Human resources professionals need to know their limitations, according to the former Granada chief executive and business troubleshooter Sir Gerry Robinson, and ex- BBC director general Greg Dyke. Speaking at the CIPD’s conference in Harrogate in September, they said that HR’s role was to make things happen.

Robinson, who confessed he was not a fan of HR, is reported to have said: “There is a tendency for it to try to do more. There is no power in the function itself other than what it can achieve through the line manager.”

Dyke said HR needed to know what it could or could not do, adding: “HR can’t change culture without the chief executive.”

Comment:  Maybe HR still has an image problem if that’s what CEOs really think of it. I know a good PR company that might be able to help – but the problem is that HR professionals don’t know they need help.