Letters - Letter to the Editor

HR Magazine, Dec, 2002

Cover Reactions

I am very disturbed by the November cover. In light of recent events, I do not feel I should be assaulted at my own desk with such violent images! To be looking down the barrel of a gun in this way is just sensationalism! I will be throwing this magazine away, rather than being disturbed every day for a month by its presence on my desk.

Rose E. Walmer, PHR

Myerstown, Pa.

I found the November cover photo to be absolutely tasteless, insensitive and abhorrent. Looking at a gun aimed at me, in light of all that has happened in the Washington, D.C., area, is not appealing and serves no purpose. I tossed the magazine in the trash without opening it. Bad timing or bad taste, it doesn't matter: You chose poorly and you should apologize to your readers for your insensitivity and lack of good judgment. Shame on you.

Tim Cannon

Washington, D.C.

I was very upset by the November cover. Given the recent events involving the sniper killings, this image was extremely troubling. I hope this edition was already sent to print before the sniper shootings took place. However, even without the sniper shootings, I find it troubling that such a graphic picture was put on the cover. As an HR professional I found it disturbing and distasteful.

Michael Beylo

Laurel, Md.

The arrival of my November issue of HR Magazine was a chilling welcome to a Monday morning. I immediately knew I wanted to write to blast you on an absolutely awful selection for the cover photo.

I thought I ought to at least read the article before writing to criticize. As I opened the magazine, however, I was treated to the same horrifying photo not once but twice mote inside the magazine.

Workplace violence is a serious issue that demands attention. However, I find it terribly irresponsible of the editors of HR Magazine to put such a threatening photo on the cover. Glorification of graphic images contributes to our more violent society. Newsstand publications use provocative covers to sell magazines, but your readers are subscribers. The magazine is going to continue to have readers because of the writing and insight, not the covers.

Can you explain to your readers why, in an effort to discuss eliminating violence from the workplace, you would subject us to staring down the barrel of a gun, not once, but three times as we sit at our desks in the workplace?

I imagine that your magazine cover choice was made prior to the recent sniper killings. Either way, you owe your readers a humble apology for incredibly poor taste.

Julie A. O'Donnell

Ronkonkoma, N.Y.

Editor's note: The November cover was not intended to shock and sensationalize. It was designed to draw readers' attention to the serious, life-threatening issue of workplace violence and the important role that HR can play. It was designed to help our readers avoid having a real gun pointed at them someday.

As the article states, HR professionals run an especially high risk of being victims of workplace violence. It is our hope that by taking the preventive steps recommended in the article, you will save not only the lives of your employees, but your own as well.

The cover story and image were indeed selected before the sniper attacks, which merely underscores the fact that employers must actively guard against increasingly random and unpredictable violence.

Human Capital Measurement

Thank you for the excellent article "Accounting for People" (October). I found it to be timely, accurate and state-of-the-art.

My only concern was that I felt it overlooked one obvious question: Why are the most basic measures of human skills not being discussed alongside other potentially more sophisticated measures? I am referring, of course, to the quality and quantity of one's education, as well as years of industry and functional experience.

In addition to age, these key indicators formed the basis of the research into human capital conducted by Gary Becker in the 1960s. This research earned him the Nobel Memorial Prize in economics. Have we completely lost all trust and respect for the positive relationship between performance and a person's combined education and experience?

I believe we are confusing the link between performance and its outcomes (i.e., pay) with the link between performance and its causes.

Finally, I think the article could have touched on the potential merits of counting both intrinsic (i.e., "soft" qualitative) as well as extrinsic (i.e., financial, quantitative) rewards when it comes to assessing the returns from investments into human capital.

Robert Kenmore

Oceanside, N.Y.

Affirmative Action Complaint

Brian Mayhall's letter in the November issue underscores what is wrong with affirmative action: It continues to cast minorities in a negative light, stereotyping them as being less talented as the mainstream. This does them a major disservice.

All of the minority professionals that I know, when responding to an ad, will go directly to the recognized journal and Internet site in my geographic area that has the best reputation for the most comprehensive job ads. Why do I need to "reach out" by advertising in newspapers that are not mainstream, when minority applicants should themselves be reaching out to employers by subscribing to the recognized journals and sites and using the most widely accepted tools of securing gainful employment?