My company doesn’t have HR and my boss can’t keep a secret. Help?

Each week, Dr Kirstin Ferguson tackles questions on workplace, career and leadership in her advice column, “Got a Minute?” This week: a missing HR department, comparing fun and flexibility and feeling obsolete in your late-forties.

There is no legal requirement to have an HR manager. But should there be?Credit: Dionne Gain

The large company I work for does not have an HR manager. Instead, staff in all departments are advised to speak to their direct managers if they encounter any issues. These managers are not HR trained, do not keep anything confidential and are often the source of the issue. It means most staff members feel unable to speak up and don’t have any support in the workplace. Is it a legal requirement to have HR?

For a large organisation to think it can survive without the specialist skills of a human resources manager in 2024 reflects your company leadership. I have seen this a few times before and reckon I can predict what is going to happen. Your bosses think HR doesn’t add value and would rather manage things themselves. Something goes seriously wrong – someone will lodge a claim for bullying, harassment or worse – and the company will need to get external legal support to conduct an investigation. The outcome of the recommendation will point out everything you have mentioned – a culture of fear and silence, no mechanism to report poor behaviour – and lo and behold, one of the recommendations will be your company needs to install an HR function.

There is no legal requirement to have an HR manager. However, there is a legal requirement to make sure a whole range of functions an HR team does are being done. I would hazard a guess your direct managers are unaware of what the company whistleblower policy might be (and I am going to suspect you don’t have one), how someone reports a workplace health and safety hazard, or how you can access EAP (employee assistance program) support if needed. This is aside from all the other valuable tasks HR offers in terms of career learning and development, performance management and more. I know HR gets a bad rap and rarely a week goes by when it isn’t mentioned in this column. However, not having it can cause huge issues.

I love my colleagues, and have an outstanding work-life balance. Problem is, I’m not being challenged and haven’t been promoted or been given a raise more than CPI since I started more than three years ago. I have received an offer for a new position, which is much more interesting, but I’m worried about the flexibility I might lose. What should I do?

Before you do anything, speak to your current boss. Tell them you are not feeling challenged and be open about what you are looking for to make your role interesting. Let them know the direction you want to head in with your career and see if they can support you in that. Being challenged is important, but so too is finding a workplace that supports you in other ways. Hopefully, with support from your boss, you can find a way to make it all work for you without having to lose anything at all.

I’ve recently been made redundant from a job I’ve loved for 12 years. I’m now 47, and while I know employers can’t openly discriminate on age, the reality is, I know it’s going to be an uphill battle to get hired over some hip, young 20-something who can do the job for half the salary. My previous employer was a small business, so the only payout I received was my unused leave, which will be gone in a couple of months. I don’t know what to do. I’ve sent resumes to countless job ads, but most I don’t hear back from. A recruiter told me my work and credentials were wonderful, but I was overqualified for every position she had – and those jobs paid barely enough to cover my mortgage repayments. What is one to do when they suddenly realise they have become obsolete?

You are not obsolete. You just haven’t found the place where you are truly needed... yet. Rather than sending off countless applications online, can you meet with a specialist recruiter and run through your work experience with them in person? If you are open to doing something different, they may be able to see ways your experience will work in an industry you haven’t considered. This will be a tricky transition, definitely, so find the support you need for your mental health as well.

To submit a question about work, careers or leadership, visit kirstinferguson.com/ask (you will not be asked to provide your name or any identifying information. Letters may be edited).

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