HR professionals in the UK are facing alarming levels of absenteeism - higher than any other group, signalling that the emotional strain on “people teams” may be pushing them past the breaking point.
HR roles have ballooned beyond policy‑making to include culture shaping, wellbeing championing, conflict management, redundancy support, and more - all under intense pressure without matching support.
The emotional job load is overwhelming, and Gen Z HR professionals, often early in their careers, are especially vulnerable.
When HR is stretched thin, wider business functions suffer: recruitment stalls, compliance risks arise, and trust erodes.
✅ Solutions on the table:
• Build robust wellbeing frameworks and ensure HR has access to mental‑health services.
• Create reflective spaces, mentoring programs, and peer support networks.
• Reassess workloads, consider outsourcing/tech support, and invest in line‑manager capability
👉 What’s your experience?
Have you noticed increasing HR strain in your organisation?
How are you supporting your people team?
