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Undermined as a HR Administrator

Caitlin

Hi all,

I am looking for some advice regarding my current role, I am a HR Administrator for a large company for over a year now, and previously was a HR Officer that took redundancy in another company for 3 years.

We have a lot of dealings with site managers, who have their own HR Advisor they go to - but for example if I answer the phone regarding a sickness query or contractual query (which is part of my role) they refuse to speak to me and want to be put through to their Advisor - but I can happily answer what they need to know myself. For example a site managers advisor wasn’t in that day, I asked if there was anything I could help with, and I was told they want to be put through to someone that has ‘more experience.’

I never had this when I was a HR Officer, I feel since I have the Administrator title - no one wants to come to me even for basic queries which is part of my job role.  I am L3 CIPD qualified and halfway through my L5 Diploma. 

I have my appraisal coming up this week and I want to put across how undermined I feel in my role, I feel my manager doesn’t want to take how I want to progress seriously. I have asked to shadow the Advisors but I have been ignored. How can I bring this up in a positive but firm way? 

Any help would be appreciated. 

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  • Ultimately, your progression is only of interest to your LM to the extent that it makes his or her life easier. If answering routine inquiries is part of your job and, instead, such inquiries are going to the Advisors, then their day is being eroded by poor communication of the purpose of the Administrators.

    The argument to make to your LM, therefore, is that her team is not being used efficiently if Administrators are seen as HR's receptionists.

    That said, qualifications and experience aside, you are in a bottom rung role so it isn't possible to undermine you. You're already at bedrock. Upwards referral is a practice that protects you and the company: you are protected from the accusations of managers ("But Caitlin said...!") and the company is protected by ensuring that professional advice is given only at a certain minimum level of authority. Rather than undermined, what you feel is undervalued, but others have already given some excellent advice on how to have your ability valued by your colleagues.
  • in reply to Robey
    Hi Caitlin

    I agree with Robey, obviously it depends on how your company is set up but I'd personally not expect a lot of hands-on HR involvement only 1 year in at HR Admin level in a large company with its own Site HR Advisors.

    Bear in mind this could have come from the HR Advisors themselves to their Site Managers, to only go through them even if day to day queries. There have been a times in the past where I've had a few similar queries from the same site, and after some probing its been indicative of larger issues, but in isolation they were fairly simple day to day queries. If someone else is involved it could potentially dilute the HR Advisors overall knowledge of how their site is ticking over, effectively undermining their role.

    In your shoes I'd definitely mention it, I'd steer clear of "feeling undermined" and focus on just wanting to get a bit of clarity on the role and remit so you know where you stand. Perhaps there's a particular site you could be assigned as back-up to?

    Ultimately though this may be the way the company prefers to operate their HR model.
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  • in reply to Robey
    Hi Caitlin

    I agree with Robey, obviously it depends on how your company is set up but I'd personally not expect a lot of hands-on HR involvement only 1 year in at HR Admin level in a large company with its own Site HR Advisors.

    Bear in mind this could have come from the HR Advisors themselves to their Site Managers, to only go through them even if day to day queries. There have been a times in the past where I've had a few similar queries from the same site, and after some probing its been indicative of larger issues, but in isolation they were fairly simple day to day queries. If someone else is involved it could potentially dilute the HR Advisors overall knowledge of how their site is ticking over, effectively undermining their role.

    In your shoes I'd definitely mention it, I'd steer clear of "feeling undermined" and focus on just wanting to get a bit of clarity on the role and remit so you know where you stand. Perhaps there's a particular site you could be assigned as back-up to?

    Ultimately though this may be the way the company prefers to operate their HR model.
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