In the future, where will our HR leaders come from?
I had a chat the other week with the venerable John Sumser. He's allowed me to continue dissecting the issue of the future of HR with him and one of the things we spoke about was the trend of seeing HR leaders being plucked from the recruiting and talent acquisition function. Think about it. Pretty much everyone likes the recruiting function. Recruiters are pretty fun, mostly extroverted. They make stuff happen that everyone likes – bringing in new talent. And being a good recruiter requires you to know the business really well – so demonstrating that you're a true business partner is actually pretty easy. So why wouldn't a CFO or CEO or COO want a recruiting leader to manage the HR function? And I think John's suspicion was that we'll see this trend continue.
For someone to rise to the top of the HR ladder though and be effective, I might argue that you have to pay your dues and spend time cutting your teeth by doing some good 'ole employee relations. You know… settling the petty to massive squabbles between teammates, investigating a harassment issue or two or seventeen, managing the issue of a constantly truant employee who is great when they do show up in the office but their in-office presence is always inconsistent… and those are just the easy issues. You really see people at their lowest in the workplace when you do employee relations. You see the worst of the worst. But talk about the lessons learned…
When you do employee relations, you learn some really crucial skills. You have to do some massive problem solving for nearly impossible problems. You're expected to waive some magic wand that will solve everything in the workplace. You have to learn to build consensus, to play and be comfortable with playing bad cop, to deliver really horrible news with empathy and do it in such a way that you leave the recipient of your bad news feeling like they have some dignity. And that's just the starting point of what all comes with doing employee relations. But those are not skills that anyone comes equipped with naturally. It takes dealing with employee relations issue after employee relations issue to become good at and pick up all of those crucial skills. And don't you think an HR leader needs to be able to do all of those things?
I love it when I hear people say that they got into HR, or that they want to get into HR because they L-O-V-E people. "I'm a people person!" Right… your eyes rolling as you read this. I know. Sure, at the end of the day, HR is about the people. But if you spend long enough in HR, you learn that people are also the very reason why this gig can be tough because oh, the humanity you have to deal with… and sometimes, you just wish that all the people would just go away. That is, unless you grow up in and then stay in one of those feel good areas of HR. You know… recruiting or training and development. To a certain extent, maybe benefits. Compensation and rewards as well… all relatively feel good HR disciplines. And "feel good" doesn't necessarily mean easy, so let's not get offended or confused… I'm just saying, in none of those areas would anyone ever look at you as the grim reaper. When you are the employee relations pro though? Sometimes people run when you come around. They're scared of you. But if you're good at it, also think about the credibility you gain from being able to solve ugly, ugly, really ugly people related issues. It's a big deal for an HR leader to have that kind of cred under the belt, I'd argue.
But what do you think? Can you lead an HR function without having spent time managing employee relations? Is there another way to gain those crucial skills I cover above? Or as an HR leader, can you simply surround yourself with strong people who maybe fill those gaps for you? Or maybe it doesn't matter at all what HR discipline you come from. Maybe the best HR leaders are going to be non-HR folks who will think about HR completely outside of the box. Talk it out… and let's build some consensus. And if it gets ugly in the comments section, I'm sure someone will waive their magic HR wand and make everything all right.
PS – Good reading here at the Halogen employee performance and talent management blog on the attributes of an HR leader. More food for thought.
Funny you should ask that question. I’ve never held a position within HR. I’ve always been in sales, marketing. However, lately, I’ve been thinking that my background in rewards and influence coupled with sales and marketing experience would make me one kick-ass HR person.
Not the “filloutyour401Kformaandgetitbacktomebythedeadline” type but the “here’s what we need to do to compete in 5 years based on trends in the business, technology and talent” type.
I think one of the problems with HR is that too often we promote the one who did the best on the admin side of the job – or only allowed those folks to do the admin stuff.
I think HR needs to move from a legal and admin function to a marketing and business development function – but I’m not saying anything that most of the readers of FOT wouldn’t say or believe. We just need to get CXOs to believe it.
