Comments on: Why Doesn’t HR Talk to the Press More Often? http://www.knowhr.com/blog/2008/04/18/why-doesnt-hr-talk-to-the-press-more-often/ Know More HR. Thu, 18 Mar 2010 16:52:51 -0400 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 By: Elandra http://www.knowhr.com/blog/2008/04/18/why-doesnt-hr-talk-to-the-press-more-often/comment-page-1/#comment-3288 Elandra Mon, 05 May 2008 18:43:01 +0000 http://www.knowhr.com/blog/?p=803#comment-3288 I work in HR as an employee communications specialist but I have a background in PR. There are any number of "positive" or "neutral" media stories that can be developed from HR - for internal newsletters and websites to major magazines, newspapers and TV shows. In my opinion, there's too few communicators who see HR as an extension of their overall brand. Historically, it may be true that HR gets a bad rap for press w/stories about enormous CEO severances or labour disputes, but who says there isn't room for positive stories? There just needs to be more skilled individuals pitching these stories (and coaching HR executives who may be wary about being put in a spokesperson). I work in HR as an employee communications specialist but I have a background in PR. There are any number of “positive” or “neutral” media stories that can be developed from HR – for internal newsletters and websites to major magazines, newspapers and TV shows. In my opinion, there’s too few communicators who see HR as an extension of their overall brand. Historically, it may be true that HR gets a bad rap for press w/stories about enormous CEO severances or labour disputes, but who says there isn’t room for positive stories? There just needs to be more skilled individuals pitching these stories (and coaching HR executives who may be wary about being put in a spokesperson).

]]> By: Frank Roche http://www.knowhr.com/blog/2008/04/18/why-doesnt-hr-talk-to-the-press-more-often/comment-page-1/#comment-3230 Frank Roche Mon, 21 Apr 2008 22:56:13 +0000 http://www.knowhr.com/blog/?p=803#comment-3230 Dear Anon from 9:59PM on April 20: IP addresses are very easy to track. In fact, they can be tracked down to the city of origin. And even addresses. Interesting choice of a verb is what piqued my interest. What I mean to say is that it's okay to say who you are. Dear Anon from 9:59PM on April 20: IP addresses are very easy to track. In fact, they can be tracked down to the city of origin. And even addresses. Interesting choice of a verb is what piqued my interest. What I mean to say is that it’s okay to say who you are.

]]> By: Scott McArthur http://www.knowhr.com/blog/2008/04/18/why-doesnt-hr-talk-to-the-press-more-often/comment-page-1/#comment-3228 Scott McArthur Mon, 21 Apr 2008 16:21:07 +0000 http://www.knowhr.com/blog/?p=803#comment-3228 Interesting observation Frank. I think it is down to a combination of factors not least of which that HR people often just have very little to say. I get frustrated all the time when HR takes a neutral stance on business issues - for goodness sake have an opinion! We see this over in the UK in our professional magazines where most of the letters are written by consultants with very few contributions come from the corporates. Now perhaps they don't want to divulge thier secret HR leavers but I suspect it is simpler than that - they just have no opinion. Now, this could be seen as being a bit negative about our profession and in some sense this would be correct. However, I actually belive it is more about confidence and fear than capability. Meaning personal confidence and fear of saying something out of turn. The recent Terminal 5 mess at London airport points to a good example. The now ex HR director has written recently about how great everything was with this huge project. This was followed a few short weeks later by the whole thing going pear shaped largely due to poor implementation planning and techonolgy. As a good HR professional (which I believe this person is) time would have been much better spent telling us (an the organisation) about the challeges being faced than in blowing the trumpet of success built on very thin ice. Interesting observation Frank. I think it is down to a combination of factors not least of which that HR people often just have very little to say. I get frustrated all the time when HR takes a neutral stance on business issues – for goodness sake have an opinion! We see this over in the UK in our professional magazines where most of the letters are written by consultants with very few contributions come from the corporates. Now perhaps they don’t want to divulge thier secret HR leavers but I suspect it is simpler than that – they just have no opinion. Now, this could be seen as being a bit negative about our profession and in some sense this would be correct. However, I actually belive it is more about confidence and fear than capability. Meaning personal confidence and fear of saying something out of turn. The recent Terminal 5 mess at London airport points to a good example. The now ex HR director has written recently about how great everything was with this huge project. This was followed a few short weeks later by the whole thing going pear shaped largely due to poor implementation planning and techonolgy. As a good HR professional (which I believe this person is) time would have been much better spent telling us (an the organisation) about the challeges being faced than in blowing the trumpet of success built on very thin ice.

