Are You Frustrated with Human Resources?
Raise your hand if you’re fed up with the human resources department! Perhaps you feel overwhelmed by the incessant stream of memos and forms, many of which require your immediate attention. You might be exasperated by the new initiatives that seem to sprout from H.R. on a regular basis—initiatives that may not always seem necessary or particularly wise in your view. Or maybe you have some grievances with management and don’t trust that H.R. representatives will genuinely assist you. They may be friendly, but let’s face it: they are compensated by the executives. In a tough situation, it’s clear whose interests they prioritize.
The H.R. department often irritates both employees and managers alike, and its detractors have multiplied in the wake of the pandemic. During this tumultuous period, H.R. began implementing regulations regarding remote work, advocating for pay transparency, and launching programs aimed at enhancing diversity, equity, and inclusion—changes that have significantly reshaped the workplace over the past four years.
If you find yourself annoyed with the H.R. department, here’s a somewhat comforting thought: you’re not as disheartened or frustrated as the individuals working in H.R.
This became strikingly clear at Unleash, an annual three-day conference and expo held this year at Caesars Forum, a vast convention hall located near the iconic Las Vegas Strip. In May, the event attracted approximately 4,000 H.R. professionals from across the country, marketed as a venue where “global H.R. leaders come to conduct business and share inspirational narratives.” However, it felt more like a gathering where H.R. professionals gathered to vent their frustrations.
“Everything feels like a fool’s errand,” stated Kyle Lagunas, a former H.R. executive at General Motors who is currently employed at Aptitude Research, an H.R. advisory firm located in Boston. After delivering an engaging presentation on H.R. technology to an audience of around 50 attendees, he retreated to the designated media room and expressed his frustrations regarding the daunting challenges of managing H.R. during and after the chaotic period of the pandemic.
Kyle Lagunas, now working at an H.R. advisory company, remarked that the pandemic has transformed an already challenging role into one that feels nearly impossible.
Credit: David Degner for The New York Times
