Is this an HR issue or a manager issue?

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Let's cut through a common organizational confusion that's costing you both time and effectiveness: when to involve HR versus handling issues at the managerial level.

Does this sound familiar? Sarah, a team lead, is frustrated with Mark's performance. His work arrives late, needs constant revisions, and falls below basic quality standards. Her instinct? Route it to HR and get on with her day.

Here’s why that’s the wrong place to start.

Anything that primarily impacts day-to-day work performance and team dynamics should start with direct management intervention. HR isn't your first line of defense for every workplace issue—it's your strategic partner for specific scenarios.

Performance shortfalls, missed deadlines, and quality concerns all fall squarely in the manager's court. These are operational issues that require immediate, contextual responses from someone who deeply understands the work. A manager's direct involvement here isn't just preferable—it's essential for maintaining team morale and accountability.

The same goes for skill gaps, communication breakdowns, or project coordination challenges. These aren't HR issues until they've resisted multiple attempts at managerial intervention. Your managers should be equipped to handle these situations through clear feedback, performance improvement plans, and regular check-ins (all topics for another day).

HR becomes essential when issues touch on regulatory compliance, company-wide policies, or legal considerations. Think discrimination complaints, harassment allegations, formal investigations, compensation strategy, and benefits administration. These scenarios demand HR's expertise in documentation, legal compliance, and protecting both employee and organization.

The same applies to situations that span multiple departments or reveal potential organizational blind spots. When you spot patterns that suggest deeper structural problems, HR's broader perspective is invaluable.

Prospective clients often tell me, "I just wish we had an impartial third party to go to with our problems." It’s a natural impulse, but this fundamentally misunderstands HR's role.

HR isn't meant to be a corporate Switzerland, neutrally mediating every workplace disagreement. They’re strategic partners tasked with protecting and strengthening the organization while ensuring compliance and fair treatment. Turning HR into workplace referees undermines both their actual purpose and managers' authority.

Sometimes HR departments are the worst offenders. They see themselves as the answer to every workplace challenge—a hammer looking for the next nail. Worse still, some HR departments drift into being workplace therapists, turning their offices into a complaint desk and counseling center. Neither role serves the organization well.

The most effective organizations understand that manager-HR collaboration isn't an either/or proposition. Smart managers keep HR informed of developing situations while maintaining ownership of team performance issues. Meanwhile, HR provides managers with the tools, training, and frameworks they need to handle routine challenges effectively.

Make this collaboration work by making it concrete. Give managers playbooks for common situations. Define when HR needs to step in. And schedule regular check-ins between managers and HR to spot patterns early.

Every time you route a standard management issue to HR, you're not just adding unnecessary bureaucracy—you're missing an opportunity to build stronger, more capable managers. But remember, the goal isn't to keep HR out of the loop; it's to engage them at the right time, in the right way, for maximum organizational impact.

Make this distinction clear and you'll find both your managers and your HR team operating more effectively in their respective sweet spots.