Episode 31 | You Hate People? Have You Thought of a Career in HR?
Welcome to Reimagining HR with Trina Sunday
Trina Sunday: You hate people. Well, have you thought about a career in hr? Stick around, because today I’m diving into the ironic, sometimes maddening, but always humble side of hr. Welcome to Reimagining HR with Trina Sunday, the rule breaking podcast where we challenge our thinking and our current people practises. This podcast is for time poor HR teams and business leaders who are feeling the burn, lacking laughs and not feeling the love. I’m Trina, your host and I’m here to cut through the bs, explore different ways of thinking and create high impact HR functions because happier, healthier organisations are better for our people and our, bottom line. So if you are keen to flip traditional HR on its head, hit the follow or subscribe button so you’re the first to know when new episodes drop. I’m here to help and also to shake things up.
If you hate people, you might just find your dream job in human resources
So let’s get started. Today we’re diving into a topic that will make you laugh, cringe and hopefully think a little differently about hr. most likely also thinking a little differently about me. You know that feeling when you’ve had enough of people? I mean, you’re just done, tired of the endless requests, the complaining, the drama. Maybe you’ve even thought, what if I just didn’t have to deal with anyone ever again? Oh, if you’re tired of people and you’re wondering what career might be perfect for you, have you thought about hr? Yup. That’s right. If you hate people, you might just find your dream job in human resources. Wait, is she joking? What is happening here? She works in hr. What’s going on? Let’s be real for a second. If you hate people, HR is probably the last place you should be. But hear me out. The irony is too perfect. If you want a job where you are surrounded by human beings all day, like every day, handling their issues, mediating their disputes, listening to their grievances, you’re probably thinking, I’ll go work in hr. But wait, that’s the joke, isn’t it? You think you’re going to hide from human interaction hr, but really, you’ve just signed yourself up for a full time people marathon. That’s right, a people marathon. Except instead of a medal at the end, you get more complaints, a pile of paperwork and a mysterious leftover donut from the team meeting. But hey, at least we get free coffee, right? Wrong. It’s instant coffee that doesn’t count. HR isn’t about avoiding people, it’s about managing them. And trust me, when things go wrong, people want answers, they want explanations, they want to vent. And guess who they turn to? You. Because you, my friend, are, now the emotional punching bag for the entire company. Congratulations. I feel like some people are going to react to me saying managing people just now. It suggests that we’re somehow above the people we work with, handling them like tasks or something on a checklist. But HR is really about empowering people, you know, helping them grow, creating an environment where they can succeed. We’re not here to manage human beings, we’re here to partner with them in their journey. Guiding, supporting, facilitating success together, right? After all, management feels very one sided. But partnership, that’s where the real magic happens. And isn’t it someone else’s job to manage them? Oh, that’s right, their manager. anyone seen them? Has anyone seen Steve? He’s working from home. No doubt. Completely skiving off work. There’s no visible leadership for the team at all. Jeez, maybe I really do hate people today. Anyways. M. What can I say? I have a lot going on and I speak what’s on my mind. Sorry. Not sorry, but the cold hard truth. HR is all about human interaction. I know, I know you thought HR was cushy behind the scenes gig where you’d sit in your office and deal with things like compliance and paperwork, but that’s not how it works. Despite what everyone else says, you’re in the trenches, baby. All blessed day. When there’s a dispute over who gets the last coffee pod, when someone’s performance review doesn’t meet expectations, or when your organisation needs to lay off 20% of its workforce, guess who’s the one that’s first to get the call? You might think you’re going into HR to avoid the chaos, but spoiler alert, you’re stepping straight into the eye of the storm. People are going to bring their drama to your doorstep. You’re now the keeper of emotional sanity. Or maybe the keeper of workplace chaos, depending on the day. So buckle up, because you’re about to become everyone’s emotional support hotline. Except no one calls. They just show up, knock on your door and they, start crying. Well, not every day, but today may be one of those days. And you have every right to be over it. Freaking emotional vampires, the lot of them. Not today, Janet. Not today. Trina is tired.
