HR Professionals are taking the Consulting leap!

I recently caught up with an old co-worker who wanted to hear about my journey in taking the leap to starting my own business in HR Consulting and leaving the safety of a full time job behind. She shared that I was the third HR professional she knows that has done this in the past year. This led to a thought provoking conversation about the why. Why is this happening across all industries and demographics?

The Human Resources role has changed quite a bit in the past decade. Still an admin and compliance function but HR has taken a more strategic leadership role in organizations. Or at least, they should. Many business owners are having a hard time dealing with the change within the function, and quite frankly, don’t seem to value HR. If you don’t value HR, do you really value your employees?

We are constantly balancing the employee and business needs to make sure the work environment is fair, ethical, and safe. When our recommendations are consistently challenged and faced with roadblocks that make us unable to fully perform our jobs, we burn out eventually. There is only so much fighting we can do. This is what is leading HR Professionals out of organizations, and taking their career into their own hands.

I know for myself, I love solving problems and being useful. Consulting with small businesses has made HR fulfilling again as I’m truly helping those that need support and don’t treat HR as the “mean parent”. I imagine there will be yet another shift in the trust and respect of the function, but until then, fellow HR professionals, I see you, and I value you!