HRDs’ HRQoL: a warning to the guardians of well-being

Mental health at work: where do HRDs fit in?

In an ever-changing world of work, there's a lot of talk about employees' mental health - which has become the leading cause of work stoppages over the past 2 years. But what about those who bear responsibility for wellness policies? For HR managers, this question is becoming a critical blind spot. The QVCT HR 2025 barometer conducted by Gerep, a social utility broker, lifts the veil on an alarming reality: HR professionals are in turn suffering, often alone, sometimes invisible.

A weakened quality of life at work

With an average score of 3.27/5 on their own quality of life at work, the HR directors surveyed are not mincing their words. One in five felt "not supported at all", despite being on the front line of organizational transformations, social tensions and reorganization plans.

Alerts are piling up:

• 57% report a deterioration in their work/life balance,
• 61% report a high level of stress,
• 56% plan to leave within 18 months.

When reporting lines change everything

The Gerep survey reveals a decisive variable in HRDs' perception of quality of life at work: their position in corporate governance. When they report directly to the CEO and are members of the executive or management committee, they systematically give higher marks to the questions. The average overall score climbs to 3.53/5 when they sit on the Codir/Comex, compared with 2.94/5 for those who do not. This correlation underlines an often underestimated fact: statutory recognition, access to strategic information and the ability to influence have a direct impact on the professional development of HR managers. Being a player in the company's transformation, rather than a mere executor, determines the meaning, autonomy and perceived legitimacy of the HR function.

Tools: the Achilles heel of the HR function

With the barometer's lowest score (2.77/5), the question of tools used in HR assignments deserves particular attention. It reflects a silent but profound tension between imposed technology and reality on the ground. Particularly in large organizations, HR managers complain of cumbersome, inflexible systems, often chosen out of step with their actual uses.

When digitalization becomes an obstacle rather than a support, it amplifies frustration and inefficiency. The survey clearly shows that HR managers in large companies (>1500 employees) give much lower scores than their counterparts in SMEs.

A risk of HR talent drain

Short-term projections are a cause for concern: one in two HR managers is considering leaving his or her company within 18 months. The causes are well known:

• Unchallenging assignments
• Lack of autonomy
• Excessive workload
• Toxic or unstable managerial context

But behind these weak signals lies a loss of meaning. The HR function no longer always finds a resonance between its human role and the concrete means at its disposal.

What's next? Turning HRDs' QWC into a strategic lever

It's time to reverse the perspective. QWL can no longer be designed solely for employees. It must also be addressed to those who manage it on a day-to-day basis.

Giving HR managers strategic visibility, hierarchical support and genuinely selected tools not only enhances their effectiveness, but also preserves an ecosystem of trust within the company.

Gerep is well aware of this: in addition to its health, provident, retirement and employee savings services, the firm now offers a forum for dialogue between HR peers, to encourage the exchange of best practices, freeing the floor for discussion and helping concrete solutions to emerge.

Conclusion: taking care of HRDs means investing in the company's human solidity

The HRQoL is not a soul supplement. It is an indicator of organizational maturity. To ignore it is to accept that those who look after others do so at the cost of their own disengagement. Responding to it means laying the foundations for a more human, sustainable and coherent performance.

By Hervé BARON, HR Director - Senior Advisor