As I've said before I think you misunderstand the real purpose of HR. HR is the KGB of the organization. Their real role is to protect the chain of command by getting rid of legal threats and preventing people from organizing collectively. They prove their real worth to the org when they quietly get rid of a PA who tearfully comes to them to complain that an executive backed them into a corner and groped them after drinks in the office. All that work to be nice and become friends with the PA and all that work to develop sexual harassment process's with internal dispute resolution processes pays off that point when they inevitably conduct an internal investigation , find that there was no evidence of wrong doing, question the victims mental health and gently persuade them to resign with a nice package. That's what HR are really for. Its insidious and secretive. Many HR people have much more noble reasons for being in HR but they will at some point come to this test and if they want to be promoted they must side with the exec team 100% against the workers no matter how egregious executive behavior is.