#HR #Career #Perception #GenZ #TikTok
Hey everyone! 🌟 Let’s talk about something that’s been on my mind lately – the shame that comes with telling people you work in HR. As a Gen Z male who’s been in the HR field for almost a year now, I can totally relate to the struggle of facing negative reactions when sharing my profession. It’s disheartening and honestly, it sucks.
Here are a few thoughts and questions to spark a discussion:
– Have you ever experienced shame or negativity when telling people you work in HR?
– How do you handle reactions like “that’s gross” or other negative comments?
– Do you think the perception of HR has shifted due to Gen Z and the influence of platforms like TikTok?
I believe that the solution lies in education and awareness. Here are some possible ways to combat the negative stigma around HR:
– Educate others about the crucial role HR plays in organizations
– Share success stories and positive experiences within the HR field
– Advocate for transparency and ethical practices in HR
Let’s work together to change the narrative and showcase the value of HR professionals. Have you found any strategies or solutions that have helped you navigate these challenges? Share your thoughts and let’s support each other in this journey! 💪 #HRCommunity #SupportHRProfessionals #ChangingPerceptions
Far from a Gen Z, so I’m not understanding how people think a career in HR is gross. What do they think is gross about it? Please educate me!
No worries. One fine day they’ll come back to you when they don’t have a job/lose theirs. You hit em with the same reaction.
If there is anything I have learned from this sub it is, they love to hate on HR until they need you. Which is usually what I say to those people when I say that I am going into HR.
In my experience most people from most generations have a negative perception of HR. Historically, some of that is earned, as we are often an arm of management. I’ve made my peace with it. Yes, we are there to protect the company, but in many instances protecting the company means ensuring workers rights are not infringed on and laws are followed.
Also, to be fair, TikTok will make you feel like most jobs are bad or scummy. Its very in to shit on everything that doesn’t fit into some peoples narrow scope of grace.
I don’t really give a fuck. Pays the bills and all things considered is an interesting office type job. Disagreeing with the stereotypes aside my job is not my personality and people who make their job their personality are probably not people I’d be interested in hanging around any way.
“HR is not your friend” is a common saying amongst the youth. Unionism is as popular as ever and HR is commonly seen as the enemy.
If you have leftist friends, you are working for the man to oppress minorities and screw over workers. If you have right wing friends, you are part of the whole DEI brigade.
It’s not sexy work. It’s a support function. It’s historically coded as women’s work. The drama loving, gossipy ladies who work in the office with the boss while the “real” workers are on the factory floor.
You could switch sides and be a labor organizer.
i’m 25 and i’ve told girls at bars i work in HR and they crack jokes like ” let me watch what i say” but or while gaming online they act like im the serious police person without realizing there’s more to HR than just that.
My then 10 year old had been watching a lot of the Office and one day looked over me while I was working and saw my email signature. He was aghast.
Other than my son most people actually come to me for work advice when they find out I’m in HR.. resume reviews, how to handle sticky situations at work, how to get a raise, what benefits to choose etc.
Hey, fellow Gen Z HR worker here. It does! I used to feel a sense of dread telling people about my job (like “ughh sorry for being the corporate enemy to the precious public 😓”) but it gets better. Once you start viewing *your* work as valuable, and not feed into the common misconception that HR is the “bad guy”, you will start to see things differently.
More experience will shape your mindset for the better.
Nope I’m proud. As a millennial with over a year experience and a bachelor of science in HR. Couldn’t be prouder. I’ve had a friend who invited me to their wedding tell me “I don’t know if I can talk to you if you’re in HR.” Me “ok, lol” It’s better than what I used to be. A loser that kept going job to job in entry level job roles and getting fired/quit, I was younger in my 20s doing this.
Also there has always been a negative reception to HR. It’s not just TikTok that led them to that conclusion. I’m almost 30 and I’m at a point where if people don’t like me because of my job they’re the stupid ones.
I lean into it honestly. There’s gross stuff about literally every job (having to work for cash is just gross in general). So is it gross? Yeah, sometimes, I don’t like to fire people either. But if they’re open to conversation about it I do try to talk about the other side of HR like the actual people centered work that we do.
It’s a steady well paying job with a career track which is a lot more than many people have.
I would be more concerned about having friends who shit on another person’s profession.
My aunts told me she “hates HR” and I asked why? She said they fired her. And I said no HR processed your firing and made sure it was legal, your manager fired you . Also HR made sure your husband got his FMLA for his cancer treatments when his boss tried to tell him he did not need it, he could still work after having a tumor remitted the size of a golf ball from his head.
