Chief Drama Manager: HR's New Reality in 2025
It's official. Workplace culture is now binge-worthy!
From the boom in TV shows about office life (Severance, Superstore, Succession, and my personal favorite, The Office) to endless social media takes on "bad bosses" and "toxic teams," we can't get enough of watching almost fictional employees fumble their way through dysfunction. We've entered what some are calling Peak Workplace TV. The message is clear. Work isn't just where we spend time. It's where identity, values, and social tension collide.
At the same time, HR teams are increasingly finding themselves in the role of Chief Drama Manager.
One employee's hot take on X can spark a firestorm, and suddently HR isn't about about hiring, performance, learning, and total rewards anymore. It's about safeguarding culture, ensuring fairness, and reinforcing clarity in the midst of chaos. Which begs the question: are you ready for culture oversight as part of your job description?
The good news is the more proactive you are when it comes to culture oversight, the less time you'll spend as Chief Drama Manager. HR professionals can rally other organizational leaders to get ahead of the drama by by reinforcing company values in visible, practical ways. Done consistently, these small actions provide clarity around expectations, build trust, and help minimize unnecessary workplace drama.
Here are 10 easy ways your organization can reinforce your values every day:
Start with Onboarding: Go beyond the handbook and create interactive, values-based learning experiences for new hires during orientation.
Celebrate Wins through Values: Share the stories of employees who demonstrate values in action.
Reframe Performance Reviews: Include alignment with values as part of evaluations.
Build Leadership Accountability: Coach managers to be great role models.
Offer Values Check-Ins: Add a 5-minute "does this decision/action align with our values" at team meetings.
Simplify Policies - Frame rules and guidelines in terms of values, not just restrictions.
Integrate with Recognition Programs - Link rewards to specific values demonstrated.
Write Conflict Scripts - Teach team members lines like "let's revisit our values here" instead of "meet me in the parking lot."
Leverage Storytelling - Share stories in newsletters or town halls how values are guiding real decisions.
Ask Often - Poll employees regularly to see if the values are actually believable or if they need an overhaul.
Values are more than slogans. They're your company's true operating system. By intentionally and regularly reinforcing them, HR professionals can shift from reacting to drama to shaping a culture where clarity reigns and conflict is minimized. In today's workplace, where everyone is watching, tweeting, and binging on workplace culture, HR's influence has never mattered more.
