An old debate, I know. But a couple of days ago, I heard someone say that HR professionals needed to use employee engagement as the reason to have a seat at the table.

I didn’t facepalm, but it was a close thing.

Putting aside my healthy and often blogged scepticism on the subject of employee engagement generally, I struggle that this language is still out there. Struggle that HR professionals are still feeling that they don’t have one, can’t have one, have to justify why they should have one.

Maybe I’m lucky. Lucky that this is a battle that I don’t have to fight. That this is not my reality. I know that there are HR professionals out there who do have to fight the good fight to be taken seriously.

But we also have a responsibility as a function. Let us stop engaging in this futile discussion. We don’t have to make a case for being at the table – the boardroom one or any other. Because everything is people. We don’t have to wave statistics about to ‘prove’ that it’s a jolly good thing to treat people well because it will impact the bottom line. I’ve said before and I will say it again: if I have to somehow evidence that treating people well, leading people well, talking to people well, and generally doing good people stuff is the right thing to do in an organisation then I will get my coat. HR are entitled to a seat at the table because we are a vital function within an organisation. We don’t need a reason to take a seat anymore than the Finance Director does.

If you want a seat at the table, then stop talking about it, and just take one.

I’m with @FlipChartRick who in response to my recent tweet, said this…..

@HR_Gem @teago_emplaw I tend to get annoyed if I can't get a seat at the table in the pub…

— Rick (@FlipChartRick) February 13, 2014