I have mixed feelings about the concept of human resources in business. In concept, it’s a great idea; in practice, HR departments can sometimes compound problems within dysfunctional workplace cultures. However, as discussed in this article, the new startup culture shuns the idea of HR – and it often puts non-white, non-male employees in a tricky position. While I’m hesitant to break down the importance of HR in terms of race or gender, I do think that the notion of having a person in a position to be an advocate for employees who feel like they’re being treated unfairly is essential to any growing business. I understand and agree with many criticisms of modern HR culture, which startups are pushing back against, but I think that rather than abandoning HR specialists in favor of substitute software, we should be transforming the way we think about HR to improve it for a new generation of businesses. Read the full article at Fast Company.
Image: Jacob Lund via Shutterstock via Fast Company