Why HR people don’t blog (and how to get around it)

One of the sessions at HRevolution Las Vegas a few weeks back focused on blogging, and a great question that was bandied about was why HR people don’t do it more often. Is it because they are afraid to? Maybe they just don’t know how? Or maybe it’s because HR people have been trained to keep quiet about their real thoughts and opinions, because knowledge is power, right? Whatever the excuse, it’s a terrible reason to keep quiet. Today we’re going to look at what it is, combat a few of the general excuses, and share some resources on how to get started.

What is blogging?

A really basic definition of a blog is a journal. It’s updated every so often with new ideas, insights, or lessons learned. People come by from time to time and read some of that wisdom and can comment or share it with others who might find it valuable.

That’s pretty simple, right?

Even with all the bells and whistles (see below for some tutorials and the tools I use), that’s really all a blog is. If you have thoughts, then you can blog. All it takes is writing those thoughts out! Even if you keep a private blog and don’t share it with anyone, you will become a better, more well-rounded professional as a result of taking the time to organize your opinions into coherent thoughts.

Why not blog?

If it really is that simple, then why don’t more HR people blog?

  • They don’t know how to use the tools-Check out the video below. 81 seconds to start a blog? Yep, it’s that easy!
  • They don’t know what to say-Start slow. Talk about what you do. Talk about what you enjoy about the profession. Talk about employee horror stories (within reason and without revealing too many juicy details). Read other blogs. As my manager put it, it’s about reading for the job you want, not the job you have!
  • They don’t have time-If you have thirty minutes per week, you have time. And I know you do, because you spent at least that much time checking Facebook, getting coffee, and watching TV commercials in the past 24 hours! Seriously, it takes very little time if you are just trying to get your thoughts out there. Don’t be one of those people who keeps going “Ready, aim, aim, aim…” Just fire the post off already!
  • They don’t want to upset their employer-My new friend Buzz writes a blog and has for about 6 months now. She doesn’t tell her employer and they don’t ask her about it. It’s quite possible to share helpful, valuable content with the world without telling everyone where you work!
  • Know another excuse? Drop it in the comments section below and I’ll respond to it!

Blogging tools and tips

I cover everything you need to know to get started here on the blogging page, including what domains and hosting are and who to purchase from, how to install WordPress, how to use themes and plugins, and a big Q&A section that runs the gamut! However, if you are interested and rearin’ to go right away, you can start your own blog in less than two minutes.

Check out this link for a short video on how to set up a free WordPress.com blog in 81 seconds. Less than two minutes. Anyone can get started with that short of a timeline!

Have other questions about blogging? Feel free to email me! I’ve helped several others get their own blogs going, and I would love to help you as well. 

15 thoughts on “Why HR people don’t blog (and how to get around it)”

  1. Pingback: Why HR people don’t blog (and how to get around it) | upstartHR | TalentCircles | Scoop.it

  2. Joe Blattner

    Lots of great information here for those of us involved in HR. In addition to blogging, social media in the workplace is increasingly important to understand. As more employees are wanting to stay connected online, it’s essential for employers to appreciate the impact of blogging and other outlets. I’ve discussed this on my blog in the past. Thanks again for a great post.

  3. Paige Holden

    Great post! And I think it can be applied to many people – in HR and other industries. I think the main obstacle for new bloggers is worrying about having something important to say. A lot of the things we all do on a daily basis we consider routine and uninteresting – even though to other people it could be fascinating.

    We recently had an HR manager featured on our blog. When I first approached her about participating, she was reluctant because she didn’t really understand what blogging was (love the journal explanation, BTW), she didn’t know what to say, and she didn’t think she had the writing chops to blog (even though she really does). To counter these concerns, we decided that a Q&A post would be better for her first time blogging. Her post turned out great and I think she will be more open to different formats in the future.

    As I said to her, pick a format you like and jump on in! There’s no wrong or right way to write about what you do.

    I try not to drop links randomly, but if you are interested I’m happy to share her first post here!

  4. lruettimann

    Hey, Ben. Good article. I think HR peeps do blog. I started blogging in 2004 (anonymously) and it was pretty empty out there. It might be more accurate to say that Hr people don’t blog about HR. I think they blog, tweet, and take pictures of the things they love — family, knitting, food, etc.

    Who writes an HR blog???

  5. Michael D. Haberman, SPHR

    One common reason, often the same one used for Twitter, is that “I have nothing interesting to say” or “who would want to read me?” I had some of the same thoughts but started anyway… six years ago. I have found that people read it. And like it. It has changed how I read things, so I learn from it. And Laurie, to answer your question I have an HR blog and I like it.

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