One of the things I am struggling with is the disconnect of what I am learning I should be to my company through my CIPD Level 5 studies, and what my company want me to be for them.

They are a small company and the Directors want full control. Ethical decision making? Absolutely not. Do they want my input? No, they don't want to be called out. So for example, they ignore their own handbook where it suits, they promote people who's faces fit and to hell with the repercussions. They try to exit people often from the business if they don't fit the culture. They will not hire anyone older because it is a 'young business'.

I don't really believe there's a strategy for me to hang a HR strategy on if I'm being completely honest.

I'm not asked to be involved with talent planning because there is very little planning in any area and promotions are usually based on who the MD has promised them to.

Recruitment swings from no vacancies to about 18 over night depending on whether the business wins business but then often panics about the costs of those hires because there's no forecasting or budgeting ahead.

I'm lost. I don't know whether to leave or if it's like this everywhere...but it makes me miserable. I have no control. I don't see me ever being able to be involved with things I'm taught I should be. I just clear up a lot of mess.

One of the things I am struggling with is the disconnect of what I am learning I should be to my company through my CIPD Level 5 studies, and what my company want me to be for them.

They are a small company and the Directors want full control. Ethical decision making? Absolutely not. Do they want my input? No, they don't want to be called out. So for example, they ignore their own handbook where it suits, they promote people who's faces fit and to hell with the repercussions. They try to exit people often from the business if they don't fit the culture. They will not hire anyone older because it is a 'young business'.

I don't really believe there's a strategy for me to hang a HR strategy on if I'm being completely honest.

I'm not asked to be involved with talent planning because there is very little planning in any area and promotions are usually based on who the MD has promised them to.

Recruitment swings from no vacancies to about 18 over night depending on whether the business wins business but then often panics about the costs of those hires because there's no forecasting or budgeting ahead.

I'm lost. I don't know whether to leave or if it's like this everywhere...but it makes me miserable. I have no control. I don't see me ever being able to be involved with things I'm taught I should be. I just clear up a lot of mess.

Ah Stacey, that sounds really frustrating and demoralising and it's certainly not like that everywhere. Senior management of organisations can have a really wide ranging view of what they want and expect from their HR function: from 'tea, tissues and toilets' to being a valued and trusted partner. Some will still view it as being an admin only function or that you're there to be the HR police. It's definitely something to ask about during a recruitment process to try and gauge how they will see you.

In a lot of circumstances I would advocate for trying to talk to the leaders to understand what they're really looking for from you, trying to build relationships to open out more ethical ways of thinking and decision making, pushing for better planning... but I think on this occasion you know the answer to that. Some mess might be inevitable but if nothing changes time and time again, then it might be time to look for somewhere more circumspect where you can genuinely add value and practice what you've learned.

Aww Stacey! No it's not like that everywhere BUT you're also not alone in it being like this... Often in small businesses and/or start ups, it absolutely can be like that.

Are they paying for your CIPD? Are you tied into them? If yes, chatting to them about what you've learned may be a useful way to start building some change.

If no, consider if it's where you want to be, if there is enough good there for you to work with them. If there is (or if you're stuck) perhaps set yourself some small goals to bring about incremental change. See if you can build up enough trust with just a single leader to chat about how the actions are not matching values or how they're not matching policy etc. and chat about the impact this has - for you personally, but also on things like employee engagement and risk to the business financially and as a time drain - let them know you want to work with them on reducing this risk while also not causing unnecessary delays

Thank you for your reply. I'm definitely on the look our for something that better aligns with my morals and values. I'm glad to hear things operate differently elsewhere too.

I'm glad to know that there's other opportunities but did think this must be a small business thing. I got asked by my head of HR (an accountant) to do a sped up version of the capability process this week. They accidently told an employee anothers salary but still wont pay her the same as him. I'm constantly at a loss with them. They have paid my studies that's not a hindrance to me looking elsewhere. Thank you

The biggest challenge for me is that sometimes there is so much compliance, and processes in our job that all we do is blaming people when they make a mistake and we forget the human side. It feels like there is no room for mistakes , just blame and sense of guilt. As a very empathyc and emotional person I take everything to the heart and when a mistake happen I feel responsible at the point that I feel depressed, incompetent and not good enough to derserve this job. Employee quite often are disappointed with us and their expectations feels hard to meat.

Stacey, my situation is exactly that of yours - and we too don't seem to have the foggiest idea about a business strategy (seemingly nobody in our entire industry does), the unpredictability of a hiring strategy that never succeeds, the alignment of my HR generalist (solo) role in my SME not aligning to our CIPD industry expectation or aspiration. I've spent the last 5 years mopping up after bad leadership decisions, against my professional advice (gleaned from every resource from my CIPD studies/CIPD website, ACAS, AIHR, etc). Every year they ask me why our attrition is high and yet as soon as our business struggles with profit, the DEI, the performance management, the psychological safe space, are thrown out of the window in preference of Command & Control. I feel passionately for my choice to work in HR but I constantly see/hear so many fellow HR professionals who just do not get any joy or value out of their role.