Is HR at your site partner or police?

How many of you want to go into business with a police officer? Not me.

I respect and support what they do but am never comfortable with one on my bumper or suddenly appearing behind an overpass.

Is Human Resources at your organization a cop or a business partner?

I need a more open and mutually supportive relationship with a business partner. I recently heard a truly fine HR professional describe her work: "My favorite role is the one I serve as part of our leadership team - advising and influencing our business strategy and initiatives. I am sometimes a parent to millennials, a peacekeeper, a driver of an employee-oriented culture and a reluctant compliance administrator!"

This professional recognizes that HR adapts to the business's demands and its leadership's expectations. In the best of situations, HR is a challenging role that exists between the employees and top leaders, advocating for both and helping both to get the best from each other.

Done well, HR is a beautiful thing to watch. Its effect on the quality of the workforce, on the lives of everyone involved, on risk management and on business results cannot be calculated.

People know what is expected, know how to do their jobs, are rewarded for doing so and are asked to leave if they cannot meet reasonable goals. Communications are generally clear and supportive. Problems are identified and resolved. There is a positive culture matching customer expectations.

Done poorly, HR is a tax on revenue impeding progress at every turn. Over-compliance with every government rule, both real and imagined, can grind the wheels of any workplace to a crawl. "Tickets" are issued rather than meaningful warning conversations and teaching moments. Problems that make managing difficult every day are ignored while boxes are checked on forms. A good workplace is defined by compliance with rules. A problem identified is an anecdote for proving value.

Why do some companies get such good results from HR and others experience mostly pain?

Business leaders, you may be part of the problem. Do you know what good HR looks like and can do for you? Have you allowed a cowboy culture encouraging widespread legal landmines? Have you sent mixed signals and avoided the tough conversations? Do you have the right person for your needs? Mismatched expectations are the cause of many perceived service failures.

Employees, have you tried HR for something other than a complaint or a problem with an insurance claim? Have you tested the HR professionals' ability to help you plan your own job growth or investigate openings in the company? Are you a partner with HR to make the workplace better? HR should be your partner, too.

Good HR is a complex combination that includes being a police officer of sorts, but when policing dominates the role, the business will not reach its full potential. Work to make HR at your organization a healthy blend of partner and risk manager.

Bruce Clarke is president and CEO of CAI Inc., a nonprofit human resource management firm with locations in Raleigh and Greensboro and more than 1,000 member companies in North Carolina.