The Four Stages of HR Employment.
HR Burnout isn’t just exhaustion. It’s carrying the weight of employees on FMLA. It’s dealing with that engineer who keeps showing up drunk. It’s watching Dara from accounting fire people for sport while wondering if you’re next.
It’s carrying the weight of employees on FMLA. It’s trying (and failing) to stop that toxic clique. It’s wondering if you just said the wrong thing to the boss. And somehow, HR is still expected to be the office therapist, crisis manager, and occasional Uber Tech Support.
I know—because I’ve been there.
The Four Stages of Employment:
1️⃣ We love you!
2️⃣ We need you!
3️⃣ We want you!
4️⃣ You’re fired.
A Sample of HR Reindeer Games
🚨 HR Story #1 – “That’s Beneath Me”
One day, I asked an HR partner to update a benefits spreadsheet. You’d think I asked them to shovel coal.
"That’s beneath my intelligence," they scoffed.
I paused. Silently corrected them. “Actually, it may be above you.”
HR isn’t just about people problems anymore—it’s about data, automation, and yes, AI. Which brings me to…
🚨 HR Story #2 – The Great “Repurpose” DebateI get it. I consider myself an artist too. And I staunchly believed repurposing work was plagiarism—until I realized...
If you didn’t create it, and you’re just rearranging existing pieces of work, are you any different from Human AI?
I see people fighting AI for redundant tasks, but why? The real job of HR isn’t data entry—it’s strategy, leadership, and protecting people - protecting the business is protecting jobs. AI is not for spying on people, discriminate, or use to gain leverage on others.
(*Unless you work for corporate con artists - Hint - They slash and burn staff, declare bankruptcy, move to their father's private island, and we-the-people pay the price, emotionally, financially, and physically. Hint 2: see which C-Suite person purchased a private plane.)
And yet, somehow, we are still treated like corporate therapists, crisis managers, and occasional Uber tech support.
Side Note: Stop stealing work from artists, writers, musicians, etc. It is not cool. Repurpose your own stuff. Otherwise, you are a Grifty Lu Sue.
Which brings me to…
🚨 HR Story #3 – The CEO Uber Call
At my mother’s 85th birthday party, I was exhausted. Friends and family told me I looked drained. But I was still answering emails the moment the plane landed—because, you know, HR is 24/7.
Then, midway through my mother’s birthday song, my phone rang. CEO Joe.
I panicked. OMG, what could be wrong?!
📞 “I’m waiting for my Uber, and it’s not here. Did you do something to the account?”
No, Joe. No, I did not.
And the best part? When I got back to work, he asked me to create a “work-life balance” initiative.
For everyone else, of course.
The Point:
HR professionals: Don’t be CEO Joe’s personal assistant. Don’t join the office clique. Don’t let the job eat your life.
✔ Use AI for the right tasks.
✔ Call out entitlement when you see it.
✔ Stand up for employees AND protect yourself.
And if you need to scream? Find a quiet place and curse at the stapler.
💬 HR folks—what’s your burnout story? Have you ever had a “CEO Joe” moment? Drop it in the comments.
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