Is your team in danger of breaking due to the rise in HR absence?

When the ‘people team’, HR, fails to perform as it should, the entire business suffers. Tracey Paxton explains why HR needs to receive more investment, both emotionally and financially.

It’s becoming increasingly obvious that HR professionals are under an insurmountable amount of stress. Recent data from Employment Hero shows that HR now reports the highest absenteeism rate across the UK workforce.

This will not be a shock to anyone in HR. These signs have been present for a while. We are not witnessing a crisis, but rather a gradual buildup of emotional stress, increasing responsibilities and lack of support over many years.

The HR expectations have changed drastically. HR is no longer just about policies and processes. HR is seen as a custodian for workplace culture, a champion for wellbeing, and an important strategic partner.

The pandemic not only highlighted HR’s crucial role, but also increased the demands. Furloughs, changes in working conditions, mental health issues, and the emotional impact of supporting employees through crisis has left a lasting impression.

Even after the pandemic, pressure is still high. In fact, the pressure has increased. In many organisations, the investment in HR’s wellbeing has not kept up.

Many factors contribute to this. The emotional load is at the core of this problem – HR professionals must manage conflict, support employees who are distressed, navigate through grief, redundancies, and much more while also keeping their emotions in check. Often, this emotional burden is not acknowledged or supported.

The complexity of the working world is also a factor: hybrid teams, increased levels of anxiety and stress among employees, and the cost of living crisis.

In spite of all this, HR teams are still under-resourced. They’re also overstretched. And, crucially, many organisations still do not invest enough in the wellbeing and health of the people who are expected to take care of everyone else. They forget that, like the old airline metaphor, it is important to put your oxygen mask on before you can help others.

Gen Z is a special concern

According to research, Gen Z HR professionals are especially vulnerable. Many of them are in early career HR roles or entry-level HR positions.

The reason is easy to understand: They’re taking on emotionally challenging, complex jobs at a moment when they might not have the necessary experience or support system in place. Many people entered the workplace during the pandemic, and missed out in person mentorship, team bonds and hands-on training.

Be aware that this generation has strong values. They can be disillusioned when they see a disconnect between what an organization says and what they do, especially in terms of wellbeing, fairness or inclusion.

The HR strain on the organisation

The impact of HR professionals being absent or ill is felt throughout the company. When HR professionals are absent or ill, the impact is felt across the business.

It is possible for the development and implementation of engagement and wellbeing strategies to stall. The people function, that part of the company designed to help others, starts to crumble just as it is needed the most.

It also poses a threat to compliance, morale, and productivity. HR is a key player in helping organisations to meet their legal, ethical and cultural obligations. If that support is not available, mistakes may occur – in terms of employee disputes, legal compliance, or safeguarding.

Morale can also be affected if HR is in a bind. When the people in charge of wellbeing are overwhelmed, it can affect trust and confidence within the organization. When initiatives such as onboarding, training and wellbeing are put off, productivity will suffer.

Care strategies for carers: practical strategies

It is vital to shift the mindset and allocate resources. Many practical steps can be taken to support HR and the whole organisation.

Prioritise the wellbeing of HR with frameworks that are effective. Ensure teams have access to mental and wellbeing support including confidential clinical services.

Creating reflective spaces, such as time for peer or supervisor reflection, is also helpful, especially for those managing trauma, conflict, or complex cases.

It is highly probable that HR has inadequate resources and finds it difficult to manage their roles. In this context, it’s important to audit the workloads and team structure to ensure that individuals aren’t overstretched.

Supporting early career development is important for junior employees. Mentoring, peer networks and structured opportunities for development are all available.

Explore flexible delivery options. They could be shared services, clinical partners or technology.

Offer access to secondary mental services/treatment paths directly to individuals or through a referral. This could be cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), or Eye Movement Desensitisation and Recovery (EMDR), a form of psychotherapy.

Leadership development and peer support platforms can empower line managers with the skills to deal more effectively with day-today issues. This reduces reliance on HR.

Budget limitations are a very important factor to consider. For a long time, HR and other internal enablers have been expected to “just manage” without adequate resources. The real problem is often that HR investment is not seen as urgent or necessary.

To change this perception, it is important to have the support of senior leaders, solid data and internal advocacy. HR has become an emotional anchor for many organisations, but anchors also need something to hold onto. HR has helped organisations survive some of the toughest times in recent history.

HR cannot continue to do this without the proper support and consideration. It’s high time organisations realised that HR is not just a nice to have, but a strategic requirement.

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