The CFMEU is back in the headlines this week, with Queensland’s Commission of Inquiry hearing evidence about alleged intimidation, threats and physical confrontations on construction sites.

For those of us working in HR, it raises a broader conversation that can be glossed over in an interview: what does working in a heavily unionised environment actually mean for the HR professionals inside it?

Because “union experience” can be a deceptively simple line on a CV.

For some HR professionals, it’s the work they love most.

They enjoy the complexity. The negotiation. The industrial relations strategy. The requirement to know an enterprise agreement inside out and understand where legislation, operational reality and employee expectations intersect. They find a lot of meaning supporting people in this sense.

A strong union relationship is incredibly productive for all involved. When there is mutual respect, clear boundaries and experienced leaders on both sides of the table, unions do their best work – giving employees a real voice and giving organisations a structured way to work through issues before they escalate.

For other HR professionals, however, a unionised environment is something they actively avoid when considering their next role.

And usually, it isn't the presence of a union itself that determines which camp someone falls into.

It’s a mix of the industry, the history between the organisation and its workforce, the strength of the employee relations function, the capability of operational leaders, and, perhaps most importantly, whether HR is genuinely supported by the organisation when things become difficult.

There is an enormous difference between joining an organisation where HR and union representatives can robustly disagree across a table and still maintain a professional relationship, and joining one where conflict has become deeply personal or culturally entrenched.

The latter changes the job significantly. It becomes more than an uphill battle. It feels like an impossible scenario.

An HR professional might technically be responsible for employee relations, but in practice they become the person delivering decisions employees don't like, managing disciplinary processes, challenging established practices or representing management during disputes.

If the organisation has historically allowed an “us versus them” culture to develop, HR can quickly become the visible face of “them”.

That can make the work challenging. In extreme environments, it can also raise genuine questions about psychological and physical safety.

The evidence being heard in Queensland this week is an unusually extreme example. Workers and union representatives have described alleged confrontations involving threats, intimidation and physical violence. The inquiry is ongoing and it's important that these examples are not be treated as representative of unions or unionised workplaces generally. But they do demonstrate how serious workplace conflict can become when relationships and behaviours deteriorate.

For employers recruiting HR professionals into heavily unionised workplaces, there are key points to be clear on during the hiring phase. Don’t be shy. The clearer you are here, the better hire you’ll make for the long run.

Don't put “strong industrial relations experience” in a position description and consider the job done.

Candidates need to understand the environment they are walking into.

• How does the organisation describe its relationship with the union?

• What is the history?

• Who owns difficult negotiations?

• Will senior operational leaders stand alongside HR when a decision becomes unpopular, or will HR be left to deliver it alone?

• What escalation and safety processes exist when behaviour crosses a line?

Those questions aren't signs that an HR candidate “can't handle IR”.

They are sensible questions about the conditions in which they will be expected to do their job. And let me tell you – there are candidates who thrive in these settings. They just need complete clarity and to be paid accordingly.

So when our team are digging and digging when taking your job brief, we’re not looking for tea. We’re looking for information that’ll help us get you the right person.