's makes things so much worse. I've heard far more success going outside HR channels - like say talking to a boss's boss or a boss's colleague.
kelukelugames 12y ago
Let's say you are a female employee and a college hire calls you a sexist term during a meeting. Then yes, by all means go to HR. However, if your manager did something inappropriate in private then whose side do you think HR will take?
- EliRivers 12y ago
  Then yes, by all means go to HR. You will be labelled as a troublemaker. That college hire will be in trouble as well (not for what he did, but because he has made the company vulnerable to action), but your record will be marked (almost certainly not literally; they're not stupid enough to outright leave actionable evidence like that).
michaelochurch 12y ago
Corporations value consistency over correctness. Your manager is your manager because the company trusts him. Even if the evidence suggests strongly that your boss is in the wrong, the best you're likely to get is a pyrrhic victory: the boss goes down, but so do you. It takes a whole-team revolt to beat a bad boss through HR channels, and most people aren't willing to put their careers at risk. Not only that, but after you beat a bad boss, you're still viewed with suspicion by managers ("protect our own") and will have a hard time getting a transfer or promotion.
jcadam 12y ago
I tried taking a grievance to HR once. Once. Lesson learned (the hard way, as usual for me). Now I just look for a new job if my manager is a tool.

kmonsen 12y ago

They also know the laws and the politics of the company much better than you so you are playing on their turf.