Why Indonesia’s Top Talent Is Avoiding HR Careers
HR should shape the future of work, but Indonesia’s brightest minds want nothing to do with it. Here’s why.
Indonesia is bursting with talent. We’re talking about ambitious, brilliant minds brimming with ideas, ready to disrupt industries, launch startups, and solve the world’s problems. But when it comes to Human Resources; the very function responsible for hiring, firing, and pretending to care about employee morale… it’s like a talent vacuum. No one’s rushing to hop on that train. You can practically hear the crickets echoing in the HR department’s break room.
Why aren’t these brilliant minds clamoring to shape the future of HR? Because it’s HR. The very idea of spending your days crafting “inclusive” leave policies and attending endless meetings about “employee engagement” is enough to make even the most motivated person hit the snooze button on their dreams. If you’re a high-potential Indonesian, why would you choose a career where your biggest daily challenge is making sure Karen from marketing feels heard?
HR has somehow managed to become the corporate equivalent of a dreaded middle seat on a long-haul flight. With all the bureaucracy and zero excitement, it’s no wonder the best and brightest are steering clear.
HR: The Department That Won’t Stop Meddling
Ever met someone who insists on turning up uninvited to every party, demanding to be involved in every conversation, and somehow taking credit for things they didn’t do? Yeah, that’s HR in a nutshell. Modern HR departments have convinced themselves they’re vital, irreplaceable, and absolutely required to stick their nose into everything.
Got a new sales strategy? HR’s got “input.”
Need to pivot operations? HR has some thoughts.
Debating whether you should upgrade the coffee machine or stick with instant? HR’s got a 12-slide deck about how coffee impacts “employee engagement.”
However, despite all this unsolicited advice, HR’s actual contributions to decision-making tend to be... let’s call it politely underwhelming. For all their involvement, the solutions they offer are typically either painfully irrelevant or bureaucratic hurdles that slow real progress to a snail’s pace.
Need to innovate? HR suggests forming a committee to “explore the synergies.”
Want to streamline operations? HR insists on a six-month review process and a 360-degree feedback loop.
So, why on earth would a high-potential Indonesian choose a career in HR, a department that’s more focused on avoiding responsibility than driving actual change? Talented individuals want to solve real problems, not spend their days crafting new layers of bureaucracy or mediating squabbles over who gets the desk near the window.
HR has somehow appointed itself the gatekeeper of everything, while ensuring nothing happens quickly. High-potential talent sees this and wisely decides, “No thanks, I’ll be over here actually getting things done.”
Where Are the Strategic Thinkers in HR? Oh Right, They’re in Finance
Let’s give HR the benefit of the doubt for a second. In theory, it could be a powerhouse. Imagine an HR department that doesn’t just dabble in scheduling mandatory “fun” but actually attracts top talent, drives innovation, and gets things done. But that version of HR doesn’t seem to exist in Indonesia.
So, where are these supposed strategic HR professionals, who could transform companies into talent magnets and culture powerhouses? The kind of HR leaders who understand that people are more than spreadsheets and vacation days, and who can inspire employees to give their best without resorting to “Employee of the Month” certificates or cringeworthy icebreaker sessions?
Indonesia’s high-potential talent are far too busy being wooed by finance, tech, and consulting. Why? Because those industries offer a chance to tackle real problems, drive growth, and maybe even make a little money. Meanwhile, HR remains stuck in its bureaucratic quicksand, endlessly crafting policies no one reads and championing engagement initiatives no one cares about.
While HR hosts endless workshops on “effective communication,” high-potential Indonesians are out there founding startups, building AI-driven platforms, and changing the world. Why would they choose HR, where the highlight of the month is planning the company picnic? In a world where real innovation is happening elsewhere, the best talent has already left HR in the dust. And who can blame them?
