How can HR get more respect?

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Why don’t business leaders like HR?

In our latest podcast, Bill Banham talks with Giles O’Halloran, an experienced HR professional who works as a freelance consultant, coach, speaker, and writer.

HR has been misinterpreted, argues Giles.

HR can be defined as a role, but it also has to be defined within the organisation.

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“TOO MUCH OF IT HAS BEEN COPIED AND PASTED FOR THE LAST 25 YEARS.”

– Giles O’Halloran

It has not been used as effectively as it could. As a result, Giles is passionate about making it more practical and personal to each organisation.

The organisation and HR team should work together, in partnership. It is a really fundamental practice, and it will be as we go forward.

Genuine concerns senior leaders have at an HR level

Giles argues that we need to be more confident about our competence as business leaders.

Giles is a strong believer that credibility is a construct of confidence and competence.

It is also necessary to connect what we do, and business outcomes. Using analytics can help us to this, as does celebrating our success.

“IF YOU’VE DONE SOME GREAT WORK, CELEBRATE IT. BE AN AMBASSADOR AND SHARE THEIR THOUGHTS ABOUT WHAT HR HAS DONE FOR THEIR ORGANISATION”

– Giles O’Halloran

HR needs to be thinking of how they can add high value to the organisation, argues Giles. This, in turn, will build HR’s credibility and enable HR to become a trusted business partner.

Click here to listen to the free podcast now

 

Amelia Brand is the Editor for HRreview, and host of the HR in Review podcast series. With a Master’s degree in Legal and Political Theory, her particular interests within HR include employment law, DE&I, and wellbeing within the workplace. Prior to working with HRreview, Amelia was Sub-Editor of a magazine, and Editor of the Environmental Justice Project at University College London, writing and overseeing articles into UCL’s weekly newsletter. Her previous academic work has focused on philosophy, politics and law, with a special focus on how artificial intelligence will feature in the future.

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