Chris P’s Ideas, Opinions, and Isms

So, a really good friend of mine who interned with me at a Houston ad firm just accepted a position with Crispin Porter out in Miami for the Sprite account. But what she told me next surprised me even more. I asked her if she had a place lined up, and she said that the agency will be taking care of her housing for her first few weeks, as well as relocation expenses, which is pretty unheard of in advertising for entry-level positions. So, that made me think about the true role of HR and how so many companies don’t even come close to hitting the mark.

A lot of HR departments are just paper pushers: insurance benefits, checks, pink slips, etc. They are far from an actual resource and probably are eagerly avoided at all costs by employees who know and understand this deficit. What will it take for these major and minor corporate behemoths to realize that HR can actually be of help? Why not boost employee morale through crazy customs and traditions specific to the company? We all know that Google has probably become the best example of a large post-modern organization with a truly unique list of benefits provided to their employees. From free cafeteria meals to “free time” to do what you want on their time, Google has created a culture that every college grad wants to work for and every web company wants to imitate (though many fall short).

So, the Carrie Bradshaw moment: if HR has always stood for Human Resources and was meant for employee betterment, why does it seem like humans are an afterthought in its practice?