HR is not your friend, and other things I think you should know • Hacker News Board

Re: HR is not your friend, and other things I think you should know

#51

Post by [deleted] » Mon, Jan 18, 2021, 4:37 AM UTC

MattGaiser wrote: post #33

jiggawatts wrote: post #14

Many people think that they live in a free democracy. In reality, something like 50% of all working people are employed in a strict hierarchical organisation that is essentially feudal in its nature. Most employees are the equivalent of serfs, overseen by lords, with a king in charge. The common employees don't get a vote. Their managers are not elected. They don't get a say in policy. The managers in turn form a str…

Unlike the serf, I can go find another Lord. I can pit the lords against each other for a better deal. I can try and become my own lord. HR has a lot fewer tools than the inquisition. Fear of lawsuits reduces their toolkit even further.

[deleted]

Re: HR is not your friend, and other things I think you should know

#52

Post by bdefore » Mon, Jan 18, 2021, 4:38 AM UTC

t-writescode wrote: post #35

Lammy wrote: post #31

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You must harvest more Software Engineers.

We take a lot of Vespian Gas

Spawn more overlords.

Re: HR is not your friend, and other things I think you should know

#53

Post by gregjor » Mon, Jan 18, 2021, 4:38 AM UTC

A handful of angry just-so stories.

Companies can operate with a lot of dysfunction. You will encounter sociopathic and stupid people in life. You might not get treated reasonably or fairly sometimes. Santa Claus isn’t real.

Re: HR is not your friend, and other things I think you should know

#54

Post by juanbyrge » Mon, Jan 18, 2021, 4:40 AM UTC

Seems like OP observed something unsettling at the office, wanted HR to fire the perpetrator, and HR did not do that. Then OP generalizes and says that HR is not effective and not your friend. However, there are many gray areas where it's hard to justify firing someone. For example, let's say this person was acting passively aggressively and ignoring/avoiding someone. Is that a fireable offense? I am not sure it is. There are also very clearcut situations, like harassment or racism or aggression. But there are a lot of gray areas also.

Re: HR is not your friend, and other things I think you should know

#55

Post by 29athrowaway » Mon, Jan 18, 2021, 4:41 AM UTC

These are rather strong words, but it's true: HR is most of the time can be seen as criminal organization.

If someone tries to form a union, they will ignore the law and try to shut it down. If someone reports harassment or any equal employment opportunity violation, they will try to cover it up.

Susan Fowler's Uber story is the perfect embodiment of how HR operates.

Never trust HR.

Re: HR is not your friend, and other things I think you should know

#56

Post by pstuart » Mon, Jan 18, 2021, 4:43 AM UTC

umvi wrote: post #47

charlesu wrote: post #34

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Outside of work I certainly live in a free society. I can walk up to a rich person ("a lord") and insult him to his face and nothing will happen. If you really think that’s true, do it on camera. Upload it to YouTube. Let it go viral. See something happens.

Like this you mean? https://youtu.be/FF-tKLISfPE

And what an artful response.

Re: HR is not your friend, and other things I think you should know

#57

Post by colordrops » Mon, Jan 18, 2021, 4:47 AM UTC

viraptor wrote: post #24

jiggawatts wrote: post #14

Many people think that they live in a free democracy. In reality, something like 50% of all working people are employed in a strict hierarchical organisation that is essentially feudal in its nature. Most employees are the equivalent of serfs, overseen by lords, with a king in charge. The common employees don't get a vote. Their managers are not elected. They don't get a say in policy. The managers in turn form a str…

With the major difference that these days a lot of people get to choose their employers. Yes, it's not perfect and not everyone can afford that, but we moved significantly from "you live here, this is your lord".

And if you are willing to buck the system completely, which as you point out is not compulsory as it was before, you can leave and go live off the land. Unfortunately almost everyone has lost the skill to do this.

Re: HR is not your friend, and other things I think you should know

#58

Post by emptyparadise » Mon, Jan 18, 2021, 4:47 AM UTC

drstewart wrote: post #43

IT is not your friend either. They work for the company, not for you. Legal is not your friend either. They work for the company, not for you. Janitorial staff is not your friend either. They work for the company, not for you. Sales is not your friend either. They work for the company, not for you. Marketing is not your friend either. They work for the company, not for you.

Only trust your fists, HR will never help you.

Re: HR is not your friend, and other things I think you should know

#59

Post by doc_gunthrop » Mon, Jan 18, 2021, 4:47 AM UTC

Here's another thing to note: At least a few people here have probably heard the words "culture fit" uttered when a decision is being made to bring a new employee onboard. That's basically just a socially acceptable way of validating discrimination in hiring (with ageism being a typical example).

Re: HR is not your friend, and other things I think you should know

#60

Post by lgleason » Mon, Jan 18, 2021, 4:47 AM UTC

While HR can be helpful, and in some organizations do great things for you as an employee, it's best to treat them like a domesticated lion...the lion might be friendly most of the time, but still need to stay on your toes because it could turn on you, revert back to instinct and maul to to death.