Jessica:
I am torn on this one. I have have been around long enough that I have done all the stuff you talked about. I have recruited, both internally and externally. I have done the employee, and labor, relations. I have taught it and I have had to learn about it. So naturally I have a stake in the strong ER credentials side.
But I can see Paul Herbert side too… I like fresh minds, especially with an operations background. If they have managed as a line manager they have dealt with people stuff. I want these people in HR positions, but not necessarily as the VP without sometime under their belt.
That said, I am coming down on the side of … the experience. But not just anyone. An operations background would help too.. in fact all HR managers should spend time in line positions. Do some cross training. I understand Paul’s comments about the administrivia parts of the job. But knowing the laws, knowing the implications of them on the company, is not trivial. So you have to have someone in the head HR postion that is a legal expert, a negotiation expert, seer/soothsayer/fortune teller, business person that is bottomline oriented, good cop/bad cop, trusted confidant, and excellent presenter. They will have the file keepers, the timekeepers, the specialists, the line ER folk, the recruiters and (dare I say it) the watermelon carriers reporting to them.
Jessica- This is a good topic and you bring up some very valid points. HR leaders are most effective when they are a blend of specific HR roles (recruiter, benefits, compensation) PLUS the critical employee relations piece and business skills.
I think Mike’s description nails it. I too have done most of the HR roles you mention in the post, but it’s the times (and I mean hundreds of times) I have had to be the person across the table from someone telling them their job was eliminated. It doesn’t matter whether it was a layoff or performance, the end result is I was the “terminator”. It never gets easier but with experience in doing that, and as you progress through your HR career, you begin to try to influence good business decisions on the front end so it doesn’t come down to losing an employee. That is learned over time and through experience. That is where the employee relations comes in. You work with employees to head off problems in their career. You coach, you counsel. If I had an HR leader who had not gone through those trenches, I personally would not have as much respect for him/her because they would not know that horrible feeling and try to make good decisions to avoid it.
I’d also stress that the HR leader MUST have a strong business and financial background. Without that, they can do the job but will not be as successful at it. It needs to be someone with not only that, but some backbone who can stand up next to the CFO, CEO, CIO and really make an impact on determining the direction of the business.
I struggle with this because, although I am part of an HR department, I don’t consider myself HR in the sense that I am unlike most HR people I know. My background is business, more specifically finance. When finance jobs were scarce I had the opportunity to try 3rd party recruiting and was very successful at it. I then had the notion to right the wrongs of HR/Staffing depratments (as I perceived them from my 3rd party seat) and joined the corporate world. My corporate role began managing a recruiting function and has evolved into managing all talent for the organization.
With that comes some amount of ER responsibility – from the petty to running full-blown investigations. In recruiting we are constantly listening to the needs of candidates and counseling them from a career standpoint. These skills translate well to the ER world. Additionally, I think that my business/finance background has been even more helpful along the way because I tend to think of the business and financial impact of my decisions along the way. This also lends credibility with senior management.
All of that to say that I have been told if I ever want to run a HR fuction (something I would like to do and am confident I could do with success) I will need to spend time in the other HR disciplines, including a fair amount of time in an ER role. I am of the belief that we need new blood in HR with a different perspective and if you surround yourself with subject matter experts and you provide the leadership and guidance you will be successful.
I am going to have to go with street credibility.ER is a great way to get it – every thing converges on the employee – but ER may not be the only way.
I have been a practitioner for a bunch of years now and nothing beats sitting across from an employee,a supervisor, a management team being able to throw it out on the table and be listened to when you speak. That kind of credibility comes from experience, from rolling up your sleeves, understanding the HR language and being able to translate it into non-HR speak. It means knowing the ins and out of what your department does AND what the organization needs so well that you are able to develop the best mix of services.
I heart recruiters and I wonder if a recruitment – or any one specialized area of HR – provides a broad enough set of competencies to right now manage a complete HR function as it exists in many organizations today. I don’t know. I see the world through my lenses and would love to hear from recruiters to broaden my view.
