"The Power of Support: Why HR Leaders Shouldn’t Go It Alone"

After over 25 years working in HR, transitioning into coaching seemed like the natural next step for me. I had spent years being a Training Manager then HR Director in the NHS, Working overseas modernising the HR function of a national Medical Corporation with 17,000 staff, then as a consultant setting up HR and Training services for a small business. I covered every aspect of HR and organisational development, managed some very challenging employee relations, helped turn around poor performing teams and covered about every kind of HR role imaginable. I’d seen it all: the triumphs, the burnout, the isolation. And that’s exactly why I became a coach—to help others navigate the very challenges I knew too well.

In my time coaching independent HR professionals and small business leaders, I’ve found that their struggles often mirror my own experiences when I was starting out. They are smart, capable, and passionate about their work, but more often than not, they’re carrying the weight of HR responsibilities alone. Here’s why I believe support, in the form of networking, coaching, and mentoring, is vital for them—and why I know, from personal experience, it can be life-changing.

From Passion to Pressure: The Weight of Going It Alone

Take Sarah, an independent HR consultant I worked with a few years ago. Sarah, like so many others I’ve coached, came to me full of passion for what she did. She loved helping small businesses implement HR strategies and get their people on the right track. But after five years on her own, that passion had morphed into pressure. The demands of being a business owner—alongside the intricacies of handling clients’ HR needs—started to wear her down.

In one of our first sessions, she said, “I never realised how much I’d miss having a team to lean on. Now it’s just me, and every decision, every problem, falls on my shoulders.” Sarah’s story reminded me of my own early days consulting. The freedom of being on your own can quickly turn into a burden when you realise how much responsibility you’re truly carrying.

The same goes for HR professionals in small businesses. Another client of mine, James, was the sole HR person at a growing tech company. Like Sarah, James loved his work, but the demands on him were relentless. From recruitment and compliance to employee disputes and payroll, James was a one-person HR department. "I can’t keep up with everything,” he confided during one of our sessions. “Some days, I feel like I’m just putting out fires.”

Both Sarah and James were experiencing the same thing I had seen in so many others: when you’re the only HR person in the room, the weight of responsibility can start to feel overwhelming.

How Support Changed the Game

The good news is that no one has to carry that weight alone. Over my years in coaching, I’ve seen time and again how finding the right support system can completely change the game for HR professionals like Sarah and James.

Networking: Finding Your Tribe

One of the first things I encourage my clients to do is to start building their network. I’ve been in this industry long enough to know that HR can be a lonely profession, especially if you’re working independently or as the only HR person in a company.

When Sarah and I started working together, she was hesitant about networking. “I’m not good at schmoozing,” she said, echoing a sentiment I’ve heard dozens of times. But I reassured her that networking isn’t about handing out business cards—it’s about building real, meaningful connections with others who understand what you’re going through.

Sarah eventually joined a local HR network and started attending online HR forums. Within months, she had built a circle of peers she could turn to for advice, support, and fresh ideas. "It feels like I have a team again," she told me during one of our later sessions. That’s the beauty of networking—it gives you a community to lean on when the work gets tough.

Mentoring: Learning from Experience

Mentoring has been another powerful tool for me and my clients. It’s something I personally sought out when I was earlier in my HR career, and it’s something I encourage all HR professionals to consider.

When I connected James with a mentor—an experienced HR executive who had been in his shoes—the transformation was remarkable. James went from feeling overwhelmed to feeling empowered. His mentor helped him think strategically, not just about his day-to-day tasks but about the bigger picture of where he wanted to take the HR function within his company.

Having someone who had already been through similar challenges gave James the confidence to try new approaches and, more importantly, to know that he wasn’t alone. “Talking to someone who’s already been down this path was a game-changer,” he said. And I couldn’t agree more. Mentoring offers something you can’t get from textbooks or training—real-world wisdom and the reassurance that you can get through the tough times.

Coaching: Clarifying Goals and Gaining Confidence

While networking and mentoring are essential, coaching plays a different but equally crucial role. It’s about helping professionals like Sarah and James gain clarity on what they truly want from their careers and how they can achieve it. When I work with clients, it’s not just about solving their immediate problems. It’s about digging deeper—understanding what they want their professional lives to look like in five, ten years, and then helping them build a roadmap to get there.

For Sarah, coaching helped her focus on the bigger picture. She had been so caught up in the day-to-day grind of client work that she hadn’t thought much about her own business goals. Through our sessions, we developed a plan that allowed her to grow her business while taking care of herself. She started outsourcing certain tasks and focusing on the projects she was most passionate about.

For James, coaching was about finding balance. He needed help navigating the pressures of being a one-person HR department while maintaining his enthusiasm for the job. Together, we worked on strategies for time management, prioritization, and setting boundaries—something many HR professionals struggle with.

Why Support is Essential for Long-Term Success

Looking back on my own journey through HR, I can honestly say I wouldn’t have made it without the support of others. Whether it was through mentors, colleagues, or coaches, the insights and encouragement I received along the way were invaluable. That’s why I’m so passionate about providing that same support to others in my coaching work.

If there’s one thing I’ve learned in my 25-plus years of HR and coaching, it’s that no one succeeds alone. Independent HR professionals and small business leaders are some of the hardest-working, most dedicated people I know, but they often take on too much without asking for help.

My advice to anyone feeling isolated or overwhelmed is simple: reach out. Build a network, find a mentor, work with a coach—whatever it takes to get the support you need. You’ll not only become a better HR professional, but you’ll also find that you enjoy the work more. Because, at the end of the day, HR is about people—and that includes you.

You don’t have to do it alone. And if my journey has taught me anything, it’s that asking for support isn’t a weakness—it’s the smartest move you can make for your career.