Why the New Generation of HR Professionals Focus on Image over Substance: A Critical Analysis

The evolving role of Human Resources (HR) in modern organizations has created a complex landscape where the new generation of HR professionals is increasingly focused on personal branding and visibility rather than substance and expertise. While this shift can be partly attributed to the growing influence of social media, it also reflects broader cultural trends where external validation and fast-tracking careers have overshadowed the traditional values of HR. Several underlying factors contribute to this shift, and they carry potential long-term consequences for the HR profession and the organizations they serve.

One of the most profound changes affecting young HR professionals is the pressure to build personal brands, particularly through platforms like LinkedIn, Instagram, and TikTok. These platforms have become vehicles for showcasing not just professional achievements, but also lifestyle, appearance, and social status. The rise of personal branding has blurred the lines between personal and professional identities, creating a culture where professionals feel the need to carefully curate their public personas. The emphasis on "looking the part" over demonstrating expertise is particularly evident in HR, a field traditionally valued for its deep understanding of human capital management, labor laws, and organizational behavior. The desire for attention and recognition, driven by metrics such as likes, comments, and follower counts, pushes HR professionals to prioritize aesthetics over substance. In an age where visibility equates to opportunity, many feel that having a polished and fashionable online presence is essential to get ahead, even if it comes at the expense of building genuine expertise.

While personal branding can offer opportunities for career growth and networking, it also risks commodifying HR roles. Instead of being valued for their strategic input and understanding of people management, HR professionals may increasingly be judged by their ability to market themselves. This focus on appearance and popularity undermines the credibility that should come from substantive experience and knowledge. Furthermore, for organizations, this creates a deeper problem: their HR representatives are focusing more on self-promotion than on promoting the company’s values, culture, and employer brand. When HR professionals use their platforms primarily to build their own brand, organizations face the risk of losing out on the benefits that come with a strong, coherent employer brand message being communicated externally. Leadership often becomes concerned that while these professionals are being compensated by the company, they are using company resources and visibility to promote themselves rather than their organization.

The "influencer" culture that has emerged across industries is particularly pervasive in HR, where professionals are increasingly leveraging social media to build a following. The rise of what can be termed "Influencer HR" has led to a focus on creating viral content, motivational posts, and aesthetics, often overshadowing the deeper value-driven discussions that are essential to the profession. This trend can dilute the perceived credibility of HR professionals. While being an "influencer" may bring attention, it doesn't necessarily build trust or authority within the field. HR is inherently about dealing with complex, nuanced human issues—talent management, labor relations, compliance, and organizational development. When the focus shifts to external validation through social media, these core functions can be sidelined in favor of content that is more appealing but less substantial.

For organizations, this represents a challenge. Instead of focusing on key HR functions like fostering employee engagement, managing performance, or ensuring compliance with regulations, HR professionals may divert their attention to growing their own online profiles. This creates disconnect between the HR department’s role and the organization’s needs. Leaders become concerned that HR professionals are not fully committed to their organizational goals, but are instead prioritizing personal gains. This can erode trust between HR and leadership, leading to decreased confidence in HR's ability to serve as a strategic partner.

Moreover, this culture of validation reinforces the idea that external approval is the primary marker of success. The race to accumulate likes, shares, and followers encourages a focus on appearance rather than the internal competencies that are vital for long-term success in HR. This leads to a superficial understanding of HR, where being an influencer can become more important than being an effective HR leader. For organizations, the consequence is that they end up with HR teams that are less capable of solving critical internal issues or contributing to long-term strategy because their focus is on personal branding rather than organizational success.

Another critical issue facing the new generation of HR professionals is the lack of strong mentorship and professional development. In some cases, new entrants to the field may not receive the guidance needed to build a robust foundation in HR principles. Without proper mentorship, they may focus on what seems to be immediately rewarded—personal branding and visibility—rather than the deep competencies required to excel in the field. This lack of development creates a vicious cycle: without the support to build meaningful expertise, young professionals may gravitate toward image-building as a shortcut to success. The absence of seasoned mentors who emphasize the importance of long-term growth and the development of core HR skills—such as conflict resolution, organizational behavior, and employment law—leads to a hollowing out of the profession. Over time, this weakens the credibility of HR as a function and undermines the value it brings to organizations.

In many modern organizations, the role of HR professionals has evolved to include being brand ambassadors both internally and externally. This shift is partly due to the rise of employer branding, where HR plays a key role in shaping the company’s reputation and culture. However, this expanded role can sometimes lead to an overemphasis on optics, where HR professionals are more concerned with how they and their companies are perceived, rather than focusing on traditional HR competencies. The pressure to serve as a brand ambassador can detract from the essential work of HR—such as developing talent, managing performance, and ensuring compliance with labor laws. Instead of being seen as a strategic partner who shapes organizational culture and ensures legal compliance, HR professionals risk being seen as little more than corporate cheerleaders. This emphasis on image over substance can reduce the long-term impact HR has on organizational success.

For organizations, this presents another dilemma: if HR professionals prioritize being external ambassadors over internal problem solvers, leadership may question whether their HR teams are effectively contributing to business goals. Leadership may feel that the organization is paying for a resource that is not fully aligned with its needs, particularly if HR professionals are spending more time cultivating their own personal brand at the expense of driving value within the company. This can create friction between HR and leadership, weakening the department’s influence and strategic importance.

The desire to fast-track careers is another reason why young HR professionals may prioritize image over substance. In a fast-paced, results-driven world, there is a growing perception that appearing successful—whether through personal branding or influencer status—can lead to quicker promotions, raises, and opportunities. However, this focus on speed comes at a cost. The deep work required to become a credible HR leader, such as understanding labor laws, mastering employee relations, and developing strategic HR practices, cannot be fast-tracked. While it’s possible to gain visibility and attention quickly, building long-term credibility takes time and experience. HR professionals who prioritize short-term success through visibility may find themselves lacking the substantive skills needed to maintain credibility and effectiveness over the course of their careers.

The shift toward personal branding and the influencer culture in HR is a reflection of broader societal trends where visibility and external validation are increasingly prioritized over depth and substance. While there is value in building a personal brand and being visible in the digital age, HR professionals must be careful not to lose sight of the core competencies that define their role. To maintain credibility and impact in the long term, the next generation of HR leaders must strike a balance between building a personal brand and developing deep, substantive expertise. This will require mentorship, a commitment to continuous learning, and a focus on the foundational aspects of HR that ensure they can be effective, strategic partners in their organizations. Without this balance, the profession risks being reduced to surface-level influence without the depth needed to drive real change in organizations, while leadership will continue to grapple with the issue of paying for a resource that may be serving its own interests rather than those of the company.