This morning was sunny, windy, and chilly. I woke up early, took in my daily moment of awe from the Danube, and then—yes, I admit it—checked my phone. A habit I’m still working on.
What caught my eye was a cheerful post from a friend: “Happy International HR Day!”
Wait… there’s an International HR Day?
Curious, I dug a little deeper. And as a small tribute to all of us navigating the wild, wonderful world of HR, I wanted to share a few thoughts.
So, What Is International HR Day?
Launched in 2016 by Lithuania and the European Association for People Management (EAPM), International HR Day celebrates the crucial role HR professionals play in building workplace culture, supporting employee well-being, and driving organizational success.
Since 2019, when it was first celebrated, every year May 20 has marked this occasion in over 80 countries.
This year’s theme—“HumanifyAI”—is especially timely. It highlights the balance we must strike between embracing AI-driven innovation and staying rooted in the human side of work. HR’s mission remains clear: use technology to amplify, not replace, our humanity.
Thank you to every colleague who lives this mission daily.
Back to reality…
With that message in mind, I started my day: another round of decisions, emotions, questions, and—let’s be honest—more case-management issues than anyone expected.
Perhaps because of the current situation in the humanitarian world, at the end of the day the thought of this being the International HR Day came back and it made me reflect on three tough, personal roles we -as HR professioals- embrace during times of organizational change and restructuring.
1. The Adviser or Decision Maker
We often help make—or directly make—decisions that impact people’s livelihoods. This is incredibly hard.
We face emotional and ethical dilemmas when designing or implementing workforce reductions, restructuring, or other cost-saving measures. We work to ensure fairness, effectiveness, and consistency. But behind every “position” is a person—someone whose milestones we’ve celebrated: new jobs, promotions, weddings, the births of children or grandchildren. We’ve also stood beside them through failed selection processes, illness, conflict, and grief.
So when we’re part of a restructuring, no matter how rational, professional, and objective we try to be—it’s personal. Always.
And it hurts. Always.
2. The representative of the Organization
We are the messengers. Alongside managers, we deliver difficult news: layoffs, benefit changes, or restructuring outcomes.
Sometimes, we disagree with the decisions. Sometimes, we’ve fought against them. But once they’re made, we carry them out—doing everything we can to support our colleagues and minimize harm.
It’s not easy. We absorb the frustration, anger, and disappointment—often from people we care about deeply.
And even when we know it’s “not personal,” it feels personal.
Still, we show up. Again and again. That is our job. That is who we are. With transparency, with empathy, and with a fierce commitment to doing right by others, as much as we can.
As my wise mother always said: “Put yourself in someone else’s shoes before you act.”
3. The Staff Member
We’re not just HR professionals—we’re employees, too. We face the same fears, insecurities, and impacts of organizational change. We have children attending school, mortgages to pay, plans and dreams.
Balancing our professional responsibilities with our concerns about job security and well-being adds an extra layer of stress and uncertainty.
But we’re expected to stay strong, informed, and composed.
So, we build what a colleague today jokingly and wisely called “emotional muscle.” Not to become hard and cold, but to become strong and resilient. To hold space for others while still protecting ourselves.
It’s like the safety instructions on a plane: Put on your oxygen mask first, before assisting others.
HR Day 2025: HumanifyAI and the Future Ahead
Of course, thank God this is only part of the HR journey! And while 2025 may feel especially heavy, it’s also full of promise.
The future of HR-people management- is dynamic and exciting.
HR is set to undergo significant transformations. The integration of AI and other emerging technologies will play a pivotal role in shaping the HR landscape. AI tools are expected to take over routine HR tasks, providing real-time feedback, enhancing employee engagement, and predicting cultural fit and future performance.
Skills-based hiring will become more prevalent, focusing on what people can actually do rather than their degrees, making the job market more inclusive and competitive (for better and worse).
Employee experience will become more personalized, with workplaces adapting to individual needs and preferences, in response to better and more measurable performance.
As HR professionals, we are not just adapting to change—we must be leading it. We are called to shape these trends in ways that keep people at the center, making sure that innovation enhances—not erodes—what makes work meaningful.
Let’s be clear: HR is transforming, and we should be driving that transformation, harnessing the full potential of AI while maintaining the fascinating and irreplaceable human essence of work.
To all my fellow HR colleagues—on this special day and every day—Happy International HR Day!
You show up. You care. You fix the impossible.
YOU ROCK.