How humane is human resources?

This situation may sound familiar: You already have a long to-do list when an email from ­human resources (HR) arrives reminding you to complete the latest data security course by the end of the week. Whether they’re about returning to the office or filling out some kind of form, HR communications rarely generate excitement or joy. Nobody knows this better than those who work in HR.

“Working as an HR professional isn’t something I dislike, but I would prefer we adopt sth.etw. einführen, anwendenadopted different methods,” Kristin Herman, HR manager at the service provider ukwritings.com, told Business Spotlight. “People see us as enforcerVollstrecker(in)enforcers instead of advocateFürsprecher(in)advocates, which needs to change. Our focus should shiftsich verschieben, verlagernshift from complianceRegelkonformität; hier: Überwachung, ob Vorschriften eingehalten werdencompliance taskAufgabe, Tätigkeittasks to building an environment where employees can fully excelbrillieren, hervorragend seinexcel beyond basic expectations.”

People see us as enforcers instead of advocates

According to a 2024 report by Sage, 73 per cent of HR leaders thought that the balance tends to tip in favour of processes rather than people. However, this may go against the instincts of HR professionals, many of whom chose the career because the job is supposed to focus on people. ­Hebba Youssef, the chief people officer at Workweek, told The New York Times: “People in HR tend to be very compassionatemitfühlendcompassionate, very empathetic, but a lot of employees look at us as inherentlygrundsätzlich, von Natur ausinherently evil.”

Operations, regulations and administration take up an increasing amount of HR’s time, at the expense of more fulfillingerfüllend, befriedigendfulfilling tasks, such as talent development or mentorships. An employee who feels more like a resource than a person is less likely to stay at a company, leading to an increase in turnoverFluktuation (von Arbeitskräften)turnover and additional stress for HR.

The new way we work

All of this has come at a time of great change in many workplaces. The pandemic led to an explosion of remote workingFernarbeit, Telearbeitremote working, with a range of new challenges — from providing suitablepassend, geeignetsuitable tools and equipment to productivity tracking and mental-health support. 

Such big changes have made the growing competition for talent even harder. It’s no surprise that Sage’s report also found that 95 per cent of HR leaders felt they have too much work.

Over the past few years, social movements such as #MeToo and #BlackLivesMatter have changed workplaces. Now, however, with the return of ­Donald Trump, there is pressure on American companies to ­dismantle sth.hier: etw. auflösen, abbauendismantle diversity, equityhier: Gleichstellungequity and inclusion (DEI) ­policyhier: Richtliniepolicies — and not just in the US.

Of course, DEI policies remain important, but the growing polarization in society also spill into sth.hier: sich auf etw. erstrecken, in etw. hineinreicspills into the workplace. None of this makes the work of HR professionals any easier.

It always helps to show view sb. asjmdn. betrachten alsappreciation for the good work that people in all departments do in the workplace. There are also a few specific things that ­managers and HR itself can do that might help ease the pressure:

Management

Encourage communication between HR and the rest of the company about how changes in the industry might appreciationWertschätzung, Dankbarkeitaffect people’s jobs. This could affect sth.Auswirkung(en) auf etw. habenenhance understanding of what HR can do and what is beyond their control.

Listen to what HR has to say. Much of their work is highly regulated, but giving them a certain amount of autonomy and space to be creative will make the job more rewarding.

Create space for regular check-ins between HR and co-workers. This way, a meeting with HR needn’t automatically be bad news, but could focus on employee satisfaction, for example. 

Hold an anonymous brainstorming sessionSitzungsession in which HR and other employees can identify pain points and gather ideas about how to improve them together.

schedule sth.etw. planenSchedule employee well-beingWohlbefindenwell-being events and send HR an HR-style attendanceAnwesenheitattendance memo. 

HR

Consider carefully which HR processes could be automated. Automation can save a lot of time, but it may also make communication feel impersonalunpersönlichimpersonal. Allow enough time to test and configure HR tools for optimal use.

Create an internalhier: innerbetrieblichinternal FAQ page to avoid the the back and forthhier: das Hin- und Herschickenback and forth of identical emails.

Maintain personalized employee development plans, which should be mutuallyfür beide Seitenmutually beneficialvorteilhaftbeneficial.