Courtenay HR

HR Hartley barks up the wrong tree

Dear Editor

Poor old HR Hartley! Just as the Dustin Hoffman character Tootsie lost his gamble, I can't help feeling that he too has backed the wrong horse.

He talks about needing to "find a way towards best practice" in resourcing, little realising that "best practice" has left him and his company lagging far behind.

If what he describes is genuinely his approach to talent acquisition, were I his employer I would find myself asking some serious questions - including what damage Hartley’s the “mud at the wall ” approach was doing to the quality of my employer brand.

There is an easy answer to Hartley’s question: "how can we as a profession sort this out?" It is already fixed. Today's enlightened employers are now working with their external resourcing partners to proactively identify a pipeline of talented individuals to meet the future needs of the business. Positions are filled before they are vacant, their brand is handled carefully by individuals who truly understand their values and culture, the very best candidates are excited about the opportunities available there - and of course, the HR Hartleys are free to focus on the issues that will truly drive the business forward.

Somehow I am not surprised that he is still at his desk at 7.30pm on a Monday night. Presumably he is sifting through the mountain of CV’s provided by his many agencies, trying to find something of interest. I cannot imagine that very many of those applications will be from top drawer individuals.

Fiona Sellers

Director
Courtenay HR Ltd