Hands up if you’re tired of the human resources department. Perhaps you’re exasperated by the ceaseless stream of directives and paperwork, much of which require immediate attention. Or, you might be cheesed off by the frequent launch of new projects by HR, some of which, in your view, are neither necessary nor particularly sensible.
Perhaps you harbour an issue with management and have a lack of faith in HR being of any assistance. Sure, they’re amicable, but it’s rather clear that their loyalties lie with those holding the purse strings when things get tight.
The recent pandemic has fuelled negative sentiments toward HR, breeding more critics than ever. This was the period when HR took the reins in administering guidelines on remote employment, wage transparency, initiatives to enhance diversity, equality, and inclusivity, among other matters that have disrupted and revolutionised the workspace in the preceding four years.
However, if you’re finding HR vexing, it may offer some bizarre comfort to know that those employed in HR are likely more miffed or despondent than you are.
In 2022, LinkedIn reported that HR had the highest rate of career churn compared to any other profession it observed.
This became particularly evident at Unleash – a yearly three-day gathering and exhibition held this year in Las Vegas. The event, attended by nearly 4,000 HR experts from across the United States, was promoted as a platform for “international HR leaders to conduct business and share inspirational anecdotes”.
In reality, it resembled a location for the HR department to air their grievances.
“Everything appears to be a wild goose chase,” commented Kyle Lagunas, ex-HR executive of General Motors, presently employed at Boston-based HR consultation agency, Aptitude Research.
Following an energetic talk about HR technology to a crowd of around 50 attendees, he retreated to the media room to grumble about the frustration of managing HR amidst and beyond the pandemic upheaval.
“For so long, we’ve been throwing fuel on the fire,” he expressed. “After literally giving our all, we’re told, in the mildest terms possible, to sod off. ‘Don’t cause me any hassle. I won’t be dealing with the nitty gritty. I command the business, and you are HR.'”
There is a rising frustration as office conduct in the post-Covid-19 era has become distinctly less decent, leading to HR intervening more frequently to settle disagreements. Every individual at Unleash shared experiences of enlightening uncouth coworkers about fundamental civility–no, it’s not acceptable to heat fish in the microwave at lunchtime or to trim your nails at your workspace.
HR is well aware that employees and managers resent its notifications and its procedures, and generally anything that causes disruption to their routine. With every email reminding everyone to find 45 minutes for an online course on data protection, HR can practically hear the collective sighs of derision.
However, don’t anticipate any apologies. The shared opinion at Unleash was that the majority of these novel concepts, like fostering more diversity or implementing standardised evaluations in the workplace, have been devised with the aim of creating a fairer working environment. So, be prepared for the flurry of notifications.
HR individuals are largely known for their compassion and empathy. Regardless, a significant number of employees perceive us as fundamentally malevolent,” stated Hebba Youssef, chief people officer at Workweek.
In more intimate environments, participants bemoaned the poor pay, high churn rate and burgeoning workload. One participant spoke of a mental collapse triggered by work. There was significant consternation over the advent of artificial intelligence, seemingly on the cusp of supplanting jobs in recruitment.
In recent times, a number of HR executives have exited this career or they are seeking more enticing prospects. In 2022, LinkedIn’s data showed that HR had the most significant attrition rate of any profession it monitored.
“We’re all universally reviled,” states Hebba Youssef from Workweek, who also runs a podcast and newsletter for HR professionals named I Hate It Here. Some of the informal writings have included Why Does Operating in HR Seem So Isolated? and Does Everybody Detest Their Jobs?
Youssef expressed disappointment regarding the distrust often harboured by employees for the Human Resource Department. She found it disheartening that despite HR professionals’ natural kindness and empathy, they are most times perceived negatively by employees. Youssef claimed many view the HR department as fundamentally adverse.
The Human Resource department’s origins can be traced back over a century, with a figure like John Henry Patterson, the founder of the National Cash Register Co in Dayton, Ohio, instrumental in its creation. He was a pioneer in the mass production of an innovative money-tabulating machine.
A major turning point occurred when customers in England returned faulty machines worth $50,000 to the Dayton factory. Patterson observed that his employees seemed indifferent about the quality of the company’s products and he inferred it was because they believed he had little regard for them.
To rectify this, Patterson relocated his desk to the factory floor and implemented other strategies to create a more “human” work environment for his employees. National Cash Register then started offering benefits, including day care and midday entertainment at the company’s cafeteria.
However, HR professionals often feel undervalued as their most significant contributions often go unnoticed. An immediate redundancy action orchestrated by HR is quickly noticed, but no one is aware when they prevent one.
According to Gary Hoover, the executive director of the American Business History Center in Texas, initial ‘welfare work’ demonstrated the interest employers had for the wellbeing of their workers. This model continued until after World War II, when lifetime employment became the standard, and HR’s role was to ensure workers’ retention.
Peter Cappelli, a professor of management at the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, noted that this model started to wane around the 1980-81 recession. Executives began implementing layoffs, and employee happiness was considered less important during downsizing.
By this period, the term ‘personnel department’ had been replaced by ‘human resources’. According to Cappelli, it was a shift from viewing employees as individuals needing care to considering them as resources, akin to machines, used by the business. As a result, supporting and helping individuals became secondary to ensuring business success.
The Human Resources department’s responsibilities and priorities have been the centre of debate for a while now. Many raised eyebrows at HR’s failure to anticipate and tackle severe misconduct following the onset of the #MeToo movement. It is often argued that the main objective of the department has always been to ensure a company’s smooth and silent functioning, which previously meant suppressing any conflict, particularly before the outbreak of sexual harassment cases caused a national uproar.
Recently, HR department’s remit has expanded to managing the consequences of transformative events. Throughout the pandemic, when workplaces were closed, HR was responsible for the constant development and enforcement of remote work policies as return-to-work dates continued to shift. Starting 2021, a time referred to as ‘The Great Resignation’ saw a mass exodus of workers from their jobs – HR was tasked with finding their replacements.
Many individuals part of the Unleash event expressed complications with the inherent split loyalties of the HR department’s structure. They also voiced frustration with the lack of visibility of their exceptional contributions. The HR department’s work becomes public when it leads to job cuts, but successful efforts to prevent job losses remain unnoticed.
“It’s a thankless post,” says Lagunas from Aptitude. “It explains why we seek out events like these.” The original version of this article was published in The New York Times.