Just a thought really....there seem to be lots of people on this site. You only have to look at the number of times questions are read.
But very few who answer questions. Whilst not everyone will know the answer to every questions surely people have opinions or suggestions to add to far more than they are at the moment.
So come on people if you have a thought or even just want to agree / disagree then add your comments....make it a new years resolution.
Keith Luxon
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Keith I think your plea fails to take into account the reasons why people visit forums like this and the types of questions frequently asked.
All too often I read on this and other sites posting such as " I've just got a new job as x and my problem is y I'm looking for help with.....". Do we
a) see it as an example of a resourceful new appointee looking for help from the web and other sources.
b) see it as an example of a lazy appointee looking for someone else to solve the problem for them - someone who is unwilling to put in the time and effort to study from other sources - quick convenient fix via the web.
c) see it as a potential business opportunity for ourselves.
d) see it as an example of an employer who has appointed someone without the skills or experience
e) see it as an opportunity to freely share our own expertise and display ourselves as the expert.
f) see it as an example of someone who needs more training having come into a new job.
g) see it as an example of a very resourceful new appointee who will have solved a problem very cheaply and may even claim credit themselves.
h) see it as an example of someone simply trying to test the water and bring themselves into line with their competitors.
This is a commercial environment, we work in a field where our knowledge and expertise is a saleable commodity. To expect contributors to give this away for free in perpetuity to a worldwide audience is somewhat unrealistic.
In reality, many answer questions to gain kudos and win business, a few anwer questions altruistically but even then, after a while you realise you lose far more than you gain. There are many more with lesser knowledge keen to mine your expertise for free. Come to think of it shouldnt their employers be educating them rather than a 'transient virtual' website with answers supplied by unseen and unverified contributors?
As regards bluntness again I think contributors fail to understand the site and its reach, its more akin to a rowdy council meeting or speakers corner where all contributions are valid, to expect to police that or try and turn it into a genteel society is again unrealistic, the internet is an anarchy and you are addressing a worldwide audience, thank goodness we can disagree and freedom is allowed!
Juliet LeFevre
As a regular contributor i welcome all contributions
Sometimes they annoy me if they are saying what they do rather than answer the question asked
If I am blunt it is because the medium does not lend itself to soft/lengthy explanation and my keybored skills are not grate!
The Zone is partly about opinions and all contributions are valid
If I am blunt with regular contributors that i disagree with, then i reckon they are able to take it, as i think I can also take criticism or correction
I for one try very hard not to be hard on non HR pro's or the inexperienced and I see the same tolerance and coaching from other regulars. There are rarely right/wrong answers so have your say and learn.
As of this morning 252 people have viewed thsi thread....7 have contributed....
Thanks to those who have so far contributed....but what about the other 245?
It can be kind of distracting to read lots of "guesswork and opinion" if like me, you use this site to get reliable info. I only comment if I am sure of my ground or have a real life example to contribute. HR is only a quarter of my job and I only recently completed CPP so I feel very under-qualified to comment on many of the topics. There also seems to be a "hard-core" of regular commenters who are a little "blunt" to other contributors with less knowledge, so maybe that puts people off!
It's a fact that this kind of internet forum usually ends up in this situation, with relatively few regular contributors and a lot of visitors who just read the questions and answers but never contribute.
I'm not sure why this should be the case, but perhaps it's that newcomers see the regulars as authority figures (which, of course, they aren't!) and are put off contributing.
My own view is that while it would be nice to get more contributions, there's also nothing wrong with being a passive reader.
Indeed, for newcomers to HR this kind of forum is valuable as a source of ideas about real-world HR practices as opposed to the theory you get from texts and training courses!
Finally, although I do contribute fairly regularly I also learn a heck of a lot from the other contributors.
Neil.
I work for a small company of 15 staff, and although my position is Finance Director, I also have to take responsibility for HR among a great many other things to ensure the Company runs within current legislation. I rely on the site for information on many situations and it is always interesting to see how people handle other people. I would probably not respond to a question unless I had actually been through a similar situation myself and had real knowledge of it. I have gained a lot of knowledge since joining HR Zone, but mostly that one should try to look at each situation from different angles before making a decision.
Maggie
Carrie
Welcome to the discussion and to the wonderful world of HR.
Great that you felt able to join in. Nothing wrong with watching some of teh time but to all of you out there these boards will only survive if more of you take the plunge like Carrie and join in.
In most of HR there are no right answers and your suggestions, thoughts and insights are valid...so please take that step.
Keith
Hi all
while on few occasiona there are right & wrong answers - generally the solution is what is right in a given culture or budget restriction.
What is important is to hear a range of opinions and personal views rather than a list of academic references.
If you have a view - share it in the belief that an idea shared is knowledge shared.
Mike
I am new to HR and have very limited knowledge, i come here for guidance and direction. I can only apologise, as i am guilty of reading and not replying. I hope as my career in HR develops i will contribute to discussions more often.
Thanks
Carrie