If Your Employee Is Struggling, Isn't That HR's Problem?

An employee breaks down in a manager's office, and the manager's instinct is to reach for HR. It feels responsible. It's often the worst thing you can do in that moment. This is about the difference between routing someone and staying with them, why "that's HR's job" produces the crises it's meant to prevent, and why noticing your people early is a management skill, not a clinical one.