On HR, Calls for Accountability, and the "If You Don't Like It, Then Leave" Mentality
I talk about the field of Human Resources a lot. Most people would say that I'm draggin' HR as a profession. Because of that, over the years, many HR "professionals" have sent me private messages telling me to leave the field if I can't respect the hard work that HR "professionals" have on their plates. Some have even gone as far as to tell me to leave the field publicly on my platforms. And let me say that the diehard HR "professionals" who get so up in arms about how I talk about Human Resources and aim to check me always give me a nice hearty chuckle.
An absolute side-splitter.
Y'all are hilarious. You mean to tell me you look at the field of Human Resources and its practices and transactional mindsets and approaches masquerading as empathy, and you're OK with it? You don't think there's anything to call out? You don't see things that "seasoned" HR "professionals" are doing that continue to harm people in workplaces that need to be addressed? Don't you see anything happening in the workforce that HR negatively contributes to, which gives you pause? Don't you see the decades-long patterns of behavior that have created the deep distrust that folx have of Human Resources at play?
What are you, that dog sitting in the flaming cafe or something?
But somehow, my calling these things out, proposing solutions, and holding HR folx accountable makes me the person who needs to leave HR.
If you're in a field that you can't hold a mirror to, criticize, and call to task, then you need to find a new line of work.
And if you can't be called to task to do better and to evolve yourself and the field you're in, then you need to wake up and realize that I'm not the problem and thou doth protest too much.
HR as a field, industry, and profession are not fine. You're just too comfortable with everything around you being on fire while being the right hand of the king.