Thread: HR and role conflict

Okay so, I am guessing that most of the members of this site work in HR, or have some HR responsibilities and I guess we all have different styles as to how we manage these responsibilities.

Working in HR though, I find that I am often caught in the middle of a balancing act, between supporting employees, and also acting as a member of the management team in my HR manager role. Does anyone else feel the same?

I would be interested to hear from others as to how they handle the inherent conflicts within the HR function.

Hi MadHR

As an HR professional I would say that you are there to act 'impartially' and are employed to ensure that correct, legal and fair procedures are followed when dealing with employee issues. As far as business/hr strategy issues go I take the view that you are employed by the company and while you personally may not agree with some of the business decisions, and can point out why you do not agree, you are there to support the decisions made and again ensure they are carried out legally.

I have had times in my previous life as HR Advisor/Manager where I have 'stuck my neck out' for certain individuals/management decisions only for it come back and 'bite me in the bum' so my advice is to always try and stand back from any situation and look at it from all sides, put forward your opinions and recommendations but try not to get too emotionally involved - hard not to sometimes I know!

Guess it's just a hazard of the job...

Still I like to think that I can handle it, just it can be exhausting sometimes...

Staff events are often dificult, as soon as HR walk in the room, the atmosphere changes...

I enjoy the strategic side, and who cares about being popular anyway? I mean we're not at school anymore...

Totally agree - definitely a hazard of the job I have had many instances in the past of difficult staff events, I think in the end you just get used to it and accept that that's how its going to be. On the up side there will also be individuals who you have helped with issues and they will understand that HR are not there solely to make their life difficult - swings and roundabouts.

I agree that there should be no 'sides' although management and staff will each argue this point. Advice should be based on the needs of the business and its strategy, then implement in a fair and legal way. Many staff still see HR as the 'welfare' function that it used to be many years ago, so part of HR role is to remove that view and make it the business partner that it should be. Note that it is business partner and not management partner! It all makes the job more interesting!

Interesting difference between Business Partner not Management Partner!

Managers often think we are there to get them out of bother, but really we are trying to protect the interests of the business, whether that be from a compliance or developmental perspective.