I'm in HR, AMA

[Hollyhocksarenotmessy]

AMA in general - if you want advice on a personal employment issue please go to Work or Legal forums.

What is the most awkward situation you have handled?

@OwlOne

Im in HR, it is not what i thought it'd be. Employment law my favourite bit of the CIPD.

Interesting. What did you think HR would be like, and how is it different? Why do you think this has happened? Do you like it anyway?

@coronafiona

What is the most awkward situation you have handled?

B.O. Twice. Embarrassing conversation for me and them.

BO?! I wouldn't even think of talking to HR adviser about that, even if someone near me was driving me mad with it.

Well you learn something every day...

@YukoandHiro

BO?! I wouldn't even think of talking to HR adviser about that, even if someone near me was driving me mad with it.

Well you learn something every day...

Both times it was BO you could chew. Not fresh sweat smell, but months of not cleaning themselves and clothes. Mental health issue.

@SonEtLumiere

Does your company confuse sex and gender in its policies? Would someone pointing out that confusion be branded a trouble maker?

Ooh good and contentious question.

Not really a big issue most places I've worked, although I did have a discussion with a male HR trainee about why, in general, i think it's important to retain the difference between sex and gender. He thought i was being old and out of touch, until i came up with the example of different medical needs of men and women (by sex) that endangers people if we only look at men and women (gender identity).

I've also worked in the public sector where I wouldn't have felt safe expressing some of my views. Which I'm still evolving, with the best intentions, but as a lifelong anti-gender feminist I'm still getting my head round positive views of gender.

I have noticed younger colleagues changing 'sex' to 'gender' sometimes, and I talk them through the actual protected characteristics.

Should HR managers be regulated, like other professionals?

I’m finding this thread fascinating, thank you for starting it OP.

Not a question but a comment from me.
I have been an employee for over 30 years and have always found HR extremely helpful, informative, knowledgeable and professional.

My experience as a manager having close ties with HR is that they have at times gone above & beyond expectations with their help & support for myself and my staff.

I believe that they each do a great but impossible job.
Industry couldn’t function without a healthy HR dept so from me a thank you and huge respect for everything that you do.

@SonEtLumiere

Does your company confuse sex and gender in its policies? Would someone pointing out that confusion be branded a trouble maker?

I’m in the public sector and there are definite attempts. But luckily in the area I work the biology is crucial so there’s a general air of “identify how you like but your chromosomes matter here”. The Stonewall Champion gets suitable pushback within minutes from the staff when they attempt to replace sex with gender in emails.

@Mumisnotmyonlyname

Should HR managers be regulated, like other professionals?

What sort of regulation?

We operate in a framework where our advice/operations can be challenged at any time through a tribunal claim. The majority of us work hard to become Chartered. So you can compare us with accountants, architects etc.

I carry professional indemnity insurance as a legacy from self employment. You can bet your bottom dollar I’d be scrutinised if anyone ever attempted to claim from that.

What sort of regulation?

I was thinking of professional body type regulation. Like the BMA or CIMA.

"I have noticed younger colleagues changing 'sex' to 'gender' sometimes, and I talk them through the actual protected characteristics."

How do they respond when you do this, OP?

@Mumisnotmyonlyname

What sort of regulation?

I was thinking of professional body type regulation. Like the BMA or CIMA.

We have the CIPD.

@YukoandHiro

"I have noticed younger colleagues changing 'sex' to 'gender' sometimes, and I talk them through the actual protected characteristics."

How do they respond when you do this, OP?

They have been happy with this - they can see that the law protects sex and gender as two different things, and you can't drop a category unilaterally.

In a purely hypothetical situation, where a group of employees got together to complain (legitimately) about the behaviour of a manger, and an investigation was conducted into that manager, what would in your experience, be the attitude of the rest of the organisation to those who complained? And what would the silent fall out be for those who raised the concerns, regardless of the outcome for the manager?

@ItsReallyNotMeYouKnow

In a purely hypothetical situation, where a group of employees got together to complain (legitimately) about the behaviour of a manger, and an investigation was conducted into that manager, what would in your experience, be the attitude of the rest of the organisation to those who complained? And what would the silent fall out be for those who raised the concerns, regardless of the outcome for the manager?

Nobody else in the organisation would know the complaint had been made.

We support staff who make such complaints before, during and after the investigation, work with them through whatever the outcome is and remain available to them afterwards to check there isn’t any unacceptable fall out.

@ItsReallyNotMeYouKnow

In a purely hypothetical situation, where a group of employees got together to complain (legitimately) about the behaviour of a manger, and an investigation was conducted into that manager, what would in your experience, be the attitude of the rest of the organisation to those who complained? And what would the silent fall out be for those who raised the concerns, regardless of the outcome for the manager?

In theory or in practice? In theory, exactly as feminist said.

In practice, lots of managers and employees have loose lips so it's unfortunately not unknown for gossip to start around HR actions.

There still shouldn't be any negative consequences for complained, but being honest, probably sometimes there are. It's not something I've encountered myself.

@Pickypolly

I’m finding this thread fascinating, thank you for starting it OP.

Not a question but a comment from me.
I have been an employee for over 30 years and have always found HR extremely helpful, informative, knowledgeable and professional.

My experience as a manager having close ties with HR is that they have at times gone above & beyond expectations with their help & support for myself and my staff.

I believe that they each do a great but impossible job.
Industry couldn’t function without a healthy HR dept so from me a thank you and huge respect for everything that you do.

Thank you. It's always nice when we get some appreciation.

*In theory or in practice?
In theory, exactly as feminist said.

In practice, lots of managers and employees have loose lips so it's unfortunately not unknown for gossip to start around HR actions.

There still shouldn't be any negative consequences for complained, but being honest, probably sometimes there are. It's not something I've encountered myself.*

Well, quite. I'm quite certain that everyone knows, and that there will be unofficial consequences. Which is deeply worrying.

@ItsReallyNotMeYouKnow

*In theory or in practice? In theory, exactly as feminist said.

In practice, lots of managers and employees have loose lips so it's unfortunately not unknown for gossip to start around HR actions.

There still shouldn't be any negative consequences for complained, but being honest, probably sometimes there are. It's not something I've encountered myself.*

Well, quite. I'm quite certain that everyone knows, and that there will be unofficial consequences. Which is deeply worrying.

So not really a hypothetical then!

To be fair, in this situation, employees have already been discussing it among themselves, so it's unrealistic not to expect word to spread.

There shouldn't be negative consequences unless it was a malicious complaint. If there are, complain about them!

My daughter is due to graduate with a honours degree in Business and HRM but has no actual work experience in these area but has actually worked part time although her studies. What would you recommend she does to try and gain employment in an HR role ?

@luckylady22

My daughter is due to graduate with a honours degree in Business and HRM but has no actual work experience in these area but has actually worked part time although her studies. What would you recommend she does to try and gain employment in an HR role ?

Getting that first role in HR can be really hard.

Graduate entry schemes see here for examples www.prospects.ac.uk/jobs-and-work-experience/job-sectors/recruitment-and-hr/hr-graduate-schemes
Temping in HR admin to gain experience/possibly get perm role
Civil service