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Is your HR job making you miserable?

Steve Bridger

Last month we were discussing What key challenges are you currently facing in your role? 

One of you mentioned "the impossibility of balancing different priorities, when you have a genuine desire to do the right thing by the people you work with. I've always chosen to work in a relatively small organisation, so I'm close to the people whose jobs I support. For the first time, I'm thinking that I'd like a bit of distance!" (Which, incidentally, reminds me of this thread from the archive...)
Should HR have employees as Facebook 'Friends'?

Another community member said, "...with so much change in the business, it's so difficult to keep everyone feeling safe and secure, informed to the right level."

I know that so many of you find this Community a comfortable space to share your highs and lows with your peers, but it's almost two years to the day that I asked How are you all doing? after the worst of the pandemic.

We have been talking about this NYT article at CIPD this week... which has prompted me to ask that question again: how are you all doing?

So, Human Resources Is Making You Miserable?

HR managers... say that since the pandemic, the job has become an exasperating ordeal. “People hate us,” one said.

https://www.nytimes.com/2024/08/03/business/human-resources-professionals-workplace.html

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  • 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.
  • in reply to Stacey
    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
  • in reply to Sophie
    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
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  • in reply to Sophie
    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
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