No wonder we have an image problem. One of the biggest barriers, as I see it, is the lack of publicising to the organisation the role of HR, as opposed to personnel.
Some organisations use the terms interchangeably, and use HR people to do what is basically personnel work, which is not why the terminology changed in the first place. Even managing directors do not always understand the difference.
The other difficulty HR people find is that we are very often cutting across line management’s ways of doing things so that we can achieve fairness and consistency. Of course, many line managers don’t like to be challenged – it smacks of interference to many rather than support.
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We need to talk with the rest of the organisation to ensure that everyone is clear about what we do.
Barbara Blamires
Director of HR and development, Trinity Hospice
