What HR is to me? Well, from the very depths of my soul, my answer is: “A job that pays the bills.” But I have a feeling that won’t suffice for a whole blog post. So I guess I would have to say, HR to me is the ultimate balancing act of professions in all of the professions in organisations.

Maria Spelterini crossing Niagara Rapids 1876

The very best things in life are all about opposites co-operating.  Life partnerships for instance are about a person being your best friend, your reliable daily business partner and rock of stability, yet they also require explosive attraction with spontaneity, unpredictability and danger. You know what I mean… the relationship that’s about having milk in the fridge, being supportive, folding the washing, plus jealousy, flirting and selfishness. We want to know everything about them, but get most excited about their hidden side. Does anyone else scratch their head at the sheer stupidity of our inbuilt expectations, and then think “sounds about right for this ‘life’ thing”? I cottoned on to it all after watching this Ted Talk which captured that dynamic perfectly, but if you’re not faint of heart (and I mean that Very Seriously), Eddie Murphy took that 19 minute Ted Talk and nailed it in 30 seconds (MAJOR crude factor though – so Not Safe For Work or for delicate ears).

It’s not surprising then that the one function in business that is entirely about human beings is also the function that must rock this opposites-play-nice game. Profits vs rewards. Productivity vs flexibility. Ethics vs achievements. Feelings vs science. Emotions vs maths. Fairness vs affordability. I mean, don’t we come into this opposites-play-nice thing simply when we enter a job? We expect to be treated like a professional (someone who can suppress emotion and get the job done), while being given allowances for our human-ness (with all the flaws and craziness that entails). And as employment has evolved to include that element of highly professional human, the job of HR has become increasingly about helping the opposing forces of running a business to play nicely.

So I guess I see good HR as the ultimate set of scales. Or better yet, as the ultimate tightrope walker. Constantly weighing and balancing the ways to effectively run an organisation and be a good employer. Going about our high risk manoeuvres on a daily basis, so often and with such skill that it looks like a walk in the park (maybe that’s why everyone thinks they can do it too).

Step right up ladies and gentlemen, let me walk you through some HR tightrope exercises:

• Since one side will lose out if a perfect balance is not struck, it doesn’t make for a popular position in the organisation. HR needs to care genuinely about people, but disregard popularity.
• To give good HR advice, there needs to be some scepticism, but not negativity. HR needs to mediate between having an overly investigative nature (nothing ever gets done) and being a suspicious jerk (too much blaming gets done).
• To be credible, HR needs to have strong documentation, but also be of benefit to the other business units. HR can have the best admin this side of the moon but not to the detriment of flexibility.
• For effective communication, HR must speak fluent emotions and argue hard facts. It’s no use justifying staff numbers with Full Time Equivalency models when the supervisor demanding extra staff feels unappreciated.
• To be accessible (and perhaps accepted), HR must be open and willing and enthusiastic and ready! But it also needs to be assertive and strategic and rationed with its resources.

Watch, ladies and gentlemen, as your HR manager perilously walks on a razor thin wire, but as an observer has been quoted to say, “I observed the tightrope ‘dancer’—because you couldn’t call him a ‘walker’.”

Maria Spelterini

And that’s what HR entails to me, a place for my mind to be challenged, and to delight in that challenge. To go to that point of hard work that is compelling, terrifying and beautiful. It’s really not a bad way to pay the bills, and if I get to wear a mohawke like Ms Spelterina, then all I can say is “bring it on!”

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This post was written by Sarah Miller.

In addition to having a fantastic first name, Sarah is at the start of her HR career, writing in some thoughtful way on her blog Whipper Snapper HR and with little thought on her twitter account @whippasnappahr. She just got a G+ account too! Apart from Social Media shenanigans, Sarah is a South Australian living and working in Singapore. Previous career aspirations included being a plumber, and being a ferry driver who sang to passengers on the morning commute. Thankfully, HR seems to be working out well for her.

HR exists because organizations are made up of people, but as entities they are quite terrible at grasping the needs and potential of the individual. This is not surprising- the fundamental purpose of an organization is to coordinate a number of people to do something too complex or vast to be done by an individual. That something is its purpose and reason to exist, whether it is to run a successful diner, collect human blood for transfusions, or make scads of money for shareholders by processing complex financial transactions, and so organizations are rightly fixated on doing that something. Other considerations are secondary, including the needs, wants, rights and of the individual, because the organization as an entity does not have a brain or a heart, so in addition to not understanding the individual, it does not have morals or feelings to provoke it to try.

