HR departments see employees as the enemy

[Donke]

I have worked in several public sector orgs (NHS, civil service etc) and their ability to stonewall and gaslight is unbelievable. Why are they so convinced that they can do no wrong and that employees are stupid/dishonest/incompetent?

I am currently fighting with HR over my T&Cs, which should follow a locally agreed protocol. They are refusing to accept that it exists or that they have the skills to use it which makes no sense because every other trust in the region uses it. They will not open their minds to an outside pov. I have had similar before where they insisted on refusing to pay me sick pay. Why??

Agree with everyone who says that HR are there to protect the employer and not individual employees. Have generally found them a best ignorable and at worst dangerous (missing visa deadlines for a start, telling the person involved that he was accused of sexual harrassment and who accused him just for a couple). They seem to work in world of their own - we have a redesigned performance review system every other year at least which presumably costs a fortune but does nothing new (and requires training on etc ) -they design family friendly policies in isolation - we have great maternity leave but no maternity cover - they produce salary guidelines with no basis in reality but which look pretty...Lots of time spent on DEI initiatives, charity initiatives and non-work initiative which the rest of us don't have time to
its like a different world of fluffy women which operates totally differently than the rest of the business

Can work both ways, some employees insisting if they don't get what they want everyone else is to blame, even if what they want is not possible

But some employers may be not legal either

But no I don't blame a whole group

I don’t think that’s what she means by not the brightest.

All the HR people on here gaslighting to olympics standards when anybody questions them.

Either they don’t care that we’re all witnessing their attitude/behaviour in real time, or are severely lacking in self awareness.

Also a pp claimed a lot are qualified in psychology and law, that would explain a lot about the expert gaslighting skills and narcissism.

YADBU. Yours sincerely, a HR Assistant and a HR student.

....And I work with some amazing HR professionals who I'm proud to know. Why the hell is everyone so fucking rude about HR on MN? There's good and not so good people in every profession.

I've currently on sick leave from work and my manager has been absolutely fantastic... checking in on me and making sure I'm kept abreast of developments, and just making sure I can talk to her about anything, I might be starting out, but I'm proud to be building a career in HR. If others don't feel the same, they can always leave the profession.

In a previous job of mine (freelance in a niche field, I get hired by companies if and when needed) the HR were awful, some of the women were on a power trip they’d pull employees up in the middle of the corridor, write them up for having a hair out of place or uniform not done up properly. I mean there’s a right way of doing things, but these creatures would literally talk down to adults like they were children in the most degrading way (whilst their more lenient colleagues at least had the decency to look embarrassed and visibly cringe on their behalf) one particular little hitler who relished in firing people for the slightest mistake (my heart broke for a single mother lil hitler got fired, because she was chewing gum upon entering the premises and hadn’t yet had time to spit it out ) was the worst of the lot, lil hitler made a mistake costing the company hundreds of thousands but kept her job by blackmailing seniors. She had dirt on how employees get treated, and threatened going to the tabloids, so kept her position.
Also some of the female employees were weary about going in the HR office because some of the men would talk amongst themselves about their appearances. (Obviously they knew there was no point in complaining about HR employees, they’d just be gaslit) It was a shit show full of bullshitting hypocrites with more power than they deserved.

In the next episode of Things That Never Happened...

The term you use to describe HR is beyond offensive FYI.

Like I said previously, expert gaslighters.

Proving everyone on here right.

Question to those who see HR as 'the enemy,' How do you see your managers? Are they the bad guys too? I'm genuinely trying to understand this world view.

Human Remains exists to protect the business. They may incidentally end up protecting you but only if that's in the business' interest. Otherwise their job is to make it look like an accident. Once you realise they do not exist to help employees, there's nothing confusing about it.

If you want workplace help, join a union.

No you're not.

At my previous job I was told that HR are there to protect the company

In a company as corrupt and as toxic as my previous employer it was plain to see too

Generally they are, naturally. They act in the lot own interest or that of the company. If managers and HR were reasonable at all we would never have developed Trade Unions. Or still desperately need them.

“Human Remains” good choice of words 😂

I actually come onto the work section of mumsnet to try and help people with HR advice. Maybe won’t bother anymore if HR are hated that much. Go to your Union 🤷🏻‍♀️

We have a winner

When I worked as a manager in a large HR department of an organisation, I always told my line reports that our most important customers were our fellow employees and colleagues. Our work was, first and foremost, with their interests in mind.

Sorry to burst your bubble.

Yes, we know what you tell people!

Sometimes I wonder if HR wants a more male dominated field if it would get the same hatred and criticism. Same with GP receptionists.

@NonPlayerCharacter

Yes, we know what you tell people!

Pardon?

I’m also seen as a problem employee by HR because I pointed out their own policy to them. A friend of a friend has joined HR and every text or email has the HR tone to it when she’s organising a hen do, she’s also giving incorrect advice to friends. It’s only one person but I can see how HR annoy and don’t support people

No I dont. Can only speak from my current situation but my manager has been nothing but helpful and supportive. HR have been the absolute opposite.

In response to a pp saying people are using their own localised issuse to make sweeping generalisations, I have encountered poor HR everywhere I have worked. Every single job for the past 20 years.

I'm sure you will all say that I am the problem, not HR. But I've never been fired, on a PIP, had a grievance raised against me, fallen foul of policies (had to educate a previous HR who were trying to not pay me mat pay, thank god for ACAS) etc.

I of course dont think everyone working in HR is evil but I am shocked at how consistently imcompetent large swathes are.

I'm not gas lighting at all. I simply don't recognise any of what's being said about HR in my team.

I'm horrified by some of the stories that have been shared but without being in those organisations, how can I fairly and proportionately comment?

As others have said, there are good and bad in all professions. To tar all HR professionals with the same brush is narrow minded and ignorant.

Awwww make you feel good did it putting someone else down? Bet that felt amazing hiding behind your keyboard but if that’s what you need to do to big yourself up then you go for it 🙄
obv didn’t get my point about an HR professional helping others that are not in the same company therefore not doing it for the business