International HR Day: honoring a noble profession that rarely honors itself

Today I attended an International HR Day event hosted by IHRP Singapore. A panel of senior HR leaders talked openly about the realities of the profession: the budget constraints, building credibility, and the constant balancing act between business priorities and people.

One moment really resonated with me.

One of the HR professionals on the panel described a phone call they received from a former employee, about three months after a difficult exit. The employee's role had been made redundant. Although the team had done everything they could to find him an alternative position within the organization, they couldn't.

Three months later, the employee called to say thank you.

He had just been appointed Head of a new function at a competitor. It was a better role than anything he'd had before. He called to thank the HR leader who had sat with him through some of the hardest months of his life. Who had shown up for the difficult conversations. Who had never stopped encouraging him, even when there was nothing comfortable left to say.

When I heard that story, I thought to myself: that's the job.

The profession we sometimes forget we're in

International HR Day 2025 is themed "Empower People to Lead Change." Honestly, I think it undersells what HR can actually do.

HR professionals don't just empower people to lead change. They stand beside people during redundancies, performance conversations, bereavements, and exits that feel like failures but sometimes turn out to be the best thing that ever happened. They hold the tension between business pressure and human dignity, often without recognition and often without much support of their own.

The word "noble" came up more than once during the panel. I know it will sound grandiose to some, but consider the actual definition: having or showing fine personal qualities and high moral principles. Shaping how people experience their working lives. Advocating for fairness when no one else will. Being the person someone calls three months after they've left because you were the one who never gave up on them. That's not a support function. That's noble work.

The part we don't say enough

The reality is that HR is often the last function to receive the support it extends so readily to everyone else.

One panelist said it directly: sometimes HR is the last to be cared for.

The data backs this up. According to the HR Mental Wellbeing Report 2025, which surveyed over 1,400 HR professionals in the UK, 63% are very likely experiencing burnout, with a further 15% at risk. A total of 87% say support at work is insufficient, and 42% are considering leaving the profession altogether. Whatever the numbers look like across Asia, few HR professionals I speak with would find those figures surprising.

You carry other people's hardest problems. You are expected to be a steady presence during organizational chaos. And you do most of this without anyone asking how you're holding up.

If International HR Day means anything, it should include a pause to ask that question.

A reflection for you

When did someone last check in on you? And when did you last check in on yourself (let’s be honest here)?

Not a quick "I'm fine" and then moving on to the next thing. A real reflection where you ask yourself:

• Am I sleeping well?

• Am I enjoying any part of this work?

• Is there anything in my life right now that has nothing to do with my job (family, pets, hobbies, etc)?

• When is the last time I actually used one of the wellbeing programs I helped to create?

The particular challenge for HR professionals is that you know all the frameworks. You can name the burnout models, cite the research, and recommend the right support for someone. That expertise can become a barrier. It's easy to convince yourself you have it covered when actually you're just better at naming the problem than addressing it.

You don't have to have it all figured out. Even the most experienced HR leaders lose their sense of direction or wonder whether the work still means what it once did.

A place to start

In the final episode of Season 1 of the Women in HR podcast, I talked about the hardest career problem I ever had to solve: my own.

If you're an HR professional who has been giving everything to the organization and not much to yourself lately, this one's for you.

Listen here: The hardest career problem I ever had to solve was my own

Happy International HR Day. You're doing more than you know.

I work with female senior leaders in Human Resources who feel stuck to help them love their work or find work they love. I write about:

👂 Executive & career coaching

📄 Career development and career transition

🎯 Job search strategy

All content provided in this post is for informational purposes only. The writer makes no representations as to the accuracy or completeness of any information on this site or found by following any link on this site. The writer will not be liable for any errors or omissions in this information nor for the availability of this information. The writer will not be liable for any losses, injuries, or damages from the display or use of this information. These terms and conditions of use are subject to change at any time and without notice.