HR as a Socialist Institution
A recent article at workforce.com (free registration required), suggests that many human resources functions are influenced by socialist, rather than capitalist thinking. The author suggests that many human resources professionals spend too much time focusing on fair treatment and too little time focusing on high performers. His examples include HR being the advocate for the weak as opposed to top performer, supporting equal pay v. differential pay, focusing on seniority rather than recent performance, equal treatment of managers v. resources based on results, HR seeking decisions based on consensus rather than innovative decision making, HR as the protector of the people rather than the champion of profit. I think what he may really be getting at here is that some HR functions are still focused on an old traditional/bureaucratic approach to people management which entails rules, policies, and rote systems where flexibility is avoided. For those HR professionals that incorporate the use of technology, ROI and metrics in the measurement of their functions, the author views them more as capitalists. What is not mentioned here is that in some organizations, HR becomes the police force because weak managers defer to HR (or expect HR) to help bail them out of making difficult decisions. The valuable HR person will make sure management is not avoiding the difficult decisions and will not allow him/herself to be placed in the police officer role.