Jessica,
As someone who’s been on the employee relations side for a few years I would like to say thanks for recognizing who we are and what we do. Like any aspect of HR, it’s a tough job that requires certain skills. For example, very few people choose to be in a position where they have to investigate, and potentially discipline, their fellow colleagues. Much like Loss Prevention, ER pros have to stand apart from the organization from which they serve in order to do their job in an effective and ethical way.
Having ER experience definitely gives you the necessary toughness to deal with the politics that come with having a seat at the table!
Hi Jessica,
Great column, as always!
I’d divide different “HR stuff” into two sides – disciplines that can easily be learned in the classroom like comp and benefits – and those that require “in the trenches” experience like recruiting and ER.
That said, although I’ve been kidded about people scattering when they see me with my “ER hat” on, the bottom line is you are highly respected if you treat people with kindness, value, dignity, and respect.
I enjoyed your article. I had to smile at your comment that many enter HR because they “love people”. Twenty years ago when I began my career I was at an HR roundtable. One of the members was retiring and he was asked for parting words of advice. He said, If you are getting into HR because you love people, you may want to reconsider your career choice and look at becoming a mortician. They are the only ones I know that work with people in a peaceful setting. It made everyone laugh and I wondered what he meant – until my ER responsibilities grew.
I grew my career through generalist work and then a focus on employee and labor relations. I now have the top HR executive role in the company and often find I need the tried and true ER skills in my role and I am the only one on the exec team that has that skill set.
I’m sure there are many paths you can take to the HR exec role. The key is to know what skills you need and find a way to add them to your skill set. I worked with a job coach for a year to build up my business skills. If you have earned your stripes in ER and can build up your leadership skills, I am willing to bet you will be the only one at the table with solid ER skills. This will make you a valuable asset to the executive team.
At this point I am just hoping I still love people when I leave HR.
@paul – you’re speaking about the peter principle. and yes, it happens too often. i agree with you. i still struggle though… non-traditional HR leaders are cool… but i just can’t imagine where else you can pick up the skills you do doing hardcore employee relations which you need in the boardroom… because as we all know, it’s not fun and games nor is it pretty at times.
@mike, @trish, @rob – agreed for sure, the operations background would help. i think maybe it’s that being well rounded is what it comes down to… yeah? maybe? not sure!
@lisa – being able to roll your sleeves up… i love that. i feel like that’s the best (only?) way to earn the loyalty and support of your team is to do precisely that… and you need that team to be successful at that table everyone talks about. thanks for that.
@mark – “you are highly respected if you treat people with kindness, value, dignity, and respect.” i think that pretty much sums how how ER should be done. i love it. thank you.
@victorio – let’s hear it for the ER pros! yeah! you used the word “politics” and i think that’s a great way to think about what someone learns to navigate with ER issues… the politics of a corporate landscape. yep. you get to know them very, very well.
@ruby – appreciate the perspective and it’s so interesting to me that you say that you’re the only one on the exec team who has that skill set… and how much is it needed! think about the potential cat fights on leadership teams, the squabbles in the board room. end of the day, it’s a team but even the best teams have tough days and need some help getting along, i think.
I am one of those recruiters who transitioned into HR. Recruiting skills and the business knowledge that you have to have in recruiting transfer into ER, Strategic HR Management and other areas of HR very well. But, I don’t think that recruiters will ever be your stereotypical HR person. Personally, I find benefits admin and keeping up with the ever changing laws very difficult – and boring. I support surrounding yourself with experts/resources in areas of weakness. I enjoy the benefits plan design, but outsource benefits admin. If I have questions about how to design a new comp plan, I call my Comp friends. I read about law changes through SHRM. It can be done if you know your strenghths, weaknesses and have great resources.
