Which does not contribute to their popularity

: social, repositories of skills panels... "It has strengthened considerably the HRD Manager dimension", said Sandra Enlart. The profile of the new HRD translated this inflection. Finished the predominance of the jurists, the familiar now have the rating. JAD Ariss, recently appointed in Axa France, made his first professional steps in audit firm McKinsey. Eric Olsen, the Deputy Director-General in charge of human resources of Lafarge, was previously Chief Financial Officer of its US subsidiary. According to a study by Deloitte, 21 of HRD in the societies of the SBF 120 between 2005 and 2009 were from the finance management sector. "The financial dimension of the HRD profession has gradually taken hold on social and administrative issues," confirms the study.

This development is not without risk. "For legitimacy, the HR function has adopted the same tools that the financial function analysis Catherine Chouard, granted restoration Elior, now consultant giant ex-DRH". The trap is to summarize the function in the process and lose sight of what makes the heart of the business, including listening and human contact. "An analysis shared by a recent report of the Astrées association which brings together trade unionists and leaders:"The HRD are transformed into new offices of methods", deplored the authors (2).

For Jean - Pascal Arnaud, it is not to challenge the usefulness of some of the tools. "On population issues for example, they are really necessary." But some fundamental issues, such as the pride of belonging or feeling of confidence in the direction, cannot be modeled or summarized in an Excel table. "The danger is to eventually no longer be considered. "It is very difficult to measure the return on investment of training, some leaders believe that save on this position is painless, shows Alain Mauriès." Is that two or three years later as the consequences appear. But generally, they are there to see.

This logic threat budgets managed by the HRD, but also their teams. Asked firmly to control their costs, they come to outsource tasks judged non-value added, such as payroll management. The services that remain are calibrated to the fairer. Some work kicked trainees or CSD. Difficult therefore weigh in internal debates when the number of employees fall. Most importantly, opportunities service contact HR employees are becoming scarce. "The HRD is more able to fulfil one of its core functions to assess in real-time the mood on the ground," said François Lecombe, Director of research in business & staff.

In this context already very bleak, the recession has completed of stopping their mood. At them the wrong role, is to enforce wage austerity or enforce the jobs cuts decided by the Executive Committee. Which does not contribute to their popularity. "Weary war, some to include even in the safeguarding plans for employment (PSE) they put in place", reported a consultant HR. And those who have not PES to manage are still overwhelmed by government orders that fall at Gravelotte these days: employment of the elderly, gender, disability... "They explode their agenda and are forced to run one priority site to another, which reinforces the trend towards short-termism", said Thierry Heurteaux. Some develop an involuntary addiction to the acceleration of their business, says the consultant. They do earn but not latitude of action. Most often, branch instructions stick them to a minimum with the new obligations compliance implementation.

The HRD are therefore condemned to depress in silence or change of business Ironically, their situation could be improved by a drama, that of the France Telecom suicide. "The management of psychosocial risk (SPR) can give them their letters of nobility, approves Eric Albert. On this record, they are both legitimate and compelling. "Sandra Enlart sees it as reason for hope in the current period:"the concomitance of the economic crisis and the emergence of the SPR increased anxiety among human resources managers, judge, but it also offers the opportunity to demonstrate that the current functioning of enterprises, who refuse to believe humans, is not sustainable." "The decision of the operator Telecom remuscler its HR services, including in the field, going in the right direction and could serve as an example.

Excessive optimism so far is not. "Companies may also be tempted to respond by strengthening the previous logic, prevents Sandra Enlart. Which would mean even more process and indicators, while there is an urgent need to rethink the Organization of the work. "Whatever their desire to weigh into the debate, the HRD will not act alone. "If one of them is for a White Knight, it is likely to isolate themselves, prevents Catherine Chouard. Convince the branch and make alliance with the Executive Committee will be essential. "On this point also, Michel Yahiel wants to believe in progress:"events in France Telecom have rather bolstered, in France in any case, the patterns that were already in line with these concerns." "Should the wish. In the contrary case, Pascale Botella, the Huntress of heads, will continue probably at a very steady pace his appointment in the morning

(1) And co-author with Olivier Charbonnier of should it still learn Dunod, 2010.

(2) "Labour crisis: for a change of management", report Astrées, June 23, 2010.