In many workplaces today, the Human Resource (HR) unit is erroneously seen as the punitive arm of management — a department that exists solely to issue queries, initiate disciplinary measures, and enforce policies with iron hands. This flawed perception has not only undermined the dignity of the HR profession but has also robbed many organizations of the enormous value that a well-structured and ethical HR system can provide.
The Human Resource function was never designed to be a tool of intimidation or oppression. Rather, it is the heart of organizational alignment, designed to ensure that both employers and employees operate within a framework of fairness, mutual respect, professionalism, and shared goals. HR is not the organization’s enforcer of terror. It is the bridge that holds people and performance together, harmonizing structure with culture and ensuring both individual growth and institutional stability.
It is important to note that HR professionals are not meant to serve as megaphones for management echoing only the instructions and interests of top leadership. Instead, they are strategically positioned to be the ears and voice of both staff and management. When HR chooses a side, they lose the very balance that gives them credibility. When they become mouthpieces for punitive actions without context, they betray the ethical obligation to fairness that defines their role.
A true HR professional listens with empathy and speaks with wisdom. They represent the concerns of employees to management in a manner that is constructive and devoid of bias. At the same time, they communicate organizational expectations to employees clearly and respectfully. Their duty is to promote dialogue, not deepen division.
The core of HR practice is people management, and people are not robots to be managed by policies alone. They are living beings, shaped by emotion, motivation, family pressures, personal ambition, and values. A good HR system understands this complexity and addresses issues not just from a compliance standpoint but from a human standpoint. For instance, when an employee defaults on a task or policy, the HR officer must seek to understand the root cause before reaching for a query form. Not every infraction is rebellion. Some are products of burnout, poor training, unclear communication, or even mental health challenges.
HR professionals must go beyond enforcing rules. They must lead by moral example and ethical courage. They must be seen as people of integrity, character, and decorum. Employees must be able to trust HR not only as the handler of grievances but also as the gatekeeper of justice within the workplace. When HR is respected, not feared, it becomes easier to build a healthy organizational culture that rewards performance and discourages misconduct.
Unfortunately, many HR officers shy away from this higher responsibility. They reduce themselves to conduits for management instructions, often ignoring the human dimension of the workplace. When the HR office becomes known only for issuing queries and terminations, it creates a culture of silence, fear, and passive disengagement. Staff no longer walk into the HR office with suggestions or concerns; they avoid it altogether. This alienation erodes trust and weakens the very foundation of employee relations.
A progressive HR officer understands that discipline is only one side of their responsibility. The other side, equally important, is fostering belonging, mutual accountability, psychological safety, and growth. HR must be concerned not only with what employees do wrong but with what the organization can do right to prevent misconduct in the first place. This includes developing fair policies, promoting inclusivity, providing learning opportunities, and setting clear expectations from the point of recruitment.
Moreover, HR must be courageous enough to check even the excesses of management when necessary. They must be ready to advise leadership against actions that violate ethical standards or labor laws. They must protect the dignity of employees while safeguarding the interests of the organization. This dual loyalty is not a conflict of interest, it is the very essence of the HR profession.
HR is not a watchdog that barks only when management commands. HR is the conscience of the workplace the steady compass that ensures no one, not even leadership, drifts from the core values of fairness, respect, and accountability. To regain its true position, HR must reimagine itself not just as an executor of authority, but as a moral and organizational system that upholds what is right, even when it is inconvenient. Only then can it truly serve its purpose not as a corporate bully, but as a trusted builder of productive and humane work environments.
Samuel Jekeli writes from Center for Social Justice, Abuja
