No, they are not. Human Resources as a profession can be an extremely rewarding one, when working for an organization that values the investments it makes – especially its’ workforce. As with any job function in a company there is a broad spectrum of views, performance, self awareness, and emotional competence.
Irregardless of what you think about the Human Resources Department at your company (or previous companies), ABC News’ 20/20 team wants to paint a picture filled with deception, lies, and company agendas with the episode that aired last week (True Confessions) – titled “Confessions from the Corner Office, Ex-HR Exec Tells All”.
If you didn’t see the show, you can watch the 6 minute interview via YouTube with Cynthia Shapiro (referred to as the former company “hatchet woman”.
In the interview, Shapiro shares:
I am appalled (to say the least) at what was shared in the interview. Not from a standpoint of whether or not bad things can happen – but from the views as everything Shapiro stated is fact or “truth” for the workforce at large. Take the interviewer example from Shapiro – she knows a (meaning one) HR Director who places fake pictures of kids on her desk as a test.
Sure, we live in a society filled with “you can’t make this sh*t up”, and the HR profession has its’ challenges. Yet this is a perfect example of taking a small percent of problems companies face and pointing the finger at Human Resources given all of “their dirty little secrets”.
What are others saying about Shapiro’s interview across the web and via social channels? Here are a few excerpts (primarily from non Human Resources professionals):
There are obviously several factors that play into whether or not a company an individual works at embraces the concept of a mutually beneficial (employment) relationship.
If you are experiencing any of the examples in the interview, protect yourself and get some legal advice. If not, for your own identity don’t take a victim (the world is out to get me) approach, or point fingers at HR when (maybe) you should look in the mirror and reflect on your own function and field of expertise – and your job performance.
The reality is there are a lot of great companies, and yes, based on all of the comments obviously some bad ones too. An employment relationship is a 2-way street and your performance is the pavement.