Shauna Moerke is…

Love… True love… We aren’t supposed to focus on love in HR except to ban it, right? No flirting with the receptionist, no making out in the supply closet, no canoodling at the office Christmas party; Man, HR really puts a damper on all the true lovin going around this week.

Well, that’s not entirely true. I’ll let you in on a little secret. We HR people, we are really just hopeless romantics on the inside. Soft as marshmallow fluff. Why else would we keep trailing after HR technology like some lovesick fool always telling ourselves that this time it’ll be different?

Underneath that jaded mask of neutrality we try to put on, most HR pros enjoy helping people. They want you to succeed in your job, they want you to have benefits that have a positive impact on your life, and they want you to be engaged at work. We want to be there to help you celebrate that big sale you landed and we want to help you through the bureaucratic red tape if you get injured. No one goes into HR because they love the paperwork, but a lot do because they love the people.

Even when you are mad at us, or yell at us, or can’t seem to get along with Jane in accounting, HR takes it all in and still makes sure you get paid on time. Now, that’s not to say HR doesn’t dish out the tough love when it has to, but in the end, HR doesn’t put together disciplinary actions and terminations because it hates you. Smart HR pros know when an employment relationship is dysfunctional and it needs to end.

So why not make your HR pros day this week and let them know how much you care about them too. They’ll be embarrassed and try to tell you to stop hugging them, but don’t worry, on the inside they’ll be blushing. And don’t forget the chocolate too.