Should HR be more focused on employee advocacy or business outcomes?

I feel like it has to be both—or you lose credibility on either side.

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Just comes down to the company culture.

Sure, advocacy is important. So is supporting the company.

In the end, failing to align with company culture (especially the vision of your CEO) is a surefire way to become unemployed.

So, do what the boss tells you to do, so long as it is legal. If employees feel like it hurts your credibility, just remember: you cannot pay a mortgage with credibility.

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Love this!

It’s situational - and in an ideal world it’s both. But the business is always the core focus unless there is a reason that the employees situation supersedes that allegiance, however only when it comes to the legal basis of the situation. Otherwise it’s always the business.

I’m a steadfast advocate for employees, I try to be human, and honest with team members. Often they just want to be heard and seen. Take the time to have a conversation with them and be present, listen thoughtfully and document their feedback.

Often management makes the decisions, and we as HR people have to deliver it. We’re stuck managing expectations and complaints, despite not have the autonomy to control or make decisions. I work that in when I can, and just reinforce with the employee that we’re advocating for them.

At the end of the day, I’m HR but I’m still an employee. Even if it doesn’t look or feel like it - know that the HR team almost always has employees best interests in mind.

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Absolutely!

We can keep up the pretence of employee advocacy but it is the business that pays us

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It’s so true.

I have tried leaning too far one way before and it does not work. If I ignore business needs, I lose credibility. If I ignore people, I lose trust. It has to be balanced.

Exactly!

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