Jim Horn is the CHRO of Ulteig.

While the COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting changes in many of our workplaces have increased the pressure on HR leaders and their teams, they have also elevated our value in organizations. Our voices and perspectives are critical in senior leadership conversations on business, societal and economic factors such as talent scarcity, wage inflation, technology disruption, heightened political discourse and attacks on DEI and ESG.

I recently attended an HR leadership conference hosted by an industry advisory group. The event served as a powerful reminder of the dedication, selflessness and collaborative spirit within the HR community. It provided valuable learning opportunities and fostered meaningful connections with peers.

However, it also highlighted a concerning undercurrent — some HR leaders expressed frustration about the ongoing perceptions of HR within their companies.

Meanwhile, our employees are struggling. A Korn Ferry survey found employee stress levels have risen nearly 20% in three decades and a 2024 Workplace State of Mind study by Headspace revealed work stress negatively impacted physical health for a staggering 77% of employees. Workers are being whipsawed by company directives on return to work. Leaders and teams are still adjusting to a virtual work environment that may not cultivate the same sense of belonging they felt in the past, with much of our communication as leaders being conducted through a screen.

People feel burned out and anxious — and they need our help.

Are our stressed-out employees getting what they need from us as HR leaders? Have we over-indexed our focus on the business strategy, administration and process elements of our roles that, while critical to our organizations’ success, do not differentiate us as leaders? Are we leading with, modeling and inspiring through a brand of humanism that is desperately needed in these times?

What inspired me the most from my peers at the recent conference was their compassion, openness, understanding and desire to be inclusive. I wondered to myself whether we are seen this way within our companies. I’m guessing that most of us have opportunities to build a more humanistic brand for ourselves and our teams.

What actions can we take to establish or augment our humanistic leadership brand? Here are a few ideas to capture in your game plan that I’ve seen make a difference:

1. Vulnerability

I have found that nothing humanizes and builds trust more quickly than opening up our world to others, with all our work and non-work joys and heartaches. Folks identify more with us when they know that we have the same types of human challenges as everyone else. I’ve found that sharing personal experiences builds trust with my team, signaling to them that we are here to support each other.

2. Empathy

We’ve all seen how impactful it is when someone shows true care and compassion when we are going through challenging times in our lives. It leaves an imprint on us and makes us more likely to reciprocate when others are struggling. Take the time to learn about what’s happening with team members and periodically check in to see how they’re doing.

Further, understanding what someone may be dealing with in their personal life may put into context how they show up at work and why they may be “off their game.” Meeting these moments with empathy and support, rather than discipline or suspicion, can make an immense difference in developing strong, trusting relationships.

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