Why I'm Declaring 2024 The Year Of The Happy, Healthy HR Pro

I'll never forget the day that the call came to tell me my replacement had died.

I was on a Mastermind day, I'd seen a couple of missed calls and I stepped outside into the courtyard during the break. The sun was shining, my energy was high, and I thought the call would be good news.

I don't remember how I responded.

I felt a mix of emotions and I wasn't sure how to process any of it.

Two days later, the call came to let me know that I'd not been the first HRD in the organisation to have become seriously ill.

Something inside me changed that week.

I'd left my corporate career to start my multi award-winning People and Change Consultancy. We were doing great work, working with great clients, making great money, and doing things differently, but my contact with the CIPD took me down a different path.

I'd reached out to them to ask what support was available for HRDs. To find out how many of us were becoming ill as a result of workplaces. And to see what was being done to support our profession from this thing called Burnout that I'd been told I'd experienced.

"You'll have to contact your EAP" was the response from the CIPD.

Not good enough.

I went on to create the world's first Mental Wellbeing for HR Programme, I studied and learned and researched as much as I could about stress, Burnout, and the way it impacts our mind and body, and I've even written two books on the topics.

Almost 10 years later, those of us supporting HR and the wellbeing of HR are on the rise. 

This work is needed. 

This support is needed. Particularly whilst we continue to be let down by our awarding bodies who always focus on what HR should be doing to support others, but nothing about how we take care of ourselves.

I'm not letting another year pass without HR realising that they matter as people first - and this is why I do what I do.

HR Pros are often belittled for doing the 'soft' stuff, the non-business related stuff, the stuff that doesn't make a difference to the bottom line, and they do so with fewer resources, fewer people, and reduced budgets year on year, and then when many ask for help, it's denied.

Your people ARE your business. Your HR people are people too.

Your people are impacted by life and work every single day, and this takes its toll on the HR people that you tell all of your people to speak to.

I'm declaring 2024 the year of the happy, healthy, and high-performing HR Pro, but you don't need to wait until then to start prioritising yourself.

No other HR Pro will reach the levels of Burnout that I did whilst I can help it - not ever!

Kelly

P.S Download my FREE self-coaching tool for HR Pro in 2024 here 

www.kellyswingler.com

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