Karen from HR vs Payroll: The Origin Story

Karen from HR wasn’t always like this.
There was a time when she just managed onboarding.

Then one day, she attended a TED Talk called “Bring Your Whole Self to Work.”
She came back… different.

She started using phrases like “psychological safety” in budget meetings.
She began sentences with “I read a Harvard Business Review article…”
She made us do a trust fall.
In a Teams call.

She added emojis to policy documents.
She renamed our Quarterly Business Review to “Quarterly Belonging Reflection.”
She brought a singing bowl to the office once.
It was not explained.

Now she runs a weekly wellness newsletter.
It includes affirmations, breathing exercises, and a Canva graphic that says: “Payroll is People Too.”

It is unclear if she’s serious.
We’re too tired to ask.

She means well.
And that’s the most dangerous part.