Structure isn’t bureaucracy, it’s the difference between shared responsibility and silent frustration.

HR’s role is structure. Managers own the need, the urgency, and the decision.
When those lines blur, HR carries accountability without authority, managers feel blocked, and leadership wonders why hiring feels harder than it should.

Burnout is not a personal failure. It’s a signal that something bigger needs to change.

Burnout doesn’t mean someone’s doing it wrong. It usually means the system is.

It’s not about overhauling everything. It’s about building just enough structure to get some breathing room back.

What’s one small thing you’re doing to create more space this year?

This isn’t about working harder. It’s about creating the conditions to lead well.

Approvals, check-ins, follow-ups... and yes, the onboarding checklist that somehow still gets lost.

This year, I’m not trying to do more. I’m trying to do it differently.

The job has doubled. You’re not behind. You’re doing twice the work with half the credit.
It’s not a capacity problem. It’s a recognition problem.
Let’s stop pretending this is the same job it was in 2010.

If HR feels heavier than it used to, you’re not wrong. The role has grown. The expectations have grown.

But so has your ability to lead with intention instead of reaction.

Here’s how I do it now:

Build systems so fewer fires start in the first place.
Protect my time and energy so I can focus on what matters most.
Say the thing that needs to be said: early, clearly, and with care.

Being a strong HR leader isn’t about doing more. It’s about owning the right things.
And maybe—just maybe—checking if your “set it and forget it” tool has been quietly forgetting everything.

So how do you stop fixing and start designing?
• Look at your tools from the user’s POV, not just the policy view
• Make ease-of-use a requirement, not a nice-to-have
• Work across functions so HR isn’t solving in a vacuum
• Speak up when tech becomes the barrier, not the solution

Because here’s what happens when you rely on tools no one wants to use:
• Risk builds up behind the scenes
• HR ends up in cleanup mode instead of leading change
• Leadership assumes "we have a system" means "we’re covered"
• Strategy gets sidelined for damage control