Who Looks After HR? Wellbeing in Times of Change

HR is the enabling service at the heart of an organisation; it’s the engine room that keeps culture, workforce stability, leadership capability, and day-to-day people operations running smoothly. When this function is under pressure, struggling, or stretched too thin, the effects are felt across the organisation. Transformation slows, decision-making is delayed, employee confidence wavers, and culture can start to erode. In short, a healthy enabling service isn’t optional, it’s essential for an organisation to thrive. 

In my work as an executive recruiter specialising in senior HR appointments across local government, I speak daily with talented and committed HR professionals. More than ever, candidates are asking deeper questions about wellbeing: How seriously is it taken? What do the latest engagement survey results show? How flexible is the organisation in supporting agile working? And what does the wellbeing offer really look like in practice? 

These questions aren’t being asked out of curiosity; they’re driven by lived experience. I hear from HR leaders every day who are dealing with constant change, driving organisations forward, managing new legislative demands, and supporting services through transformation - all while navigating the ripple effects that change creates across every corner of the organisation. As a result, wellbeing has moved from a peripheral consideration to a core criterion when candidates assess their next move. 

A perspective shaped by my career 
Earlier in my career, I viewed HR wellbeing largely through a strategic and market lens. As I progressed into specialising in senior HR recruitment within local government, my perspective deepened. The conversations I now have daily with HR leaders go far beyond structures and policies; they focus on sustainability, resilience, and the personal impact of leading through continuous change. 

Listening to candidates at pivotal points in their careers has shaped how I think about wellbeing. I’ve seen first-hand how the pressure placed on HR leaders influences not only their decision to move roles, but also the types of organisations they actively choose to join. That insight now sits at the heart of how I advise both candidates and clients. 

To understand the current picture more clearly, I ran a short temperature-check poll with my HR network. The early results tell an interesting story: 
• 13% feel in a good place 
• 38% say they are okay - manageable, but with some strain 
• 38% are struggling 
• 13% feel at risk 

It’s a small snapshot, but it mirrors what I’m hearing more broadly. What stands out most is that more than half of respondents placed themselves in the “struggling” or “at risk” categories. These are senior professionals who are exceptionally skilled at navigating pressure and change but that doesn’t make them immune to its impact. There’s no secret armour that makes HR leaders invincible. 

What’s particularly striking is that while everyone plays a role in supporting wellbeing, HR leaders are often the ones whose own wellbeing is most likely to be overlooked. 

This means wellbeing isn’t just an internal priority; it has become a recruitment reality. The most talented candidates are no longer motivated purely by role, title, or even salary. They are evaluating whether an organisation can genuinely support them to do their best work, and they want clear evidence that wellbeing is taken seriously at every level. 

From the conversations I’ve had, several factors consistently emerge as non-negotiables for today’s HR leaders: 
• Flexibility that truly works - supporting agile working and personal wellbeing 
• A wellbeing offer that is lived -  policies in action, not just on paper 
• A culture of engagement -  high engagement signals that wellbeing is genuinely embedded 

From my experience, these are the signals candidates look for when assessing opportunities. Organisations that struggle to provide them risk losing out in an already competitive market, while those that invest in these fundamentals attract leaders who can deliver sustainable change and strengthen culture. 

If local government wants to attract and retain exceptional HR leadership, wellbeing cannot sit at the edges of strategy. It must be embedded into how organisations lead, resource, and support their enabling services. 

The demand for great HR talent has never been higher, and candidate expectations have never been clearer. Supporting the wellbeing of HR leaders isn’t a “nice to have” it’s central to organisational success. HR leaders want to join organisations where they can make a real difference: improving engagement, embedding positive cultures, and championing wellbeing across the workforce. 

Opportunities where wellbeing is recognised as a strategic priority, taken seriously, and backed by tangible support will be highly compelling. But for this to work, the offer must be genuine, properly resourced, and embedded into the way the organisation operates. 

Creating an environment where HR can thrive ensures they have the energy and capacity to lead change, strengthen culture, and drive organisations forward.