Jessica,
Good insight. If the future of HR is employee relations, though, the future of HR is dead. So is Corporate America. Employee relations issues are born out of the dumbest and most insensitive behaviors in the workforce. Instead of assuming good intent and behaving in a respectful way, ER issues (and unionization efforts) emerge from mistrust, illegal activities, or immoral behaviors.
I have experience working to prevent unionization in a very ugly and sad situation. I have fired SVPs for sexual harassment. I have mediated squabbles between teams who could not resolve interpersonal issues and look beyond their selfish needs.
If the core competency of HR is acting like a parent to the immature needs of the workforce, count me (and many other educated and savvy professional men & women) out of Human Resources.
We should be teaching conflict resolution, empowering our employees to make better decisions based on clear and meaningful guidance from leaders, and we should get the heck out of the way.
I would also say this much: my brightest moments in HR are when I helped a manager or employee realize that a situation could not be resolved. I taught them to live with conflict and ambiguity. It’s a lesson that should be taught by parents and peers, but instead, was taught by a 20-something woman with a degree in English and a penchant for tattoos and moody new wave music. I was happy to help, but sad that these important lessons weren’t learned earlier in life by otherwise smart & sophisticated people.
@bonita – no doubt people can make the transition. i’m just still stuck on whether i can rise to the top without critical ER experience. this never goes away, and if you can’t settle ER issues, i don’t know if you’re providing the best possible value you can. with me? nine years of experience at this point and i still feel like my ER skills need more work. i’ve not done much of it in the past 3 years and i honestly feel like i am not fully equipped to be the best possible leader in the future unless i grind it out and do more on the employee relations side…
dearest @laurie – perhaps i’m cynical… but i think there will forever be the need for HR to indeed act like a parent. people are people with egos and feelings and as a result, i think there will always be those immature needs in the workforce. you know? ER and baby sitting and settling squabbles, i hope, will never be the core of an HR person’s work, and i’d stab myself in the eye if it indeed were… but i think it’s unavoidable and will never go away. sad but true… but people suck!
KD here -
I’m going to grab the words of Mark and say that there are specialist areas of HR that are cut and dry, and scientific. You know them – comp, benefits, etc. The universe is known and you have data, and you get the best outcome you can.
Then there are the fluid parts. Recruiting, ER and Performance Managment come to mind. You better be able to think on you feet and influence.
Laurie’s wrong when she says the need for type of HR is indicates the future of HR is dead. Here’s the reality for an HR Generalist from individual contributor to exec – you better get your helmet on and be ready to deal with a variety of employee relations issues – from the mundane/transaction to the highly complex. If you can’t do it, you’re not a complete HR pro. The best have flexible skills that allow them to do it all.
Fresh minds and ideas are the future – but they won’t occur at the expense of being able to resolve nasty ER issue. Those skills will always be needed.
KD
KD – I’m not wrong, but rather, have a different HR/ER philosophy. Give a man a fish and you have fed him for today. Teach a man to fish and you have fed him for a lifetime.
My Mom’s parenting philosophy? “If I have to come in there and break up this fight between you and your brother, you’ll both be sorry.”
Want to avoid unions? Create an effective leadership model that’s built on communication, trust, and authenticity. Want to mitigate employee litigation? Put the accountability in the organization where it belongs. Demonstrate an organizational commitment to behave in ethical and honest ways.
If initiatives begin with HR, they end in failure. Human Resources should be in the business of working itself out of the game of employee relations.
I’ll meet you in the ring on this one, Kris. You will lose on the mat. One punch. Knock out.
Laurie – so by saying you have a different ER philosophy than mine and then laying that out in the way you did, you’re basically positioning that my approach doesn’t involve teaching people to fish from an ER pespective, or helping to create leaders who can communicate, be trusted or be authentic.
Nice touch. For the record, I try to do all those things. My comment regarding you being wrong was based on your statement that if ER is the future of HR, HR is dead. ER is part of the future because you’ll never eliminate the need for ER in an organization.
Here’s a challenge with some merit. See if you can let my dissapointed response stand without having to have the last word.
KD:
That last statement was the best laugh I have had in a month!