It's a big part of why I left management. Juggling the conflicting priorities is exhausting. It's probably easier - and explains a lot - when you can de-humanize your co-workers by calling them "reports" or "assets" - but that's not me.
It's kind of sick when you stand back and say it out loud. Those aren't "reports" or "assets" - they're people. The "Personnel" department is now "Human Resources". We don't fire people - we have a "reduction in force" or "layoffs". All so we can feel better about treating them like animals or worse. It's tragic, really.
That's good. It means your concience works. We need more management where that hasn't atrophied.