While it’s true that HR departments work for and protect the company, not you, that doesn’t mean they’re useless. First and foremost, the people who make careers in human resources want to do a good job, and often get into the field from a desire to help their coworkers. And your HR department can actually get a lot done for you, and not trusting them doesn’t necessarily mean you don’t utilize them when it makes sense. The trick is knowing when your company’s interests coincide with your own, making it not just safe to work with HR, but advantageous.
Paperwork. The most obvious time it’s OK to knock on HR’s door is when you’re dealing with the mechanics of being employed—changing tax forms, signing up for optional benefits, taking advantage of career development programs, having programs and benefits explained, etc. That’s one huge part of what HR does, and it’s very unlikely that these kinds of innocuous interactions will have any kind of negative blowback—and you probably don’t have any other option, anyway.
Harassment, discrimination, or illegal activities. If you’re the victim of sexual harassment, believe you’ve been treated differently by your boss or co-workers because of your race or other personal aspect, or you’ve observed something illegal going on in your job, HR is an appropriate place to go—with the caveat that you should protect yourself first. That means document what’s going on before you head to HR, and consult with outside advisors—like an attorney, if you’re worried about your liability or legal responsibilities.
Morale. One crucial way the company’s interests and your interests align is with office culture issues, including overall morale and the company’s ability to attract talent. If you have thoughts on how the office morale could be boosted, or ways that the company could attract better applicants, heading to HR to share them may bear fruit, and there’s likely little downside as long as your suggestions don’t include firing your boss.
When not to go to HR
There are key scenarios when going to HR with your problems or concerns can blow back on you in a very negative way:
If you think bringing a private issue to HR is your best way forward, you should work out the terms of confidentiality with the department ahead of time, if you can—don’t assume that they will keep something private just because you ask.
A bad boss. On the one hand, yes, if your boss is abusive or crossing legal lines when it comes to you and your career, you may have to go to HR and file a complaint. But be very careful: HR’s goal will be to resolve the situation with as little threat to the company as possible, which may or may not line up with protecting you in any way.
When it involves your career. If you’re looking to change jobs, don’t tell HR. You might be tempted to get information about rolling over retirement accounts, or about the specific titles you’ve had at the company. But there’s nothing stopping HR from informing your boss that you’re seeking an exit ramp from your job, and that might lead to your boss arranging one for you before you’re ready to make the leap (after all, you probably work at an “at-will” employer).
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