Why is HR responsible for ‘everything’?

HR should be the coach, not the crutch. The problem is that many managers don’t want to be the bad cop. They’d rather call HR than confront issues head-on, writes Rebecca Houghton.

I recently sparked a firestorm on LinkedIn with a post that went something like this:

“OMFG! Why is HR responsible for everything? Only 9 per cent of C-suite leaders believe that managers are responsible for retaining staff. Yet 58 per cent still think HR is primarily in charge of this task. At an ELMO breakfast recently, I was appalled by how comfortably HR accepted accountability for performance management as well. Help me out here – what the actual…?”

It struck a nerve, especially with HR professionals.

One commenter even called me her new best friend for finally saying what so many have been thinking but few have dared to voice: for too long, HR has been unfairly saddled with responsibilities that should rest squarely on the shoulders of managers.

Here’s the cold, hard truth: you can’t directly influence another team’s behaviour – that’s the leader’s job. And if managers were doing their jobs, would HR even need to be involved? The answer is a resounding no.

HR should be the coach, not the crutch. The problem is that many managers don’t want to be the bad cop. They’d rather call HR than confront issues head-on. But let’s not kid ourselves – that’s not management or leadership. It’s avoidance, plain and simple.

One frustrated commenter nailed it: “The person who understands your work doesn’t raise the issues, and the person raising the issues doesn’t understand your work.” And therein lies the crux of the problem: a disconnect that leaves critical conversations unspoken and unresolved, to the detriment of everyone involved.

The result? HR is left overwhelmed, managers remain unprepared and ill-equipped to handle the challenges of retention and performance management, employees feel disillusioned and blindsided, and the entire organisation suffers – big time. And the worst part? The cycle keeps repeating itself, dragging everyone down in its wake.

This issue stems from a well-documented lack of support for middle management by the C-suite – a lack of faith in their ability to lead. But it’s also perpetuated by well-meaning HR leaders and professionals who, despite their complaints about being overwhelmed, continue to take on these responsibilities – continue to “help”.

Another root cause is the common misconception that leadership is just a more senior version of the same job. We all know that organisations regularly promote subject matter experts into leadership roles without suitable retraining – but organisations also promote leaders from one level to another without suitable retraining, as if a senior and junior leader are basically the same!

So, what needs to change? Three things, to start with:

Make managers manage

Enough is enough. Make managers manage. I’m not here to throw middle managers under the bus – I’m actually their number one fan – but the scales are tipping the wrong way. When middle managers get it right, I call them the B-suite. They’re the backbone of any organisation, holding everything together and driving success from the middle out.

HR needs to stop enabling this madness

To all HR professionals out there: stop enabling this madness. Push leaders to take accountability. Use your expertise to coach, not to cover. If “retention” is one of your KPIs, it’s time to address that – make it clear that true retention starts with effective management, not HR intervention. HR should never take the fall for poor leadership, management, or retention.

The C-suite needs to rethink who’s truly responsible for retention and management

And to the C-suite: if you want your managers to lead, then support them properly. Stop outsourcing their responsibilities to HR and start building a culture where leadership is about leading – not just a title. Why should managers bother with difficult conversations about performance and retention if their own leaders don’t consider it part of the job? It’s time to demand real leadership and hold those in management accountable for their teams.

Because if HR is responsible for everything, who’s really leading?

Rebecca Houghton is a middle management expert, author, and founder of BoldHR.