HR: The Best Career Path for People Who Love Office Politics
If you’re the kind of person who thrives on navigating the murky waters of office politics, HR is your promised land. Forget about solving world hunger or revolutionizing the tech landscape; if you’re drawn to the art of managing passive-aggressive emails and decoding the silent wars over who gets the best desk, then HR has the career for you. In HR, you get a front-row seat to every petty office drama. It’s like watching a soap opera, but you can’t change the channel, and, oh, your job is to make sure everyone is still friends by the end of it.
HR shines brightest when mediating conflicts between overgrown adults who happen to have inflated job titles. Did the VP of Marketing “accidentally” schedule their team meeting at the same time as the Sales Director’s weekly huddle? Time for HR to swoop in with some expertly crafted “team synergy” workshop that’ll patch it all up. And don’t forget to draft some policy updates that everyone will promptly ignore because, honestly, nobody’s reading the employee handbook except HR.
High-potential talent doesn’t usually dream of a career spent refereeing workplace squabbles. They want to build something meaningful, solve real problems, and make a tangible impact. HR’s focus on whether Sarah from accounting should be reprimanded for her passive-aggressive tone in emails? Yeah, that’s not exactly the stuff that lights a fire in the hearts of ambitious Indonesians.
And then there’s compliance; the crown jewel of HR’s to-do list. Nothing says “exciting career” like spending hours ensuring that nobody accidentally sends a meme that might offend someone. If that’s your idea of fun, HR awaits you with open arms. For everyone else, there’s finance, tech, or literally any other department.
The Future of HR: Another Year, Another Motivational Poster
For those not keeping up, it’s here. And boy, is it packed with some exciting new jargon. Say hello to “empathy,” “digital transformation,” and “inclusive leadership.” Translation? It’s the same old HR with a fresh coat of paint. Somehow, HR departments have perfected the art of saying a lot while doing very little. These days, the “cutting-edge” strategy for lowering turnover rates isn’t fixing any actual problems, but rather slapping on another employee wellness initiative, which is just a glorified yoga class during lunch break.
Companies are trying desperately to rebrand HR as the heart of workplace culture. But without sharp, innovative thinkers to lead this transformation, it’s all just more fluff. HR continues to proudly parade around its progress, while actual progress is nowhere to be found. The metric for success? Apparently, it’s measured by how many people begrudgingly show up to the Zoom happy hour or pretend to care during the latest mandatory “wellness” workshop.
Meanwhile, Indonesia’s brightest young professionals take one look at this HR “revolution” and think, “Nah, I’m good.” They’re out there changing industries, founding startups, and contributing to sectors where results are what count. Why would any high-potential talent willingly tether themselves to a department that seems more concerned with adding layers of bureaucracy than actually driving real change?
Indonesia is full of talented young minds, but rather than jumping into the HR circus, they’re wisely steering clear. HR isn’t evolving into a powerhouse anytime soon, it’s too busy justifying its own existence with another motivational poster about “teamwork” that no one will read.
So, why isn’t Indonesia’s top talent stampeding into HR? Because they’ve got eyes. They can spot a career trap a mile away. Until HR transforms from a department obsessed with scheduling “employee engagement surveys” into something strategic, innovative, and useful, the best talent will continue to flee to industries that actually value their brains. You know, like finance, tech, or literally anywhere else.
But let’s not lose hope entirely. Maybe, if a few courageous souls took the plunge into the bureaucratic abyss and decided to overhaul this protected function, we could witness something groundbreaking. It’ll take guts, a hefty amount of patience, and, realistically, a miracle. But the potential impact on businesses, and even Indonesia’s economy, could be monumental.
For now, though, HR will keep on keeping on, the corporate equivalent of a third wheel at dinner. No one really invited them, but there they are, reminding everyone to fill out the latest pulse survey and attend yet another “team-building” session. And until someone brave enough steps in to fix it? Well, we’re all just stuck with it
At StratEx - Indonesia Business Advisory we help companies in Indonesia reimagine HR as a strategic powerhouse, not a policy factory. Contact us to transform your HR department from admin-heavy to strategy-led.