HR-friendly CEOs are key to raising profile

HR-friendly CEOs are key to raising profile
I felt compelled to respond to your news story about unhappy HR (Personnel Today, 14 June). I have been working in HR for 10 years and have always felt somewhat disillusioned by the lack of understanding support from my peers. I know that raises the question of why would you stay in a field that does not make you happy. But when this is your area of expertise, and you know you can do the job relatively easily for reasonable pay, it is hard to walk away.

I was refreshed to know that others feel the same way. HR is a thankless task most of the time and we live in hope that things will change and business will learn to see the value in HR. Unfortunately money is king and as HR will never be a direct revenue contributor we will always bear the pressure of being scrutinised constantly by people who do not see your value and being used by departments to manage their worst situations only when they have made a complete mess of things.

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I have worked in HR in nine countries and this feeling of being a second-class citizen is the same wherever you go. HR needs to be put on the map and HR professionals are trying their hardest, me included. But sadly I feel this will never be truly accepted by business until we have more HR directors in chief executive roles.

Claire Arnold
HR manager
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