Hot take: HR shouldn’t be responsible for driving culture change.

The idea that HR is responsible for driving culture change is deeply ingrained in many organizations. But here’s the truth: expecting HR to own culture change, enforce high performance, or even ensure leadership cohesion isn’t only unrealistic — it’s counterproductive.

Let’s explore why HR shouldn’t bear the burden of enforcing culture change, what our role should be instead, and practical steps for driving change effectively within an organization.

Why HR shouldn’t be the enforcer

1. HR has limited authority.

HR professionals often lack the formal authority needed to enforce change across the organization. While we can recommend policies, processes, and frameworks, we’re not in a position to make leaders or employees comply. Without buy-in from those with real decision-making power, even the best initiatives risk being ignored.

For example:

  • If a leadership team isn’t aligned, HR can’t force them to collaborate better.
  • If managers fail to hold their teams accountable, HR can’t directly intervene.

This disconnect between responsibility and authority sets HR up for failure and frustration.

2. HR’s reputation is at stake.

When HR is seen as the “enforcer,” it can harm our credibility and relationships. Employees and leaders may begin to associate the HR team with micromanagement, conflict, or unwelcome mandates.

Over time, this can:

  • Make people hesitant to engage with HR.
  • Undermine HR’s ability to serve as a trusted advisor.
  • Create resistance to future initiatives, even when they’re beneficial.

3. Culture change requires leadership commitment.

Culture flows from the top. The CEO and leadership team set the tone for an organization’s culture, and their actions — not HR’s policies — have the most significant impact. When leaders fail to model the desired behaviors, no amount of HR-driven initiatives can bridge the gap.

The shift from enforcer to facilitator

While HR shouldn’t be the enforcer of culture change, we do have a critical role to play as facilitators, advisors, and strategic partners.

Our job is to empower the people who have the authority to enact change and provide the tools, insights, and frameworks they need to succeed. Here’s what that looks like in practice:

1. Partnering with the CEO and leadership team

The CEO is the ultimate culture carrier. HR’s role is to ensure the CEO understands the cultural challenges within the organization and has a clear plan to address them.

For example: The leadership team is experiencing dysfunction.

  • HR’s approach: Share observations with the CEO and suggest solutions, such as team-building exercises, executive coaching, or a facilitated offsite to reset expectations.
  • Result: The CEO owns the process, ensuring greater accountability and follow-through.

2. Providing data-driven insights

HR has access to valuable data that can inform culture initiatives: employee engagement surveys, turnover metrics, and performance reviews, to name a few. Use this data to make a compelling case for change and highlight areas of concern.

For example:

  • Share survey results that show declining trust in leadership and recommend steps to rebuild it.
  • Present data on manager effectiveness and suggest training programs to improve accountability.

3. Building strong relationships across the organization

To influence change effectively, HR must be seen as a trusted partner. This requires building strong, collaborative relationships with employees, managers, and executives.

Key strategies include:

  • Regularly meeting with leaders to understand their challenges and goals.
  • Acting as a sounding board for employees while maintaining confidentiality and professionalism.
  • Offering guidance and support without imposing solutions.

4. Facilitating — not enforcing — initiatives

HR’s role is to design and facilitate programs that the leadership team champions and enforces. This ensures alignment and buy-in at all levels.

For example:

  • Instead of HR enforcing performance standards, provide managers with the tools and training to hold their teams accountable.
  • Instead of HR running team-building initiatives in isolation, co-create them with leaders and ensure they take ownership.

What next? Actionable steps for HR teams

If you’re ready to embrace the role of facilitator rather than enforcer, here are some actionable steps:

1. Clarify roles and responsibilities

Work with the CEO to establish clear expectations for HR’s role in driving culture change. Define where HR’s responsibilities end and leadership’s responsibilities begin.

2. Focus on enablement

Develop tools, frameworks, and training that enable leaders to drive change themselves. For example:

  • Create a leadership playbook with best practices for communication, conflict resolution, and performance management.
  • Offer coaching sessions to help managers develop key skills.

3. Align HR initiatives with business goals

Ensure every HR initiative is tied to a broader business objective. This increases the likelihood of leadership buy-in and makes it easier to measure impact.

4. Measure and iterate

Use metrics to track the success of your initiatives and adjust as needed. Examples of key metrics include:

  • Employee engagement scores
  • Retention rates
  • Leadership team alignment (measured through 360 feedback or pulse surveys)

5. Advocate for accountability

Encourage the CEO to hold the leadership team accountable for culture initiatives. This might involve incorporating cultural metrics into performance reviews or establishing regular check-ins to assess progress.

The bottom line

HR is a vital partner in driving culture change, but we shouldn’t carry the burden alone — or try to enforce initiatives we lack the authority to uphold. By shifting from enforcer to facilitator, we can focus on building relationships, empowering leaders, and enabling sustainable change.

The result? A stronger, more cohesive organization where culture change is championed by the people who have the power to make it stick.

Let’s leave enforcement behind and embrace facilitation; it’s the key to driving meaningful, lasting change.