How did you get into HR??

Hi Georgina,

Looking at your 3 questions, I think the following:

• HR has improved it's standing in the workplace over the last few years, but does still get viewed as more of an admin function than a strategic function too often.  HR needs to continue to work hard to prove the strategic value of the function to the business.  By people seeing HR as a positive career choice (which I think we all do here) and a complex and challenging role, contributing to the organisation's success, the brightest and best will want to follow a career in HR - and I think they do already in many cases.

• Agree with David about the key skills.  I have an operational and financial management background, which I dont' regret at all but don't think it shoudl be necessary to have a successful career in HR.  It sort of links to the previous point - as HR becomes viewed more as a career in itself (which I feel is happening now much more so than even 10 - 15 years ago) other managers will respect HR for what they are; with the "dinosaur" managers who see HR as an administrative backwater who are inhibitors rather than partners their attitude is often that HR do not live in the real world.  I think that has helped my career in HR as I have been there and done it.  However, you wouldn't expect a finance professional to have got experience in other function to make a good finance manager - so why so with HR?  I do think a key skill is an interest in people and a way of handling difficult situations with empathy and tact - but achieving the business objectives.  do also agree with the saying "no" bit too - HR mustn't take over from managers - it is their responsibility to manage their team but it is easy to fall into the trap of trying to be helpful and removing that responsibility from them!

• I wish I had thought more about the saying no bit!  Also that most managers don't have very highly developed people skills and are promoted because of their technical ability for the function they are managing.  Think "management" should be seen as a career path in itself - why do we put technically good people into roles they are not good at just because of the career path they need to follow?

Just a few random thoughts!

Peter   

Hi Georgina,

Looking at your 3 questions, I think the following:

• HR has improved it's standing in the workplace over the last few years, but does still get viewed as more of an admin function than a strategic function too often.  HR needs to continue to work hard to prove the strategic value of the function to the business.  By people seeing HR as a positive career choice (which I think we all do here) and a complex and challenging role, contributing to the organisation's success, the brightest and best will want to follow a career in HR - and I think they do already in many cases.

• Agree with David about the key skills.  I have an operational and financial management background, which I dont' regret at all but don't think it shoudl be necessary to have a successful career in HR.  It sort of links to the previous point - as HR becomes viewed more as a career in itself (which I feel is happening now much more so than even 10 - 15 years ago) other managers will respect HR for what they are; with the "dinosaur" managers who see HR as an administrative backwater who are inhibitors rather than partners their attitude is often that HR do not live in the real world.  I think that has helped my career in HR as I have been there and done it.  However, you wouldn't expect a finance professional to have got experience in other function to make a good finance manager - so why so with HR?  I do think a key skill is an interest in people and a way of handling difficult situations with empathy and tact - but achieving the business objectives.  do also agree with the saying "no" bit too - HR mustn't take over from managers - it is their responsibility to manage their team but it is easy to fall into the trap of trying to be helpful and removing that responsibility from them!

• I wish I had thought more about the saying no bit!  Also that most managers don't have very highly developed people skills and are promoted because of their technical ability for the function they are managing.  Think "management" should be seen as a career path in itself - why do we put technically good people into roles they are not good at just because of the career path they need to follow?

Just a few random thoughts!

Peter