But we all know that individual needs, rights and wants are incredibly important to the organization- not just because the law tells us that they are, but because if they are ignored individual people will leave it, or not work to their full potential to assist it in achieving its purpose, or lack the tools and environment to make it better at that something it does. Fundamentally, leaders of organizations understand all this, but it’s a complex thing to remain fixated on the purpose of the organization, whilst also having full responsibility for thinking through the potential impact of the organization’s actions on individuals, what must be done to ensure the survival of the organization (keep some individuals, eject others, and acquire more) AND the various potential ways in which individuals might enhance the organization’s ability to achieve its purpose. So, to some degree or another, this duty is assigned to individuals within the organization that we currently call ‘HR’.

This is what HR is to me – at the most fundamental level we are there to tell ‘the organization’ (a big, complex, but essentially dumb and heartless thing) how to avoid doing damage to itself in pursuit of its purpose, by constantly considering its actions in the context of the individual. It’s a little bit like telling the Hulk why he might not want to smash his grandma’s car:

Hulk: “Hulk smash!”

HR: “I know that Hulk smash- it’s what you do. But if you smash your grandma’s car she will not make you a sandwich. Perhaps you should consider smashing something else?”

In an organizational context this sounds more like:

• “Offering good salaries will attract more qualified, high performers to help us achieve X”
• “Firing someone who is sick will result in a lawsuit, negative press and lower morale and productivity”
• “Making your managers work every weekend will result in higher turnover, which is going to drive up costs long-term”
• “Hiring individuals who can do Y will allow us to do X in a new sector”
• “Giving feedback and recognition to employees on a regular basis will result in better performance and retention”

HR is not sorcery- lots of people who don’t work in HR know these things (hopefully your organization employs some of them). But those individuals also have to fixate on that something the organization exists to do, so it often makes sense to employ individuals dedicated to thinking about these ‘individual context’ things, proposing actions, policies and processes to support them, and doing the basics to maintain individuals’ voluntary membership with the organization (paying them, providing agreed upon benefits and ensuring their safety while at work). Some organizations may choose to vest only limited accountabilities in the individuals charged with HR (they’ll do transactional personnel stuff), while others will ask them to be the source of a ‘people strategy’ that might give the organization an advantage against other organizations it competes with.

This is what HR is to me– we are advisors who keep the individual on our mind at all times, and make sure that what the organization does, or wants to do, is considered in that context. Everything else – the policies, paperwork, process and politics – are all in service to this higher purpose. We should never forget that.

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This post was written by Jane Watson.

Jane is a senior HR practitioner based in Toronto, and the author of the blog Talent Vanguard. In the last 10 years she’s worked across most functional areas of HR in financial services, non-profit, design, food processing, and hospitality, and is currently working in the public sector. She is an active volunteer for HRPA Ontario and HRPA Toronto, where she sits on the Mentorship Program Committee, as well as acting as a mentor through Fanshawe College and ACCES employment. She would love for you to find her on Twitter at: @jsarahwatsHR or at www.talentvanguard.com

When I was first asked to contribute to this blog, I was really excited and flattered … And then when I was told that the theme was “What HR Means to Me”, I was kind of disappointed and apprehensive.

Don’t get me wrong – it’s a great question.  I’m just not sure whether my answer will be all that satisfying.

You see, after carefully deliberating over the question, I’ve come up with this brilliant gem: “HR is a means to an end”.

I told you it would be disappointing.

You see, some days – HR is just a job that pays me bi-weekly so that I can ensure my kids’ have straight teeth and to support my Young Adult book habit.  A means to an end.

However, when I’m not being so pragmatic … and I am focused on what HR can do … I still see it as a means to an end.

HR is not a philosophy, it is not a way of life…there isn’t even an HR adjective.  Like in Finance…you can have a “financial” report or in operations, you can have an “operational” budget.  In HR …there isn’t a “Human Resourceful” plan of action.

