Breaking Burnout: The HR Edition

Oh no, HR is here."?(But wait, my name is Robin, right?)

"HR is invited to the call. Something must be up."?(Nope, just here to talk about our new family leave benefits).

?"It's all fun and games until someone calls HR." (Umm...ever hung out with us after hours?)

?Or my favorite, "Human Resources - Working Hard on Exceeding Your Low Expectations" (from Office Space) - (Well, that's just not cool.)

Easy Targets

?Wow, do we ever give our Human Resources professionals a hard time.

?I get it. They can be easy targets.

They are often the messengers or architects of messages or policies we don't like, the face of a merit increase we think is laughable, or our poster child for 'Chief Buzz Kill Officer'.?

?We think their policies and initiatives are out of touch, out of tune, and out of date.

?As a result, they are often the most ridiculed, targeted, and least appreciated part of the organization.?

It doesn't matter that they put their pants on the same way we do, have an ID badge with a number just like we do, and have the same feelings, dreams, and fears as everyone else.

We don't see a name, or a person, we see "HR." We think what we see is what we get but there is so much more to the story.

Behind the Curtain

What we don't see are the countless hours spent listening to concerns and frustrations that they often share but could never say.

We don't see the late-night phone calls and emails from managers that need a sounding board or advice on an emerging crisis.

We don't see the tearful employee in their office who needs a shoulder to cry on and a listening ear.

We don't see the heated leadership team meetings and internal politics they often have to jump into the middle of and mediate.

We don't see the 500 employment laws they must know and navigate to keep the organization compliant and out of trouble.

We don't see all of the fantastic initiatives that you want, and they are excited to roll out, that get stopped at the pass because of a company change in strategy, a new financial hurdle, a legal technicality, or an unexpected crisis that takes center stage.

Granted, it's tempting to think "yeah, but that's just part of the job," but which job exactly is that? Read on for more.

So Many Hats

Your friendly HR representative juggles 100 jobs at once. They are whatever their xyz job title is, but they are often also often the organizational therapist, firefighter, police officer, politician, communicator, event planner, lawyer, peacemaker, miracle worker, teacher, principal's office, strategist, architect, forecaster, statistician, interpreter, cheerleader, and truth-teller all in one.

It can be an impossible job. Its name says it all. "Human" Resources.

We humans are messy, complex, opinionated, hard to please, and quick to criticize beings. And your local HR professional takes the brunt of it all.

The last three years have been beyond stressful for HR professionals, and many are at their breaking point. 2020 and all that came with it ushered in a level of complexity, fear, workload, polarization, and confusion not seen in a generation. Much of it fell squarely in the lap of HR to make sense of and help lead the organization through.

?This all came on top of an already incredibly difficult job, and it has taken its toll.

According to a recent survey, 98% of HR professionals feel burned out, 97% are experiencing high levels of emotional fatigue, 73% say they don't have the support and resources to do their job effectively, and 88% dread work daily.

And yet, despite it all, they show up day after day with a smile on their face and a care in their heart because that's what they signed up to do, and it's who they are. Much like Healthcare, HR professionals often go into the field to "help others."

My HR friend, don't be the "shoemaker's children" as we're often so prone to be. You are at an incredibly high risk of burnout; odds are, you are likely already right in the middle of it.

Feeling the Burn?

Here is what burnout looks like for someone in HR. I know these all too well.

?Burnout Symptoms in HR Professionals

?-Feelings of overwhelm, failure, defeat, or helplessness

-Cynicism, silent eye rolls and head shakes, and overall negative attitude

-Impatience, snippiness, short fuses

-Lack of motivation

-Constant fatigue and tiredness you can't shake

-Insomnia

-Increased anxiety or depression

-Feeling stuck or like you are running on a work treadmill

-Inability to get things done like you used to

-Feelings of guilt because of a perceived inability to make a difference

If this is you, it is important that you take a pause.

Take a moment and do an inventory of your life and look at what you are putting in versus what you are getting out. If your current working circumstances are costing you your physical, emotional, or mental health, it's too expensive and something needs to change.

Reflections?

Here are 5 reflection questions for you:

1. What does your t-shirt say?

We all walk around with an emotional t-shirt that tells the world how we feel. What are others reading on your t-shirt right now? Is it helping or hindering you? Is it helping or hindering them??

2. What's your oxygen level?

Like the flight attendants tell us to put on our own masks before helping others, when is the last time you refilled your tank? Do you know where to go to get it refilled?

3. What advice are you giving your employees that you aren't taking yourself?

We are great at giving advice and coaching others in our organizations but rarely follow our own good advice. Maybe you need to give yourself some tough love coaching.

?4. If you are an HRBP, do you need to take a time-out?

HRBP life in the last 3 years often has felt like combat duty, and you may need to take some time to rest and restore your physical, mental, and emotional health. There is no shame in taking a break. I know dozens of amazing HR professionals taking a pause as we speak, and will be better for it.

5. Is your HR role still a place of long-term energy and joy for you? Is it still a calling and a north star?

If yes, great, make sure you still take care of yourself and put some boundaries in.

If not, you have options...you could go into consulting or training, make a change to a different industry or organization, change teams within HR and go from a specialist to a generalist or vice versa, etc.

You have options, you have choices, and you have control. I know you often feel you don't because you think your organization needs you, that there is no way you could leave right now, or that there is no way you could raise your hand and say you need help, but my friend, you can and you should.

If you need a place to start, I talk a lot about my HR journey and my journey through burnout in my book, The Sparkle. It's not a magic bullet, but it may just give you the lift or the push you need in a moment when you need it most. You can find the link in my profile.

For my non-HR friends, if you ever want to make your friendly HR representative's day, a warm smile or a note saying 'job well done' goes a long way. Also calling them by their first name works too :-)