Badge of Busy
The Badge of Busy: Why HR Needs to Redefine Success
Every time I talk to an HR leader, the conversation starts the same way:
“I’m so busy.”
“It’s just crazy right now.”
“I don’t have a second to breathe.”
I recently spoke with a VP of HR who epitomized this mindset. They worked six days a week, commuted over an hour each way, and after budget cuts wiped out their staff, they were running HR with a team of interns. And here’s the kicker—they almost seemed proud of it. As if working long hours, sacrificing work-life balance, and shouldering an unsustainable workload was proof of their dedication and resilience.
Sound familiar? It should—because this is the culture HR has unintentionally built for itself. We advocate for balance, wellness, and sustainable work environments for employees—but when it comes to ourselves? We wear exhaustion like a trophy. But here’s the truth: Being overworked doesn’t make you a great HR leader. It just makes you
replaceable.
Because when burnout inevitably sets in—and it will—what happens next? Who’s left to advocate for talent? Who’s left to shape company culture? Who’s left to drive strategy when HR is running on fumes? We have to
change this narrative.
Yes, HR teams are being asked to do more with fewer resources. Budgets are tightening, workloads are increasing, and expectations have never been higher. But wearing “busy” as a badge of honor isn’t a strategy—it’s a
warning sign.
The Reality of HR Burnout
HR is uniquely positioned at the crossroads of business demands, leadership expectations, and employee needs. And as companies push for leaner HR departments, the pressure to do more with less is creating a burnout
epidemic in the profession. Recent research paints a troubling picture:
1. Ninety-eight percent of HR professionals have reported experiencing feelings of burnout over a six-month period. (HR Executive)
2. 45% of employees experiencing burnout are actively seeking another job, compared to 16% of employees who are not burned out. (SHRM)
3. Productivity declines sharply after 50 hours of work per week, with error rates and disengagement increasing exponentially. (Stanford Research)
The longer we keep glorifying “busy,” the more we normalize burnout—and the greater the risk of losing great HR leaders to exhaustion, disillusionment, or disengagement. So how do we break the cycle? How do we shift from reacting to everything to leading with purpose?
Here are five strategies to break free from the Badge of Busy:
Prioritize What Actually Moves the Business Forward: One of the biggest mistakes HR professionals make? Treating everything as urgent. Not all tasks are equal. Not all fires need to be put out immediately. If HR is going to stop being reactive, we need to ruthlessly prioritize.
Action Step: Identify your Big 3 HR Priorities each quarter—initiatives that
truly impact business outcomes.Ask yourself:
- Does this task drive business success, or is it just “keeping things running” work?
- What would break if I didn’t do this today?
- Who else can take ownership of this?
HR is not the complaint department—it’s a strategic function. If leadership doesn’t see that, it’s our job to change the narrative.Set Expectations with Leadership—And Hold the Line: One of HR’s biggest challenges? Endless fire drills. Employees need an answer right now. A leader wants a policy change by next week. Payroll needs
adjustments ASAP. And somehow, HR is expected to absorb it all without question. But here’s the thing: HR isn’t the company’s emergency response team.
Action Step: Be proactive in setting boundaries with leadership. Instead of reacting to last-minute requests, create an HR Service Level Agreement (SLA) that outlines response times, priorities, and realistic deliverables.Example:
- Employee relations cases? 48-hour response time.
- New hire onboarding? Scheduled 2 weeks in advance.
- Leadership development program? Planned quarterly, not ad hoc.When HR sets clear expectations, it forces leadership to plan better—and prevents HR from becoming the company’s default fix-it team.
Automate, Delegate, and Say No More Often: HR leaders don’t need more hours in the day. We need better systems, stronger teams, and permission to let go.
Action Step: Look at what you’re doing manually—and stop.What to Automate:
- Benefits & PTO tracking → HR tech can handle common questions.
- Employee inquiries → A well-organized HR portal saves time.
- Performance management → Stop chasing managers—automate the process.What to Delegate:
- Onboarding tasks → Let hiring managers own culture integration.
- Data reporting → Your HRIS can generate reports—HR shouldn’t be a human spreadsheet.
- Event planning & admin tasks → If it’s not strategic, someone else should own it.Bottom Line: The best HR leaders aren’t the busiest—they’re the
most focused.Promote a Culture of Well-being (Starting with Yourself): How can we expect employees to set boundaries if HR sets none for itself?
Action Step: Model work-life balance.
- Take time off—and mean it.
- Encourage leadership to actively respect HR’s capacity.
- Normalize well-being as a leadership priority, not a perk.Culture starts at the top—and HR needs to lead the way.
Invest in Continuous Learning to Work Smarter, not harder: HR isn’t just about putting out fires—it’s about future-proofing talent strategy.
Action Step: Stay ahead of the game.
- Dedicate time to AI-driven HR tools, analytics, and strategic learning.
- Automate repetitive work to focus on high-value strategic initiatives.
- Attend conferences, roundtables, and industry workshops to bring innovative solutions to the table.Smart HR leaders don’t just work harder—they work smarter.
Final Thought: Redefine Success in HR Leadership: HR doesn’t get an award for exhaustion. No one hands out trophies for working 12-hour days and putting out fires. We should aim for real impact, influence, and strategic leadership. If we want HR to be seen as a business driver, we have to stop leading like we’re just trying to survive.
What steps have you taken to move beyond the "badge of busy" in your professional life? Share your experiences and insights in the comments below.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Jeff Lupinacci spent the last 25 years at some of the world's best-known companies, such as Intel Corporation and Kimberly-Clark. His career spans key executive roles such as Chief Learning Officer, Chief Talent Officer, and Chief Integration Officer. After a successful corporate career, Jeff turned his focus to his true passion—serving the overworked and under-resourced HR profession.
Beyond his corporate success, Jeff is a sought-after speaker and thought leader, with his insights featured in leading publications such as CFO Europe, Nikkei Business Magazine, and Baylor Business Review. In addition to his business leadership, Jeff is an adjunct professor at Baylor University, where he teaches Human Capital Management for the Executive MBA program and leads the HR Strategy and Analytics capstone for undergraduates.
Jeff is the best-selling author of The Talent Advantage: A CEO’s Journey to Discover the Value of Talent. He lives in Dallas, Texas, with his wife and two doodles.