Comments on: Be Quiet, HR’s Here

By: Duffy

Duffy — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 17:01:06 +0000

The key here is:

“Now, of course thatâ€™s absolutely not true (HR is always on duty)”

We all know that. We’ve all run into the grim, humorless commissar who’s waiting to pounce on the inappropriate innuendo. Reporters, cops and HR are always on duty. Any of those three can bring the party to a crashing halt just by showing up.

By: Dan McCarthy

Dan McCarthy — Sun, 30 Mar 2008 03:15:48 +0000

Lori â€“

I know what you mean. Managers get the same thing, it comes with the territory. And itâ€™s tempting to want to loosen up and join in to fit it, but I think weâ€™re better off taking the high road and being role models. (See 2/07 â€œfor Leaders, There is no Off Switchâ€ post on my site).
While that may stifle a few idiots, most will respect us for it.

Dan

By: Lori Dorn

Lori Dorn — Sat, 29 Mar 2008 18:53:45 +0000

Thanks HR Wench. I will certainly do that. And thanks for being such a wonderful compatriot in the HR blogging world.

By: HR Wench

HR Wench — Sat, 29 Mar 2008 18:45:45 +0000

Lori - You should submit this excellent post to Rowan at Fortify Your Oasis for the next HR Carnival (I think he wants them in by Monday). :)

By: Lori Dorn

Lori Dorn — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 23:15:13 +0000

I’m so glad that you can take a joke “Someone Who Can Take a Joke” because your comment amused the hell out of me.

By: Laurie Ruettimann

Laurie Ruettimann — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 22:19:03 +0000

I know the sudden-shush, and it bothers the heck out of me. I always ask, “What’s the gossip?”

I address it head on…

…and most of the time, people will tell me.

By: Someone Who Can Take a Joke

Someone Who Can Take a Joke — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 19:40:12 +0000

Criminy. Lighten up. People are making a joke. It’s not at your personal expense. Clearly you ARE so uptight that you can’t laugh at yourself. And you can’t tell the difference between when they’re laughing at you and when they’re just making a cliche’ joke about corporate authority in general and implicitly acknowledging their own problem of sitting around talking about something off-color.

By: HR Wench

HR Wench — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 17:05:07 +0000

I get this everywhere I work as well. It’s funny because I don’t play along with it but it never goes away. I’m telling my mom that “ignore them and they will stop” is a load of bunk!

I’m not the police woman of the workplace. Never have been and never will be. In fact, I make darn sure that my reputation is that of a very down to earth, realistic, realist, business-results oriented HR person. Not a ruler wielding meter maid from hell.

Oh well. I suppose what really counts is that employees and managers actually DO really trust me and come to me about the important stuff, regardless of the jokes.

By: KJay

KJay — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 16:57:21 +0000

This is one of the few pet peve’s I have about being in HR - its reminiscent of not beinging invited to sit a the “cool table” in the middle school cafeteria.

Sometimes it feels like there is an implication that we in HR are prudes.

But I love my job

By: AndresAcosta13

AndresAcosta13 — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 15:41:42 +0000

Do they say it jokingly, or are they serious?

I get that all the time as well, but it’s less obvious. I walk by and someone in the group just let’s out a quiet “shhhh”. Or someone makes an obviously out of place topic change like, “how about that crazy weather” in a louder than normal voice.