Question 2

What metaphors do educational organizations typically use to describe their approach to human resources? How well do those metaphors work?

After combing through our system’s website, and the sites of neighboring systems, it is apparent that the primary metaphor is that of a family or team. Some sites say this explicitly, while others offer verbiage that make it an implied concept. In large, blue font, one school system’s human resources site reads “come work with us!” The operative word in this sentence is with. The system did not use ‘for’ or ‘under’ but ‘with’ to signify that everyone (teachers, administrators, district office leaders, etc.) is working together to meet a common goal: creating well-rounded, globally competitive students.
It can be hard to judge/evaluate how well these metaphors work. Would one look at turnover rate? job-satisfaction? how quickly vacancies are filled? I think it is more about putting these words into actions and making employees feel like they are a part of a team, part of something special.
In early 2008, I attended a job fair and spoke with an HR representative from one of NC’s larger school districts. This lady could have sold me oceanfront property in Oklahoma; she was very good at her job. She got me excited about the possibility of working in that system, so after further researching the system, etc. I made the move. However, the excitement stopped at that point. The school system had a wonderful HR department, but there was very little follow-up/support anywhere else to make me feel as though I was part of a team/family.