Why is HR broken and what can we do to fix it?

Written by Karen Robinson from KR 4 HR Coaching & Consultancy

For a profession dedicated to supporting the wellbeing, performance and success of others, HR is facing a crisis of its own.

Burnout is rising, confidence is declining and many HR professionals are questioning whether they can continue to carry the emotional and organisational burden placed upon them.

The uncomfortable truth is that HR isn't broken because HR professionals are failing. They are struggling because too many organisations continue to misunderstand, undervalue and underinvest in the function.

And unless something changes, the consequences will be felt not just by HR teams, but by the organisations they support.

The profession that supports everyone else

Think about the situations HR professionals deal with every day.

Redundancies, grievances, bullying complaints, disciplinary investigations, safeguarding concerns, mental health crises, harassment allegations, workplace conflict, employee wellbeing, leadership coaching, organisational change.

The list seems endless.

HR professionals are often expected to absorb the emotional impact of these situations whilst remaining objective, professional and resilient. They are the people employees turn to when they are distressed, anxious, angry or struggling. The people leaders rely on when difficult decisions need to be made, and difficult conversations need to be had. They are expected to have the answers, solve the problems and keep the organisation moving forward.

But who supports them? It is a question that is rarely asked.

The burnout crisis nobody wants to talk about

The data paints a worrying picture.

According to Sage's 2024 research, 81 per cent of HR leaders reported experiencing burnout, whilst 95 per cent said working in HR involves excessive workload and stress.

2026 research from Evolving HR suggests that 90 per cent of HR professionals feel lonely and isolated, with 64 per cent considering leaving their organisation, and a worrying 42 per cent looking to leave HR altogether.

The Ultimate Resilience report (2026) found that 74 per cent of HR professional suffer with depression, which is 2.4 per cent higher than the general population. And 73 per cent suffer from anxiety, 2.6 per cent higher than the general population, respectively. A whopping 87 per cent feel support is insufficient.

These figures should concern every business leader.

When the people responsible for supporting organisational wellbeing are struggling themselves, the impact reaches far beyond the HR team. Burnout affects decision-making, confidence, resilience and the quality of support available to managers and employees. Yet many HR professionals continue to suffer in silence because the stigma is they should be able to cope and anything else is a failure.

After all, if you're the wellbeing expert, how do you admit you're struggling with your own wellbeing?

The legacy problem - HR is still seen as "Personnel"

Although HR has evolved dramatically over the last two decades, many organisations still view it through an outdated lens. For some leaders, HR is all about policies, paperwork, administration and compliance. The old "Personnel” department mindset.

HR is often invited into conversations after decisions have been made rather than being involved in shaping them, implement change but not influence it, manage risk but not challenge strategy, and solve people problems without being recognised as a key driver of organisational performance.

Yet research consistently demonstrates that effective HR functions contribute directly to organisational performance, human capital outcomes and long-term business success.

Modern HR is not simply administrative. It is organisational psychology, leadership development, workforce planning, culture transformation, change management, risk management, and business strategy.

The problem isn't that HR lacks strategic value. The problem is that many organisations still fail to recognise it.

The hidden cost of toxic cultures

For HR professionals working in healthy organisations, the challenges can be significant. But for those working in toxic environments, they can become overwhelming.

Many HR professionals find themselves caught in impossible situations. They see poor leadership behaviours but lack the authority to challenge them, they recognise toxic cultures but are expected to protect organisational reputation. They are asked to deliver wellbeing initiatives while watching leaders undermine psychological safety, and become the messenger for decisions they did not make.

And over time, this creates a dangerous erosion of confidence and professional identity. Many begin to question themselves. Are they good enough? Maybe they’re the problem? Should they be coping better?

But often the issue is not the individual, the issue is the environment. No amount of resilience training can compensate for a toxic culture.

Why HR professionals need support too

One of the biggest misconceptions about HR is that because we support others, we somehow don't need support ourselves.

HR professionals often need the same things they encourage others to access:

• Coaching

• Mentoring

• Supervision

• Peer support

• Professional networks

• Mental health support

• Space for reflection

Many clinical and therapeutic professions that deal with emotionally complex situations routinely receive supervision and reflective practice, yet HR professionals are often expected to process difficult experiences alone, and the emotional labour is significant. Listening to trauma, conflict, distress and organisational dysfunction day after day takes its toll.

Without support, that burden accumulates.

What help is available?

If you are an HR professional who feels exhausted, overwhelmed or unsupported, it is important to know that support exists.

Professional coaching can help rebuild confidence, clarify priorities and strengthen resilience.

Mentoring can provide guidance from someone who has faced similar challenges.

Peer support groups create safe spaces to share experiences with people who truly understand the realities of the profession.

Reflective supervision can help process emotionally demanding situations and reduce the risk of burnout.

Tools such as strengths assessments, understanding our personal values, and wellbeing reviews, can help reconnect people with their purpose and professional identity.

Most importantly, they can help HR professionals recognise that they are not the problem.

Fixing HR starts with valuing HR

If organisations genuinely want thriving cultures, engaged employees and effective leaders, they must start by looking after the people responsible for making those things possible.

HR can’t continue to be expected to carry the emotional weight of the organisation without support. It can’t continue to be viewed as a purely administrative function while being held accountable for culture, engagement and performance. And it cannot continue to pour from an empty cup.

The future of HR is not about doing more, it’s about being valued more.

Because when HR is supported, confident and empowered, everybody benefits.

Perhaps the question isn't whether HR is broken. Perhaps the real question is why we have allowed the people who support everyone else to go unsupported for so long.

I support HR professionals who are experiencing burnout, stress and emotional exhaustion from constantly carrying the challenges of others, to rebuild their confidence, resilience and sense of self through 1 to 1 coaching, mentoring and a safe space to reflect.

Because the people who spend their careers supporting everyone else, need support too.

For a free, no obligation chat, to see how I can support you and the loneliness, please drop me a message.