Once Upon a Blinktime - Michelle Hartley, Chief of the HR Geek Squad

Name: Michelle Hartley

Job: Chief Geek Officer

Company: People Sorted, Find Your Awesome, HR Geek Squad

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Q: Tell me a little about you and what you do…

Essentially I transform HR Teams from beige to brilliant - through coaching, speaking, thought leadership and development. I deliver an HR programme called “Find Your Awesome” and create engaging training for businesses and HR teams that people talk about long after the sessions are finished.

Q: How do you think the role of HR has changed in the last few years?

That’s a great question. Covid and the pandemic initially shook us all, but it also changed our perspective on what HR can and should be doing. I feel optimistic that this has been a catalyst for positive change. We can expect HR to continue evolving towards a more authentic approach—seeing people as human beings, rather than just as “human capital.”

Q: What are the biggest pressures on HR right now?

HR teams strive to keep everyone within a business happy and keep things running smoothly. However, we are always stuck in a battle between time and budget. If you have the time, you don't have the budget. If you have the budget, you probably don't have the time. Most of the time you’re short of both. In recent years there has also been a big move towards hybrid working and the need for more flexibility. HR are having to quickly learn and adapt to this especially with all the new legislation that has come into play.

Q: On the subject of hybrid working, do you hear a lot that companies are struggling with coordinating hybrid teams?

100%? Yes. It’s really important to make sure that we know where our teams are and what they’re doing to ensure we're working in the most effective ways. This is a new challenge for companies as they are still learning the best ways to manage this, and because the change has happened so rapidly companies just aren’t equipped with the right tools yet to deal with it. I often hear a lot about offices being overstuffed with people that just randomly come in on any given day, but then equally, we've got people that are coming into empty offices because they don't know when their teams are in to do work they could have done from home. So yeah, absolutely, this is a challenge that needs addressing.

 Q: Do you think HR teams are suffering with a level of burnout?

Oh my God, what a question! Yes, 98% of HR professionals are either burned or burning out. So absolutely anything that will take the load off of HR professionals and make their lives easier is going to be a gift.

Summary

Michelle highlights how the HR is moving into a more authentic, people-focused role, but are facing new challenges like hybrid working and evolving legislation. HR teams face constant pressures of limited time and budget while also grappling with burnout, as 98% report being at risk. Key challenges include coordinating hybrid teams and effectively and balancing resources.

Key Takeaways:

• Hybrid working requires better tools to avoid inefficiencies like overcrowded or empty offices.
• HR professionals need solutions to reduce workload and combat burnout.
• Flexibility and clarity are critical for both employee satisfaction and workplace efficiency.

HR teams should consider tools like Blinktime, which can help address these challenges by simplifying hybrid coordination and alleviating pressure on HR teams.