Canada (EN)
Even as HR leaders are increasingly called upon to play a more strategic role at the executive leadership table, I believe we’re also carrying more of the organization’s human and ethical weight than ever before. And through it all, our number one-priority remains our people - recruiting them, training them, retaining them and ensuring they have the best employee experience possible. That includes the benefits we provide and how/when employees interact with them as they seek to live their best lives at work and at home.
As HR professionals, we’re uniquely positioned as both creators and users of those benefits - and as the architects and inhabitants of the culture. From my experience, that dual role brings insight, but it also creates real tension: We design systems while living inside them every day. Does that mean we have it easier than the rest of the employee population? Are we completely enthralled with our companies and confident navigating the complex benefits landscape? While HR’s role is often perceived as that of company cheerleader, I know firsthand that our perceptions are typically mixed. Pride in our organization often coexists with fatigue, uncertainty and the quiet pressure to remain positive for others.
In developing the 2025 Alight Employee Mindset Study, we oversampled HR professionals to pull back the curtain on how those who manage workplace culture and benefits actually perceive the employee experience themselves. What we learned was truly eye-opening - and in many cases, deeply human.
For example, HR professionals report feeling better than the general employee population in some areas, while struggling just like everyone else - and sometimes even more - in others. It’s a contradiction many of us live every day: deep commitment alongside growing exhaustion. Nearly three-quarters (72%) say great things about working at their organization (vs. 60% of non-HR) and 67% say they hardly ever think about working elsewhere (17 points higher than non-HR). Yet more than half (56%) of HR pros admit they dread starting their workday and 55% have lost their passion for delivering top-notch work.
Perhaps most telling, those who manage hiring and firing are far more stressed about job security than anyone else:
- 58% are concerned about job stability (vs. 31% of non-HR)
- 52% report growing anxiety about their professional future (vs. 26% of non-HR)
- 54% say they've lost trust in their employer's wellbeing efforts (vs. 27% of non-HR)
Silently struggling
Clearly, many HR professionals don’t feel they can openly admit uncertainty about their future prospects at the company. The expectation to project confidence and stability often leaves little room for vulnerability. Unfortunately, a significant percentage don’t feel comfortable sharing - even with their managers. While 85% have discussed their stress levels with their managers, only 66% feel they can talk about emotional challenges and 51% say they are lonely at work.
This leaves HR in the unenviable position of having to maintain a professional facade while internally wrestling with workplace challenges, often without the same intentional support structures they work so hard to create for others. We all know it can be exhausting being the person who's supposed to fix everything when you're feeling broken yourself.
Making matters worse, HR pros aren’t entirely convinced their companies have their best interests at heart. Just 69% believe the company genuinely cares about their wellbeing, compared to 52% of non-HR employees. Even more surprising, only 70% of HR pros say they understand the company’s benefits, just 15 points higher than non-HR. Admittedly, it’s revealing that nearly one-third of the function charged with developing the benefits strategy doesn’t have a working understanding of the benefits offered themselves. From where I sit, this reflects complexity and cognitive overload - not lack of care. This points to a definite need to adopt a high-tech, human touch benefits strategy that engages employees with their benefits in the moments that matter and guides them to the best decisions.
Seeking alignment
So, where does this leave HR and the leaders who rely so heavily on the function to steward culture, trust and fairness? Mindset data makes it clear that workplace challenges don’t discriminate by job title and HR professionals are deeply vulnerable. For those of us in HR, our insider perspective is both a gift and a dangerous blind spot. It’s crucial to accept that our view from inside the function is not the same as the employees’ view. We can’t assume that non-HR employees have more or less of an understanding of something like benefits - or that non-HR employees feel the same when it comes to job security or their motivation to do great work.
How can we in HR ensure we are fulfilling our commitment to supporting the workforce when our perspective differs so drastically?
In my view, the key to gaining alignment with the workforce lies in creating intentional mechanisms and rhythms that support perspective-taking and share understanding including:
- Conducting anonymous, comprehensive workforce surveys
- Rotating team members through different departments to gain fresh perspectives
- Regularly engaging with employees outside formal interactions
- Implementing regular, meaningful feedback mechanisms
- Demonstrating that employee input drives real change
To be clear, this isn't about throwing HR under the bus. It's about recognizing that those managing workplace benefits and culture are human, too, and their wellbeing is foundational to the wellbeing of the workforce they support. The unique perspective provided by HR professionals is valuable, but it's not the only perspective that matters. Ensuring connection with employees and seeking alignment on key issues not only helps HR better serve the workforce, it may help adjust their perspective as well. I’m convinced that when HR is supported, seen and trusted, organizations don’t just perform better, they become more humane.
