If you ask your HR team or the HR professionals with employer clients you advise how they're doing, they'll likely smile and say they're fine. But behind that smile is someone juggling policy updates,
HR has always been a demanding field, but since 2020, the level of complexity and pressure has skyrocketed. The post-COVID landscape has pushed HR teams to the brink, asking them to
At the height of the pandemic, HR professionals had to manage employee health protocols. They included COVID case tracking, quarantine timelines, confidentiality concerns, masking debates and
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Imagine this, all in one day:
- A high-performing employee refuses to return to the office, citing ongoing health and safety concerns.
- Another demands permanent remote work due to caregiving responsibilities and threatens to resign if not granted.
- A manager asks how to support an employee who is pregnant again after a prior miscarriage, in a state with limited reproductive rights.
- An employee is spreading conspiracy theories and misinformation in the break room.
- A team is questioning pay equity after recent compensation changes and the introduction of pay transparency laws.
- Several employees report burnout and low morale following a recent round of layoffs.
- Senior leadership announces a diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging (DEIB) initiative but provides no clear goals, timeline or resources.
- A conflict erupts on Slack after a politically charged comment is made and now everyone's looking to HR to "fix it."
- The CEO wants to make a public and internal statement for Pride Month and asks HR to "make it sound inclusive but safe."
All of it lands on HR's plate. Today. Multiply that by weeks, then months, then years.
HR isn't just about benefits and compliance anymore — it's the front line of culture, crisis and change. Strategic HR leaders are expected to manage emotionally charged issues, mitigate risk, uphold values and still deliver on recruiting, retention and performance. It's exhausting and complex, especially in a world where the personal and political are constantly colliding at work.
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These day-to-day fires add up fast. But they're only part of the story.
Just as pandemic-specific pressures began to ease, broader societal challenges emerged. Political and cultural unrest, shifting legislation and a renewed (then reduced) focus on DEIB placed HR in the middle of complex conversations. Many of us were tasked with remaining neutral while personally affected, interpreting new policies, managing deeply personal questions about healthcare access and calming organizational anxiety — all while continuing to hire, onboard, train, coach and support employees.
At the same time, we were expected to do more with less. Many HR departments were understaffed and under-resourced, leaving already-exhausted teams scrambling to keep up. Strategic, proactive work — the kind that drives business growth and builds strong cultures — often got pushed to the back burner in favor of urgent, emotionally charged and high-risk requests.
Here's the reality: HR is not the only department facing post-pandemic challenges. But it is the department where every employee brings their fears, frustrations and expectations — anticipating solutions. We're responsible for talent acquisition, development, succession planning, employee relations, benefits navigation and culture building — yet we're rarely granted the same level of care or support we extend to others.
We're asked to balance empathy and compliance, to handle emotionally charged situations with professionalism and to make recommendations that support the business while protecting the people within it. We are expected to have answers when no one else does and to stay calm while navigating burnout ourselves.
The role brokers play in relief
Having said all this, HR teams need genuine partnership now more than ever. When I was on the corporate HR side, my broker partners were a lifeline. They were trusted sounding boards who understood my company but weren't technically part of it, which made it easier to be honest. They gave my team opportunities to step away from stress and reconnect with each other. They shared current information, industry trends and best practices that helped me feel informed and prepared — not isolated and overwhelmed. Their support allowed me to better serve my team and leadership, and it reminded me that I wasn't alone.
The best partners didn't wait for me to ask. They offered updates before legislation changed. They showed up with empathy, not just solutions. They reminded my team that it's okay to laugh, to pause, to breathe. They worked to take things off our plates. That level of partnership didn't just make us better at our jobs. I would argue that it helped us stay in them.
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Your partnership has the power to reduce the pressure HR teams are under and build lasting trust in the process. HR professionals are navigating a rapidly changing, emotionally taxing landscape. Those who support them with empathy, consistency and creativity will not only make a meaningful difference, but they'll also earn a place as invaluable partners in shaping what comes next.
So, what can you do?
Ask your HR leaders and partners what they need and really listen. Invite them to the strategy table early. Provide access to coaches, resources and training they often secure for others but rarely receive themselves. Be proactive in sharing ideas, solutions and reminders that they're not in this alone. Offer small, human moments of care — a check-in, a shared laugh, a reason to step away for an hour.
Even the smallest gestures can make an enormous difference. And in doing so, you'll build incredible bonds with your corporate HR teams that will last well beyond today's challenges.
