Who’s Taking Care of HR When HR Takes Care of Everyone? — A 2025 Reflection

The HR Heart (credits: Canva AI)

In the dynamic workplace landscape of 2025, Human Resources professionals continue to serve as the backbone of organizations — managing employee well-being, navigating complex labor laws, fostering culture, and driving strategic talent initiatives. Yet, amidst the unwavering commitment to supporting every employee, a vital question emerges: who supports the HR teams themselves?

The Expanding Role of HR in 2025

Gone are the days when HR was solely about recruitment, payroll, and filing papers. Today, HR professionals act as coaches, counselors, strategists, corporate advisors and the mental health frontliners for their organizations. They balance legal compliance with employee engagement, diversity and inclusion, remote work dynamics, and evolving workforce expectations.

This breadth of responsibility means HR is constantly “on” for everyone — from entry-level staff to executives. In 2025, HR also navigates technological integration, including AI-driven people analytics and automation, which adds new layers of complexity and the need for continuous learning.

The Paradox of HR Support: Self-Needs Often Overlooked

With so much focus outward, HR professionals' own personal needs often fall by the wayside. Speaking from personal experience, I was always supporting others to the point that I experience burnout.

The emotional labor of balancing the needs of both employers and employees sometimes meant falling short on one side, which led to a deep disappointment in myself — feeling like I failed either the company or the people I was trying to support.

This rings especially true recently: as an HR Consultant indirectly involved in a company’s operations, I’ve watched my staff member (not directly under me, but someone I work with) get burned out handling everything from timekeeping and incentive releases to preparing the entire Christmas party celebration. I see the strain on him and step in to help when I can, but he still has to bear the full weight alone, highlighting how even indirect support can’t always prevent overload.

Additionally, many HR professionals, including myself, often face imposter syndrome — that nagging feeling of not being “good enough” or fearing that we are falling short of expectations. What I realized through reflection is that this feeling often comes not from actual shortcomings but from overstretching ourselves, taking on too much responsibility without enough support or boundaries.

The expectation that HR should always “have it together” while managing everyone else’s issues can lead to isolation, fatigue, self-doubt, and imposter feelings. This paradox of providing support yet neglecting one’s own well-being is a growing concern for HR professionals everywhere.

Personal Ways of Coping: How I and Many HR Professionals Stay Grounded

From my own experience and those of many HR colleagues, finding balance through personal passions, trusted relationships, and targeted strategies against imposter syndrome is essential to preventing burnout:

• Pursuing Physical Activities: Swimming, running, and brisk walking not only help clear my mind but replenish energy and foster discipline outside work hours. Admittedly, I sometimes overexert myself, hahahaha, but physical exercise still provides a tangible escape from work stress and improves overall well-being.

• Engaging in Community Service: Giving back reminds me of the bigger picture and reinforces the purpose behind HR’s role — to serve and uplift people, not just manage policies.

• Cultivating Supportive Friendships: Having friends, especially fellow HR professionals or trusted individuals who understand the unique pressures of the job without judgment, offers a safe space to vent and recharge emotionally. They help counter imposter syndrome by providing honest feedback and validation.

• Moderating Online Communities: My passion project aside from blogging is moderating for John Daub’s Only in Japan GO livestream and Discord server—proudly as a Filipina moderator (possibly the only one!). Here, I engage with people online (using handles or real names) who simply enjoy Japan as a country, and that shared interest creates a refreshing, non-HR-focused environment that helps me reset.

• Attending Free Webinars: I’ve been attending free webinars to update my skills not just in HR but in other topics of interest, keeping my mind sharp and broadening perspectives without the pressure of formal commitments.

• Combating Imposter Syndrome Directly: Track tangible wins (like successful policy implementations or positive employee feedback) in a personal journal to build evidence against self-doubt. Reframe “falling short” moments as signs of healthy boundaries rather than failure and seek mentorship from seasoned HR leaders who’ve been there.

• Setting Boundaries: Purposefully disconnecting from work communications during off-hours or weekends helps maintain mental health and prevents emotional fatigue from constant availability.

The OJI Livestream Stream - you can easily identify a moderator by the wrench icon after his/her name. Yes, I have one!

Addressing the Gap: How Organizations Can Support HR

Before listing the ways all organizations can support HR, it is important to recognize that the system itself often and unconsciously reinforces the cycle of overextension and quiet burnout. HR is expected to be endlessly available, emotionally composed, and “neutral,” even when carrying the weight of difficult decisions and others’ distress. Shifting this reality requires more than individual resilience; it demands intentional structures, policies, and leadership behaviors that actively protect HR’s well-being instead of assuming they will simply cope on their own.

• Dedicated Support Systems: Establish peer support groups and mentorship programs exclusively for HR teams to share experiences and decompress.

• Prioritizing HR Wellness: Just as companies offer wellness programs to employees, tailored programs focused on counselors, mental health first aid, and stress management should be available for HR staff.

• Balance Workloads with AI Assistance: Leverage AI and automation tools to minimize time spent on routine tasks, freeing HR professionals to focus on strategic and relational work without overload.

• Leadership Advocacy: Senior leaders must recognize HR as strategic partners and advocate for them to have access to resources, time off, and professional development, ensuring their voice is valued—without making them "earn trust" first. I remember being told I needed to prove myself before getting support, which only added to the disheartening overload rather than building partnership.

• Creating Safe Spaces for HR: Encourage open conversations where HR can express challenges without stigma or fear of judgment, allowing a culture of psychological safety for HR teams themselves.

  
  

Looking Forward

As organizations continue to evolve in 2025, sustaining the health and resilience of HR professionals is not just an HR issue — it’s an organizational imperative. When HR is well-supported and personally balanced, the entire workforce benefits through better support, stronger culture, and more effective leadership.

If HR is the heart of employee support, how can we ensure that heart stays strong? For me, the answer lies in blending professional dedication with personal renewal—so the supporters never run empty.

Question:

What about you? What's one self-care practice that's helped you recharge as an HR professional? Share in the comments below!

About Me:

Joseline M. Alosbaños, known as the HR Carousel Ringmistress, is a Philippine-based Certified HR Practitioner with over twenty years of experience in Human Resources Management. Her extensive career spans various sectors, including corporate, freelancing, and consulting, equipping her with a wide range of skills. Joseline excels in employee relations, talent acquisition, total rewards management, HR operations, and organizational development, successfully implementing HR strategies that align with business objectives and promote a positive workplace atmosphere. If you require my services, feel free to contact me at joyce.alosbanos@gmail.com.