]]> By: Frank Roche http://www.knowhr.com/blog/2008/04/18/why-doesnt-hr-talk-to-the-press-more-often/comment-page-1/#comment-3227 Frank Roche Mon, 21 Apr 2008 09:44:52 +0000 http://www.knowhr.com/blog/?p=803#comment-3227 Our take was that Comcast was doing a great thing and using Twitter as a social media outlet to get problems resolved. We like Comcast very much and admire them as a business. They're taking care of our outage situation on Tuesday. We didn't have any intention of "bashing" the company by any means. Sorry if you interpreted it that way, it's not how it was intended whatsoever. Our take was that Comcast was doing a great thing and using Twitter as a social media outlet to get problems resolved. We like Comcast very much and admire them as a business. They’re taking care of our outage situation on Tuesday. We didn’t have any intention of “bashing” the company by any means. Sorry if you interpreted it that way, it’s not how it was intended whatsoever.

]]> By: Anonymous http://www.knowhr.com/blog/2008/04/18/why-doesnt-hr-talk-to-the-press-more-often/comment-page-1/#comment-3224 Anonymous Mon, 21 Apr 2008 02:59:44 +0000 http://www.knowhr.com/blog/?p=803#comment-3224 Why did you and Sarah bash Comcast in the Inquirer? Why did you and Sarah bash Comcast in the Inquirer?

]]> By: Frank Roche http://www.knowhr.com/blog/2008/04/18/why-doesnt-hr-talk-to-the-press-more-often/comment-page-1/#comment-3223 Frank Roche Sun, 20 Apr 2008 15:10:38 +0000 http://www.knowhr.com/blog/?p=803#comment-3223 Some Q.E.D.s are more expensive than others. Some Q.E.D.s are more expensive than others.

]]> By: JT http://www.knowhr.com/blog/2008/04/18/why-doesnt-hr-talk-to-the-press-more-often/comment-page-1/#comment-3222 JT Sun, 20 Apr 2008 14:15:03 +0000 http://www.knowhr.com/blog/?p=803#comment-3222 Q.E.D. Q.E.D.

]]> By: Frank Roche http://www.knowhr.com/blog/2008/04/18/why-doesnt-hr-talk-to-the-press-more-often/comment-page-1/#comment-3221 Frank Roche Sun, 20 Apr 2008 12:39:26 +0000 http://www.knowhr.com/blog/?p=803#comment-3221 Erik, good point. HR should be utilized by PR more often. That would be a start rather than scaring people. Happy EE, maybe it's being shy. LOL. Then again, it's being forced into the corner that's scary. I'd like to hear more from HR people. JT, um, I guess my question provoked its own self destruction. Yikes. Point well taken. Erik, good point. HR should be utilized by PR more often. That would be a start rather than scaring people.

Happy EE, maybe it’s being shy. LOL. Then again, it’s being forced into the corner that’s scary. I’d like to hear more from HR people.

JT, um, I guess my question provoked its own self destruction. Yikes. Point well taken.

]]> By: JT http://www.knowhr.com/blog/2008/04/18/why-doesnt-hr-talk-to-the-press-more-often/comment-page-1/#comment-3219 JT Sun, 20 Apr 2008 12:25:18 +0000 http://www.knowhr.com/blog/?p=803#comment-3219 What a coincidence! I was just on KnowPR.com/blog. They were writing about lousey employees and HR's refusal to terminate them with out "documentation". The blog made it clear - who is the manager - YOU ARE - just fire'm! If HR is too weak to know that someone - just isn't getting it, just fire'm - what are you afraid of? And while your at it if all that is standing between you and a great backfill is a question of covering their boyfriend and his kid under the health plan - make it happen! Say yes. We'll get those people in HR to figure it out later. (People who live in glass psuedo professions should throw stones.) What a coincidence! I was just on KnowPR.com/blog. They were writing about lousey employees and HR’s refusal to terminate them with out “documentation”. The blog made it clear – who is the manager – YOU ARE – just fire’m! If HR is too weak to know that someone – just isn’t getting it, just fire’m – what are you afraid of?

And while your at it if all that is standing between you and a great backfill is a question of covering their boyfriend and his kid under the health plan – make it happen! Say yes. We’ll get those people in HR to figure it out later.

(People who live in glass psuedo professions should throw stones.)

]]> By: HR World » Blog Archive » Friday Links: Talking to the Press, Selection Processes, Forced Out http://www.knowhr.com/blog/2008/04/18/why-doesnt-hr-talk-to-the-press-more-often/comment-page-1/#comment-3216 HR World » Blog Archive » Friday Links: Talking to the Press, Selection Processes, Forced Out Sun, 20 Apr 2008 02:59:55 +0000 http://www.knowhr.com/blog/?p=803#comment-3216 [...] A post after my own heart . . . Frank Roche of KnowHR thinks HR should talk to the press, rather than standing by in fear of being misquoted or something. I couldn’t agree more. Really. It’s not that scary. Read the post here. [...] [...] A post after my own heart . . . Frank Roche of KnowHR thinks HR should talk to the press, rather than standing by in fear of being misquoted or something. I couldn’t agree more. Really. It’s not that scary. Read the post here. [...]

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