But this is exactly why I like HR. It’s solid.  It’s composed of so many parts – there are so many tools at your disposal.  You aren’t limited to thinking in only way and in fact, if you are doing good HR, then you are definitely not limiting yourself.

I am the HR person who believes in working towards a balance between employee needs and business needs. I believe in consistency among procedures and fairness in how people are treated (but fair does not means equal). I believe in transparency, as much as can be achieved. I believe in accountability, responsibility, and maturity.  Working in HR can help achieve these.

Based on these beliefs, it’s amazing that I’m still in HR.  Really it sounds like I’m practicing a speech for the next Ms. Universe pageant … Do they still have those?  Am I too old for Toddlers and Tiaras?

I digress.

I may not be the person you want to go to if you need a shoulder to cry on.  I will play devil’s advocate – regardless of what side of the table the devil is sitting on that day. I won’t necessarily tell you what you want to hear, but rather what you need to hear. I am sarcastic, I do not like small talk, I support social media, and would prefer one-on-one to social gatherings.

My friends actually laughed when I told them I was going into HR.  Nice.

HR means not taking yourself so damn seriously.  It’s okay to laugh and swear, and for pete’s sake stop whining about not having a seat at the table.  It’s embarrassing.  Just do good work and let it speak for itself.

You know what strategic HR is? It’s aligning your HR programs and initiatives with those of your organization.   That’s why HR is a means to an end.  It has the potential to branch out and get its strategic little tentacles in every part of the
business.   Oh yes, we have our ways…

To call HR a minefield is absolutely appropriate on so many levels…it’s touchy, it’s feely, it has you walking on your toes some days, and others…you just march out there and say WTF…and when you manage to get to the other side with all your limbs intact, it’s a very rewarding feeling.

And this is what HR means to me.

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Julie is a late-blooming HR practitioner located in Canada and the creative genius author of the blog Accidental HR.  She is also a proud Certified Human Resource Professional (CHRP) and member of the HRPA in Ontario and her local chapter.

Her experience as a generalist over the past five years (in additional to the many non-HR years) has provided her with great opportunities to see and learn from the good, the bad, and the ugly of HR. She is a big believer in personal accountability and the concept of “paying it forward”.  She loves the opportunity to talk to students and new grads about transitioning into the work world.

Outside of HR, Julie’s priorities in life are raising her three adolescents (13, 17, and 42), ensuring she is adequately prepared for a zombie apocalypse (with the help of The Walking Dead), and consuming books, blogs, dark chocolate, and red wine (preferably all at the same time).

Feel free to follow Julie on Twitter @jawaddell or through her blog Accidental HR.

It’s hard to believe I launched this blog TWO YEARS AGO on this day. I still remember how excited and nervous I felt as I wondered 1) if anyone would read it and 2) how my voice would be received.

Honestly, that hasn’t changed. I still agonize over the things I post — I worry that the information is relevant, current and useful. And I wonder how I stay relevant, current and useful as a working HR Professional in this blogging/social media space. Especially now — as I continue to look for balance and rhythm in my new job role alongside all my other responsibilities and aspirations … But I’ve accepted that it’s going to take time to fall into place so I just need to continue to work hard, be patient with myself and have faith I’ll end up exactly where I’m meant to be in due season.

Which makes this the perfect time to reflect again on What HR is to Me … Now. It’s the question I ask each year on the blog’s anniversary and the title of my very first post.

But before I share my thoughts, I’ve got a great lineup of new and aspiring HR bloggers to give their answer to the question. The fun begins on May 8th!

In the meanwhile, check out these posts and interviews:

• The HR Interview – Victorio Milian has put together an awesome series of interviews with some of the smartest minds in the HR social space … and me! Read my thoughts on the greatest misconceptions in HR and the future of this profession.
• Interviewing The Buzz on HR –  Christine Assaf interviewed several speakers as apart of her preview series for the Louisiana SHRM conference. Read why I decided to pursue a career in HR and why improving HR investigations is so important to me.
• Leading Ladies ~ Mommie Dearest Was Misunderstood – To celebrate her blogiversary, Janine Truitt lined up a series of savvy social sirens to discuss the challenges facing women at work today. My contribution is one of the most vulnerable posts I’ve ever written. I’m proud of it — and I hope you’ll enjoy reading it.

