If You Can't Separate Politics from Your HR Role, You Might Be in the Wrong Career

This week, SHRM announced that President Joe Biden would keynote their SHRM25 conference. What followed was an explosion of comments — some supportive, some deeply disappointed, and some downright unhinged.

SHRM responded with a post calling for civility, noting that their work is rooted in two pillars: “Policy over politics” and the belief that “Civility is not optional — it is essential.”

They’re right. But we need to go further.

Because as I scrolled through the chaos in the comment section, I wasn’t shocked by disagreement. I was shocked by how many of the loudest, most demeaning voices appeared to belong to people who work in HR.

The comment that stuck with me the most?

"Imagine those folks who left horrible comments as your HR rep."

Let that sit for a moment.

Politics Is in the Workplace — Whether You Like It or Not

On the surface, it’s easy to say that politics doesn’t belong at work. But that’s a simplistic answer to a complicated reality. Because the workplace is political. How we design benefits. How we set up leave policies. How we classify employees for pay and overtime. The decisions that impact people’s lives — paychecks, healthcare, childcare access, job protections — are directly influenced by politics.

If you work in HR or operations, your job is impacted by politics whether you want it to be or not. The question isn’t, "Can we keep politics out of work?" The real question is, "How do we lead responsibly within political tension?"

I’ve Worked with CEOs on Both Extremes

COVID. Black Lives Matter. Russia and Ukraine. Reproductive rights. Immigration policy. In my 20+ years of leading People Operations, I’ve seen every hot-button issue turn into a leadership landmine.

Some CEOs used these moments to lead with empathy and inclusivity. Others used their platform to assert personal beliefs in ways that alienated entire departments.

Here’s what I’ve learned:

• When leadership is performative, people disengage.

• When leadership is silent, people assume the worst.

• When leadership is polarizing, people feel unsafe — or worse, unwelcome.

Leaders have personal beliefs. That’s human. But we have to ask:

When do personal beliefs start interfering with professional responsibilities?

To My Fellow HR Professionals: You Chose This Career

Let’s get honest. If you’re in HR or People Ops, your job is to advocate for employees and protect the business — even when it’s uncomfortable. That doesn’t mean you abandon your values. But it does mean you check your ego and bias at the door.

I’ve supported employees whose views I did not share. I’ve enforced policies I didn’t personally agree with. Not because I was being fake. Because I understood the role I signed up for. And that’s the part too many people forget:

You are not the main character. The employee is. The company is.

If you’re someone who’s out here posting hateful, polarizing commentary about national leaders while wearing your HR title, I’ve got a tough truth for you:

You might be in the wrong role.

Because if you can’t show up with fairness, advocate for people you don’t agree with, or operate with integrity in moments of tension, then you don’t belong in a people-centric profession.

Yes, Leaders Deserve Grace — But Not Immunity

Now, let me be clear: I’m not calling for perfection. HR leaders are human. CEOs are human. People have feelings. And yes, sometimes we misstep. We deserve grace — but grace doesn’t mean exemption from accountability.

Grace is:

• Giving people space to grow.

• Providing feedback without shame.

• Allowing room for learning and repair.

Grace is not:

• Letting HR reps post discriminatory rants and calling it "freedom of speech."

• Ignoring the impact of public comments made by people in power.

• Pretending bias doesn’t show up in employee relations decisions.

There’s a difference between free expression and poor judgment. You’re allowed to have opinions. But if your public expression of those opinions is making employees feel unsafe or unseen, you’ve crossed a line.

You Are Accountable for the Role You Chose

Nobody forced you to work in HR. Nobody forced you to be a manager. Nobody forced you to build a career around people.

So if you chose this work, act like it matters.

That means:

• Being mindful of what you post.

• Being thoughtful about how your words land.

• Being consistent in how you show up — online and offline.

Because leadership is not about what you believe. It’s about how you behave.

Final Thought: Civility Isn’t Weak — It’s Mature

SHRM's call for civility isn’t about being soft. It’s about being principled. It’s about remembering that work is a shared space — and the way we engage in conflict is the truest test of our leadership.

We don’t have to agree. We do have to be accountable.

Because the world of work won’t get better if the people responsible for shaping it are too busy posting angry memes to lead with integrity.

If this article made you uncomfortable, ask yourself why. And if it made you feel seen, I hope you’re leading the way.

---

📣 Want more candid takes on the real world of people ops, leadership, and culture? 🎙️ Subscribe to the HR Decoded podcast with Annekah Hall — wherever you get your podcasts.

#ThoughtfulThursday #HRDecoded #PeopleOps #FractionalCOO #Leadership #CivilityAtWork #WorkplacePolitics #Accountability #SHRM25 #FounderSupport