If you are responsible for HR in your company, a smorgasbord of tasks probably lands on your desk each day. You already know that being adaptable is a crucial part of working in any job, especially in human resources. However, when your normal routine is derailed, it’s easy to start feeling overwhelmed. We could spend hours talking about avoiding burnout in an HR role (stay tuned for more on this topic). For now, here’s some tips to stifle that dreaded overload feeling so you can take control of your day:
Use every time management trick in the book.
- You already know you should be making a to-do list, putting your phone on Do Not Disturb, implementing quiet hours for no interruptions, closing off your email, etc. But are you really doing them? We all need another reminder for the easy tricks: put your phone out of sight when it’s time to get things done. When you need your phone in order to get things done, turn off all the dings and pop-ups from email, instant messaging, and text messages.
- Use the A1 Steaksauce method of creating a priority to-do list. The A1 method uses the idea of putting the most important items in priority of A, B, or C. Tasks labeled “A” have to be done, tasks labeled “B” need to be done and tasks labeled “C” would be nice to get done. After prioritizing them under A, B or C, number the tasks in each category. So you’ll complete A1 first, then A2, then move on to B1, etc.
Another great tip: create blocks in your calendar for quiet hours. No disruptions, no meetings, no phone calls. Creating these blocks of time will not only give you peace and quiet to knock out some work, but it also has another benefit. People will figure some things out themselves and might even resolve their own issue. I mean, crazy right!
Create as much routine for yourself as possible.
The biggest threat to routine is the daily fire drills that happen. The requests that hit an HR manager’s desk can feel endless. Having the right routines in place can help prevent the fire drills and sticking to your routine as much as possible can make the workload more manageable.
Create an internal HR timeline for specific items and stick to it. For example: schedule admin work on Monday and Thursday from 1 p.m.-2 p.m. Another example: block off 4 p.m.-close on Friday for benefit changes, job postings or running the required management reports. Whatever it is, assign it to a certain time or routine. You can always adjust these blocks if you find yourself needing more time. When the most necessary tasks are routine, you give yourself more flexibility to handle the unexpected.
Use the tools you have more effectively. Or, get better tools!
If you are managing multiple disconnected systems, still using paper in your processes, have tons of Excel sheets to keep track of things, or don’t offer employee self-service, it may be time to figure this stuff out. Today’s HCM and HR platforms should all be connected, or better yet, in one harmonious system. With an employee self-service system, you can educate your employees to make simple changes themselves such as address, dependent, and direct deposit information. This process is super easy and a must-have for reducing your to-do list. You can create a system for verification and eliminate the actual tedious process of changing all of that stuff. That’s just one more fire knocked out before it has a chance to start!
If you haven’t explored the possibilities lately, now is the perfect time. While all of today’s major platforms do a lot of the same things, we often find that our clients just don’t have time or intricate knowledge to make all the changes on their own. We are here to help you get one step better every day. We offer numerous options to help you improve your processes and implement the right solutions at the right time. We’re ready to be your fully outsourced HR teammate bringing the tools and training to help you with any step in the process.
Schedule a quick 15 call with us to discuss how you can reduce your to-do list and simplify your day.
