Stefan Stern’s article “How to save HR from itself” (Work & Careers, February 26) covers a well-trodden theme, explored in quite a few articles for not less than the previous 20 years — that an organisation is on the whim of a clumsy human sources division (at greatest), or a villainous one (at worst).
While Stern makes legitimate factors, there’s a frequent conflation of HR as a apply (Human Resource Management or HRM), and HR as a division. HRM exists, no matter whether or not an organisation possesses a longtime HR division or employs HR professionals. Actions, like asking interview questions, are an instance of the micro-level behaviours inside the bigger, choice system. These are crucial, and happen even in organisations with out an HR division.
Ensuring every of the HRM techniques (ie choice, recruitment and so on) align with the organisational technique, and that micro-level worker behaviours do as nicely, is an crucial for any organisation staffed by people.
But, because the article rightly factors out, bettering upon HRM practices may be self-defeating, a bit of like a snake consuming its personal tail. Especially when interventions don’t handle the precise downside; don’t account for points in adjoining HRM techniques; are led by any skilled with out competence; or are inside an organisational context the place such practices are seen as prices, not investments.
“How to save HR from itself” frames the issue as one for the HR division. “How to save organisations from their own HRM practices” might need been a greater title.
John D Varlaro
Chepachet, RI, US
