How big is your HR team? - General - Our Profession

19 How big is your HR team?

8 Mar, 2023 13:06

Hiya,

I've just been having a chat with our MD who has said he thinks our HR team is "chronically under-resourced" in relation to the amount of activity we undertake.

We're a GP provider and work across 7 sites with about 250 employees (both clinical and non-clinical)

Our HR team is made up of:

1x HR Director (at around 0.5 FTE across 2.5 days, but works out at about 1.5 days with one day taken up with meetings each week)

1x generalist HR Advisor (me - 1 FTE across 4 days)

1x Apprentice HR Admin (0.8 FTE across 5 days)

Our payroll is internal and separate to HR although we obviously have a close relationship. It's NHS so we have a pretty large and continuous (!) recruitment requirement. From my perspective it does feel like we're doing a lot of firefighting and never getting much opportunity to pursue things to make the organisation better.

I appreciate that all organisations are different (and I have my own thoughts on how our team should look and what improvements/efficiencies could be made technology-wise), but I just wanted to get a bit of an idea of how other teams look.

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Elizabeth | 0 Posts

8 Mar, 2023 13:23

I am on my own (20hrs over 3 days) for a company with 35 employees. I used to work for a Housing Association which seemed over-resourced (1 FT HR director, 3 HR advisors (2 FTE), 1HR coordinator (0.7FTE) and 1 FT apprentice) for 120 employees. We were constantly fire fighting then though as we had so much recruitment, sickness absence, grievances and disciplinaries to deal with. I think a lot of it depends on how good your line managers are. Some need a lot of hand holding but others are very self sufficient.
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Christopher | 0 Posts

8 Mar, 2023 14:13

In reply to Elizabeth:
Hi Elizabeth - thank you, that last point is one I've been ruminating on quite a lot. We seem to keep on having sessions with them to support their own decision-making latitude but we still seem to end up having to walk point people to policies and walk them through said policies, and also us getting dragged into a lot of operational stuff!
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Anna | 0 Posts

8 Mar, 2023 21:14

I think it depends a lot on the organisational culture. If HR is regarded as the department that does everyone's admin and management, you will always feel under-resourced. It can still work fairly well if the managers are well trained up and basic systems (HR/Payroll/ATS etc) are working for people (not the other way around with people working for the systems).... and also covers are well structured (what happens when your only admin or only advisor is on leave?)
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Steve Bridger | 0 Posts

Community Manager

8 Mar, 2023 21:59

Hi Christopher,

This used to be asked a lot but less so in the last year or two - possibly because ways of working has changed so much for many.

Some insightful resplies so far and this will give you a good flavour, too...

https://community.cipd.co.uk/search?q=HR%20ratios#serpcategory=forum
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Christopher | 0 Posts

9 Mar, 2023 07:49

In reply to Steve Bridger:
Hi Steve, thanks for that! I did have a search beforehand but I think 'ratio' was the key term I was missing. Thank you :)
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Steve Bridger | 0 Posts

Community Manager

14 Mar, 2023 14:46

In reply to Steve Bridger:

Some recent research on this.

The ideal HR to employee ratio is one that is optimal for an organisation’s success...
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Belle | 0 Posts

21 Apr, 2023 08:57

Hi,
I am currently supporting 98 employees (across 2 sites) and I am a standalone HR Manager working 4 days (0.60 FTE)
I definitely feel under-resourced.
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Jules | 0 Posts

21 Apr, 2023 09:15

In reply to Belle:
me too - i'm leaving end of June (FTC) from a Housing Association and we are firefighting with recruiting and retaining staff. We have a 1 HOD, 1 HRBP, 1 HR Admin, 1 HR Advisor (me) and 1 Part-time HR Advisor. So once i've left the HRBP will be run ragged with standard HR stuff and the pt Advisor will be only capable of dealing with the recruitment. I've said my piece to them, but there is no budget. Except I see other departments increasing headcount all of the time
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Belle | 0 Posts

21 Apr, 2023 09:21

In reply to Jules:
Same, I have been highlighting this for 2 years but constantly pushed back. I am constantly firefighting whilst admin tasks build. Holidays are no longer restful as I know there'll be even more to deal with when I'm back as I don't have anyone to support me. It's very draining to say the least. What is your headcount if you don't mind me asking?
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Rachel | 0 Posts

21 Apr, 2023 10:31

Hi Christopher,

We have myself and a PT HR Advisor in a company of 60, across 2 sites, remote and international. I cover HR, Payroll, H&S and as in small companies lots of other random bits and pieces that dont really fit anywhere else!
However we are relatively up with good tech and systems that drive the admin piece of our world, and we have a developed and established set of Line Managers, who are relatively self sufficient in all things people management and a lovely bunch of employees who are engaged with the business. What this means for us is that we dont get our time sucked away by the ER piece of disciplinaries and greivances - it is rare to be in formal meetings and all the ensuing challenges that brings.

If we had a more challenging enviroment to be in then I would be light in resource. However I am very appreciative of the world I work in :-)

Hope that helps

Rachel
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Jules | 0 Posts

21 Apr, 2023 10:36

In reply to Belle:
5 people - it gets really frustrating, because we are not agile enough now in the way we recruit and lose applicants before we can see them. The Managers can't see this is an issue, but I can. Thinking I can get candidates out of thin air - well all my miracles have been used up recently, so I can' help. Have to keep a sense of humour!
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Belle | 0 Posts

21 Apr, 2023 10:50

In reply to Jules:
Sorry, I meant what is total employee headcount.
Recruitment is a major issue for everyone, there is just simply not enough candidates and we are so slow at reacting when there is one! Definitely a sense of humour helps... along with wine! ;)
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Jules | 0 Posts

21 Apr, 2023 11:05

In reply to Belle:
Apologies - I misunderstood, were around 150 employees, but are currently running about 20 employees short (roles requiring to be filled) . Exactly, not enough candidates, but Managers are not looking maybe transferable skills and training up people. Also we can't just throw money at roles either. I wish them good luck once i've moved on.
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Belle | 0 Posts

21 Apr, 2023 11:10

In reply to Jules:
Exactly! I wholeheartedly agree! Your HR ratio is better than average but I understand the frustrations. Good luck in your new role!
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Robey | 0 Posts

21 Apr, 2023 12:59

"Chronically under-resourced" would be an exaggeration, in my opinion, in this case. A good rule of thumb is 1.0 FTE for every 100 employees and you've for 2.3 for 250, so "under-resourced" is fair, but "chronically"?

Of course, it's only a rule of thumb and different sectors and industries will have different HR needs. But having worked in and around the NHS, I would say your team was about the right size, but with the HRD operating at 0.5, an additional HR Advisor would probably be a good investment.

My current organization is ~2500 with about 25.0 FTE (whether the people who operate the HRIS platform count as HR staff is arguable).

A previous employer had 75-100 staff and we had 1.8 FTE which was arguably overstaffed, but we also handled payroll and had a large field team and high turnover of technical staff, which accounted for the additional requirement.
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