According to PI’s 2026 AI and People Leadership Report, 67% of leaders say HR always or often coaches managers before a tough feedback conversation or conflict. HR support is the default experience for most managers heading into a hard conversation — at least according to leadership.
Managers, separately, were asked how often HR is available to help before more challenging conversations. Forty-three percent said HR is always available to help before a hard conversation, and 41% felt the support only shows up sometimes. Split almost evenly down the middle, reliable access to HR is closer to a coin flip than leaders realize.
When researchers asked managers what would help them most before a difficult conversation, only 11% chose time with HR. A general framework or checklist ranked highest, followed closely by coaching built around the specific employee they were about to sit down with.
HR can’t realistically provide individual coaching before every conversation happening across a company, so its greatest leverage comes from giving managers guidance they can apply the moment they need it. Managers want HR’s judgment built into something they can reach on their own, in the moment, without waiting on a person who can’t always be there.