No one gets into HR to be popular. However, get good at it and people will respect it. People love having an HR in their friend group! We are almost as good as having a friend in IT!
I’ve never felt any sort of “shame” for working in HR, so I can’t say that I relate. The field may not be for you if you are feeling that way.
I use it as an opportunity to change the narrative & educate that person a little more. “Hey, you know that extra holiday we got this year, well HR proposed it to leadership”, “oh your health insurance rates went down? That’s because our total rewards team worked their asses off to get you the best deal”.
We go well beyond the firing process & there shouldn’t be shame around a job you’re passionate about.
I’ve never been ashamed.
if someone said it was gross I would ask why, are they an employee who likes to steal or harass people?
Don’t provide your position title before providing 2 or 3 examples of what you do to support employees first. Most people associate HR with getting fired or being denied something they want.
What they don’t realize are all of the times HR advocates for employees and employee well-being behind the scenes. HR can only provide guidance to management. Management makes the decisions. It doesn’t help that managers frequently blame HR when an employee doesn’t like something.
Ugh, sorry you are going through that. HR has always had their fair share of haters, but that response is so uninformed. I’m sorry, but your story is exactly why I can’t do TikTok, and why I’m often exasperated with many GenZ workers. If they think TikTok is reality, then I cry for our future.
Ask them what do they know about HR, except watching a few TikTok videos. Honestly, it’s no different from all the people who want to claim they know because they’ve done their own research into things like vaccines, complex scientific concepts, economics and want to pretend that watching a few videos is the same as years of study or work in the field.
Shame? Lol no
Too busy twisting my mustache and counting my money.
It’s nothing more than ignorance. Instead of feeling ashamed by what you do, educate people when you tell them. There is nothing about HR as a profession that should cause you shame unless you’re doing it wrong.
I have an internal hire that struggled for an entire year accepting she was in HR. We’ve had many conversations about how she can wear her HR hat and her proximity to the CEO; she knows more than the other employees which also means she can make direct change and have influence. I’ve always been in HR so I can’t relate to how people feel about HR. HR is blamed by weak leaders who aren’t capable of owning their decisions, I’m ok taking the hit bc I haven’t had a friend at work since I had to fire a friend in 2007. I keep my boundaries locked down and my social life to things outside of work.
TikTok and Influencer culture are some of my least favorite things in this world. Everyone is just trying to make a buck and going viral is the dream. Inflammatory content gets views.
That being said, there is some part of HR that means you have to accept you’re part of the machine. But, you have to have your own standards and principles. I have left organizations where I didn’t feel the leaders really embodied the values they claimed to represent. There may come a point where you will say, I can’t be part of this any longer. And that’s when you know it’s time to move on.
Well, TikTok is basically two dumb b*tches going “exactlyyy..”
I wouldn’t pay it no mind.
That’s honestly sad, I’m sorry you’re receiving that kind of reaction. I’ve been in HR management for over 25 years, and I’ve never had someone react that way. Even my kids’ friends!
Well why are you taking that? I mean Gen Z does not allow shaming for anything else, why would you take it about an honest job. Hold your head up.
A career in HR is awesome. You’ll grow out of giving a fuck what everyone thinks eventually. Just worry about you and invest in yourself. Do YOU like HR? Do YOU see it as a rewarding career? That should be the only consideration.
I hope they keep that same energy ten years from know when they’re trying to get INTO HR and they hit you up for “advice”. I can’t count how many people are trying to “break into” HR these days. If it bothers you that much, maybe specify what function of HR you do (Employee Relations, Recruiting, Payroll, Benefits, etc).
I really don’t have this problem? Sometimes people want to tell me their “bad” HR story.
I’m a millennial and super proud of all the human-centered/focused HR pros out there. We are value adds to orgs when our department is understood and trusted.
When we are seen as paper pushers or a box to check, that’s when our reputation suffers due to a lack of agency.
After 11 years in the field and numerous tough lessons, I’ve grown a nice shiny spine and know that I can make my workplace a better place to work. My love of people helps me push through the “ew.”
I’d love to work in HR. Keep crushing it! Those folks shaming you aren’t worth their weight
Honestly I take comfort in knowing anyone who immediately reacts that way either
1. Is a bad employee that keeps getting in trouble or fired from jobs
2. Is uniformed and loud about it, so don’t let dumb people hurt your feelings
Essentially: can’t argue with stupid
That certainly helps me!