How HR can service employees better, even with a small team

Amazon is just one in a string of companies letting go of HR folks, leaving already struggling teams to do more with less. (When, oh, when will someone ask us to do less with more?)

Whether it’s expanding a learning and development program, instituting DE&I initiatives, or expanding sustainability efforts, there’s a never-ending list of “nice-to-haves” for a workplace. And that all falls under the HR umbrella-ella-ella. At a time when employees expect employers to have the aforementioned offerings, but may not be hiring more people, HR pros need to get creative.

Ask for help. Kathy Cullen-Cote, chief people officer at Teradata, told HR Brew that when it comes to HR’s offerings, “There will always be a desire for more.” She recommends that HR look beyond their own departments and see where non-HR employees can chip in some of their time.

“Many things don’t have to be done by the human resource organization,” she explained. Talent managers should know who the high-potential employees are, and which ones may be interested in gaining new skills, Cullen-Cote said. She recommended that someone from the HR team run a meeting and ask who would be interested in taking the lead on a certain initiative, like lunch and learns, for example.

“When people come to me and they say, ‘This is a wonderful idea; why aren’t we doing this?’ I say, ‘How can I help you make that happen?’” Cullen-Cote said. She explained that this approach is a win for everyone because it allows employees to potentially gain skills, get extra recognition, build cross-departmental relationships, and position themselves for promotion while the company as a whole can benefit from a new program.

Lean on technology. Leaner teams can also mean that technology will have to pick up some slack, explained Dan Staley, who handles global HR technology at PwC. He said that more automated tools allow for otherwise busy HR teams to focus on managing workplace culture initiatives or personnel changes. He recommends companies use tools like digital assistants or chatbots for the help desk. “[Employees] can just ask, ‘Hey, what is my FSA balance?’ or ‘What was my paycheck?’”—KP