A specialist personnel manager or section provides expertise to the business as a whole and departmental managers. The latter only want a personnel service if it eases their burden and provides a value based service. If the personnel person provides service that conforms to the prevailing framework of priorities that senior managers and line managers regard as important then the relationship many be valued. If personnel practictioners are avoided by line managers become marginalised only being called on when the line manager needs to be rescued because of problems arising with a member of staff. At the level of the corporation and within the prevailing value systems of the firm, personnel specialists may contribute policy analysis and recommendations.
Many initiatives can be minimum reactions to events.
Others may be more proactive seeking to anticipate events and shape outcomes. Skilled labour is a scarce and complex commodity. People are not machines - they have their own strengths and frailities, ambitions and insecurities. At the level of the firm these become lost. Senior managers may be too removed from the mass of employees.