4 Strategies to Help You Become a More Productive HR Leader
Jul 04, 2022HR leaders and professionals are pulled in a million different directions every day, especially if they are an HR department of one. You’re busy - that’s a given! But the fact remains that you must get done what needs to get done. So let’s look at 4 strategies you can implement immediately to help you become a more productive HR leader.
Finding the best way to use your time is essential. You’ve got to work smarter, not harder. You need to find ways to be more productive in less time. Now, I know you might be thinking, “But, Lori, that’s easy for you to say. I don’t have time to work smarter! I just have to keep plugging away!”
Let’s take a closer look at how you can change that and get on the track today to move your life and HR function forward in a way that works for you and the business.
4 Strategies to Becoming a More Productive HR Leader
Gone are the days when it makes sense to just keep your head down and try to get it all done. You simply shouldn’t and don’t have to go it alone. Below are four tips you can implement now to get the most out of every hour to meet your goals.
Strategy #1: Understanding What You’re Doing… and Why
In order to change how you’re doing things, it’s critical to know exactly what you’re doing and why. Be sure you know where your leaders are headed and what keeps them up at night. If the things on your list don’t support that – figure out another way to get it done. If your time is spent handling administrative tasks rather than creating initiatives that will drive your organization forward, it may be time to rethink your strategies. Outsourcing tasks to vendors, hiring an intern or seeking ways to automate tedious tasks can allow you to focus on other things. Don’t reinvent the wheel, just get help.
Strategy #2: Prioritizing is Key to Becoming a More Productive HR Leader
The natural next step after looking at your actions is to prioritize them. You must prioritize all tasks on your to-do list so that you are focusing on the most important and most time sensitive. Ever heard of the Eisenhower Matrix? It’s a great tool that will allow you to think through every task and determine the best way to handle it – and when.
One thing to remember - don’t let the squeaky wheels get the grease! It’ll happen - people will try to pull you in a number of different directions. RESIST! Your time is valuable and needs to be focused. Figure out what’s most important to drive your goals forward, then look for ways to delegate the lower-tier action items.
Strategy #3: Share Your Goals and Priorities with the Organization
When everyone knows what your goals are and what you’re working on, it’s much easier for them to see how their need fits into the grand scheme of things. One tool I like to use is a whiteboard. Hang it on your wall and list your initiatives and priorities. Then, when someone asks you to work on something that doesn’t fit into those strategic goals, it becomes much easier to explain why you don’t have time for it.
Strategy #4: Constantly Work to Increase Influence
As a leader, you need to control the conversation. This can mean empowering yourself to say no and be in the room when critical decisions are made and tasks assigned. While you may never be able to completely get rid of some of the things you’re doing, you may find there are new ways to get the job done.
Consider using vendors or new technology solutions that weren’t available previously. Also, staying connected with other HR professionals can certainly help you learn about new products and strategies that they are successfully using. Make connections, assert yourself and step up and be seen!
There are so many things in a day that we can’t control, especially time. You can control how you use it and ensure you have put resources in place to make the most of the time you have. By utilizing tools at hand, and seeking out what you need to accomplish your goals, you can ensure most of your tasks align with your strategic initiatives. And once all the pieces start to fall into place, you’ll quickly find that you have become a more productive HR leader!
Check out this quick video that shares a few strategies you should be thinking about to get you help in your HR department.
Thanks for reading!
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