HR: Sounds like...

Songs reflecting HR for me in this moment.

Once again, Twitter is the trigger for a blog. This time, this blog, is thanks to Mark Hendy (a fellow CIPD blog-squadder), who invited/challenged our #PLN* to come up with 5 songs that reflected HR for us. It should have been kind of easy, given I'd had to pick just one song for my reflections of my ODPP with Roffey Park. After all, I could now choose 5 songs and there were no limitations. But just like the #7booksin7days challenge I'd done recently, its not as simple as it seems...


...Some songs have silly statements and sound meaning ("The world is just a great big onion"!) and others initially sound good but are light on meaning or heavy on swearing and so on! And that's before even thinking about genres or artists, how the overall message fits or if you even like a song related to the (rather open) subject!


Whilst I'm still wrestling with my choices I'm embracing the Sunday chill and just going for it. On that basis here are the five that get this blog out and a glass of wine in hand....


1. "This is Me", from The Greatest Showman... because everyone should be encouraged to bring all of themselves to work, it's about diversity too and if you've seen this video you'll get the power of a lightbulb moment which feels very L&D to me! https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=this+is+me+rehearsal+song+youtube&view=detail&mid=D52DC2E2E2BD00D17752D52DC2E2E2BD00D17752&FORM=VIRE


2. "Everything must change", Oletta Adams does my fave version* (just pipping Nina Simone) but its a rework. That in itself talks about iteration and variation. And let's face it, (coping with and helping others to cope/adapt to) change is a topical and constant theme to address for OD and L&D, and HR.
*Here are allllll the versions: https://secondhandsongs.com/work/4541/all


3. The theme from The Office ("Handbags and Gladrags") - clearly the link here is the show and not the song itself. If ever a show gave HR a purpose, this is the show! It should remind people the value we can add.

4. "Lift you up" by Ryan Stephenson is likely to be the least known song on my list, but oh how it resonates for me and my passion for L&OD. Themes include: trust, teamwork, support, diversity, passion, purpose and persistence.


5. And, despite what I said, I just couldn't rule out Marvin and Tammi's "Onion song" - its actually a great song with some relevant lyrics because as HR tries to get back to it's People core, lines like: we got a great big job to do, reach for a higher goal, every one single soul's got to do their share' and 'come on and plant love seeds' all fit for HR in my humble opinion. Just don't let the onions make you cry!
One last thing, what action would you take based on the first songfact here? (Answer not really required!): https://www.songfacts.com/facts/marvin-gaye-tammi-terrell/the-onion-song


I hope my choices make some sense, but more importantly that something on this list made you reflect, smile and/ remember why we're in this profession.


*Lifts the vinyl off the turntable*


Denise x

For more:

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• LinkedIn: Denise Sanderson-Estcourt, FCIPD

* #PLN = Personal learning network.