Tags – Who Looks After HR Teams
Given everything that’s been happening in the world right now (i.e. the global pandemic), the expectations for HR professionals are higher now than ever before.
In addition to taking care of existing workloads, they have been forced to adapt policies, support managers as well as deal with the complexities of the furlough scheme.
As lockdown restrictions are being lifted and the furlough scheme coming to an end, job security and uncertainty is increasingly becoming a worry for a lot of employees. For those working within HR, this is a particularly challenging time.
Quite often people expect HR professionals to be perfect. After all, how else would they be able to offer great advice?
But, who looks after the HR team while they look after everyone else? Generally, HR professionals are not too great at taking care of themselves – they seem to be exempt from their own policies – but they are no less human or less immune than the rest of the employees.
Looking After Your HR Team
Because of the nature of their work, HR professionals keep the wheels of the organisation in motion. They provide support and put others first, often forgetting about their own wellbeing.
Research suggests poor mental health plays a role in long term sickness and with one in five employees suffering, checking in on your HR team is important now more than ever.
So when was the last time you checked on your HR team and asked how they were?
At the end of the day, when the economy picks back up, these are the people you’ll need the most.
Here are a few things businesses can do to look after their HR team during a downturn:
1. Regular Check-ins
Check in with the HR team on a regular basis and ask how they are. Use these conversations as an opportunity to gauge how they are coping with the pandemic, with their workloads and personal responsibilities.
By spotting any issues early on you can prevent burnout and fatigue, offer your support and help manage stress.
2. Encourage Regular Breaks and Annual Leave
HR professionals need a break too so encourage them to take their annual leave and have regular breaks. Taking time off is important for any employee so they can recuperate away from work, relax and feel refreshed when they come back.
3. Job Security
As much as HR professionals help support employees who might be made redundant, for example. Chances are, they may have some anxieties and concerns of their own. If you know for sure that the HR team will not go through any structural changes, be sure to let them know and put their mind at ease.
4. Flexible Working
Allowing your HR team to be flexible with their working hours may just be the perfect support they need. It’s no surprise a lot of people are trying to juggle their home and work life – especially if they have children.
So allowing flexible working can help HR professionals to focus on themselves as well as others.
5. Treat Them as Strategic Partners
Although HR teams do not directly bring in any revenue, they are critical to the success of any business.
As such they should be treated as strategic partners and be actively involved with the long term business plans.
Overall, how a business looks after its staff is what will drive the business moving forward.
Please contact us now to find out more.
In the meantime, check our services as a HR Consultancy Huddersfield.
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