And don’t forget all the great content at Performance I Create!! Three times each week, you can find practical tips on improving performance and planning development from HR professionals with decades of combined experience. Here are my contributions this year so far:

• The Bigger PICture ~ HR Firefighters Bringing the Heat
• Annual Goals are Sexy
• 3 Tips to Coax Employee Potential
• Coaching: Do You Abuse or Encourage

Thank you for all the support — that’s what has made this blog a success! Cheers to the next phase of the journey!

Confession time … I don’t really like Beyonce. She is undeniably talented and beautiful — but she doesn’t inspire those fan-girl feelings that make me think of her like a BFF in my head the way I feel about Jennifer Hudson or Mary J Blige.

On a scale of “suck” to “awesomesauce” … Beyonce gets a “yawn” or “meh” at best.

But I’ve always given her lots of props for managing her career and public image. Her camp keeps her private life absolutely, positively private. And her image has always been a positive one — no nips or other slips coming out of limos, no drunken shenanigans and anything that looks like a scandal is handled before you can say Olivia Pope!

Her marketing and PR team earn every dime they are paid.

Which is why I was shocked and disappointed to see the morning news coverage last week criticizing Bey for the lyrics and language in her new song ”Bow Down.” You can google it if you want to hear the whole thing or read the lyrics … In sum, there’s a lot of b-word dropping and threats to smack up ‘tricks’ in the club.

It’s a far departure from “Independent Woman” and “Single Ladies” and “Girls Run The World” and the person who said she formed an all-female band for her tour because she believes in the importance of female camaraderie and empowerment … When did the rest of us go from that to jealous, hater bitches who should bow down??? As someone who isn’t sure of who Beyonce is as a person and an artist, it leaves me feeling confused and put-off … Not good, Bey. Not good.

Funny thing is HR does the same thing to our employees every day!

We talk like we’re all about employees and process and fairness and forward-thinking … But when push comes to shove, we’re critical of processes, intolerant of people, we turn a lazy eye to inconsistent practices and we’re stuck in our ways … Then we wonder why no one understands us. We wonder why no one wants to work with us. We wonder why we’re not included among the power players in our organizations and industries.

So we get angry at the HR haters and those not giving HR proper Propers … But instead of writing harsh songs, we write angry memos and restrictive policies and conduct condescending trainings to remind people how important we are and how they can’t do anything without us.

For the people who already love and respect HR, it rolls off their back or goes over their head. But for the people out there who are on the fence about HR and its significance, it only confuses and turns them off more … Not good, HR. Not good.

Bow down? That’s not going to happen … Instead, let’s stand up and walk our talk. Then we won’t have time to worry or care what the haters say.

Not long ago, I got a call from an upset manager …

“Jack called and said he’s not going to be at work for at least 2 weeks because his girlfriend had a baby. He didn’t give me any notice! Can I write him up for that?”

Um. How long has Jack worked for us?

“Almost 3 years.”

Then he’s entitled to take the time off for the birth of his child under the FMLA.

“FMLA? He’s didn’t say he was notifying me about FMLA. He just said his girlfriend had a C-section.”

That’s enough. You’ve been notified … And so has your company.

We often want employees to formally notify us of exactly what is wrong or exactly what they want so that we know exactly what to do … Sorry! Employees don’t have to sound the trumpets and say “I am notifying you of a serious health condition and wish to exercise my rights under the Family Medical Leave Act of 1992.” That’s not how it works.

Most times, notification sounds something like this …

• “My wife is in labor! I gotta go!”
• “My child is sick and I’m going to be out the rest of the week”
• “My dad is getting up there in age. I’ll need to take a few hours on Thursday to go with him to the doctor”

From that point, it is the responsibility of the manager to know these circumstances are likely going to be covered — and take action accordingly based on the federal and state laws as well as your company’s policy/procedure/practice on handling leave under the FMLA.

These same thresholds should follow for issues of harassment and discrimination and bullying in the workplace. We want and expect employees to make a grand announcement — but instead we get …

• “He looks at me funny”
• “If she calls me ‘pops’ or ‘old timer’ one more time, I’m going to scream!”
• “I really try not to talk to him. He’s so rude and mean”

Once again, you’ve been notified. From that point, it is the responsibility of the manager to ask more questions and monitor the situation — then take corrective action on anything which is improper.

