Response to "Why We Hate HR" By: Keith Hammond

This is my response paper to this article:

            In this article Why We Hate HR, Keith Hammond points out four things he hates or finds frustrating about HR. While I share many of Hammond’s frustrations with HR, I disagree on who is to blame. From my own personal perspective I feel that many HR people are forced into a corner by some business leaders who refuse to value HR and are determined their HR departments maintain their company rather than build it.

1. Hammond hates about HR is that HR people aren't the sharpest tacks in the box. This is a pointless argument, because there are not so sharp people in every field and in every business not just in HR.
2. HR pursues efficiency in lieu of value. I am passionate about continuous improvement, but much more passionate about the core values that direct me every day and create company value.  Both efficiency and value are important, but value will create long term efficiency.
3. HR isn't working for you. If it’s not working for you find out what is going wrong and why, then make the adjustments needed.
4. The corner office doesn't get HR (and vise versa). Hammond shares a quote from a business leader, “When someone leaves our company in whatever way, we have failed in some way. People have to feel they have a place (value) at the company, a sense of ownership.” I agree with this statement, because collaborative HR professionals would build a business case on what should be done to acquire, align, and retain talent for the company.

            In my experience I have seen HR people forced into a position where they act more as a police officer saying no and don’t all too often when a better business solution could be made. When business leaders show no value in HR then it becomes more of a maintaining department than a building department. I have found that companies who hate HR are business leaders trying to build their companies but are limited by an HR department full of maintainers or are business leaders who despise change and would rather their HR department maintain the way business has always been done than build it more. If you are not satisfied with the performance of your HR staff find out what makes a great one. When you find an ideal HR model for your company find HR professionals that will build it and preform it at your expectations of HR.