HR Burnout is a Structural Issue

HR Burnout is a Structural Issue

I am becoming increasingly aware that at a lot of companies, the persons being asked to support the emotional well-being of a company’s employees are often operating from emotional deficit.

I am talking about HR professionals. 

And what I mean isn’t that the professionals themselves are emotionally deficit – what I mean is that there is little support for what they do.

What we’re seeing in HR right now is the direct result of years of misalignment. HR has been expected to serve as emotional first responders, culture keepers, legal enforcers, DEI champions, and operational troubleshooters.  AND they usually do it all at once with limited authority, budget, or headcount. Then add in layoffs, reorganizations, the pressure to automate or integrate new technologies, and the emotional labor of supporting a post-pandemic workforce. It’s not just “a lot.” It’s unsustainable.

It’s happening across industries. HR professionals are the ones at a company that are responsible for managing conflict, protecting culture, upholding equity, navigating compliance, and supporting employee well-being.  But yet, they are operating in high-stress environments without the systems to support them. It’s no surprise that a 2024 New York Post article reported that only 9% of HR professionals are completing their daily task lists, over 40% are working after hours regularly, and nearly one-third are rethinking their careers altogether.

So we have to ask: If the people holding the workplace together are falling apart, what does that say about the workplace?

As I think more about this, I believe that there is a subtle irony at play in many companies: the very people tasked with creating positive workplace cultures are working in cultures that don’t support them. HR becomes the dumping ground for everything “emotional” or “difficult”—but rarely receives the same emotional consideration.

There’s a lot of push right now about building resilient teams. But if HR is burning out, it’s not a resiliency problem, it’s a structural issue. 

I have seen this before and I know that when we invest in HR with the right infrastructure, staffing, decision-making power, and emotional sustainability, we create a system that works. We build an environment where the people doing the hardest relational work are cared for with the same intention they offer others. If we want sustainable teams, we have to start making sure the people holding them up aren’t standing alone.

Using the word “resilience” is not a euphemism for “suffering well.” True resilience isn't about pushing through constant pressure.  It’s about creating a culture that anticipates human needs and protects against chronic overload.

Equipping HR teams with the right tools and resources empowers them to be fully present and better prepared to navigate sensitive challenges with clarity and care. But support doesn’t just mean handing over another wellness app or time management training. It means reshaping the workplace structure around what actually helps people thrive.

When HR has access to support, they don’t have to operate in crisis mode. They gain the ability to pause, assess, and respond—rather than react. That’s where real leadership lives.

And when that happens? The whole organization benefits. Because when HR can function at their highest level, they amplify everyone else’s capacity to do the same.