2020 - the year that perhaps we have all been waiting for, where HR is taking centre stage and suddenly the whole business wants to speak to you! No doubt you have been working like a soldier supporting your business’ people through unprecedented disruption and change in a sea of conflicting Government announcements and employee queries….. Pause… let’s all take a deep breath!

Need some extra caffeine, we hear you.

The HR function has had to become more agile and responsive in 2020 and the changes have happened at an unprecedented rate. Working practices are rapidly changing and businesses have had to deal with a huge number of new HR practices learning as they go.

Some industries have been affected negatively and some positively – both can mean an increase in workload for HR.

Have you had to advise managers how to get the best out of team members who are working remotely, or perhaps, those who are struggling with employees reluctant to return to the workplace even? 

As well as helping some managers to avoid micro-managing, you are likely to have had to develop new policies and procedures and help them to understand it all around their day job and all on Zoom! Along with your managers, you may have had to become more Tech savvy at a fast rate.

Feel like you if you just had an extra pair of hands (or two!) so you could just get to the end of your daily to-do list?

Managing change has become ultra-important during 2020 and those managing HR will have used their knowledge to the full extent. Anxiety levels can be high when we are in uncharted territory and we don’t know if we’re always doing the right thing. There was no precedent for the furlough scheme, for example, but we, in the HR field, had to get up to speed quickly. It can help to have the expertise of another HR professional to offer a new perspective.

Having to re-engage with anxious staff and put plans in place for managing people back to work?

It may have sometimes been a lonely existence for you in the workplace since March. Employees will have come to you for advice but has your welfare been considered with all of the extra demands? Sometimes those of us working in HR are so busy supporting the work force we forget to put our own parachute on first.  

We know that we aren’t superhuman and we can be affected by employees anxious about returning to work or when dealing with numerous redundancies. You may have supported employees whose work-life balance has either improved or reduced, their wellbeing may have been affected and they may be concerned about their jobs. Has anyone asked if you need extra help?

Take the pain away. Self-care has been so important for HR managers over the last few months and, at Your People Associates, we have been working with stressed and burnt out HR managers, supporting them and getting the business firing on all cylinders again.

What would you consider to be the biggest help in your business right now?

Your People Associates works with companies of all sizes and we have a fantastic network of highly trained and supportive HR and Talent Associates. We are able to flex around your people needs and plug in as and when you need us, that could be a day a week or a three month project. In the last few weeks alone we have helped with a new performance management framework, set up a shared services centre, advised on redundancies and encouragingly managed several hiring campaigns!

It can really help to talk through the issues you are experiencing… Let’s grab a virtual coffee! Give us a call now or drop us a line nicola@yourpeople.associates or iain@yourpeople.associates