Since I chose, more than 20 years ago, that this is the place in the organization where I wanted and want to work (the place where people work), I've questioned the scope of the role. What challenges does being there entail?
The answers are multicoloured:
- Some organizations refer to the person/department that pays salaries and monitors absenteeism as "HR." In these cases, those of us who work in development are generally seen as a kind of "hippie," promoting peace and love and ignorant of profitability and other serious issues.
- Others say that calling human beings "resources" isn't right and have changed the names: People Management, People Development Management, Talent Management, and so on. Generally speaking, they store the same things inside as everyone else.
- Finally, there is a third group that separates: in administration the "hard" issues and in HR the "soft" issues (training, promotion, incorporation, etc.)
And where do I stand?
I think that sharply separating soft and hard is like talking about body and soul. And I consider people as wholes. So, dividing doesn't convince me. I also don't think HR should be a mega-area with superpowers.
Yes, I firmly believe that HR should serve as a link between 4 key issues:
- What we call “Hard”: compensation, absenteeism, labor relations.
- What we call “Soft”: development, performance.
- Internal communication
- The social function
And this does not mean becoming “all-rounders”
It aims to make a holistic view of people a reality, understanding that we can connect without having to personally address each of these major issues.
I'm thinking of a kind of committee, where we meet with administration, development, communications, and social aspects, and we can contribute the part of reality from which we are looking at the collaborators (remember that "every point of view is the view of a point").
And all of this within the context of having a clear strategic plan, the contribution to the company's profitability, and the respective indicators.
One last clarification
What am I talking about when I say “Social Function”?
I was reading an article this morning. In it, a woman expressed her gratitude that the HR department of the company where her ex-husband works had decided to do what the courts had failed to do: help her collect the child support and family allowances he was illegally withholding even though she has custody of their children.
When I finished, I thought: that's it!!! Not just a Children's Day party, a New Year's Eve party, a birthday party, or a Mother's Day flower. But true involvement with the whole person.
What do you think?
Lic. Viviana Liptzis
Master in Organizational Development and Behavior
