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Defending the HR Profession

Paul Carter

Hello everyone

I am writing a blog and producing a podcast to stand up for the HR profession and need your contributions. This is in response to the anti-CIPD posts on LinkedIn and The Times article 'How HR took over British business and got in the way of actual work' and the Financial Times article 'Does HR still need humans?' and the Josh Bersin podcast 'Is the HR Profession as we know it doomed?' There are many more examples too.

I am forming a virtual shield wall to protect our profession that puts food on our tables and makes a difference to our employers.

Q) Are you aware of the prolonged criticism of CIPD and the HR profession?

Q) Have you responded to the criticism? Is it a worthwhile discussion to have?

Q) Is it easy to criticise the HR profession because it has an image problem?

Q) Does it make you worry about your jobs?

Q) Anything else you would like to say?

Please let me know if you would like your responses to be included in my blog and/or would like to feature in my podcast. You can see my podcast here https://www.watchingworkingliving.co.uk/podcasts 

Thanks

Paul

  • Hello Paul, and thank you for raising this. Thanks also to the members of our community who have already responded so thoughtfully and eloquently. I am Head of Membership at the CIPD and we'd be happy to support or contribute to your piece in any way that would be helpful. You are very welcome to contact me directly. Thanks again, Oli
  • in reply to Oli
    Hello Oli, that is great, thank you. I will be in touch very soon.

    And to all other members - I need voices to create a podcast so please don't be shy.
    If you would prefer not to talk, just give me your words for my blog.

    Thanks
    Paul
  • Great questions Paul.

    Q) Are you aware of the prolonged criticism of CIPD and the HR profession?

    Yes, LinkedIn is a hot bed of these kinds of posts and I wonder if I see them because I've engaged with them so the algorithm is showing them to me. I find it curious that any reply I give which is more balanced or nuanced is often ignored by the posters or in some cases the engagement I've had is more aggressive - I ccan think of one poster in particular who was like that.

    Q) Have you responded to the criticism? Is it a worthwhile discussion to have?

    I do, I'm not sure if it's a worthwhile discussion as often the viewpoints are fixed and quite black and white. I don't think the CIPD is perfect but I am happy to share why I am a member and what value I get from it. That is not very exciting content for people who seem to look for clicks, likes and others to agree with them.

    Q) Is it easy to criticise the HR profession because it has an image problem?

    I always say I didnt join HR/ the people profession to be popular. I did because I believe in what I do. Who's creating the image problem here? I find that an interesting question.

    Q) Does it make you worry about your jobs?

    No. Jobs will evolve and change, my job is to move with that and make myself employable to clients. That's not changed really as a bottom line, the context and the challenges and context might have.

    Q) Anything else you would like to say?

    I've a lot to say on this. I do think the CIPD could be more proactive in some ways in this space as brand criticism is faciltated by social media and spreads rapidaly so there feels like a need to be more overt or have an overt strategy for it. I've not seen it but that might also be because I am not seeing it.
  • in reply to Sharon
    Hi Sharon, thank you for your very thoughtful responses which makes my job of writing a blog and producing a podcast so much easier. I would be grateful if you could DM me the LinkedIn post you refer to, if you still have it saved?
  • in reply to Oli
    Hi Oli, sorry, how do I contact you directly?
  • A scroll through LinkedIn will show you a lot of people queuing up to slate the CIPD. Some of them in my view are doing this for their own profile and because it generates traffic to them. I saw one recently demanding that Peter Cheese engage with him on how the CIPD are somehow gatekeeping qualifications in HR. This is adding little value to anything - again a personal view.

    No one is forcing anyone to be a member if they don't want to be. I no longer technically work in the profession but retain my membership as I am proud to be FCIPD. Criticism is easy. No organisation is perfect or can address every single need of every member. If you don't like the offering, don't be part of it.
  • in reply to Gemma Dale
    I'm of the same opinion on many of the LinkedIn posts. Social media does many wonderful things and it also amplifies posts for clicks and the algorithm rewards it, it seems. I can often tell when I post a reasonable comment on a rage post and I get no reply....I make a judgement about the motivations of the poster.

    Whilst no organisation is perfect and I amd abd would be more than happy to share my feedback, for me it's about the context, the method and the channel.
  • in reply to Paul Carter
    My pleasure Paul Carter. Happy to add some insights.

    There are too many examples of where I have added comments on LinkedIn posts giving alternative views and received no reply. I think I got a reply recently, interestingly from another commenter that I knew, rather than the original poster.
  • in reply to Sharon
    Yeah and I do find the anti HR podcasts quite hard to listen to as they are an hour-long rant. I prefer subtle, three dimensional woke discussions, rather than in your face woke discussions which never feel realistic. I want to give everyone a voice but I need diverse voices to do that.