An HR Christmas Carol

It’s Christmas Eve, and wary HR leader Ebenezer Scrooge is sitting by the fire, alone. He has been in the HR game for almost 40 years. A lot has changed in that time, including Scrooge. As time has gone by, Scrooge’s heart has hardened and his purse strings have drawn tighter.

When he first entered the world of HR, Scrooge was an idealistic graduate. He was eager to learn everything there was to know about Human Resources, and how he could help everyone at his company to feel comfortable and supported on a day-to-day basis. His manager, Jacob Marley, guided the young Ebenezer in the ways of an HR professional and did his best to instil in his protégé important values such as compassion, commitment, communication, and integrity.

Time went on, and Marley retired. Scrooge moved up the ranks in the HR department, eventually being promoted to department head. However, he began to become jaded. More and more processes became automated and, as technology became increasingly ubiquitous, Scrooge started to feel left behind.

Despite holding a senior position at his company, Scrooge’s feelings of alienation from his younger colleagues and the rapidly advancing world of technology drove him inward and he became embittered.

Now, he no longer seeks to benchmark salaries, give bonuses, or reward hard work. Instead, he has become overly invested in strict budgeting, has stopped noticing when his employees go above and beyond in their roles, and only provides negative feedback. He is especially impatient and inflexible with his direct report, Bob Cratchit. Scrooge's attitude has left Bob experiencing low morale and feeling undervalued in his position.

Now, the company they work for is seeking to expand overseas. This is set to present a huge challenge for Scrooge, who isn’t sure where to start with preparing for the challenge of global mobility. The stress he is experiencing means he has been crankier and unkinder than ever to poor Bob. He has even forced Bob to forego his annual leave entitlements over Christmas and put in lots of overtime to prepare for the expansion.

The Ghost of HR Past

As Scrooge dozes off next to the warm flames, a vision appears to him. It is the ghost of his old mentor, Jacob Marley. Jacob shows Scrooge a moving montage of his younger years.

Images appear of the youthful Ebenezer studying hard at college, laughing with friends at a campus party, tossing his mortarboard in the air in his graduation robes, and accepting his first job offer. Jacob then shows Scrooge the day Scrooge hired Bob Cratchit, and the promises he made to Bob about how he would be supported by the company to achieve his potential and grow and learn in his new role.

Tears spring to Scrooge’s eyes as he remembers how hopeful and excited he once felt about his future in HR and realises how badly he has let Bob down in recent years.

The Ghost of HR Present

Next, Scrooge is visited by the Ghost of HR Present. This ghost, who appears to Scrooge as a haunted Excel document, presses play on a YouTube video embedded in one of its ominous white rectangular grids. This video shows Scrooge how others are celebrating Christmas.

Scrooge sees Bob at home with his family, enjoying his evening, ahead of the one day off Scrooge is affording him. Despite his unhappy work situation, Bob is celebrating and playing with his children next to a small Christmas tree. Scrooge notices there are not many presents under the tree. However, the children still seem excited and joyful.

Scrooge also sees his own extended family members, whom he has not bothered keeping in touch with, enjoying the festivities in one another’s company.

The Ghost of HR Yet-to-Come

Next, Scrooge is visited by the Ghost of HR Yet-to-Come, who appears to him in the form of a long roll of red tape. This ghost shows Scrooge an image of a man carrying a small box out of an empty office.

Scrooge realises that the man is him, leaving the office for the last time, on the day of his retirement after almost 45 years with the company. No one has given him any gifts or stayed around to thank him or wish him good luck. He also sees some paperwork in the box that indicates the global expansion has not gone well, and the company has had to end the project.

Scrooge appeals to the ghost to assure him that he can change this outcome by adjusting his behaviour and seeking support. Forming the red tape into the shape of a mouth, the ghost tells him he must find a way to make amends with those he has harmed and commit to taking on the challenge of moving abroad himself. The ghost suggests engaging a global employment solutions provider such as Mauve Group to assist with the expansion.

Scrooge then awakes in his armchair with a start. Motivated by what he has seen, Scrooge contacts Bob and advises him to take his annual leave entitlements over Christmas.

He decides he will promote Bob and ensure a pay rise, so that Bob’s family can live comfortably. Scrooge then enrols in several courses to learn about the latest technology updates and processes used in HR, with the intention to utilise them in keeping his department ahead of the curve.

Finally, he logs on to Mauve Group’s website and fills out a contact form to learn how Mauve’s team of global experts can support with the company’s expansion, at every step of the journey.

Scrooge is now committed to ensuring HR excellence, and creating a workspace in which his workers feel seen, supported, and positive.

Epilogue

Some years later, Scrooge sits at a table surrounded by his colleagues, all chatting and laughing. In front of Scrooge are a number of gifts from his grateful co-workers, many of whom have given him cards bearing messages about how he helped them on their career paths and made sure they thrived in their roles. A number of cards have also been posted from abroad, by workers who had moved overseas to facilitate the company’s successful global expansion.

Bob, who is taking over Scrooge’s role, raises a toast to Scrooge. He thanks him for his commitment and wishes him well, as he gets set to take his extended family on a Caribbean cruise to celebrate his retirement and their rekindled relationship.

Mauve Group has over 28 years of experience in the field of global mobility. We're pioneers of the Employer of Record model, alongside successfully delivering a portfolio of other global employment solutions to help with global expansion, HR, payroll, and more. We’re ready and waiting to guide your company or organisation into a very bright future and an exciting 2025. Contact us, today.