The entire HR department is the most toxic group of people I've ever witnessed. It is not only one large clique, but there is an accepted culture of treating people poorly with little empathy, both inside and outside of the group. They are great at taking credit and congratulating each other for work that isn't theirs, but are the first to point fingers when something doesn't go right. They preach empathy, collaboration and happiness but when it comes to living it, they fall very short. This is a known problem that management refuses to address. Plenty of good people have left because this toxic behavior persists.