When HR feels overworked — and how to fix it

I’m the HR manager of a small factory with about 100 workers. We are busy handling many people management tasks despite the help of my two assistants. What’s wrong with us? — Candy Girl.

Ordinarily, HR work can be performed by one person, regardless of their job title in an organization with approximately 100 workers. That’s on the condition that you are using an appropriate technology and payroll is done by the Finance department. This ratio is supported by the Society for Human Resource Management. HR-to-employee ratios could range from 1:50 in small companies to 1:150-200 in large organizations.

However, there are many conditions that must be met in order to do so. For one, your line executives must take full responsibility for their workers, including coaching for high performance and instilling discipline. While HR, even if it’s only a one-man department, focuses on high-impact policies and culture-building, it is not tied to clerical tasks.

This makes HR more strategic, less transactional — and positions HR as a “value multiplier” rather than a paper pusher.

DIFFERENT SOLUTIONS
Many small factories find themselves in the same trap. HR ends up doing too much under many conflicting systems. That means the root cause of the problem isn’t the competence or incompetence of the HR person, but the way HR is set up and maintained. Let’s break down why you’re overwhelmed, and what you can do to regain control:

One, too much manual work. In many small businesses, HR is still run on spreadsheets, logbooks, and paper forms. Attendance is checked manually, overtime slips get misplaced, and payroll preparation takes days instead of hours. Add government compliance filings, and suddenly, HR is swimming in clerical tasks.

The solution lies in putting up the most basic HRIS (Human Resource Information System) that can cut workloads dramatically. Instead of tracking attendance or leave balances by hand, let a system generate reports automatically.

Two, unclear responsibilities with line executives. In many organizations, HR is treated as the “workforce police.” It chases absent employees, resolves workplace conflicts, and even reminds people to wear their PPE. That’s not HR’s job. Supervisors and managers should handle daily discipline and attendance monitoring.

The solution lies in resetting expectations with management. Make it clear that supervisors who interact with their workers daily should handle first-line employee issues. HR can support them with policies and templates, but the day-to-day monitoring must sit with operations leaders.

Three, absence of clear, standard processes. How many times do employees drop by HR to ask, “How do I apply for a loan?” “Where do I get an employment certificate?” “Who approves my overtime?” “How about my application for leave?” If every request is handled individually, you’ll be stuck answering the same questions forever.

The solution is in standardizing and publishing clear processes. Create clearly worded guides or FAQ posters in the factory, if not on the intranet. When workers can help themselves, HR stops being the “walk-in help desk.”

Four, being reactive rather than proactive. Many HR personnel spend 80% of their time reacting to problems: resolving conflicts, chasing documents, or pacifying upset employees. That leaves little time for proactive work like training, engagement, or productivity initiatives.

The solution can take the form of proactive HR projects every month. This may include a training program for supervisors on handling difficult workers. By anticipating common issues, HR reduces the need for constant firefighting.

Five, HR is the “catch basin” of all issues. In small companies, HR often becomes the “do-it-all department.” Lost locker keys? HR. Medical exam compliance? HR. Fixing workplace disputes? Somehow, HR again. While it seems harmless, these little tasks eat up hours each week.

The solution is to politely but firmly draw boundaries. HR should focus on recruitment, development, government compliance, and employee relations. Other tasks should be reassigned to the line managers themselves.

LEAN HR
Not many HR people, even the most experienced professionals, know about the advantages of Lean HR in streamlining processes. Essentially, it’s the application of Kaizen and Lean in identifying and removing wasteful tasks in HR operations. This includes recurring issues like those found in correcting payroll errors.

Other non-value adding practices include requiring workers to fill out three forms for a simple benefit request, requiring people to wait for at least four signatories to complete a process, and workers inquiring about basic policies that should be posted in bulletin boards.

In Lean HR, the goal is to cut wasted time, talent, and treasure in every system and procedure. A factory with 100 workers doesn’t need a big HR department. It only needs a smart one. If you and your team of two assistants are constantly overwhelmed, it’s not because the job is impossible — it’s because HR is doing too many things that should either be automated, standardized, or delegated.

The shift is simple but powerful: let HR focus on strategy and people development, while line supervisors and a smart system handle the daily grind. Once you reclaim that balance, HR stops being the “busy department” and starts becoming the “value-adding partner” your factory truly needs.

Join our Oct. 17, 2025 public workshop on “How to Detect and Investigate Employee Fraud.” For details, e-mail operations@reyelbo.consulting or register via https://reyelbo.com/contact-us