Transforming HR: Aligning People Services with Enterprise-Wide Change
By Richard Joseph
(A Note Before We Begin)
This article may challenge some perspectives, especially for those in HR. I ask for patience—read through to the end before reacting. The goal here is not to attack individuals in HR, many of whom are dedicated, compassionate professionals. Instead, it’s to examine the system itself and call for change in how organizations approach their relationship with the people who keep them running.
The Evolution of HR: From "Personnel" to "Risk Management"
In the 1950s-1970s, what we now call Human Resources was commonly referred to as "Personnel Management." The focus was on administrative tasks—hiring, payroll, benefits, and compliance. But over time, companies realized that managing employees wasn’t just about logistics—it was about managing risk.
By the 1980s, HR underwent a strategic transformation. No longer just "Personnel," HR became an integral part of business strategy. This meant shifting from employee services to corporate risk management—ensuring that labor laws were met, lawsuits were avoided, and employee issues were handled in ways that protected the company first. The idea of HR as an employee advocate became a convenient illusion.
Today, HR professionals oversee hiring, compliance, performance management, corporate messaging, and workplace culture initiatives—but let’s be clear: their core function is to serve and protect the company. When employee needs align with company interests, everyone wins. But when those interests conflict? The company’s interests take priority.
To make matters more complex, HR also plays a critical role in enterprise-wide digital transformation efforts. Organizations undergoing major change—from implementing new ERP systems to shifting toward AI-driven business models—must align People Services with these efforts. When HR is left out of these initiatives, companies fail to manage the human impact of change, leading to resistance, burnout, and failed adoption of new technologies.
The Problem: People as “Resources”
We are humans, sure. But more than that, we’re People. We have families, responsibilities, histories, and struggles. Yet when organizations define us as “resources,” it becomes easier to make impersonal, numbers-driven decisions about the very People who make up the organization.
A Person struggling with burnout might be seen as a resource with declining productivity.
A Person raising concerns about ethics or workplace treatment might be seen as a legal risk to be mitigated.
A Person with immense potential might be passed over because their resource cost is deemed too high.
HR, as it exists today, is a mask—a division that presents itself as an employee ally but ultimately represents the company’s best interests first. Many HR professionals care deeply about People, but their role constrains them to act within the boundaries of risk management. That does not mean that protecting the company is inherently bad—it means that transparency about HR’s role is essential. HR professionals often have to navigate situations where protecting the company is the right course of action, especially when employees are not acting ethically or in alignment with company values.
However, when HR is integrated into enterprise-wide transformation, it has the opportunity to become more than a compliance function. By ensuring that the People impact of digital and operational change is managed effectively, HR can shift from being a risk-mitigation entity to a strategic enabler of transformation.
The Fix: Humanizing HR (And Calling It Something Else)
If organizations genuinely want to change, we need to stop pretending HR is an employee advocate and be honest about its function. If HR’s primary goal is to manage risk, that’s fine—but let’s not hide it under the guise of being a support system for employees.
Instead, let’s redefine HR into a function that truly serves the People within an organization.
Let’s shift the focus from "Human Resources" to "People Services." HR should still handle recruiting, hiring, compliance, and incident management—but with transparency and a people-first mindset. Managing risk will still happen by default if these processes are done well.
Let’s educate employees about HR’s true role. Workers need to understand that HR is not their personal advocate. People should trust—but verify any guidance they receive. HR professionals should be transparent about when they are acting in the company's best interest versus when they can genuinely help an individual. These situations are often nuanced, and not always a simple case of “HR vs. employees.”
Let’s integrate HR into transformation efforts. Any enterprise-wide digital transformation initiative must include alignment with People Services. Whether it’s a new ERP system, AI-driven automation, or remote work enablement, HR must be involved early in the process to anticipate workforce challenges, shape training programs, and ensure adoption. This reduces resistance to change and helps businesses maximize the value of their investments.
Let’s stop making HR the face of hiring and firing. HR should facilitate processes, but managers and leadership should own the human impact of these decisions. It’s unfair to People and HR professionals alike when HR is treated as the cold, impersonal executioner of corporate decisions.
Final Thought: A Call for Change
HR shouldn’t be an adversary to employees, but it also can’t be expected to be their personal advocate while simultaneously protecting the company. That contradiction is why trust in HR has eroded.
Organizations must rethink how they position HR—not as a corporate shield, but as a function that supports both risk management and employee well-being in equal measure. This means:
Creating separate, independent employee advocacy functions within companies.
Giving People real options for workplace concerns beyond a department that ultimately answers to the company.
Holding leadership accountable for People-focused decision-making, rather than outsourcing it to HR.
Aligning People Services with enterprise-wide transformation efforts to ensure that employees are supported through technological and operational change.
HR can and should continue doing what it does best, but under a more honest, more human-centered approach. Because at the end of the day, we’re not just "human resources." We’re People. And People deserve better.
What do you think?
How has your experience with HR shaped your perception of its role? What changes would you like to see in how organizations handle People Services?
Richard Joseph is a technology and business strategist focused on supply chains, digital transformation, and the intersection of economic policy and modern enterprise.