RIP HR Generalist

RIP HR Generalist

Over the last month I interviewed many candidates for HR Head position for one of the organizations that I am mentoring. Following is how one of the interviews proceeded roughly while all others were very similar to this. I have cut out the ice-breaking part as it is irrelevant for the context.

Me: Your resume looks like a copy paste of the index of an HR Handbook. You seem to be pretty thorough.

Candidate: Yes, I have been working in HR for nearly 20 years now. Having worked with 4 companies during this period, I have contributed on all aspects of HR.

Me: If you don’t mind can I ask you a few technical questions?

Candidate: Sure. Please.

M: What’s Lead – Lag?

C: No idea. I am sorry.

M: What’s a quartile?

C: What? Quartile? I don’t know.

M: What’s Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs?

C: I read it in college long time back. It talked of a pyramid with some levels. I won’t remember now.

M: What’s Lominger’s Nine Box Grid?

C: Never heard of that.

M: Tell me about MBTI?

C: I don’t know.

M: DISC?

C: Does that have to do with HR? I have heard about compact discs and also BluRay discs. They are the latest.

M: Have you heard about FIRO – B?

C: I had taken a test like that in my college. Don’t remember it now. Sorry.

M: Do you know about Kirkpatrick’s model?

C: No, sir.

M: What are 5 levels of PCMM?

C: No idea. Why are you asking these questions? This is theory. I have been a practical guy. Please ask me practical questions.

M: How can there be a practice without theory? Would you ever go to a doctor who doesn’t know the theory, the human anatomy, functioning of organs, about the diseases and there cures? Are there lawyers who don’t know the laws but still practice? Practicing engineers who have forgotten the theory, the formulae, the algorithms? Practicing accountants without the theoretical knowledge? It’s sad and unfortunate that the HR professionals believe that they can practice without the theory. They divorce the books moment they are done with their exams never ever to refer back to them again.

Sitting in a meeting, when a problem is thrown at you by business, you respond based on your “practical experience” and “common sense.” What else can you do? You don’t have any science, any theories to fall back upon. But then, when it comes to “practical experience” and “common sense,” the business guy has more of it as the exposure is far superior. Your response is thus often found inferior to the expectation. Business gives the final word, the directive. You get frustrated, blame the business guy for being pushy, arrogant and anti-HR/anti-People. You feel insecure. Indulge in political maneuvers to safeguard and consolidate your position. Messing up the organizational culture.

Young talent who joins under you is misguided by you each times he comes up with robust “theoretical” solutions. Out of your frustrating experiences, you tell him to forget all the “bookish” knowledge and get to “practical” work. You make him do data entry, pivot tables in Excel, graphs in PowerPoint, organize floor decorations and picnics, respond to employee grievances about pay-slips or hunt for resumes on Monster and Naukri. You make sure that he doesn’t find time or need to go back and stay in touch with his text books. Few years down the line, he is seen telling his juniors to forget all the “bookish” knowledge and get to “practical” work.

In any case, who chooses HR in the first place as the subject for post graduation? Only the people who don’t want to slog it out in the field, prefer the comfort of office, would want to maintain 9 am – 6 pm as working hours, have limited capabilities to deal with numbers, formulae and algorithms. The least you can do is to stay true and passionate towards your profession, the science behind your profession. Find ways of connecting the theory, the science to the business that it is supposed to serve. Get back to the text books, revise and remember the forgotten science. Apply it back to the issues that business brings to you for effective and functional resolution. Rely more on the science and less on the “practical experience” and “common sense.”

There are administrative aspects in the function. The employee data needs to be managed, reports need to be generated, payroll needs to be processed, filing needs to be done, events need to be managed, resumes need to be sourced, so on and so forth. Get some under-graduates to do all these. Create a separate sub-department called “Personnel Administration” staffed with these under-graduate resources. It will help you bring down the cost when compared to staffing this sub-function with HR post graduates. The morale, motivation and growth prospects will not be an issue. You can assist the graduates study further and acquire their post graduation in HR. Then move them into mainstream HR.

I am sad and sorry to state this but I don’t mind if you feel bad. I want you to feel bad. I want you to know that you have already soiled the image of HR enough. You must thank a few HR professionals who are still married to the theory, the science because of whom it’s not all lost. Hope prevails. That HR will not be seen as a resume sourcing, balloon blowing, spin doctoring, random gossiping function. That HR will be the true business ally providing robust “theoretical” and scientific solutions to the Human Capital issues that the business is facing.

Thanks for your time. I have to meet another candidate now. Hopefully, this one would be a HR Professional.