Remember, in one of the Dirty Harry movies (but I can’t remember which), when we have the obligatory Harry-you’re-off-the-case scene, and he gets transferred to personnel?
Harry says, “Personnel? Only assholes work in personnel.”
And the sergeant says, “I spent 15 years in personnel.”
OK, you remember that. A new blog discovery, Whatevs.org, points out that some things never change. Even if they do call it “human resources” now. And with a Michigan twist!
(Disclaimer: One of my fF spouses is an HR consultant. Of course this does not apply to her, because she does it overseas. She probably gets to do cool things like chop off hands and whip people ‘n’ stuff.)
Humble Reader said on October 30, 2003 at 12:07 pm
I can explain why HR blows. The majority of HR staff are great–hard working and trying to make things tolerable for employees. There’s a pyschotic/evil few who wreak havoc. They torture their co-workers; seek revenge on managers who ask them to do a days work for a day’s dollar; and submit organizations to heinous crimes like Fish and the Cheese book.
Of course the CEO and the boys in the “big house” always, alway love them and give them big raises, promotions and more power.
I know this because I’ve worked in HR. What’s scary is it’s getting worse.
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Nance said on October 30, 2003 at 1:06 pm
You know, amusingly enough, I’ve found the same thing. The last HR VP I dealt with was a real peach, but a couple of his predecessors belonged in “Office Space.”
I always envied how they knew things before everyone else, but a smart kid told me the real place to be ahead of the curve is the in-house communications staff. They get to prepare the “So You’ve Been Laid Off” folders handed out to the lucky victims as they leave the grim reaper’s office.
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John Ritter said on October 30, 2003 at 1:09 pm
You can’t spell “Who Cares?” without HR. Catbert is just a kinder and gentler face of corporate HR.
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