5 common HR issues and how to handle them

The human resources department takes responsibility for all aspects of employee administration including recruitment and selection, learning and development, performance management, salary, benefits and staff conduct.

When your HR department has everything running smoothly, obviously this benefits both the company as a whole and every individual employee, but even when following the correct human resources policy, there’s still a chance something can go awry.

1. Employee turnover

A big part of human resources management is keeping a handle on employee turnover, as you don’t employ someone only to find they’re seeking work elsewhere in a few weeks. When staff leave, it can cause issues for the business and your HR team.

High employee turnover means hiring regularly for roles and training new team members, which can be costly in terms of the extra time required. It will create more paperwork and when staff are working notice periods, managers will need to constantly update shift rotas. Your business can be left short-staffed, with other employees having to take on extra duties while experiencing the stressful fallout.

Improving a higher employee turnover can be a complex issue, but the first step is finding out why this is happening. A survey by Workhuman in 2023 revealed one in ten employees “don’t feel valued at all” and a further 46% feel only “somewhat valued”. This can lead to them seeking new employment where they will feel appreciated.

Organising regular one-to-meetings with each employee for an honest and frank exchange of views is an important way of gauging their feelings.

If a general mood prevails among staff, such as mentioning a negative company culture, or having to work too much overtime due to an impossible workload, for example, company managers and the head of human resources need to discuss making significant changes to the culture to create a positive working environment.

2. Lack of employee engagement

Around four in five employees who feel undervalued are continually looking for a new job elsewhere, according to the Appreciate Report.

Staff should be kept motivated and engaged, so they feel appreciated and rewarded for their hard work. Offering development opportunities within the company is a proven way of helping to keep every individual interested.

An important HR role is making sure information is available for people at all times. Sometimes, individuals who are feeling unhappy in their job won’t come to you with their issues – they will just look for a new job.

It’s up to managers and team leaders to arrange regular meetings for a discussion on the employee journey with the company, ensuring they’re aware of the relevant training opportunities and chances to progress.

Positive factors include ensuring salaries meet market expectations and allowing flexible working hours, rather than the traditional 9-5, to ensure employees have a satisfactory work/life balance.

A poor work/life balance can lead to stress and depression, with employees experiencing problems in their personal life as a result. This is the top reason why people leave their job, with 29% of workers who are thinking of quitting citing it as a major issue. The FlexJobs survey in 2023 revealed 42% of people with a poor work/life balance were actively looking for a new job, as their current role was too stressful.

Meeting rooms and good communication can be your biggest assets when it comes to increasing employee engagement, as they can give you a valuable insight into why your team members are feeling detached and dissatisfied. Moreover, it can help you to introduce new strategies to keep employees engaged and happy, as this means they will be more productive as well.

3. Poor performance

Managing performance at work is an important part of running a business. Identifying the root cause of underperformances before taking action is a vital part of solving issues.

Regular meetings between an employee and their team leader are the key to the appraisals system, also known as performance evaluations. These one-to-one meetings are a useful tool and employees must be made aware of this. It’s all about two-way traffic so the staff member doesn’t view it merely as a criticism of their performance.

Ensure each employee understands what’s expected of them and how their performance is measured, but have an open conversation, approaching them with respect and empathy and asking for their input.

Set measurable and agreed goals using the SMART strategy, making sure they are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-bound. Striving to achieve goals that are almost impossible to realise leads to greater dissatisfaction and underperformance.

Create a plan and regularly review progress, providing feedback and keeping employees involved in the appraisals process.

4. Employee conflict

Knowing how to resolve conflict between two employees at work is an important part of every HR department’s remit. The first step is identifying the problem, finding the source of the conflict, how long it has been going on and how serious it has become.

Encourage those involved to meet and talk confidentially to HR representatives. Listen carefully to the concerns of both parties. Remain objective, never take sides and make sure you have a thorough understanding of all the issues.

Devise a solution to satisfy both parties to prevent the issue from continuing or reoccurring. This means collaborating with those involved and working together to develop a solution by sitting down and talking to each other in a constructive way, with an HR professional mediating. Keep communication channels open and follow this up with regular updates.

5. Compliance with employment laws

Understanding and complying with UK employment law is at the core of every business and HR department. Compliance is vital so your business can be protected from potentially expensive legal disputes that can damage your reputation.

Every company must have procedures and policies in place to cover areas such as harassment, anti-bullying, anti-discrimination, diversity and equality. Grievance and disciplinary procedures should be put in place, with the business providing each employee with a written staff handbook containing details of the code of conduct.

Regular meetings of HR officials to update company policies in line with employment laws ensure everyone keeps abreast of changes, with many businesses choosing meeting rooms in London for their regular gatherings.