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Are any other HR people feeling a bit lonely in all this :(

Samantha

Hi

Sorry its a self indulgent one.

Just wondering if anyone else is feeling a bit lonely?  I have streams of people coming in to my office concerned about it and asking what our plans are for WFH and sickness and about 101 other queries and being openly worried and I have to sit here and be the cabin crew and exude calmness.  Yet I am just as concerned as everyone else.

Managers and Directors etc look to us for calm, measured guidance and practical advice, and being so close to the 'inner circle' and hearing first hand the impact on the business etc.....very worrying, I'm feeling a bit forgotten about and just wondered if anyone else is feeling the same?  It just feels like sometimes people forget that we count as employees too?  

Parents
  • Today most definitely feeling a bit alone. I live on my own (moved out last year) and am wfh most of the week. This morning I've spoken to my parents who are both clearly feeling low and the frustrating thing for me is that they are a 5 minute drive away and I cannot go and see them after work or spend the sunny weekend with them in their garden like I normally would. This morning I sat and had a good cry on my sofa because I'm just so fed up of it all. I spend my days trying to answer questions from Managers that they quite frankly should be able to answer themselves with a little bit of common sense and then this morning I have an email from a Director asking what is happening with a team leader who he is supposed to be managing and whether they can come back to work to complete their handover because they leave this week. On top of that I am in a stand alone role and have no one else in HR to share the load with. I am fed up with this whole situation and I miss my family which is the thing that's getting to me most. As HR we're expected to be able to answer all the questions, put the necessary things in place for potentially needing to furlough staff and at the same time look after their well-being, but yet not once has anyone thought about making sure HR is ok and how are we coping. HR feels like a very lonely world at the moment.
  • in reply to Gemma
    Hi Gemma, you're not on your own - sending you some virtual hugs. It's good you've reached out on this community as what you realize is there are loads of us working in a standalone function. Like everyone else at the moment we don't have all the answers or any past experience of a situation like this to draw upon. But, we will get through this, and every day we get one day closer to the other side of this situation. I'm happy to share some of the things I have put together so please feel free to contact me if that would help. Big hugs :-)
  • in reply to Lorraine
    Hi Lorraine, I think today is the day that everything finally caught up with me and it got a bit too much. Thank you for the virtual hugs. I would be really grateful if you share some of the things you've put together. I will try and contact you via direct message. Thank you :-)
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  • in reply to Gemma
    Hi Gemma
    Having a little weep (or a big weep) is totally normal and natural, as is bringing out the 'blunt' messages sometimes at work when people - often far more senior - seem to be expect you to have all the answers. Each day at a time is the way I'm handling it at the moment, which of course is nowhere as easy as it sounds, when i blithely type it out on my keyboard .
    virtual hugs and high fives for keeping on keeping on
    ann
  • in reply to Ann Simpson
    Hi Ann
    Yes, i had a good cry this morning and got out of my system. I'm sure this won't be the only day that I feel like this over the coming weeks. One day at a time is the best approach as you say. I think a lot of it for me was that the last two weeks have just been so manic I've not really had time to process things or think about much. Today is calmer and with that comes time to think and process. We can all only do our best at the moment and hopefully we can start getting back to a form of normality sooner rather than later. I think we all need a virtual hug and high five right now.
  • in reply to Gemma

    The next issue of People Management magazine will focus on all the amazing work the HR community has been doing in extremely challenging circumstances, during these very difficult times. We've also launched a campaign across social media called #HRtogether. This reflects how important the support of the wider community is as we all feel our way through new and unprecedented HR territory - whilst at the same time being worried about our own health and that of friends and family.

    In fact this Community thread has been a very important barometer for the CIPD team in understanding what is needed to try to help support our members. Thank you for using the Community and continuing to reach out - you are not alone! I thought you might also like to see this tweet from Peter Cheese, CIPD CEO last Friday: