In the fall term of grade 9 I was sitting in weekly homeroom or as we call it in British Columbia (CAPP or Career and Personal Planning). A once a week 1.5 hour session intended to prepare us teenagers for adult life. I sat there with my classmates as they passed around a massive booklet which appeared to be a multiple choice test (ugh!).
We were soon briefed however that this was a future career profile that, when completed should be able to guide us towards industries or career fields best suited us. While I was completing mine, a teacher passed by and asked me, “so! What are you hoping to be after school?”. I instantly knew my answer “Pilot or Eye Doctor!”. The teacher looked at me as if I was a sad puppy and she said without pause, “oh sweetie, you have to be really good at math for both of those…” (I later learned she was wrong but that is a different story).
In the end, my results indicated I should be an Environmental Technologist or Teacher. I was a bit bummed. My third highest rated career field was Human Resources. I will be honest, to see “HR” there caused my stomach to turn. Why? The field of Human Resources had been vilified to me by so many people within my life. My father, a successful entrepreneur often spoke very negatively about HR people. A close member of my family was an HR professional and she often “celebrated” terminating people and none of her “war stories” were ever positive. So if you told 15 year old me that I would one day end up becoming an HR professional, my answer would have been “HECK NO!”.
We were soon briefed however that this was a future career profile that, when completed should be able to guide us towards industries or career fields best suited us. While I was completing mine, a teacher passed by and asked me, “so! What are you hoping to be after school?”. I instantly knew my answer “Pilot or Eye Doctor!”. The teacher looked at me as if I was a sad puppy and she said without pause, “oh sweetie, you have to be really good at math for both of those…” (I later learned she was wrong but that is a different story).
In the end, my results indicated I should be an Environmental Technologist or Teacher. I was a bit bummed. My third highest rated career field was Human Resources. I will be honest, to see “HR” there caused my stomach to turn. Why? The field of Human Resources had been vilified to me by so many people within my life. My father, a successful entrepreneur often spoke very negatively about HR people. A close member of my family was an HR professional and she often “celebrated” terminating people and none of her “war stories” were ever positive. So if you told 15 year old me that I would one day end up becoming an HR professional, my answer would have been “HECK NO!”.
Not only did I achieve my goal of becoming a pilot I ended up falling in love with human resources and learning that the negative side of the field is very small and there is a lot of positivity and good will involved with being in human or people relations. It made me wonder, If I had felt that way about HR, had others? Not surprisingly, I was not alone and still many people do have a negative opinion of HR. The phone rings at work, “Hi! It’s Jeffrey from HR, do you have a few minutes for me right now?”. I know from experience that most peoples minds wander wildly wondering why on earth I am calling them.
If you make yourself approachable, people will be more comfortable to seek you out or approach you. I make it a practice to not behave like my relative who also works in HR, she and I have often debated this topic. My belief is that HR professionals are partners to the business and regarding employees, “we are here to COACH them, not CATCH them”.
I take a very simple approach to being disarming, approachable and welcoming. I keep my office door open unless it really needs to be closed. I get up and am visible within the operation. I reward great behaviour when I see it and, I always have a full bowl of candy on my desk. If I have to refill it frequently, that is a good sign! It is something I have become known for in my workplace, often times people may pass by just to grab a candy but it opens the door to “how is everything going?”, maybe that will be a gateway to a valuable conversation? The main thing is that a simple bowl of candy is a large advertisement that “ALL ARE WELCOME HERE”. It works.
What are your thoughts? Comment below and share.
Happy St. Patricks Day!
Jeff
If you make yourself approachable, people will be more comfortable to seek you out or approach you. I make it a practice to not behave like my relative who also works in HR, she and I have often debated this topic. My belief is that HR professionals are partners to the business and regarding employees, “we are here to COACH them, not CATCH them”.
I take a very simple approach to being disarming, approachable and welcoming. I keep my office door open unless it really needs to be closed. I get up and am visible within the operation. I reward great behaviour when I see it and, I always have a full bowl of candy on my desk. If I have to refill it frequently, that is a good sign! It is something I have become known for in my workplace, often times people may pass by just to grab a candy but it opens the door to “how is everything going?”, maybe that will be a gateway to a valuable conversation? The main thing is that a simple bowl of candy is a large advertisement that “ALL ARE WELCOME HERE”. It works.
What are your thoughts? Comment below and share.
Happy St. Patricks Day!
Jeff
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