Today after a few concerning HR announcements at work I took a moment to look out my office window, across the mountain range toward Mount Baker.
On my credenza at the windows I have an outdated copy of The Annotated Canada Labour Code. Indeed, a book that I have referred to for guidance at various times in my career.
I took a moment to consider the various roles within an organization. Roles you would be familiar with in many medium and large sized organizations.
Organizational Roles
All businesses and companies have their managers, in some cases these are business owners. Further, almost all organizations also have a Human Resource component. Additionally, some even have labour relations within the human resource department.
Human resource management became an area of focus after the industrial revolution and gained wide recognition in the 1980’s.
HR In History
Many human resource specialists argue that their field can be traced back to ancient times. But, I do not know if they are tracing themselves back to knights templar or witches. Additionally, I found no proof to support this claim.
Indeed, I once read that because the organization of people can be traced back to Moses and wage rate plans can be found in the Babylonian Code of Hammurabi.
And so, supporting the conclusion that human resource managements’ roots can be found here.
It seems fitting in my opinion that an HR ‘professional’ would want to place themselves beside God in human history.
The development of human resource management can be traced back to a need to protect the welfare of workers. In fact, going back into the early 1800’s evidence can even be found in writings from the Royal Commission On Labour.
In fact, showing that early labour officers were appointed to protect workers from the evils of “jobbery and indebtedness to check corrupt practices in recruitment and selection in Indian Industry, to act as a spokesman of labour and to promote an amicable settlement between the workers and management.”
We know that the need had been identified in recent history, we know they are present in our workplaces and human resource management is a booming industry.
HR, A Booming Industry
The global human resource management market size was USD 16.01Billion with compound annual growth rate of 11.7% forecast through 2027. Indeed, this market is now positioned to reach $30 Billion US market share by 2025 in the US alone.
As organizations focus on creating digital workplaces that enable high productivity; a shift from traditional human resources (HR) to digital HR is accelerating.
To tell the truth, I have observed a progression of a transfer of power from ‘managers’ to HR departments in the past 10 years. And yet, employee perception is that managers have the power in the organization.
However, this is not always the case now. Particularly in large organizations.
Organized HR
Your HR department may be involved in disaster response planning and have formed emergency response teams and plans within organizations. In fact, even to the extent of companies purchasing stores of vaccines and antidote.
Some even being trained formally in Incident Command. Furthermore, organizations investing in corporate versions of bug out kits. Finally, they then argued these advanced programs required personal and next of kin contact information for fan out of information and emergency contact.
We’re being forced into the world’s largest work-from-home experiment and, so far, it hasn’t been easy for a lot of organizations to implement.
Saikat Chatterjee
HR Is Present In All Strategy and Planning Meetings
As a matter of fact, in many organizations HR has taken over most portions of employee selection and promotion.
In the current environment employee layoffs, corporate restructuring, and pay action. This will all be done according to what is called a ‘Human Resource Plan’.
These plans are carefully developed and approved through various levels of an organization. In fact, before a union or employee is made aware of the coming changes.
Further, these plans typically begin with business strategy. And, the details affecting employees are contained in the human resource plan.
A Significant Shift From Roots Planted In Protecting Rights
The rights of workers.
In the previous 5 years HR focus shifted. Hence, now supporting higher employee productivity developed in the form of employee engagement and social responsibility initiatives.
The catchphrases of HR powerhouses and consultants quickly shifted to this new profit center. This year engagement surveys have been cancelled and corporate strategies quickly dropped their ‘people first’ mantra.
This will shift again under the global plans for our future. Thus, certain keywords will become apparent to everyone. And, will give evidence of compliance to new strategy.
And so, it is important to maintain a good relationship with your HR department; they can influence your career.
When your HR representative requests to join your social media feeds they are not doing this because they want to be your friend. This is a reach into your life in support of the employers need to have awareness about what employees are doing. Monitoring for any activity that may impact the reputation of that organization. And, an extension of the HR arm that supports employee division and selection.
The intent of these initiatives is protection of corporate reputation and support of organizational growth. Part of the HR role is also limiting liability exposure. You may choose to include them in your social media but, please, not the feed where you share your drunken or most personal ventures.
Include them in your professional social media presence.
Do not forget your HR representatives pay comes from the same place yours does.
What drove me to write this today? News from human resources that employers want to initiate health tracking apps and mandatory health screening on mobile devices. Initiatives that look very much like “the next phase of a predetermined plan”.
HR has forgotten where they started and where they added true value.
HR Professionals
Human Resource ‘professionals’ need to wake up and go imbed themselves in the strategy of the world economic forum. This 2030 prediction, “You’ll own nothing and you’ll be happy” Does not feel like it has an approved human resource plan.
Accordingly, this plan will be delivered through corporations whose reach goes beyond your home countries political power.
Where your vote does not count.
What if we went back to the good work our fore mothers/fathers did. What if we re-awaken these ideals: “protect the workers from the evils of jobbery and indebtedness to check corrupt practices”.
Protect the people from the evils of jobbery and indebtedness.
What if we had rights as people.
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