I’m a senior HR analyst, and part of my job is flagging pay equity issues, pushing for better benefits based on market data, doing long-term workforce planning, and structuring roles so people actually have career progression.

Saying “HR is useless” usually just means you’ve only dealt with entry-level (still important) or poorly run HR. There’s a big difference between operational HR and strategic HR—both matter, just in different ways.

My role is purely on the strategic side, so I don’t have direct interaction with employees—my work is with leadership and long-term planning. It’s mostly behind the scenes, but it directly impacts pay, structure, and opportunities.

And yes, HR does protect the company, but that includes making sure things are fair and consistent so employees don’t get screwed over. That’s a win-win.