I blogged recently about Things I believe in the Recruitment Space in which I asserted that Human Resources doesn’t get the respect of upper management because it doesn’t deserve that respect. Before I expand on that thought, please watch this quick video:

My assertion isn’t really a criticism of HR, it’s just an assertion. There has been a lot written over the years about the lack of respect by upper management for HR. I’ve wondered why that is? Clearly every organization of any substance has an HR department. HR is essential for many reasons. Perhaps the primary one is to keep organizations out of trouble. In the U.S. and in many other parts of the world, employment law is a veritable minefield. It’s almost impossible to follow every law. HR is usually focused on ways to protect the organization. HR is often responsible for staffing, employee relations, employee development, and the inevitable firings and layoffs. If HR doesn’t handle these areas then who does?

Upper management clearly sees the necessity of having a strong HR department or it wouldn’t have one. But still HR doesn’t get respect. I suspect that the main reason is that HR doesn’t contribute directly to the bottom line. HR doesn’t produce any revenue. In many organizations HR is perceived as the folks who take care of the touchy feely stuff. Just leave the business of running the business to the executive team.

I have worked in one organization where HR did get respect. The VP of HR was clearly a valued member of the executive team. But he wasn’t a typical HR VP. He had multiple engineering degrees and experience running a substantial business unit. The executive team clearly related to him as an equal. In fact he was often given non-HR related special projects to run. That situation is unusual but it shows that it can be done.

Bottom line is that I stand with my original assertion that Human Resources doesn’t get the respect of upper management because it doesn’t deserve that respect. Respect is something that must be earned and earning that respect takes time and focus.