We can all probably recall an occasion when we were kids when we got the raw end of the deal. We would complain and whine that "It isn't fair" to which the standard response from parents/relatives/teachers was "Life's not fair." And as much as we didn't want to hear that answer most of us came to accept the reality of it as we matured and grew older.
But two groups of people were unwilling (or possible unable) to grasp this simple bit of truth and cling stubbornly to the notion that life can be fair if only we are willing to make it so. These two groups are socialists and HR people. Obviously they are not mutually exclusive and crossover between them is probably quite common.
My problem with socialists is well documented and it's not necessary to rehash all the particulars here, but lately I have become acutely aware of the pollyannaish approach to life that seems to affect so many who choose the HR lifestyle, particularly in corporate environments large enough to have their own distinct HR functions. There is striking dichotomy at play between the competitive business world where winning sales and coming out on top against your competitors is required to stay alive and thrive, and the HR worldview which often seems focused on equality of outcomes regardless of the company's business or economic requirements. Let me just offer a few examples that I have encountered:
Our company has a stated policy of not matching offers made by other firms to lure away talent. I once asked an HR representative why this so was in light of the significant costs involved in recruiting and training a new employee to take the place of one who leaves for greener pastures to say nothing of the detrimental impact on morale that such exits create. Might it not be easier and cheaper to pay the current employee a bit more more in order to avoid such costs? "But that wouldn't be fair to all the other employees who aren't out looking for jobs." Of course it wouldn't. It would require you to make a judgment that an individual has abilities above and beyond those of the other employees and recognize this individual has discovered a market for his talents that you must now compete against. But I guess competition isn't really fair to all so God forbid that we would engage it it.
Our group wanted to purchase a small refrigerator out of our own budget to use for lunch, beverages, etc. since the company does not make one available to us. My boss, who is kind of a weenie, refused to approve such a request until he checked with HR because he thought they might find it unfair to other groups. How did the HR departments acquire such power that a relatively simple decision must be passed by them for their consideration? My reaction was if the groups want a refrigerator tell them to go buy one on their own just as we had done. Instead of rewarding a bit of creative thinking and initiative the HR bureaucracy seeks to stifle it to ensure that all of us are equally deprived. It's like working for a corporate version of East Germany. Of course me and another manager subverted our boss and avoided the HR Stasi and we now have our refrigerator. A small step towards tearing down the wall.
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