If you enjoy delivering bad news or enforcing rules, HR could be your dream job
Now, let’s talk about HR’s favourite word. No. If you’re someone who enjoys being the bearer of bad news, HR could be your dream job. You want to tell someone they can’t work from home today? HR’s got you. You want to enforce a policy no one likes. HRs. You go too. You see, HR professionals don’t just enable the culture of an organisation, they’re often the ones upholding it. And guess what that means sometimes? Being the bad cop. The department of no, if you will. No, you can’t take that extra day off. No. You can’t ignore that performance review. No, you can’t dress like you’re on vacation. HR is where no goes to thrive. You might not agree, but every voice of the customer exercise I do for my HR clients does have some element of this sentiment in the feedback to them. I mean, if you secretly love being the one who delivers bad news or enforcing rules, then HRs all yours. We’re in the business of making tough calls and looking like the mean ones, all while trying to balance fairness and company policy. And honestly, it’s exhausting. But you do it because it’s your job. And because you’re so bloody good at it. You might think HR is all about the rules and the paperwork and the occasional termination meeting. But let’s not forget the most challenging part of HR, the people part. HR’s not just about following the policies. It’s about navigating the emotional rollercoaster that is human nature. You’ll spend your days trying to read people, trying to motivate them, trying to fix their problems. And if you hate people, well, let’s just say your job is going to feel like a never ending mental puzzle. It’s as torturous as a Rubik cube that’s tortured me my whole bloody life, that cube. But here’s the catch. HR is as much about emotional intelligence as it is about the knowledge of the law or about best practise. It’s about knowing when to let someone vent, when to push for improvement, and when to take a step back and give them the space to figure it out. It’s all about balance. And if you think people are too much, HR is definitely not your dream job. And if you secretly love a good human puzzle like I do, figuring out why people are acting the way they are, motivating them, helping them grow, then maybe HR will surprise you. But we can’t gloss over the playing the bad cop bit. HR is constantly stuck in the middle, especially when a team is divided. You’re expected to enforce the policies while staying neutral, which basically means you’re the one who gets to deliver the bad news and then send the employee back to the desk to get back to work. No, seriously, like, where is Steve, our, M.I.A. m manager you want to be the villain in the workplace drama, then congratulations, you found your role in hr. Whether it’s firing someone, enforcing a difficult policy, or having to break up fights between co workers, HR is stuck as the bad guy. It’s like you’re living in the middle of a never ending reality show. So if you have no problem being the, unpopular person in the room, you’re going to fit right in be. Because HR is the ultimate test of patience. And you know what? If you’re the type who doesn’t want to hear people complain about their inconvenient schedules, their uncomfortable office chairs or their difficult managers, then you might be in for a shock. HR is like being a therapist, except you’re not allowed to charge for the session. You’re expected to listen to complaints, frustrations and stories of woe without breaking a sweat. And if you can’t handle hearing the same grievance, like 40 times a day, HR might not be your calling. But if you’ve got patience to spare and a heart of steel, not really. HR is just the place to make a real difference. That being said, because I like to keep it real, HR is filled with what the fuck Moments. From awkward, exit interviews to bizarre requests. I’m looking at you employees that just want unpaid absence to travel the world. HR is full of curveballs. Like, if you’re someone who loves dealing with the weird, the unusual and the downright confusing, then HR is your playground. The constant WTF moments make HR both entertaining and exhausting. Especially when you’re the one caught in the middle of a situation that you can’t even believe is real in the first place. I also just realised how old I sound. I purchased leave through my whole 20s and 30s to travel the world. That’s not bizarre. Clearly my jealousy and hatred of people has jaded me. Thank goodness for my ongoing connection to Cambodia to snapped me out of my first world problems.
Hm. Anyway, but it doesn’t end there. Do you ever try to help someone who just doesn’t want help? HR’s full of that. You’re trying to guide people through their performance issues, their personal challenges or their development needs. And some people just don’t want to listen. So if you’re someone who’s tired of trying to help people who refuse to be helped, congratulations, you’ll get plenty of practise in hr. But don’t worry, eventually you’ll develop the kind of patience that will allow you to smile and nod when the same employee tells you for the fifth time that they don’t have a problem. Because as we all know, people are complex and sometimes you just have to let them come to their own conclusions.
HR is about managing conflict, improving cultures and sometimes being the bad guy
Well, this episode’s taken a turn, hasn’t it? If you hate people, HR might be the last place you want to be. But if you’re someone who thrives on solving complex human puzzles, making tough calls and somehow managing to stay human while navigating the madness of a workplace, then maybe, just maybe, HR is for you. It’s not about avoiding people, it’s about embracing them, flaws and all. It’s about managing conflict, improving cultures and yes, sometimes being the bad guy. But at the end of the day, it’s also about making a difference in the lives of employees and leaders and the organisation as a whole. And honestly, despite this smear campaign for a career in hr, when you get it right and you get to make a real difference, it’s bloody awesome. But we can’t have awesome every day. Not on the days of fed up and fury, anyway. So if you think you’re up for the challenge, welcome to the world of hr, where people come first, whether you like it or not. Imagine that before you go. While I may have unleashed, a whole load of I hate people vibes, I don’t really except people blocking supermarket aisles with their trolley. With zero spatial awareness or courtesy of those around them. Those people infuriate me. But through 25 years of working in HR, I love my work. And I work with early and mid career HR professionals who often want clarity on what’s next in their career. And I’ve done all the things and I have an eclectic network of HR game changers who I share stories and insights with and them with me. So if you want a sounding board to figure out what your next move is, then reach out and, book a career clarity session. I highly recommend it. If you’ve listened to this and your key takeaway was, oh my God, I hate people. What am I doing in hr? You might just be having a bad day. We’ve all been there. The key’s not staying there. I can help with that. A final reflection. I’m just going to roll with. Cue the overshare. I’m recording this episode amidst grief and processing the loss of someone I care about a lot. I head off tomorrow to make my way to a funeral that I wish wasn’t happening. And I’m hurting. And people I love deeply are hurting. And on days like today, us HR folk continue to show up. But sometimes you have nothing left to give. And on those days like today, it’s okay to joke that you hate people. You’re human, so show up like one. Even if that’s grieving, emotional and a satirical version of yourself, it’ll give others permission to do the same, right? And just like that, even on one of your worst days, you’re still leading by example. Just keep showing up as a human first and you can’t go wrong. Thanks for tuning in and leaning in to this week’s episode. As we look to reimagine how we show up for our people, organisations and community, reach out to us via our website at www.reimaginehr.com.au with your HR horror stories or suggestions of people you’d love to hear from or topics you want to explore.
It’s all about people, purpose and impact and we are here for all of it.
Until next time, take care, team.
