6 Cam Caldwell
HRM is often underappreciated as a
contributing source of organization success
and is often the victim of dangerous myths
and misconceptions about its role in the
modern organization. Despite compelling
evidence to the contrary, these myths
persist and are often the cause of common
errors that plague the “conventional
wisdom” that is the source of most
organizational failures.
Figure 4.
1) Because HRM is about people, any intelligent person can be an HRP. A
common error made by many organizations is to promote a clerical person or
another bright and friendly individual to a major position in HRM – assuming
that the individual can “quickly pick up” the HRM responsibilities and be
successful. That error has been made so many times that fewer than one-third of
individuals currently in HRM roles have ever had academic training in HRM8
and only 12% have been professional certified by the organization responsible
for professional HRM certification9. The HRM role is technically and
interpersonally complex and requires high levels of skill and understanding about
organizations and HRM systems.
2) HRPs who implement “best practices” from other companies’ HRM systems
help their companies achieve a competitive advantage. Implementing “best
practices” simply enables an HRP to help his or her company to catch up to
industry standards and achieves no incremental competitive advantage.
8
According to one highly regarded HRM text, only 27% of HRPs have even had a course in the discipline. See
Gomez-Mejia, L. R., Balkin, D. B. and Cardy, R. L., (2015). Managing Human Resources (8 th ed.). Essex,
UK: Pearson Education.
9
See Greengard, S., (2016). “HR Credentials: Evaluating Their Value.” Workforce June 13, 2016 found online on
October 23, 2017 at http://www.workforce.com/2016/06/13/hr-credentials-evaluating-their-value/. The Human
Resource Certification Institute (HRCI) is the professional testing and certification body that certifies HRPs
for and in behalf of the Society for Human Resource Management.
Complimentary Contributor Copy
HRM is often underappreciated as a
contributing source of organization success
and is often the victim of dangerous myths
and misconceptions about its role in the
modern organization. Despite compelling
evidence to the contrary, these myths
persist and are often the cause of common
errors that plague the “conventional
wisdom” that is the source of most
organizational failures.
Figure 4.
1) Because HRM is about people, any intelligent person can be an HRP. A
common error made by many organizations is to promote a clerical person or
another bright and friendly individual to a major position in HRM – assuming
that the individual can “quickly pick up” the HRM responsibilities and be
successful. That error has been made so many times that fewer than one-third of
individuals currently in HRM roles have ever had academic training in HRM8
and only 12% have been professional certified by the organization responsible
for professional HRM certification9. The HRM role is technically and
interpersonally complex and requires high levels of skill and understanding about
organizations and HRM systems.
2) HRPs who implement “best practices” from other companies’ HRM systems
help their companies achieve a competitive advantage. Implementing “best
practices” simply enables an HRP to help his or her company to catch up to
industry standards and achieves no incremental competitive advantage.
8
According to one highly regarded HRM text, only 27% of HRPs have even had a course in the discipline. See
Gomez-Mejia, L. R., Balkin, D. B. and Cardy, R. L., (2015). Managing Human Resources (8 th ed.). Essex,
UK: Pearson Education.
9
See Greengard, S., (2016). “HR Credentials: Evaluating Their Value.” Workforce June 13, 2016 found online on
October 23, 2017 at http://www.workforce.com/2016/06/13/hr-credentials-evaluating-their-value/. The Human
Resource Certification Institute (HRCI) is the professional testing and certification body that certifies HRPs
for and in behalf of the Society for Human Resource Management.
Complimentary Contributor Copy
