Who is Taking Care of HR?

We show up. Every. Single. Day.

We hold space for others’ pain while hiding our own. We lead conversations about employee well-being while skipping our own doctor appointments. We coach leaders on empathy while trying to silence the burnout quietly building in our own bodies.

HR takes care of everyone. But who takes care of HR?

I’ve been in this field for nearly 30 years, and let me tell you — we don’t talk about this enough. HR is the department that gets the first call when someone’s struggling, when a crisis explodes, or when it’s time to “handle” a situation no one else wants to touch. We’re the calm in the storm, the fixer behind the scenes, the emotional shock absorbers of the workplace.

And yet, most days, we feel invisible.

We’re expected to be strong, steady, and selfless. We’re asked to drive engagement, champion DEI, manage compliance, protect culture, and navigate legal landmines — often while being under-resourced, excluded from major decisions, and balancing our own personal challenges at home.

We walk people out of the building after layoffs — and then go cry in our cars.
We mediate tensions between toxic leaders and exhausted teams — and then go answer emails like nothing happened.
We deliver training on resilience — while running on caffeine, grit, and grace.

Let’s be honest: HR fatigue is real. HR trauma is real. HR burnout is real.
But no one brings that up in leadership meetings. Why? Because HR isn’t “supposed” to need help. We’re the helpers.

Well, that narrative needs to change — starting now.

HR professionals are not robots. We are human.
And humans need support. We need safe spaces. We need development. We need boundaries. We need someone to check in and ask “How are YOU doing?” — and actually mean it.

So, to every CEO, executive, and department leader reading this:
If your HR team is still standing, leading, and supporting your people — appreciate them. Invest in them. Empower them. Don’t just depend on them; take care of them.

And to my fellow HR warriors:
It’s okay to ask for help. It’s okay to say no. It’s okay to prioritize yourself. We can’t continue pouring from an empty cup and expecting to feel whole.

Let this be your reminder:

• Your work matters.
•  Your well-being matters.
•  YOU matter.

So I’ll ask the question others forget to ask us:
“How are you doing today?”
And if the answer is anything less than “recharged and supported,” it’s time to start taking care of the one who takes care of everyone else — you.

Elga Lejarza

Founder & CEO

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