Am I being blind to what is clear to other people

Hi all, I started worked in HR for a luxury retail business (head count of 270 people in the UK as well as a HR Manager and x 2 HR Officers)on a FTC as a HR Admin for 1 year. During that year I also self funded my CIPD L3 course which I passed. After my year was up I was offered another 6 months extension however had found a role that was better money and local. I was 24/25 at the time, I’m now 26 and still very much aware I have very limited life experience. Fast forward to nearly a year later and I have gone from a very basic HR Admin mainly assisting with paperwork and 1 investigation to now being responsible for a incredibly diverse workforce nearing 700 employees in the UK. My day to day can involve varying severities of ER casework, grievances, dismissals, redundancies consultations/dismissals, reporting, OH referrals, absence management, stakeholder management, matrix work, payroll assistance as well as dealing with all of the issues and uncertainly that COVID brought about. We are a lean business with each department only having one person, I am lucky to have a Employe Law consultancy to refer to at any time however, I am the first point of contact for 99% of all issues and processes and communications for my responsibility. This also can be anything from commercial cleaning operatives to office senior management. I am lucky to have an understanding manager who is the finance director, however my role is new, they have never had someone as a dedicated HR person and therefore in some ways I have been able to mould the role into what suits the business and a small element of my L&D. It’s safe to say I love my job, but with no one to talk to about my role and the stresses it can bring is there any one who is able to relate to what I am going through? I’m thankful to the business for letting me have a say on what I want the role to be, in some ways being thrown in completely at the deep end and all the experience I honestly don’t think I could have gained from not working within a pandemic. But my gosh I am exhausted, it’s chaos for lack of a better word, always someone wanting to ‘urgently’ speak with you, always an employee threatening to speak to ACAS/citizens advice over something small which a Line Manager failed to mention or proactively manage in some way or another. Am I crazy or can anyone else fairly new to HR relate? Funnily enough though I love it and despite the bad days I don’t think I would change too much.... Thanks
Parents
  • Hi Grace and welcome!
    It sounds like a typical standalone HR role, although with looking after 700 employees, you will need to be very careful about how much you take on and get done. Being thrown in at the deep end can be a good way to learn but do take care that you don't burn out. I have found this community invaluable to check my own thinking and (occasionally) let off steam. Good luck and I hope you continue to enjoy your job - it sounds like you are a good match for the role! Just take care about your workload. I had cause to review notes I made from a course on negotiation several years ago and the first three items I noted down were: 1. It does not have to be a confrontation. 2. There is always a solution. 3. No one is going to die. This doesn't only apply to negotiating sales with someone - I do try to apply it to the rest of my working life when I get stressed.
Reply
  • Hi Grace and welcome!
    It sounds like a typical standalone HR role, although with looking after 700 employees, you will need to be very careful about how much you take on and get done. Being thrown in at the deep end can be a good way to learn but do take care that you don't burn out. I have found this community invaluable to check my own thinking and (occasionally) let off steam. Good luck and I hope you continue to enjoy your job - it sounds like you are a good match for the role! Just take care about your workload. I had cause to review notes I made from a course on negotiation several years ago and the first three items I noted down were: 1. It does not have to be a confrontation. 2. There is always a solution. 3. No one is going to die. This doesn't only apply to negotiating sales with someone - I do try to apply it to the rest of my working life when I get stressed.
Children