Regardless of whether it is fair or unfair, managers are accountable under the law for this as the threshold for notification. HR has a duty to educate and train our managers accordingly so they are aware and know how to react and act in these situations. Otherwise, we are setting ourselves up for liability and failure.

It’s time for my monthly social media post!! Yay!!

Recently, I was on Facebook and stumbled across this meme on my timeline

At first when I read it, I chuckled to myself because it rang true. I hit the like button and then share button to post it to my own timeline … but then I stopped.

Is Facebook really that bad??

Of all the social media sites, Facebook remains the most controversial and polarizing. To friend or not to friend. To share or not to share. Privacy settings, private messages, subscriptions … Oh my! I’ve seen friendships challenged and marriages ruined based on things sent and shared on Facebook. But I’ve also seen friendships re-established and love rekindled based on things sent and shared on Facebook .

So again I ask: Is Facebook really that bad??

No. It’s just different.

More than any other social media site, Facebook allows for the most sharing and expression of personal information. I am more selective about who I connect with on Facebook than any other social media site — because I know connecting on Facebook will likely give me access and insights into people I wouldn’t get anywhere else. And vice versa. If I don’t care to know about a person’s family, interests, quirky habits and proclivities, I do not friend them on Facebook. And if I don’t want them to know those same things about me, I do not friend them on Facebook.

Simple.

This goes double for co-workers and workplace friends. Being Facebook friends with people you work with not only exposes you to access and insights — but it also exposes you to liability. You cannot “un-see” something inappropriate or in violation of policy. You cannot “un-know” something dishonest or detrimental. If you fear those things with co-workers or workplace friends, becoming Facebook friends is definitely a bad, bad, bad idea!

However, if you feel the sentiments expressed in this meme about yourself and your Facebook friends … you should probably get off Facebook altogether. For a few days, few weeks, few months. Perhaps even permanently. Use the extra time you have to find some new friends. Or use the extra time to work on your social and social media skills. Because if you really believe the sentiments expressed in this meme, you are hanging out with the wrong people online.

Just sayin’ …

I am no good at waiting. I want to find the root cause of problems so I can repair it or remove it or replace it.

I have no tolerance for foolishness. Or laziness. Or any form of passive-aggressive douchebagery. I want those around me to share my enthusiasm and committment to excellence. And when they don’t, I want to repair, remove or replace them too.

That’s not to say everything has to be my way or go my way. It doesn’t. I just don’t like confusion. And I think people who claim to thrive in constant flux and uncertainty are either lying or crazy. Or both.

Because confusion doesn’t get stuff done. Confusion doesn’t move things forward. And confusion doesn’t help others grow or develop.

However, I’ve learned that not everyone shares my intolerance for waiting, foolishness or confusion. There are lots of people who are fine to just go with the flow and wait for things to work themselves out. They are fine to wait for the other shoe to fall. They are fine to just sit and watch in suspense as that pesky other shoe teeters back and forth.

I say knock the shoe over and let’s get on with things.

But sometimes you can’t. Sometimes, it’s not your shoe to knock over. Sometimes, the decision is in someone else’s hands and there is absolutely nothing you can do.

You have to wait.

Waiting for the other shoe to fall isn’t easy. It’s annoying. It’s uncomfortable. It makes you feel inert and stifled.

Waiting just sucks.

But whatever the “shoe” is in your organization, there are some things you can do to make wait a little easier

• Share concerns. You need to tell someone in authority when you see a dangling shoe. Be respectful and empathetic in your approach — but say something.
• Don’t compromise. Just because someone else is letting their shoe dangle doesn’t mean you should. Maintain the integrity and ethics of the work within your control.
• Find calm. Seek people, places and projects to take your mind off the dangling shoe. Everyone needs a respit. This is even more true when faced with the stress of a dangling shoe.
• Get ready. Eventually, the shoe will fall. Have a plan for what you’re going to do when it happens so your plans and work are not derailed when it happens. Position yourself to be apart of the solution.

Waiting isn’t easy but sometimes it is unavoidable. Control and contribute what you can so the final result is something worth waiting for.