HR myths - General - Our Profession

44 HR myths

13 Sep, 2019 15:35

A lighthearted one for you all...

We've been recruiting a lot recently and a colleague in sales stated, "If we get more people in, you'll have to get a disabled person soon". He was under the impression that companies of a certain size MUST hire people with a disability. After pointing out that was totally untrue, we also had a positive conversation about disability is more than using a wheelchair...

What comments have you heard relating to HR that are totally not true?

Fake news? Fiction? Fantasy?

1906 views

Samantha | 0 Posts

19 Sep, 2019 13:56

When any of the HR team go into the canteen to fill the kettle, get a sandwich etc. we are only doing it to spy on employees apparently - that was one comment from a manager :)
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Isabel | 0 Posts

19 Sep, 2019 14:19

In reply to Samantha:
That's a sad indictment of what a lonely profession HR can be. What a horrible manager!
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Owen | 0 Posts

19 Sep, 2019 14:48

That we don't care enough about employees - from employees,
That we care "too much" about employees - from management,
That we are the organisations police,
That we are all very highly paid (I know, I laughed too), and one that's been mentioned before,
That we have a crystal ball (I'm looking at you, former colleague, when you didn't get your pay because you'd changed your bank account and not told us).
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Robey | 0 Posts

19 Sep, 2019 16:57

In reply to Owen:
Those are great, Owen! All so true.
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Cheryl | 0 Posts

22 Nov, 2019 14:27

I'm a bit late to this one but have enjoyed reading the other myths, most of which i have experienced.

The one I had a complaint levvied at me over, was that I sit cand change peoples tax codes when I don't like them...
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Peter | 0 Posts

22 Nov, 2019 15:07

That "Equality" means threating everyone "the same".

That threating everyone "the same" is treating them "equally"
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David Perry | 0 Posts

22 Nov, 2019 20:11

"you can't sack me I've a GP's note".
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Peter | 0 Posts

22 Nov, 2019 20:25

In reply to David Perry:
...and my mate, who's a cleaner in the local nick, says.....
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Fiona | 0 Posts

28 Nov, 2019 11:46

'We are a service department here to do what we are told' (sadly my interim HR manager, who has no HR experience!)
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Cheryl | 0 Posts

28 Nov, 2019 12:11

In reply to Fiona:
Thats shocking and worse than the "we are here to write job descriptions, letters and pay people" view of a previous manager I had
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Rosie | 0 Posts

3 Dec, 2019 14:02

I read the comments on a Financial Times article today about Performance Reviews. Apparently they are "HR's biggest failure" and proof that HR should be abandoned as a profession altogether!
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Peter | 0 Posts

3 Dec, 2019 15:13

In reply to Rosie :

Performance reviews cannot be carried out by HR, because HR Managers are not the ones seeing the "performance" or competent to assess it (except of those people within the HR department itself, of course). HR's role (as with all other aspects of "people management") is to manage "how" performance reviews and appraisals are carried out, so as to be objectively fair and effective.

That process might be made futile by the inability of line managers to put HR-guided good-practices into effect, or a refusal by them to provide HR with the criteria of review or appraisal for guidance; to be discussed and determined (cooperatively though mutually shared information and understanding), but that is not an HR-created problem, it's a LM/OM one.

The typical response of some people (and FT columnists) to something they don't understand: Reject it, demonise it, and if possible kill it!

Turn the page and do the crossword instead......
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Ray | 0 Posts

3 Dec, 2019 15:20

In reply to Rosie :

@Rosie

Is the volume of of "fake news" today conclusive proof that journalism no longer exists as a profession?
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Rosie | 0 Posts

3 Dec, 2019 15:51

In reply to Peter:
Thanks Peter, it rubbed me up the wrong way earlier - your response is what I was thinking but you've articulated it perfectly :)
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