Who Looks After HR When Everyone Else Is Struggling? 

Why are HR professionals burning out but not talking about it? 

HR professionals are often so focused on preventing burnout in others that they miss it in themselves. There’s significant emotional effort of managing conflict, performance, wellbeing, and organisational pressure. 

This just puts HR at similar burnout risk yet this is rarely acknowledged inside organisations. 

HR roles have to flip between people, risk, and leadership expectations. That combination creates constant emotional switching, high responsibility, and very little recovery time, especially for HR Generalists who are both strategic and on the tools. 

HR is as vulnerable to burnout as healthcare and teaching 

Research shows HR burnout has increased significantly since the pandemic. Gartner reports that 71 per cent of HR professionals say burnout is harder now than before COVID, and 45 per cent say managing competing demands has become more difficult. 

The difference is visibility. Teachers and healthcare workers are widely recognised as emotionally taxed. HR burnout tends to stay hidden behind professionalism, competence, and a strong sense of responsibility. 

Why did the pandemic hit HR so hard? 

The pandemic placed HR at the centre of prolonged disruption. HR teams had to manage redundancies, crisis communication, policy changes, wellbeing responses, and return-to-work tensions, while managing their own uncertainty and fatigue. 

In 2020, the World Health Organization warned early about the long-tail mental health impacts of the pandemic. It’s likely that HR practitioners are still being impacted by this, even though many organisations feel they have moved on from this. 

What is liaison role strain and why does it affect HR? 

Liaison role strain happens when someone is constantly acting as the ‘go-between’ and having to constantly focus on competing demands.  For HR, this means balancing leadership expectations, employee needs, legal risk, and organisational values, often in emotionally charged situations. 

This strain is cumulative. Over time, it can lead to emotional exhaustion, decision fatigue, and compassion fatigue, particularly for HR practitioners who are empathetic by nature and deeply invested in people outcomes. 

What does burnout look like for HR professionals? 

Burnout in HR often shows up subtly at first and is easy to dismiss it as “just part of the job.” Common signs include: 

• Constant exhaustion that rest does not fix 

• Cynicism or emotional detachment 

• Brain fog, forgetfulness, or headaches 

• Reduced tolerance for conflict or complexity 

Because HR professionals are used to functioning under pressure, these signs are often ignored until it is too late and they have reached a level of burnout.  

Why doesn’t time off fix HR burnout? 

A short break or holiday are lovely, however, they only defer the problem and rarely resolves burnout on its own. Without changes to daily patterns, boundaries, and emotional resilience strategies, burnout tends to resurface quickly once people are back at work. 

Burnout is not caused by a lack of leave. It is caused by sustained overload without appropriate recovery. For HR, this often means constant exposure to emotionally demanding conversations without space to reset. 

How can HR reduce burnout without leaving the profession? 

Preventing burnout requires consistent, practical changes, not the big, one-off responses. Effective strategies focus on nervous system regulation, stress management strategies, assertive communication techniques, boundary clarity, time management, and realistic workload control. 

Small, repeatable systems, done daily, are far more effective than occasional wellbeing binges. 

Why is buffer time critical after difficult HR conversations? 

Emotionally charged conversations activate stress responses that do not switch off instantly. Moving straight into the next meeting fuels stress and reduces cognitive performance. 

Building in short recovery transition periods allows HR practitioners to process emotions and regulate their nervous system.  It also ensures they are more present and emotionally available for the next task or conversation.    

A simple, yet highly effective strategy, is to block 15–20 minutes after meetings you expect may be challenging. Ideally, you are able to detach from the environment to a quiet place, either taking a short walk or sitting somewhere quiet that is in nature or overlooking it.  

How can HR say no without damaging relationships? 

Saying no is a core behavioural capability for sustainable HR practice. The trick is clarity without over-explaining. Over-explaining or justifying yourself will just encourage further negotiation and increases pressure. 

Before agreeing to a request, it helps to check: 

• Do I genuinely want to do this? 

• What will I need to give up? 

• What will this cost me outside work? 

• How will I feel afterwards? 

This allows you to be more intentional, rather than defaulting to pleasing others.  It allows you to be considered in your responses rather than reactionary and operating from habit.  

What does healthy boundary-setting look like in HR? 

Healthy boundaries are not about refusal; they are about putting in protections.  Both HR and stakeholders are protected when there are clear expectations around timing, capacity, and inputs.   

For example, you can agree to help, however you can also clearly state when you are available and what information you need. Forming these clear boundaries creates shared accountability. This prevents last-minute pressure. It also stops the repeat behaviour of HR taking on everyone else’s urgency. 

Can small acts of kindness actually improve HR wellbeing? 

Yes. Small, intentional acts of kindness can replenish emotional energy without creating overload. Five-minute actions such as acknowledging a colleague, offering feedback, or supporting your colleagues will build connection without creating extra strain. 

These moments offset the emotional load of difficult conversations. Most importantly, it reminds HR practitioners that they make a positive impact in their role. 

Why do organisations need HR practitioners who are well, not just resilient? 

Organisations cannot function effectively without clear-headed, emotionally regulated HR leadership. Burnt-out HR teams will struggle to operate strategically and are more likely to remain stuck in reactive cycles, constantly putting out fires. 

HR wellbeing is not a personal issue. It is an organisational risk and a leadership capability issue. 

How can HR build a personal resilience plan? 

A personal resilience plan focuses on early warning signs, daily recovery strategies, and realistic boundaries. It is proactive, rather than being crisis-driven. 

For many, the benchmark of acceptable stress has shifted and people are not longer aware of triggers and symptoms of their stress.  

Yet, HR professionals are skilled at designing these plans for others. The conundrum is, who does this for HR? It’s a bit like a surgeon operating on themselves. Mnaging stress and building resilience strategies, often requires the assistance of an objective support person such as a Stress Management Practitioner or Time Management coach.  HR Practitioners need to give themselves permission to apply the same care, structure, and seriousness to their own wellbeing. 

FAQ: HR burnout and wellbeing 

Is HR burnout recognised as an organisational risk? 

Increasingly yes, but many organisations still underestimate it. HR burnout impacts culture, decision-making, retention, and psychological safety across the organisation. 

What’s the difference between stress and burnout in HR? 

Stress fluctuates and resolves with recovery. Burnout is chronic, cumulative, and persists even after rest unless underlying patterns change. 

Why do HR professionals struggle to prioritise themselves? 

HR roles attract empathetic, service-oriented people. Combined with constant demand and role ambiguity, this often leads to self-neglect being normalised. 

Can boundaries really work in high-pressure HR environments? 

Yes, when they are communicated clearly and consistently. Boundaries reduce resentment, improve credibility, and model healthy behaviour for leaders. 

What’s the first step HR should take if burnout feels close? 

Notice the early signs and reduce emotional load where possible. Waiting until burnout is severe makes recovery longer and more disruptive. 

Source and reference 

This article is adapted from insights shared by wellbeing expert and executive coach Emma Chapple in collaboration with Australian HR Institute, alongside research from Gartner and guidance from the World Health Organization on post-pandemic mental health impacts. 

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