Click here for a full transcript of the episode.

In this episode of The JoyPowered® Workspace Podcast, hosts JoDee Curtis and Susan White explore why some employees have negative perceptions of HR and what HR professionals can do to build stronger relationships and credibility. Drawing on feedback from an informal survey, their own experiences, and insights from Harvard Business Review, they discuss common frustrations with HR, from inconsistent policies and poor communication to concerns about confidentiality and accessibility.

The conversation highlights ways HR professionals can become more visible, approachable, and valuable throughout their organizations. JoDee and Susan also share practical ideas for demonstrating HR’s business impact, staying current through ongoing education, and keeping the “human” in human resources.

Key Takeaways

• Understand where negative perceptions of HR come from. Employees’ opinions of HR are often shaped by personal experiences, especially during difficult moments involving policies, discipline, workplace concerns, or organizational changes.
• Communication can make a significant difference. When employees don’t know who their HR contact is, why a policy exists, or what’s happening with a concern they raised, trust can suffer. Clear, consistent communication helps employees understand HR’s role and what they can expect.
• Build relationships throughout the organization. HR professionals can strengthen trust by being visible and getting to know employees at all levels, rather than primarily interacting with employees when there’s a problem.
• Keep policies relevant. Regularly review policies and practices to make sure they still serve the organization and its employees. Outdated policies and inconsistent exceptions can undermine HR’s credibility.
• Strengthen your business acumen. Understanding how your organization makes money, where it spends money, and what risks and challenges it faces can help HR contribute more effectively to business decisions.
• Show the impact of HR’s work. Connect HR initiatives to organizational results whenever possible. Improvements in areas such as time to hire, productivity, retention, and leadership effectiveness can help demonstrate HR’s value.
• Commit to ongoing learning. Continuing education, webinars, conferences, professional organizations, and other learning opportunities can help HR professionals bring fresh thinking and current practices to their organizations.
• Keep the human in human resources. Employees are more likely to view HR as a trusted partner when HR professionals demonstrate empathy, understand policies, communicate thoughtfully, and focus on creating a fair and supportive workplace.

Quote of the Episode

“As business leaders and HR professionals, we need to recognize how the HR function can be perceived and figure out what we may be doing that isn’t received how we really want it to be.” – Susan White

Mentioned in this episode:

• Purple Ink
• Susan Tinder White Consulting
• “Why We Love to Hate HR…and What HR Can Do About It”
• 11 Meeting Etiquette Rules You Should Follow at Work – Indeed, updated June 2026
• 10 Ways to Have a Better Conversation – TED, May 2015
• We Need to Talk: How to Have Conversations that Matter by Celeste Headlee
• JoyPowered® on Facebook
• JoyPowered® on LinkedIn
• JoyPowered® on Instagram
• Email JoyPowered®