MODULE 8 - Is HR A MANIPULATIVE - POLITICAL FUNCTION? A DEBATE

Pamela Rajkumar facilitated this debate at a Business School. Here is an edited transcript.

Debate: “HR is a Manipulative - Political Function”

 

Affirmative Side: HR is a Tool of Manipulation and Political Power

The Human Resources (HR) department, in its ideal form, should be the backbone of organizational culture, promoting fairness, transparency, and employee well-being. However, in many organizations, HR has evolved into a political force, not an ethical guardian. Instead of being a neutral arbiter of policies and employee welfare, HR often acts as a self-serving entity that prioritizes control, division, and power plays to sustain its relevance.

1. HR’s Political Role in Power Manipulation

HR professionals hold a unique position where they can influence both employees and top management. However, instead of acting as a bridge, many HR heads use this power to divide and rule.

• They carry tales to the CEO, often exaggerating or distorting issues to serve their agenda.

• They play favorites, ensuring that individuals who align with their views are promoted, while those who challenge them face career stagnation or even termination.

• By controlling access to the CEO, HR filters information selectively, ensuring that only narratives that serve their interests reach the top.

2. HR Controls Policies to Strengthen Its Own Position

Policies should be designed to enhance organizational growth and fairness, but in many cases, HR uses them as a tool for control:

• Vague or selectively enforced policies: HR designs rules that give them ultimate discretion, allowing them to apply policies differently based on who they want to protect or punish.

• Performance evaluations as leverage: Instead of fair assessments, HR often weaponizes appraisals to keep employees in line, ensuring that outspoken individuals are penalized while loyalists are rewarded.

• Recruitment as a tool for politics: Hiring decisions are often made not on merit but on who fits HR’s political agenda, ensuring that potential threats to their power structure never enter the organization.

3. HR Uses Fear and Uncertainty to Keep Employees and Leaders Under Control

HR thrives on creating an environment where employees are constantly uncertain about their standing in the company.

• Instilling fear through compliance mechanisms: HR ensures that employees remain in check by dangling the threat of disciplinary action, even for minor infractions.

• Creating rifts in top management: Instead of fostering unity, HR fuels internal conflicts between executives, making them dependent on HR for damage control.

• Playing ‘gatekeeper’ to CEO decisions: By selectively relaying feedback, HR manipulates executive perspectives, ensuring that CEOs hear what HR wants them to hear, not what actually matters.

Negative Side: HR is a Strategic Partner, Not a Political Manipulator

HR is often misunderstood and unfairly blamed for organizational issues. In reality, HR is a strategic function that works to balance employee interests with business needs. While there may be cases of HR misconduct, these are exceptions rather than the norm.

1. HR Protects the Organization and Employees

HR’s primary role is to ensure compliance with labor laws, prevent unethical behavior, and foster a healthy workplace culture. If HR seems political, it is because:

• They act as buffers between employees and top management, ensuring that leadership decisions align with ethical and legal guidelines.

• They mediate conflicts to prevent toxic work environments, not to create division.

• HR professionals are bound by confidentiality, and any perception of them ‘carrying tales’ is often a result of misunderstood transparency efforts.

2. HR Policies Are Designed to Promote Fairness, Not Control

Contrary to the claim that HR manipulates policies for power, HR ensures that organizations operate smoothly:

• Performance management is standardized: While evaluations may seem biased, HR typically implements structured frameworks to measure productivity fairly.

• Hiring decisions focus on cultural and business fit: HR aligns recruitment with long-term business strategies rather than engaging in favoritism.

• Policies ensure legal compliance and business stability, not personal gain.

3. HR Does Not Rule Through Fear, but Through Structure and Discipline

HR’s role is often misunderstood as controlling through fear when in reality:

• Compliance measures protect the company from lawsuits and reputational damage.

• Employee discipline is necessary to prevent toxic behaviors from spreading.

• HR’s influence on CEO decisions ensures balanced leadership, preventing executives from making emotionally charged decisions.

Rebuttal from the Affirmative Side: HR Must Be Held Accountable

Even if HR claims to promote fairness, the reality is that many HR departments operate in a manner that prioritizes self-preservation over organizational growth. CEOs must recognize the political nature of HR and take action to ensure that HR serves the company rather than its own interests.

What Can CEOs Do to Put HR in Their Place?

1. Remove HR’s monopoly on decision-making: CEO oversight must increase, ensuring HR does not act as a gatekeeper to critical organizational decisions.

2. Implement independent checks and balances: Create cross-functional committees to oversee HR-related policies and decisions.

3. Encourage direct employee feedback: Establish anonymous feedback mechanisms so employees can report HR misconduct without fear of retaliation.

4. Limit HR’s direct influence over executive decision-making: Ensure that key decisions involve a mix of leaders, rather than relying solely on HR’s input.

5. Monitor HR’s role in leadership conflicts: CEOs should personally assess whether HR is helping resolve tensions or exacerbating them.

Closing Remarks:

HR, when ethical, is a valuable asset. But when it becomes a political machine, it threatens the very foundation of an organization. CEOs must be aware of HR’s manipulative potential and take proactive measures to ensure that HR serves the company, not its own power dynamics. The role of HR should be to build, not to divide—and that requires constant vigilance from leadership.