Comments on: How HR Can Avoid Becoming Cynical

By: AntoniaB

AntoniaB — Mon, 01 Feb 2016 13:45:25 +0000

In reply to AntoniaB. Whoops - this was supposed to be in reply to the name change from personnel to human resource.

By: AntoniaB

AntoniaB — Mon, 01 Feb 2016 13:44:15 +0000

I mentioned that to someone who’s a management consultant and she said ‘oh no, it’s supposed to mean that employees have a human resource to whom they can turn’.

And they wonder why people are cynical … .

By: Slippy

Slippy — Wed, 27 Jan 2016 15:14:54 +0000

I would suggest a “Going Green” policy that has nothing to do with energy savings.
HR will be smiling all day long!

By: Camellia

Camellia — Wed, 27 Jan 2016 13:42:02 +0000

In reply to charles. You are right, and I can't believe I never made that connection before!

By: charles

charles — Wed, 27 Jan 2016 10:23:27 +0000

In reply to Camellia.

Totally agree!

It really started way back when, and I’m sure it was before Evil’s time, when there wasn’t a “Human Resource Department.” It was called “Personnel” because the employees were “persons,” not a resource to be exploited.

The name change reflected the new reality – folks are resources to be exploited. Well, okay, maybe the name change was not the cause – it simply reflected that they were now admitting it!

By: Mike

Mike — Wed, 27 Jan 2016 10:23:19 +0000

“My manager rated me exceeds expectations and I really think I just met them.” – I actually did this once when I first started working. Never say never…

By: Camellia

Camellia — Tue, 26 Jan 2016 21:15:21 +0000

This article has put ME into a bit of a cynical mood. During my career I have gone from being an “employee” to being an “associate” (anyone remember Total Quality Management?) to being a “resource”. I fought that last one tooth and nail because it is so dehumanizing. When a manager would ask me what resource I wanted I would rephrase as, “Do you mean which person I want on this project?” But it was all for naught. I finally realized I had lost that war when a new template was given to us for ordering “resources” – and along with hardware and office supplies were listed people. And I wish I was joking about that.

I’m not sure what part HR played in that devolution; perhaps none, perhaps it was all driven by the business side. But however it came about, we are not people any more, we are resources, and I think that colors so many thoughts and attitudes now in the business world.

By: LTMG

LTMG — Tue, 26 Jan 2016 20:07:23 +0000

I’ll define cynicism as a “general distrust of others’ motives.” How might HR staff members develop cynicism of the motives of other employees? Three observations:

First, since HR controls the HR policies, I have witnessed egregious and self-serving actions by HR executives to manipulate the HR policies in their favor. Some of these were of highly questionable ethics.

Second, in my 31 years working in factories I have only very rarely ever seen anybody from HR take a stroll through the manufacturing spaces, the warehouses, the loading docks, the labs, get on airplanes to visit remote locations. If HR staff members fail to connect with employees in the far corners of the organizations, then mutually held cynicism will surely arise.

Third, I’ve never seen anybody from HR in any of the 7 companies at which I worked take the time to market to the rest of the employees what they do and what their responsibilities are. One could call this setting expectations among the employees. Many employee grievances with HR arise from simply not understanding what HR does, what they can do, what they can’t do. In addition, many employees fail to understand that HR is not their advocate. The duty of the HR team is to the executives and the shareholders. Employees’ misunderstandings of the HR activity contributes to cynical feelings among employees and in HR in reacting to the behaviors of employees.

By: charles

charles — Tue, 26 Jan 2016 19:56:21 +0000

Not in HR; But, I’ve worked with HR over the years.

That “HR said no” is so spot on – I’ve had to bite my tongue when I hear a manager say that knowing full well that I just came from HR and know that they were never even made aware of whatever it is the manager is talking about.

One day, I will just blurt out – “No, they didn’t!” And, I’m sure that I will be “reported to HR” for that insubordination.

By: Evil HR Lady

Evil HR Lady — Tue, 26 Jan 2016 16:13:32 +0000

In reply to Jim. Thanks! I had the privilege of working for an exceptional HR department. Exceptional. Where do you think I learned it all? I realize such departments are not the norm, but they should be!